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Discussion of the children's schools in the UK.
grimep
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Postby grimep » Thu Apr 14, 2005 8:11 pm

erikdr wrote:

Sorry to hear that, apparently due to your experiences with SES, you've become kind of anti-religious or anti-spiritual.


Heh heh, yeah, too bloody right pal. Couldn't have put it better myself.

afitz wrote:
They have some very good approaches that go against the flow (I speak as a qualified teacher myself) at Junior level - i.e. not teaching or using ICT and waiting until secondary level. The over-reliance on ICT clearly affects students creativity and laziness in research


Sorry, but I take serious issue with that point. I'm sorry but this is just plain wrong, and a sentiment I have heard from St James staff. Why ignore such a valuable resource? Especially at a time when our economy is becoming knowledge-based? I am lucky enough to work in the eLearning industry and am daily excited by the new horizons this technology is opening up. There aren't many high profile resources on the subject, although I'd recommend The Design Of Children's Technology, and Robots for Kids- Exploring New Technologies for Learning, both by Alison Druin, to anyone interested in investigating the subject on a deeper level. A cursory flip through either should make you realise how technology in education can be exciting, fun, and when done properly has the potential to excite and inspire the thinkers and inventors of the future.

Of course, like anything, it has to be done properly. A lot of material produced for schoolkids is cheaply done, to cash in on the eLearning boom, but as with all learning materials it is the educator's responsibility to seek out that which is quality, fun and inspiring. A bit sausage-factory at times, but I'd urge anyone involved in a kid's education to check out Spark Island... http://www.sparkisland.com/
I can't promise you'll find any modules on Meditation, Mozart, Sanskrit or Vedic Maths, but it might open your eyes to where eLearning for kids is going...

You say that using technology to support learning has a negative affect on students' creativity - could you provide evidence to back up this sweeping geralisation?

(you'll discover quite the opposite if you care to seek out the 2 books I mentioned)

daska
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Postby daska » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:38 pm

Ban faith schools. They encourage sectarianism. Kids don't need to be different, and they do need common experiences through which to develop understanding of and respect for others.

Use every tool available effectively and in conjunction with other effective techniques, whether it's returning to tried and tested 'old fashioned' methods for learning to read or adopting new technology - e.g. the gameboy to tune hand-eye coordination. IT doesn't encourage laziness any more than a gun kills. It's how it's used.

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a different guest
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Postby a different guest » Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:52 am

it should teach core values such as self-discipline, manners, generosity


and i would argue that is PRIMARILY the parents job. however secular schools DO teach such things as well as they are simply parts of living in a civilised society. which has NOTHING to do with religion or "spirituality"

I think this also answers eridr's point

BoeingDriver
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Postby BoeingDriver » Fri Apr 15, 2005 11:51 am

ADG: I agree that it is primarily the parents' job to instill self-discipline, (good) manners and a spirit of generosity in their children. However it is my sad experience that all to many children today are not being taught that by their parents, mainly because the parents themselves show very little in the ways of self-discipline, manners or generosity.

Unfortunately, that really only leaves the schools, or perhaps grandma and granddad if they live near by, to fulfil that role.

anti_ses
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Postby anti_ses » Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:05 pm

a different guest wrote:and i would argue that is PRIMARILY the parents job.

What about parents who hardly see their children? This is sadly the case in households where both parents work. It's not as if a school has to make a whole agenda on "infusing good values" - small things like making sure everyone on your table has food on their plate before you start eating can make a world of difference.

a different guest wrote:however secular schools DO teach such things as well as they are simply parts of living in a civilised society. which has NOTHING to do with religion or "spirituality"

Unfortunately, my experience is that the nature of the average school kid can be termed anything but "civilised": they frequently make rackets on public transport, eat junk food on their journeys, litter the streets, jump into 1st class carriages of trains, play loud music on their headphones, utter profanities and, worst of all, are often unwilling to give up their seats to the elderly. Maybe the schools they attend have this view that manners should primarily be taught at home?

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a different guest
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Postby a different guest » Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:29 pm

Unfortunately, my experience is that the nature of the average school kid can be termed anything but "civilised":


Is that truly your experience or what you read in the tabloid press???

Teenagers can be a bit noisy but overall they are nice kids. They suffer hugely from (undeserved) bad press.

but maybe things are different in the old dart?

anti_ses
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Postby anti_ses » Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:50 pm

a different guest wrote:Is that truly your experience or what you read in the tabloid press???

It is truly my experience, as I travel to and from work every day via public transport. The tabloid press only confirms my experiences. I admit that I may only come across a small sample of the possible types of teenagers and that the majority of them only in one area of London. But even on a small scale, schools should endeavour to make children see the benefits of good behaviour and good values. I even venture to say teachers should make an effort to punish children they know to be disruptive on their journeys to and from school.

leonmich
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Postby leonmich » Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:12 am

..yeah it's as anti ses says adg, it's hell in London having to put up with all those kids who play music on their headphones and eat junk food in public! It's the end of civilisation as we know it.

anti_ses
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Postby anti_ses » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:40 am

leonmich wrote:It's the end of civilisation as we know it.

I'm glad somebody agrees with me!

daska
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Postby daska » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:22 am

Mrs West did a skit at Waterperry about being caught eating apples on the way to school - anyone else remember that? I do remember there were various pupils who were more than happy to 'report' any breach of school rules about what we could and couldn't do in school uniform. Didn't stop us though. Kids will be kids and will push any boundary as far as they can. Even when the school they go to has rules.

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Postby a different guest » Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:33 am

leonmich wrote:..yeah it's as anti ses says adg, it's hell in London having to put up with all those kids who play music on their headphones and eat junk food in public! It's the end of civilisation as we know it.


oh the horror the HORROR!!!

Alban
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Postby Alban » Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:35 am

anit-ses

We were just as rowdy as other school kids, probably more-so as a result of having no natural outlet for our emotions at school. We made hay while the sun-shines as the transport system was the relatively relaxed place between the highly depressive areas of home and school.

So maybe you just need to remember what it was like when you were young and stop being so intolerant, the kids are just having some fun.

Oh and if you want a break from it all, you might consider a SAGA holiday.

anti_ses wrote:
leonmich wrote:It's the end of civilisation as we know it.

I'm glad somebody agrees with me!


You obviously missed the sarcasm of Leon's remark

anti_ses
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Postby anti_ses » Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:20 pm

Alban wrote:
anti_ses wrote:
leonmich wrote:It's the end of civilisation as we know it.

I'm glad somebody agrees with me!


You obviously missed the sarcasm of Leon's remark

You obviously missed my sarcastic comeback.

Shout
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Postby Shout » Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:52 pm

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Last edited by Shout on Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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a different guest
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Postby a different guest » Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:00 am

anti_ses wrote:You obviously missed my sarcastic comeback.


If that's what it was cos if it was it was pretty pathetic.

I've noticed before that long-term products of the adult schools aren't crash hot at sarcasm.


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