From Cambridge University's Faculty of Education, a report (PDF) which has a good pop at both the National Curriculum and the Rose Review.
It's good to see some scepticism, particularly as Badman recommends the Rose Review as a possible way forward for home educators, and as Michael Gove's office has recently told us that the Tories also intend to monitor us and that they haven't decided on the reach of the National Curriculum.
(Ho hum...wondering if Mr. Gove has yet to consult with any lawyers who have any knowledge of the implications of the consequences of implementing these ideas?)
Oh and can't resist appending this as have just noticed that it disses teacher training too. (About time!)
"While supposedly training teachers to advance children’s knowledge and skill in specific subjects, ITT (Initial Teacher Training) has (a) neglected many of those subjects and (b) failed to educate teachers in even the basics of epistemology."
Yep, basic epistemology...they should be coming to Home Educators for a proper lesson in that!
Thanks for all the info!
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry to hear that the Conservatives seem to be following Labour's lead on home ed. Do you have a link to exactly what Michael Gove's office said ("Michael Gove's office has recently told us that the Tories also intend to monitor us and that they haven't decided on the reach of the National Curriculum").
Thanks!
absolutely delighted to hear criticism of teacher training - about time!
ReplyDeleteI did the pgce myself and was shocked by the sketchy nature of the teaching theory that was imparted and the complete lack of real interest in anything other than classroom control and government imposed key stages. I would be surprised if more than a tiny percent of newly qualified teachers even knew the meaning of the word epistemology, let alone have an understanding of its relevance!
V. sorry, anon 1. I don't have an outside link for the missive, which came from a secretary in Michael Gove's office and was sent to a home educator who let us see it on one of the lists. The only points made in the letter were that they do intend to monitor us but haven't decided upon the reach of the NC.
ReplyDeleteI think this was either a leak or a mistake, tbh, as previous messages from the Tories had been much more ambiguous. Cameron's office seemed to take a much more conciliatory line: http://daretoknowblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Cameron
but was ultimately still ambiguous on the point of whether or not we would be monitored and expected to do this and that.
Lol, Anon 2. Yep that tallies with the experience of another HEor who recently did a PGCE as well. She was also shocked at the terrible theories that underpinned the practice: inconsistent and at times just plain wrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is to say nothing of the shocking lack of engagement she found with all but 2 of her charges. The rest of a large class were completely uninterested in being educated in anything and were just there for the EMA.