Ms Truss is really getting on my nerves!

[Rea]

Tomorrows Daily Mail has this as the front page.

My blood is boiling :angry: :angry:

 

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/326086238652207105/photo/1

[dreamgirl]

Goodness me.

[trekker]

Unbelievable! :angry:

[Miacat3]

What planet is this women on! They are two year old for gods sake should we tie them to chairs and get them all to repeat like robots how to count from 1 to 10. I am starting to worry about the damage this women could cause to early years. If I hear her tell us one more time that in France they do this. Why doesn't she just feck off to France if their early education is so good! She is so out of touch with how children learn and the fab work that lots of wonderful early year workers do in their setting. Need to go and get a wine as so wound up now. Stupid stupid fecking women!!!

[Rea]

Couldn't have put it better myself

What she's actually doing is making a round of the media, spouting rubbish and undermining us to a point that parents will start to demand tables and chairs, worksheets and learning by rote. Then she can make changes based on the parental voices around the country.

[Stargrower]

I'm so sad, angry and totally fed up with it all. I wish Truss would log on to this forum and read about the fantastic practice that goes on day after day by dedicated, insightful, imaginative, resourceful, professional people. Then she comes along and can wipe out our reputation with her misguided opinions and ridiculous comments.

[Inge]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312657/A-generation-unruly-toddlers-Schools-Minister-says-Nursery-children-arent-taught-manners.html

Full article

 

I do wonder why she is so fixated on the French... so many other countries are changing to child led and play based learning... recently see articles and research form so many countries who are changing and following similar to original EYFS that did so much for the children... seems she want back step to the DLOs of years ago where they had us sitting children doing 'work' along with targets which these children could not do as they were nowhere near ready.... As usual the circle continues... not in a good way again!

 

I watched a discussion on Daybreak about this and they all said it was up to the parents to teach manners, preschools to back it up, and they could not see how they would get more attention with a graduate and 13 children against a dedicated staff member with less to look after.. she really does have no idea about early years and what it entails... should be going more along all settings having more staff with this age group not less..

[Rea]

"She said education watchdog Ofsted will be expected to mark down pre-school providers who do not take on better-qualified staff" - We will fail on that for certain.

...and offer children more structure. ‘This isn’t about two-year-olds doing academic work – it’s structured play which teaches children to be polite and considerate through activities which the teacher is clearly leading,’ she said. - We already teach children to be polite and considerate PSE! Structure in what way? Sitting at desks, speaking when spoken to, or well planned activities which allow children to explore and learn while using listening skills and developing their skills at expression.

 

The married mother of two, who is increasingly tipped for high office - Prison service?

 

Her intervention will delight parents and educators who believe a more traditional approach is necessary in vital pre-school years - REALLY!!!!!?

 

I know loads of swear words, but non of them quite do this woman's comments justice today!

 

 

http://www.elizabethtruss.com/

Edited April 22, 2013 by Rea

[hali]

She really is unbelievable isnt she!!!!!

[HoneyPancakes]

Really, I am so naive. When she started up about ratios I couldn't see the big issue with a well-considered extra child onboard. Just moving the risk assessment from ofsted to the setting. But she's really getting on my goat now. If I wanted to be in crowd control I'd be a bouncer.

 

H

[Guest]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/apr/22/childcare-minister-elizabeth-truss-nurseries

 

I cannot comment as I may shock some people with my language

[Guest]

Couldn't have put it better myself

What she's actually doing is making a round of the media, spouting rubbish and undermining us to a point that parents will start to demand tables and chairs, worksheets and learning by rote. Then she can make changes based on the parental voices around the country.

Truss does seem increadibly determined to destroy the reputation of early years care. the damage caused by her steamrolled recomendations may take decades to repair.

[SueJ]

Rea what do you mean the prison service - I was thinking more along the lines of Italy or Germany in the 1940's - perhaps when an adult comes into the room she would like to have children stand, salute and shout "Il Duce" or "Heil" - now actually rather than some v. small 2 year old going off today with a cheery "See ya Wednesday" I should have insisted on a little more respect

 

This is so obviously an ignorant woman who demonstrates a woeful lack of understanding about early years. For those of us who have been in practice for a while it is certainly beginning to wiff v. much like the DLOs - I remember being ticked off by an Ofsted inspector for not getting the children to do written sums to double digits!

 

As for the qualifications bee that she has in her bonnet she really needs to get a basic grip of good old fashioned fractions 1:13 means that a child will be lucky to get 1/13th of the practitioner's time and attention - not quite sure how that will help children benefit in anyway - especially as bar giving birth she would pretty much like us to bring them up and oven wrapped for that all important school! :angry:

[DebbieW]

Nursery World article today;

 

The Economist Intelligence Unit report - "Starting well: Benchmarking early education across the world" - ranked the UK third in the world for quality of early years education. Early education in France was ranked ninth in the world for quality of early years education.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, has branded Ms Truss’ comments as ‘ill-judged’ and ‘off-the-cuff’ about what she believes is happening in day nurseries and pre-schools, and insulting to practitioners and parents. ‘It is extremely disappointing to have a childcare minister who praises the quality of provision in other European countries yet consistently fails to recognise high-quality provision here.’

 

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said,

'Despite the glowing description by the children’s minister of nursery provision in France she fails to acknowledge that many people there view their own system as lacking in creativity and perhaps paying insufficient attention to child development.

 

full article;

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/bulletin/nurseryworldupdate/article/1179418/?DCMP=EMC-CONNurseryWorldUpdate

[Upsy Daisy]

I wonder why she thinks that being required to say hello to every adult who enters the room will make these children into the enthusiastic, resilient learners they need to be to succeed in school.

We had to curtsy to everyone who entered our classrooms. I wasn't a better learner for it.

[Stargrower]

We need to find someone with some clout who can call for her resignation. If a minister in any other industry had 'bad-mouthed' professionals as she has, heads would roll! Are we supposed to just sit and take it?

[flowlow]

I think sometimes these mp's should actually spend some real time in real settings rather than 'safe' behind a desk!!! I do find it worrying that she has so much power over early years.

 

As has previously been said its convenient that she has picked on France and not on the many other examples of children being taught through play, many countries of which do it better than we do! heaven forbid children should actually be allowed to have fun and enjoy themselves! and we all know that seen as you can look after more children with higher qualifications, you must magically get more hand, arms, eyes, ears and legs!!! now where did I put my extra sets!!!!

[eyfs1966]

the clue to all of this is her background..she's a management accountant. Thus I guess to her it all makes total sense reduce costs by employing less staff, have them look after more children, and keep em all quiet by following adult directions at all times.

 

What I want to know is where are all those eminent individuals who wrote the EYFS, and why aren't they shouting out about this??

 

Also, why bother to hold a consultation on all these reforms, and then discuss them as though they are a fait accompli?

[Rea]

I've just seen a problem solving chart which made me think of Ms Truss. I cant put it here because of the language used in it, so I've put it in my Blog!

[finleysmaid]

the clue to all of this is her background..she's a management accountant.

She also comes from an incredibly educational

background as her father was a professor of Maths......i assume her children do not have EAL or SEN needs. Perhaps she needs to realise children with additional needs in france are often sent to the basement and educated there!!

[Pimms o'clock?]

What we must do is consider all her points one by one and all write to our MP's pointing out all her errors, we have got to get support the of MP's of every persuasion and convince them to have the balls to challenge her.

 

Without political support we will be stuck with her, she needs ousting NOW before she deflates our "professional calling" and does any more harm.

 

We are all dedicated to the children and the families that we have the privilege of being there to see the children "fly" so we have to fight for what we know and believe in.

 

I'm climbing down now (off soapbox) but I do think we have to fight, I was at a conference on Friday where Liz Roberts (editor of Nursery World) told us of a text she had received from someone eminent in Early Years (kept name confidential) where the words were "the gloves are off now" so let the fighting begin.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Pimms o'clock?

[Rea]

I was thinking along the same lines Pimms. My MP is very good at passing on my comments to MPs, last year it was Sarah Teather and Mr Gove.

[Pimms o'clock?]

Just heard the words "debate around nursery education" on Channel 4 as being on their programme - There is no debate, what we are doing is right!!!!!!!! Leave us alone, GGGRRRRRRR... I feel like Lois Suriez (? spelling) and want to get my teeth into someone :angry:

[finleysmaid]

I think you're right Rea it's time to write....i wrote a letter to Ms Truss the other day...but i've just read that they will only answer letters from their own constituency ...so if you want to write it has to be to your local MP

[flowlow]

I was thinking about writing to my MP too! will you write privately? share responses on here? what will others do?

[Rea]

I'll email my MP with her comments now and earlier this year and a statement from the EYFS alongside each I think. I'll need to re-read the EYFS though

[WChurchill]

I am still a little confused about child ratios. I posted on here last week about rising threes. My head said that she has checked and we can take rising threes without a change to staffing ratios. Does anyone know where I can find this out.

[sunnyday]

I am still a little confused about child ratios. I posted on here last week about rising threes. My head said that she has checked and we can take rising threes without a change to staffing ratios. Does anyone know where I can find this out.

 

 

In the 'Statutory Requirements' :1b

[Pimms o'clock?]

We need to find someone with some clout who can call for her resignation. If a minister in any other industry had 'bad-mouthed' professionals as she has, heads would roll! Are we supposed to just sit and take it?

 

 

 

Does anyone know how to contact Joanna Lumley? I think she is the right girl for the job :-)

Edited April 22, 2013 by Pimms o'clock?

[sunnyday]

Sounds like a plan Pimms - she is a fellow Kenter you know!

 

Not sure what's wrong with me - I should be feeling incensed by her remarks (Ms Truss that is) but all I'm feeling is incredibly sad