Layer 246 . . . Bright Blue and Another Education Debate – Part 2

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Continuing from yesterday's Layer (245)  .   .   .   .   .   .   .

So what was last night's meeting (at bright blue) on about?

Here's what Dr Seldon had to say for himself:

Our education system currently concentrates on teaching children how to pass tests and exams - relentlessly coaching them - in what are virtually factory schools. Very little active learning takes place - it's mainly about passive memorisation.

Parents and schools need to work together to combat the top-down (political and bureaucratic) drivers of the system. We should be taking our inspiration from Harvard's multiple intelligences model. Intelligences can be arranged in pairs -

logical . . . . . linguistic

personal . . . . . social

spiritual . . . . .  moral

creative . . . . . kinaesthetic (physical)

We need to nurture all 8 of these 'aptitudes'.(?)

The time for a monolithic system of State education has passed.

When Dr Seldon became the head of Wellington School five years ago there was no wellbeing agenda or multiple intelligences approach. Thanks to the introduction of these things the school has improved dramatically, in all aspects of children's achievement, happiness and wellbeing.

He says his parents and children 'love' the 8-intelligences model.

He believes teacher training is very important and we need to teach young teachers to think!

He's proud to be a theist who is 'enchanted' by art, poetry and nature.

Dr Seldon claimed that States such as China are relentlessly persisting with an education system that's essentially about "hammering facts into children". This is odd since there is documented evidence that China has switched to a completely new paradigm for teaching and learning - in line with what can be called the Dryden and Vos model - whilst it's Britain and America that persist with trying to hammer in the facts and making academic attainment the be-all and end-all.

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Meanwhile, Toby Young declared that he's "wary" of concepts like multiple intelligences and any distractions that allow children to 'opt out' of traditional academic subjects. (!)

Mr Young is certain that children need above all a subject-based and knowledge-based curriculum.

In answer to the question 'What is education for?' Young is quite clear that the purpose of schools should be to go on driving up 'academic standards'.

He believes we've been 'dumbing down' by offering kids "economy-driven, utilitarian, skills-based learning" and "lowering the bar with utilitarian Diplomas". He says the 'drift from subject-based learning' is failing children. Children in State schools are no longer developing the ability to think critically and analytically about the world. This is due to the current 'tyranny of liberalism'. Children need a fairly narrow academic curriculum.

He gave as an example of what should be happening a Charter school in East Los Angeles - the Renaissance Art Academy, whose children are taught to make 'intelligent free choices'.

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Anthony Seldon supports the idea that people like Toby Young should be able to set up their 'own' schools. Universities had had to introduce their own screening exams because teachers in both independent and State schools have learned how to teach and coach to the tests and to successfully cram kids for exams. Teachers are now merely technicians, and the targets culture has bent and distorted what goes on in schools - not in the true interests of children.

He pointed out that people like Digby Jones are very unhappy since employers are saying that schools are failing in many ways to prepare children for adult life and the world of work.

Children are generally far from happy. Exclusions are rising. Violence is escalating.

Seldon believes that all schools should be privatised, and a voucher system introduced. Schools should be able to please themselves what they offer - be it academic or artistic or sporting achievement, etc. Parents should have a choice as to the type of schools their children attend.

Teaching tricks and techniques to pass exams is simply not enough.

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Toby Young says the State now needs to fund overcapacity and create surplus places in order for there to be genuine choice on offer.

Far too much money is wasted on Local Authorities. More should be spent on setting up Free Schools.

Young is concerned, however, about the possibility of schools being set up by people he regards as nutters, crazy, outlandish, etc. He mentioned Steiner schools, which of course would be considered nutty by him since the Steiner ethos is all about offering more choice and empowering children with regard to the studies and skills they prioritise. Also the emphasis they put on social, emotional and spiritual intelligence.

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To his credit Dr Seldon said immediately that Steiner schools do a superb job. They are 'fantastic'.

He also said he supports the International Baccalaureat, and that GCSEs and A Levels are bad exams. Our current examination system is aimed at giving examiners what they want, and not allowing pupils to have genuine individual responses to books, poems and plays like MacBeth.

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Toby Young evidently has a problem with epistemological relativism and wants to challenge it. Hmmmmmm. He also has a bee in his bonnet with films like The Matrix and Avatar.

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Anthony Seldon thinks we should be opening children's hearts and minds by offering them lessons in philosophy and thinking skills, which is what happens at Wellington. Children need to become independent thinkers.

He says State education has done great things, but "that era is now over". We now need to trust and to empower children and parents. Schools should be places that foster a spirit of genuine enquiry and where there is delight and a driving curiosity.

He is encouraged by shadow minister Gove saying the next (Tory) government will reduce the influence of Local Authorities.

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Toby Young believes that schools such as the Mossbourne Academy in Hackney are giving their kids the best life chances by putting them through a 'demanding academic curriculum' and having very high expectations.

Naturally he didn't consider to what extent Mossbourne's greater academic success is coming about partly through a rigorous screening of the children who apply for places.

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A lady from Montserrat, who considers that children in this country do not listen to their teachers and that discipline is what is needed, asked the two speakers to sum up in a sentence what education is really about. She herself thinks its purpose is to restore in man the image of his Maker.

Toby Young thinks it's to liberate children from the tyranny of the State. (The tyranny of TY is infinitely preferable.)

Anthony Seldon thinks it's to build a better society.

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If you can be bothered, you can eventually catch all of the above on video on  Bright Blue's website:

http://brightblueonline.com/events.htm

Already on there is the previous debate - "Does Inequality Matter?" - which took place on January 12th 2010 when the speakers were Theresa May and Polly Toynbee.

Anthony Seldon's recent interview on the Today programme is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/newsid_8515000/8515877.stm
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Layer 245 . . . Tangled Tenses, Bright Blue, Free Schools, Another Learning Revolution and Workers' Collectives

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There's a brilliant letter in the Guardian this week from Dr Michael McGhee which draws attention to the power of language to confuse and deceive.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/15/torture-claims-mi5-jonathan-evans

Torture claims and tangled tenses

Let's suppose, against all the indignant protestations, that MI5 officers had been "complicit" in the torture of Binyam Mohamed, that is to say, knowingly took advantage of that torture. Is this denied by MI5 chief Jonathan Evans (Storm grows over MI5 torture claim, 13 February): "We did not practise mistreatment or torture and do not do so now, nor do we collude in torture or encourage others to torture on our behalf."?

[Did you see what the head of MI5 did there? Dr McGhee certainly did:]

 I think it is not denied. In the past tense, he denies that we practised torture, but is silent about whether we were complicit or colluded.

Then in the present tense, it is denied that we now collude in torture, using the ambiguity of the continuous present, which affirms that we don't torture people, to suggest that we haven't colluded in torture in the past.

Alan Johnson's remarks are also carefully crafted: "The security services in our country do not practise torture, they do not endorse torture, they don't encourage others to torture on our behalf, they don't collude in torture". Leaving aside the "in our country" (which leaves open what they do abroad), Johnson's remarks say nothing about what we might have done at Bagram or Guantánamo in the past. Furthermore, you don't need to "encourage" others to torture to take advantage of their doing so, nor do you need to have colluded in it to be complicit.

Dr Michael McGhee

Acting head, department of philosophy, University of Liverpool

Wonderful. My italics and bold.

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Another Learning Revolution?

This is from the BBC's website, giving details of a very good discussion on yesterday's programme -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8515000/8515662.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/newsid_8515000/8515877.stm

The way children are taught is now so "formulaic and mechanised" that its time for another great debate on education, similar to that started by James Callaghan 30 years ago. That is the view of the master of Wellington College, Anthony Seldon. He'll be proposing the idea at a debate on education at the British Library tonight.

Well I couldn't resist going down to said Library, could I?

This was an event set up by a group that calls itself  "Bright Blue" - it's both "bright" and "blue" - geddit?

To be fair, it's exactly what you'd want from Tories, in terms of 'progressive' and 'compassionate' Conservatism, bearing in mind they say they're independent of the Conservative Party. This is from their website -

what is bright blue?

Bright Blue is a not-for-profit, independent organisation passionately committed to promoting a fairer, more socially just Britain . . . and fresh thinking to meet today's challenges and to unite Conservative traditions of community, entrepreneurialism, responsibility and democracy with a strong emphasis on fairness to enable everyone to become the author of their own lives.

For us, this conviction translates to seven core causes:

    * Social Justice: Focusing on helping the most deprived, here and abroad.
    * Fair Start: Supporting parents in the early years and at school to maximise life chances for all children.
    * Human Government: A responsive government that puts the person before the process.
    * Social Responsibility: Taking responsibility for the society we want to live in, and being the change we want to see in the world.
    * Sustainable Economy: Environmentally, socially and financially responsible industries and individuals.
    * Powerful Citizens: Reviving and creating routes for citizens to take control of the politics that affects their lives, locally and nationally.
    * Optimistic Politics: We believe political action has the potential to bring positive change; that government is not the same as bureaucracy; and that we can build a society in which no one is left behind.

Phew! Can't argue with any of that. Sounds like they're to the left of New Labour, at any rate.

http://thenewblue.ning.com/events/bright-blue-what-are-we

All are welcome as we explore the key questions: What are schools for? What is learning for? And what are we educating for?

Dr Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, is a renowned academic and commentator, both on British education and contemporary British politics.

Toby Young is a high profile author, journalist, blogger and commentator, with a particular interest in education and in setting up his own school in West London.

Toby Young first of all (presumably by way of apology for what was about to come out of his mouth) informed the room that he'd scribbled his 10 minute speech on the back of an envelope whilst stuck on the M25 with his kids. Sure enough, it sounded like he'd made it up in a motorway traffic jam. I hadn't quite realised just how egocentric and yet stupidly uninformed this guy really is. He wants to set up his own school, and yet he knows nothing about teaching or learning. What the fuck - he's a professional writer, commentator and all-round Rent-A-Gob.

He's also the author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - clearly subjects on which he has lots of expertise.

This is how Bright and Blue our Toby (age 47) actually is - having been to Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, he founded and managed a magazine called The Modern Review, which went bust after 4 years. Excellent qualifications for telling us how to manage education. Is he in favour of elite academic education ("for all")? Do bears shit in the woods?

Young is currently leading the efforts of a parent group in Acton to set up Britain's first "free school" - Wikipedia. That's 'free' as in 'independent' and also non fee-paying, but not free in the sense that the staff will still have to teach in a very 'traditional' way, in precisely the fashion prescribed by Young, and with a curriculum prescribed by - er, Toby Young.

[Whereas the Conservative Party yesterday announced that the next Conservative government will encourage schools and other public sector organisations to set themselves up as "workers' cooperatives" free of central and local government control. WTF!!!!  Toryism as promoters of anarcho-syndicalist collectives??? Is the world going mad!?]

[http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/Workers%27+collective
A business owned and controlled by its workers rather than outside shareholders. In some worker cooperatives each member worker has one vote at meetings, however many shares he or she owns. There are relatively few worker cooperatives in the UK; they are more popular in Europe and Japan.]


[Wikipedia-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workers%27_collective

Political philosophy of workers' cooperatives

The advocacy of workplace democracy, especially with the fullest expression of worker self-management, such as within workers' cooperatives, is rooted within several intellectual or political traditions:

    * The alleviation of alienation in the workplace, especially in regard to Marxist thought

    * The encouragement of Participatory or direct democracy

    * Radical but popular-democratic strategies for the overthrow of capitalism, for example, several strains of anarchist thought.

    * Autonomy and self control, especially within anarchist thought.

    * Cooperating with other Worker Cooperatives

Workers' cooperatives are also central to ideas of Autonomism, Mutualism, Syndicalism, Participatory economics, Guild socialism, Libertarian socialism as well as others.]

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So what was last night's meeting on about?

Here's what Dr Seldon had to say for himself:

(to be continued - Layer 246)

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