Scientific Theory
Headteacher mocked on Twitter for claiming evolution is not a fact
Harriet Sherwood - Guardian 03/02/16
Would she pass a
KS2 SATs test in science?
Oops
No longer tested.
Not so many years ago
Less than 5
Evolution could not explain why animals
might be adapted to their habitat in
a primary project.
"It might upset the local christian community."
Don't mention 'Evolution'
This attitude in Primary Schools is
probably rather more widespread
than one might expect.
It's that 'observation' criterion.
Not only that but repeated 'observation"
and
even then
there's an allowance for new information.
Whereas religion only requires
'belief'.
or is it
just reading a book.
Control and more control
Control and more control.
“The great mistake we educationists make is to suppose that schools are about education. It is not so…they are about control.”
So said RF Mackenzie, and they are words I have quoted before on this blog and many times in talks around the world. Anyone who harbours any doubts about the truth in his words should think about the events this week around the demise of Al Upton’s miniLegends blog and the resignation of Jabiz Raisdana, both of which I wrote about yesterday. It seems I’m ending the week on a series of negatives - that is a pity. From an education blog by John Connell
Negatives.
Hmm.
Realism.
An understanding of the world we live in.
Politics is control.
Not to be forgotten.
Needs to be taught.
Lessons from history.
Many and various.
Democracy only useful when you've got control.
Oaths of allegiance.
Stifle dissent.
More recently.
Fingerprints.
Acceptable now, just to borrow a book from a school library.
More recently
CCTV Cameras in schools.
DNA databases.
Primary children from 5.
ID Cards.
Public sector workers get them first.
19 pieces of information just to get on a plane.
Masquerading as keeping people safe.
Keeping Control.
Global Warming.
A war over oil.
The concern is the breakdown.
But they hope they've go it covered?
It's the real politic.
Will it work?
Democracy could be summed up as the freedom
to be controlled I guess.
But the ongoing battle is the freedom v the control.
While we have a voice.
One is reminded of this
It's the word that shouldn't be spoken these days.
Originally produced for the iWW in 1911 by Nedeljkovich, Brashich and Kuharich.
Finally Catching Up
Getting there sideways.
They will persist on calling it
'the basics'.
Why this separation of learning?
'Learning for Life'
Implies continuum.
Surely.
sad really.
Damned at 11. Still!
Everyone's got to be ready for 11, even if they are not.
Why?
Perhaps the 'rest of the curriculum' needs to be made accessible
not vice versa.
Every Child Counts.
Every Teacher knows.
But more intiatives.
Hmm. No Thanks.
The experts think
'Specialist Teachers'
Sorry they've got classes of 30 or more, can't make it.
'High Stakes testing'
'narrowing of the curriculum'
We told you so, years ago.
No-one took any notice.