Promises, promises

Education, education, education. That was what Tony Blair promised was going to be his prime target before he was elected. Since then he and his minions have tampered with the system so that now a teacher may not even be needed. The National Curriculum is now so prescribed that almost every lesson in school is scripted. Perhaps they should employ actors to read the scripts instead of teachers who understand how children learn? If we let this go on too long even the teachers will be taught to only read scripts so that they no longer recognise educational needs in individual pupils. So, eight years on, what about education now, Tony?
So the Prime Minister comes out with limited backing for schools to have even more autonomy on who they take. This sounds like opening the door to the dreaded old 11-plus system whereby the academically "top" 20% of pupils would go to Grammar schools and the rest would be put on the scrap-heap of life in a Secondary Modern school. Now I know that it may benefit many people to be taught with others of similar standards but in the past it tended to lock-in the late developers to a life of academic - thus career - second-best. The comprehensive system at present in use is not perfect - what system can be? But academic division could soon lead to a new "class" system. When I went to a Grammar school (many years ago) I hated it. I was presumably in the upper range academically but the teaching methods were not right for me. Thus I ended up not achieving exam results and going into an apprenticeship in printing where I did quite well for myself. I often feel I never reached my full potential but I get along OK. I still wonder whether going into one of the "new-fangled" comprehensive schools would have given me a better start in life but it is too late to turn the clock back now. Turning the clock back is not an option for anyone. We have to live with what we are. But in the comprehensive system there is perhaps a better chance of escaping the "condemned to a second-class life" syndrome. I can only speak from my own experience but I still regret passing the 11-plus exam. Perhaps I would have done better elsewhere than a boys-only Grammar school, perhaps not.
I was glad to hear the Deputy Prime-Minister (I'm sure that's a lip-service title designed to keep the Left of the party on-side) John Prescott voice his doubts about the latest proposals, even if it shows there are still people who don't lick Tony Blair's ass all the time. Prescott is often labelled a "buffoon" but I'm sure he believes he is in politics for the good of the ordinary person-in-the-street. Keep the debate going, John and thank whatever deity you believe in that there are still people who aren't afraid to say what they think.
My own two sons both went to the local comprehensive school. The older one could have done better in his exams but still achieved what he needed to go to Birmingham Conservatoire to take a B.Mus(hons) degree studying trombone. The younger lad had to work harder. He switched schools after his GCSEs and went to a comprehensive (which in the past had been a grammar school) where the academic standard was deemed to be higher. He got the necessary exam results and is now at University in Cheltenham studying for a multi-media degree.
I truly believe that we, as parents, had something to do with their achievement. We encouraged them, from pre-school days, to read, write and want to learn. We didn't force them - we just made it part of normal life for books to be read, stories to be written and interest in the world around them to be communicated. Perhaps Mr Blair should be doing more to encourage parents to help their children to learn instead of - as many parents from all walks of life do - passing the buck completely to the teachers. It is an undisputed fact that children learn more in their
pre-school years than afterwards. They have to learn how to interact with people and the world around them - they even have to learn how to learn.
I wonder how many exasperated teachers there are who just wish they could get some back-up from parents?
The whole charade is turning into a load of bollocks.
Nuff said . . .