The Age of Austerity.....

As much as it pains me to admit it...I am getting older. Although there is a still a 21year old idiot that jolts and moshes inside my brain, I find my brain is able to sometimes tuck her into bed with a cup of cocoa so I am able to get on with my 'grown up' sort of activities. These include buying a laminator, a dress from Next and immersing myself into the BBC's 'School' season. In fact this whole set up is to talk about the latter.

I have watched Gareth Malone, a Royal Academy trained Choirmaster, show us how to engage boys back into learning. Funnily enough the diagnosis being- make learning more fun! I have also enjoyed the Classroom experiment, where Dylan William (Educational Professor) implemented a classroom experiment with a year 8 class. William replaced grades with comments and enforced a 'no hands up' rule, Pupils were instead encouraged to use whiteboards to write their answers and show to the teacher at the same time. The principal being that the 'more abled' children no longer dominated classroom discussion, whilst children on the other end of the spectrum are unable to shy away in the shadows.

The programme which has evoked the most frustration within me was John Humphrys's 'Unequal Opportunities'. Humphrys looks at the attainment gap between the social classes and repetitively asks why? We are then presented with case study after case study as to 'special measure' schools which are able to turn themselves around with leadership and resources. This programme is great for awareness and to stir the Hornet's nest of Parents, who already feel frustrated with their neo-liberal mask of 'choice' with schools. However the merits of the arguments of the programme are deplorable. Humphrys jumps about from one school to another, suggesting that states schools need better leadership- which they do. State schools only accept inadequate teachers- which is insulting. States schools need to act more like private schools to help buy in the power of the upper working classes/middle class parents- which again is an insult. It worries me deeply when I hear state run schools are offering pupils rowing as a sport activity and asking each year 7 pupil which university they are attaining for.......The answer in bridging the social gap is not to make carbon copies of the upper classes but to accept each child for their potential. Some will be academic, some not and it is these children that fall through the net. What if your niche is a vocational route?Sure I want a qualified Plumber, but they don't need an MA!

Humphrys closing statement is along the lines of- State run schools need better leadership, better teaching and better resources BUT in an age of austerity they will never get it..........Thank you Mr Humphrys for that powerful and revealing insight.

180- A sudden change in lifestyle

Gosh- I have been very neglectful with me wee little blog. My readership of 1 (me) have been hounding me excessively to update and I have finally succumed and given into my fan(s).

It is rather interesting keeping a blog just as a fixed pinpoint of your state of mind at that time. My predications about the election were obviously way off and to be honest I am still with holding judgement on this coliation government. I have rather enjoyed Cameron and Clegg's low profile compared to the previous government. I suppose coming in to power on the unpopularist vote you had better get on with the job!

Now to the real issues- my life! I finally tamed the beast that was the disso and was amazed to be awarded an 'A' for my efforts. The more I look into social media technologies, the more I am convinced that they will lead to a evolutionary shift in human behaviour. School is a great instituation where we can harness and control this change to ensure we are not isolated-social beings, tap tap tapping away talking to all and sundry but unable to be neighbours within our own communities. There is a need to educate the next generation on this new communicative tool and i'm not convinced we have the right people doing the job.

I am hopefully applying for my teaching training placement later this month and would really like to focus on ICT and its implementation across the curriculum- not just in a allocated timeslot. I am currently working as a PA within a financial organsisation. Within my small dept, we are based across three geographic locations, including NYC. I have recently organised training for my colleagues to be proficient in Live Meeting so we can communicate and collaborate across the various sites. For me, this shows how small the world is becoming. Children today need to learn to effectively communicate accordingly, not only to their peers and adults but increasingly with the whole world.

TTFN

So I have finally started writing a little bit of my dissertation today- a whole 250 words. I'm still not sure what it is i've discovered or what i'm even looking for but I think it was soon tell me when I start writing it. I think basically what i'm saying is that new media technologies are being implemented within schools to make them relevant and engaging for an emerging generation who experience these technologies as part of their everyday realities. However the agenda and execution is being carried out by a generation that doesnt quite understand it. There is a need for greater education of implementing such systems like Learning Platforms but more importantly a greater understanding of the social impact New Media techologies have on society. Are we just making ourselves increasingly isolated or are we creating a global village?

My friend Hobbit Tom and I have been discussing the leader's debate and have both agreed that Cameron should never have agreed to do it. Its not winning him votes we feel. Hobbit Tom and I want Clegg and Brown to tag team. Tom likes that Clegg has a Spanish wife like Henry VIII and I like that Brown is quiet and looks like he knows a smutty joke or two...!

In other news I seem to have chocolate on my boob....yum. Oh and I assaulted my housemate with a Mars Bar. He now has a fat lip and I now have a lovely funny memory.

xxxx

My 1st Blog

After threatening to create a cyber rant of my thoughts I have finally commited and started a wee little blog. Hopefully this will inspire me to live a life worthy of a blog, i'm thinking somewhere between Belle de Jour and Barack Obama. Currently life involves endless procrasitating activities which ensure that I do not actually tackle the beast that is my dissertation. Initially my dissertation dealt with the rise of the social self and the implications this has had on the British Educational system, but i'm not too sure that is what I have found. It certainly is interesting to see what our children are exposed to via social technologies and how adept they are. Hopefully this blog will help me think through and discuss my findings!

The live election debate tonight was rather interesting as well. I particularly tuned in when educational reforms were discussed and like Clegg's idea of a streamlined and autonomous curriculum. I get scared when Brown talks about Academy schools as being the saviour of standards! But more importantly I conducted my own opinion poll and found that 75% of people think that Gordon Brown has the fattest cock!

Right now off to live life! I look forward to my new adventures!