Cait Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 (edited) http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091016/tuk-c...ix-6323e80.html Edited October 16, 2009 by Cait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Oh wouldnt it be lovely if someone listened to that? But I doubt they will, where would a government be without targets, tables, ticklists and folders full of paper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 How exciting.....lets us think positive thoughts and maybe someone will feel our vibes.....copied and pasted the article for work today....thankyou Cait.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I don't think the Government's response was very positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 No, that was said on the radio this morning. Apparently the Government feel the report is out of date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Same news on the BBC website. The first thought I had was a cheer that perhaps things might change for the better, but reading further my heart sank as the government dismissed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 If nothing else.......I hope this will be informative for parents....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 (edited) listening to the radio at some silly o clock this morning , one of the writers of the document was on a talk show and stated that the current government dismiss it, however others seem to have listened and are willing to look at it.. whatever that means.. He also commented on the poor reporting in the papers and misquoting, ( he came up with loads of them) which would give rise to many rumours which could get out of control and become one of those myths in education he also asked how the current government could comment when they had only had it a few hours, was it enough time to read and understand and discuss it all? Inge Edited October 16, 2009 by Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Well the wrangling will start, and the mis-reporting will take over no doubt. The main findings are summarised here. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/o...chool-home-work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 You can read the full report here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 You're so right, Sunnyday! I've printed off the BBC report and the one from Yahoo, and will be displaying it on my notice board. I had a number of parents ask me at parent's evening this week when we were going to start 'proper' maths and literacy, and one mum tell my TA that we need to force her son to ou can imagine my responses!! So yes - hopefully this will be informative for the parents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 saw it on the news but the government are not having any of it!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I thnk the words used on the news I saw this evening were that the research was outdated. Outdated by what? Is there some new research that says small children learn best sitting down doing worksheets which has paseed me by? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueJ Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Outdated by the need for ed balls to keep his job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 This was discussed on the Wright Stuff this morning, a phone in programme. They asked the question play versus formal education and starting school at age 6yrs. Sadly one mother phoned in saying her daughter had just started school and that she took her out after 4 weeks because all she did in school was play and that her child didn't like it because she wanted to learn Fortunately there was a nursery practitioner in the audience who argued for play and briefly explained the EYFS, but overall the opinions were about 50/50 for and against. Attitudes about 'play' being perceived as 'just' or 'only' still seems to prevail. I was quite cross and wanted to phone in but couldn't as I was watching a recording. My argument against formal education at the early age of 4 yrs would be on the lines of we would have uproar if we expected a child to walk at 6 mths old, and forcing a child to would damage their development. Why do we do this with their education? I do believe that formal education at too young an age does make many many children become disenfranchised with learning. I would also ask how many adults sustain a job, with dictatorial leadership for a period of up to 14 years? Yet in a way we expect our children to do this, stay within an institutional environment from age 4-18+ yrs. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I think we do have to be a bit careful about assuming that EYFS practice in school is all about doing worksheets and sitting at desks though. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 This was discussed on the Wright Stuff this morning, a phone in programme. They asked the question play versus formal education and starting school at age 6yrs. Sadly one mother phoned in saying her daughter had just started school and that she took her out after 4 weeks because all she did in school was play and that her child didn't like it because she wanted to learn Peggy I regularly post on a parents forum and I'm afraid that many many parents complain their child is bored in reception because all they do is play "my DS2 spent the entire time in reception asking how long until he would be going into YR1 as he wanted to do the sitting down "proper" learning." "I would prefer to see it go the other way with much more time in school both in terms of an earlier starting age (at a formal nursery/ Kindergarten level) and more days spent in school during each year." just two extracts from replies to a thread about the Cambridge Review. My reception class don't use worksheets and didn't use worksheets long before EYFS was ever thought about but in transition folders from some pre school settings there are pieces of evidence which I certainly would consider to be of the worksheet variety ... so perhaps it isn't a good idea to stereotype Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 No, I agree with that. But children are all so very different, aren't they! Last year I two girls who loved doing worksheets and would regularly ask me "Can you make me a sheet of that?" So I seemed to be forever making spot the difference/print a circle here/is it magnetic?/what shape comes next/etc things which would probably count as worksheets but which they thought were tremendous fun. I have to add that both these girls had older siblings who were bringing worksheets home as homework, so they probably had some idea that it constituted 'work' but they enjoyed them. So my reaction was, well if they want them and they are enjoying them and as long as they remain fun, why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Lovely quote during our uni session this week, cited in Nutbrown and Paige (2008:172): 'Gardeners don't plant runner beans in January to get an earlier harvest than their neighbours; if they tried, they would probably get shrivelled and stunted beans. They fertilise the ground in the early months of the year, so that when the beans are planted-at the right time- they will flourish' I thought this was lovely............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 i think it would be so much better to do formal learning at 6.in sweden where they start formal learning at 7,they are not behind and are way above us in league tables.Children are not able to hold a pencil until they are ready and we cannot force a child to be writing their name-it is ludicrous.Children learn more by play in their ypunger years it is not just playing ie counting in the water whilst playing or investigating in the sand whilst playing .It is not simply playing as there is abalance of child initiated and adult directed activities.The government is a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Outdated by the need for ed balls to keep his job! In response to the government's 'outdated' comment, some of the reccomendations from the Alexander interim reports actually seem to have been 'placed' into Jim Rose's Primary Review. Is this outdated too then? I think theyve just taken the bits that suit and endorsed them with the government stamp for their own review. Not to say that Jim Rose hasn't done any work of his own of course! I love the idea of extending EYFS into year 1. Both reports seem to agree there, so I think that may happen - fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Lovely quote during our uni session this week, cited in Nutbrown and Paige (2008:172):'Gardeners don't plant runner beans in January to get an earlier harvest than their neighbours; if they tried, they would probably get shrivelled and stunted beans. They fertilise the ground in the early months of the year, so that when the beans are planted-at the right time- they will flourish' I thought this was lovely............... Thanks Narnia - I love that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Lovely quote during our uni session this week, cited in Nutbrown and Paige (2008:172):'Gardeners don't plant runner beans in January to get an earlier harvest than their neighbours; if they tried, they would probably get shrivelled and stunted beans. They fertilise the ground in the early months of the year, so that when the beans are planted-at the right time- they will flourish' I thought this was lovely............... That is lovely..........I also like (I'm thinking SATs here) Just because you keep weighing a pig it doesn't mean it will get heavier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 That is lovely..........I also like (I'm thinking SATs here) Just because you keep weighing a pig it doesn't mean it will get heavier! Thanks Sunnyday. Thats what I mean't to say. I like your analogy too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Love the analogies too. When I say institutional environment I don't just mean quality of teaching, THERE ARE, AS WE KNOW, MANY, MANY EXCELLENT TEACHERS OUT THERE WHO THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN HAVE A DAILY STRUGGLE AGAINST THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE 'SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT' (oops capitals not intended but quite apt so will keep them ) What I feel uncomfortable with is young 4 yr olds, to 5/6 yr olds contrained to walk in lines, sit in assemblies (en mass), eat in crowded dining halls, walk a certain way along corridors, only go to the loo at certain times, etc etc, not to mention adult/child ratio's. When I visited a school in Sweden, in the 90's, even then they were far ahead of UK in terms of child centred approach. The classrooms (the children had a main room, an art room, a roleplay room, not shared with another class) had resources like a larger version of a preschool setting, lots of self select storage, large blocks to enable team co-operation in building, excellent free flow indoor/outdoor resources. There was a large book on display from which the weeks planning was derived from for literacy & KUW focus, other curriculum areas covered by holistic play. A seven year old boy was working on his reading, he had placed the book on the floor, then he lay with his tummy on the seat of his chair, leaning over to look at his book, his legs were dangling about in the air. I thought, how wonderful, he was enjoying his reading, turning pages properly etc but also in a chosen position in which he felt comfortable, I also thought you would never ever see this being allowed in a UK class. I just think children should be allowed to be children- innocent, pure, naive, candid, uncomplicated, unsophisticated, trusting, simple, Ingenuous. I've highlighted uncomplicated because I think this is the main fault of our system, we are all too complicated for young children. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Love the analogies too. A seven year old boy was working on his reading, he had placed the book on the floor, then he lay with his tummy on the seat of his chair, leaning over to look at his book, his legs were dangling about in the air. I thought, how wonderful, he was enjoying his reading, turning pages properly etc but also in a chosen position in which he felt comfortable, I also thought you would never ever see this being allowed in a UK class. Peggy This is so lovely. It's so natural and such an obvious way to teach children how to enjoy books. Thats how we all read, when reading for enjoyment -in a position that we feel comfortable and relaxed. Just the thought of some teachers faces on seeing a child reading like this Sad too though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 I can remember the head complaining to her year 6 class a few years ago (she DID let them sprawl to read) "I wish someone could give me all the minutes to sit and read a book that you lot are wasting chattering and staring into space!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 I can remember the head complaining to her year 6 class a few years ago (she DID let them sprawl to read) "I wish someone could give me all the minutes to sit and read a book that you lot are wasting chattering and staring into space!" I wish my 12 yr old would use all the time, effort and strategic skills he uses to avoid homework, to actually get it done. (said by me in Summer Term) However, he has been much better this term since the school involved him in formulating the new homework policy. Just shows that to value childrens opinions, listen and understand their perspectives, respect and give them more credit for having sound ideas, then improvements could be made. I'm talking Government, and some parents too, should listen to the children / young people. ( us practitioners already do) Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts