Disappointingly for Thanet school children, it looks as if, the strike by Teachers belonging to the NUT will result in limited school closure in this area, as will be the case across the rest of Kent. Still my recollection of school life is tainted by having gone to one of Kent's third rate secondary schools, hence the rather glib attitude to schools in general and Kent ones in particular.
For me action by the NUT is nothing if not selfish and frankly I hope those who participate harm no one other than themselves, I trust that they have their pay docked pro-rata for time off. The thing about this action, is that for some reason these teachers feel they have some god given right to be immune from the down turn in the economy. Those of us, who live in the commercial world, would be happy to have any guarantee of annual pay increases, since many are being squeezed quite deliberately by a Labour Party whose hierarchy have forgotten where they came from.
It would be comforting to think, those who teach our children had some grip on reality, which if their recent conference is any thing to go by, they haven't, since when not bitching about their pay they decided they would concern themselves with banning this countries armed forces from schools and replacing them with minority religious teachers to complement traditional christian tosh.
I would be surprised if the NUT going on strike has any detrimental effect long term and might actually do some good, if we take this opportunity to examine whether teachers are not already grossly overpaid, particularly when you factor in the cost of generous pensions which although common to the public sector are unsustainable. I would have more respect if the NUT were to strike over something like Kent's grammar school system which favours the affluent, and discriminates against poorer families.
For me action by the NUT is nothing if not selfish and frankly I hope those who participate harm no one other than themselves, I trust that they have their pay docked pro-rata for time off. The thing about this action, is that for some reason these teachers feel they have some god given right to be immune from the down turn in the economy. Those of us, who live in the commercial world, would be happy to have any guarantee of annual pay increases, since many are being squeezed quite deliberately by a Labour Party whose hierarchy have forgotten where they came from.
It would be comforting to think, those who teach our children had some grip on reality, which if their recent conference is any thing to go by, they haven't, since when not bitching about their pay they decided they would concern themselves with banning this countries armed forces from schools and replacing them with minority religious teachers to complement traditional christian tosh.
I would be surprised if the NUT going on strike has any detrimental effect long term and might actually do some good, if we take this opportunity to examine whether teachers are not already grossly overpaid, particularly when you factor in the cost of generous pensions which although common to the public sector are unsustainable. I would have more respect if the NUT were to strike over something like Kent's grammar school system which favours the affluent, and discriminates against poorer families.
Rubbish - the last thing my parents were was affluent and I went to Maidstone grammar school and my husband and I were never affluent but my son went to a grammar school.
ReplyDeleteTony
ReplyDeleteI find them obscene (the teaching profession and their ilk).
In the 19th and early twentieth century left handed kids were forced to write right handed.
Now the "Profession" is worse. It has stopped f-cking about with natural left handedness and now messes with natural left and right brain hemispheriness (invented the word)
Kids who do not thrive in the education system (which sets itself the unchallenging task of taking ten years of a life and wasting it by teaching nothing about everything) find themselves being diagnosed. Dyslexia, dyspraxia, special needs
The broad curriculum of irrelevant subjects probably does irreprable brain damage to the pupils caught up at Grammar School level.
Caught between keeping the public sector parasite teacher in work and appeasing parental expectations, the brain defends its grip on sanity by adapting its memory function.
The result in the pressured Grammar School level pupil is that knowledge does not move properly to long term memory. But the brain holds the gumph just long enough to spew it back at exam time and then forget it.
Teachers leave the kids alone.
We need to go back to basics and offer subjects relevant to the needs of our society and economy.
Driving, DIY, First Aid, Lifesaving, Self Defence, metalwork, woodwork, applied maths, engineering, horticulture, design, sports, public service
Hobby subjects could be offered as extra curricular activity. Drama, music etc There should be no place for sociology or media studies.
I am sorry to learn that Grammar School education failed to deliver you unto affluence Little Weed.
ReplyDeleteThe Grammar School system flogged itself on the promise of jam tomorrow for its victims.
although Tony
ReplyDeleteNorthern Ireland has found that it costs less to educate a pupil in a Grammar School than in other secondary schools.
Although there are pros and cons against the tests, the proof of the pudding of the effects of grammar schools is how well the counties with selection do against the national average. Kent is below average, the education cabinet councillors says things are getting better!
ReplyDeleteSo much for Kent being affluent!
You can always point to individuals that have benifited/suffered under selection (like little weed). Its the county as a whole that must be judged.
Can we be precise, please? Kent is below which average, there are many?
ReplyDeleterefer to article in kent messenger 28 Feb.
ReplyDelete'Kent below national average in school league tables.'
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=38821
Kent and Linconshire have the most poor performing schools in the bottom 100.
Independent jan 2007
...
The figures are all the more stark when set against the fact that only 15 councils in England still have fully selective education systems. The authorities with the largest number of schools in the bottom 100 in the country are Kent and Lincolnshire - both of which have a fully selective education system. Kent and the Medway Towns - which were part of the Kent authority until the 1990s - have 10 schools in the worst 100, including the bottom two:
...
I wont name them.
Maybe this has changed since last year.
Its quite simple for me, Kent schools system is geared to give middle income families who cannot afford private education something a little superior, than is on offer for poorer families.
ReplyDeleteThere is no problem with streaming students by ability but what is the logic of selection at eleven, it negates much of the following 5 years education.
The Kent test in a word is bollix