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Education

What exactly is this woman's position in the government?

(113 Posts)
Anya Fri 22-Apr-16 16:03:21

Government guidance for 7 and 8 year olds:

"Pupils should be taught to:
Use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined
Increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting [for example, by ensuring that the down strokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch]

And she means that 'sincerily' [sic]

Anya Mon 02-May-16 15:20:29

I remember marking 11+ papers. There was a section where, like this, you had to fill in the missing word from a selection below.

I'll never forget this one:

Has, had, is, ___

are, was, went

This was what one enterprising child produced

Has, had, is, chips grin

Jalima Mon 02-May-16 15:25:13

I wonder if he passed?
Whether he did or not, I bet he did well in life grin

trisher Mon 02-May-16 16:38:14

Probably minister for education at some point (but might be too clever).

Jalima Mon 02-May-16 16:57:05

What my MIL would have called 'Too clever for his own good'? grin

Ana Mon 02-May-16 17:34:59

Nobody likes a smart-arse! grin

Blinko Mon 02-May-16 19:42:27

How on earth did we all become educated without the likes of Ms Morgan telling schools what to do?

durhamjen Mon 02-May-16 19:49:25

We had Thatcher and Keith Joseph telling them what to do?

trisher Mon 02-May-16 21:47:19

Much as I disliked Thatcher she did have a brain with Ms Morgan I wonder....

durhamjen Wed 04-May-16 23:08:39

Did anyone else see this today. Cameron wants all children to be better educated than he is!

www.thecanary.co/2016/05/04/camerons-bizarre-response-pmqs-reveals-touch-real-britain/

whitewave Thu 05-May-16 06:56:41

Time for parent power me thinks. Oh! I forgot Morgan is taking it away through acadamization.
Excuse me I need the loo ......now I wonder which one I would be allowed to use? Oh yes that hedge looks most suitable for my status in life.

Anya Thu 05-May-16 07:02:33

Of FHS let's keep these bl***y blue political links off this thread and, if you've a point to make DJ then put it, clearly and succinctly, in your own words.

mcem Thu 05-May-16 07:29:32

Interesting link dj. Pleased that those who are imposing such pressures on children are being put under pressure themselves and are being given opportunities to show ( in their own words ) just how irrelevant this nitpicking appŕoach actually is.

whitewave Thu 05-May-16 08:00:17

anya did you get out of the wrong side of the bed? You sound a tad stressed ?

daphnedill Thu 05-May-16 08:12:38

Interesting link, dj. No point in reinventing the wheel when somebody else has already written it.

I saw it yesterday on PMQs. Errrrmmm...so Cameron wants everybody to have someting better than an Eton education? How about starting with the funding?

ww, I know a very nice ditch. ;-(

whitewave Thu 05-May-16 08:30:27

Blimey don't I even qualify for a hedge??? I feel insulted ?

durhamjen Thu 05-May-16 16:37:48

Exactly what I think daphne.
The canary says things so much better than me. Anyway, I don't want to be accused of plagiarism.
It would take me so much longer to type than to give a link. I really cannot say, clearly and succinctly, what I think of Cameron. I would be banned from GN.
And I gave up teaching an English curriculum years ago.

Deedaa Thu 05-May-16 21:38:47

I seem to spend a lot of time telling GS1 not to worry too much - it's only school and nothing to do with real life. This may not be the result the government is hoping for.

Penstemmon Thu 05-May-16 21:58:10

Pen licenses have to be managed sensitively. As a rewardfor achieving clear legible handwriting consistently it is not a bad award. However for children who have a genuine physical difficulty in fine motor control (e.g. dyspraxia) it can be tough to know you are trying hard but just can't do it! Hopefully most teachers will also reward genuine effort.
And jingle for some kids who are not highly able the pen licence might be the one area they shine so awarding it to children who might be intelligent but are not successful at handwriting is not fair form those other kids point of view.

Hopefully the good school points out that we all have different strengths and one is not necessarily more valuable than another...just different grin

trisher Sun 15-May-16 22:20:37

Resignation letter to Nicky-so true, so heartbreaking to think this woman is lost to education.
Like the red 'e' in sincerely!
piclinegirl.com/2016/05/14/sorry-nicky-im-out/

durhamjen Sun 15-May-16 22:50:53

I also like 'if you do lose your job, make sure they do not replace you with Boris.'
It doesn't bear thinking about.

durhamjen Sun 15-May-16 23:49:06

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/128202

a petition to ensure the education secretary is a qualified teacher with years of experience.
I wonder how many there are in the commons.

durhamjen Sun 15-May-16 23:54:23

Answered my own question.
In 2000 there were 120; now there are fewer than 50.

durhamjen Sun 15-May-16 23:55:11

That's in both school and further/higher education.

whitewave Thu 19-May-16 09:12:19

Interesting article by Owen Jones.

Apparently Finnish educational results are amongst the highest in the world. They have barely a single private school and no academic selection. Children start school at 7. School days are shorter, play is emphasised and there is practically n homework.
So to quality for all and emphasis on wellbeing of pupils produces outstanding results. Finnish teachers are held in high esteem. Finland has a more equal society where research has repeatedly shown the link between deprivation and poor academic performance.

Anya Thu 19-May-16 19:16:45

Oh the irony WW but do you have a link to that article grin