Wrong!

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/28/teaching-qualification-nick-clegg-course

Is it April 1st? I am beginning to wonder.

Every now and again you come across some drivel...and this is an example! :-)

Here's another person (regardless of his many qualifications, in my opinion he is very wrong) who believes that teachers do not need qualifications.
No wonder education is in a mess!

I trained to be a teacher from 1971 to 1974.

For my training, which was exceedingly thorough, I had to study the Principles of Education; Psychology; Sociology and Philosophy. I had to study a main subject ,which in my case was History.
I had to attend all lectures or seminars connected with teaching all other subjects in a primary school classroom. I had to undertake three Teaching Practices. ( In my case, these were in three schools in Hertfordshire.) We were observed and assessed, frequently. When we were not on Teaching Practice, we were given plenty of other opportunities to visit schools to observe good teaching and focus on various topics. We also spent a lengthy period studying children's literacy, something in which I have always been particularly interested.

At the end of the three years, we sat the dreaded exams. If we were successful we were awarded our Certificate in Education, which meant that we were now equipped to enter the teaching profession.
I know that I had excellent training at a superb 'Teachers' Training College' or 'College of Education' as it was also called (of which there were many, similar to mine; wonderful places which turned out so many top class teachers.)
I was very well prepared to start my teaching career.
But it didn't stop there.
My first year in teaching, ( in a school in Surrey) was probationary. I was observed and assessed by an HMI and my headmaster; I was still training during my first year of teaching.

I certainly did not waste or lose 3 years by undertaking very intense training! My belief is that
teachers today do not have enough training.  In one year, you cannot learn all that you need to know about child development; why children behave as they do; how children learn; conditions which affect child development; classroom management; educational theory and philosophy...not forgetting the practice of education.... the list is endless.

And here is an educated man trying to justify why people do not need to be qualified to teach!
He has to be joking!

Yes, you can learn 'on the job' and that is what I have been doing, ever since I started out on my journey to be a teacher. In fact, the journey is never ending. I am always learning and I am always trying to improve what I do, even though I am now a very experienced teacher.

But you need that firm foundation on which to build and that 'firm foundation' was my 3 years of
training.

I don't think that the education of our children, in this country, is taken seriously enough. And I firmly believe that we need to train our teachers properly and thoroughly and give them the respect that they
deserve. No child should be taught be an unqualified person and it's about time that we kicked this idea well and truly into touch.

Political football.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/chief-schools-inspector-blasts-national-scandal-that-causes-40-per-cent-of-teachers-to-quit-within-five-years-9061790.html

‘Sir Michael said the main reason why teachers quit, was the lack of discipline in the classroom - for which they had not been adequately trained to deal with.’

I think that this man is deluded and has his head in the sand!

There are MANY reasons why young teachers are quitting!

Oh for goodness sake…why doesn’t someone stand up and speak

the truth! Education is merely a political football, made worse since, ‘Only one ‘f’ in Ofsted’  was introduced, over 20 years ago, along with Sats ( for SATs, read 'a waste of time!') league tables ( for league tables, read, 'a waste of time!')

Whoever is in govt ( as in those MPs who need NO qualification at all but who can, suddenly, become an ‘expert’ in Education, Policing, Farming...you name it, they are experts…NOT!!)

So what do they do? They ‘chuck a test at it’ or ‘think about lengthening the school day’ or  ‘send in Ofsted!’

They try to cure something, without thinking about how to prevent it in the first place! Idiots!!  Absolute idiots! It’s not just Mr Gove…it’s whichever political party is in power!  20+ years of constant meddling, fiddling and messing about with something about which they know so little!! I despair!

As someone said in the comments page of the article:

’ I have a revolutionary idea: Why not get back to the old ways of professional autonomy when teachers were not dictated to and micromanaged by Quislings in jackboots and their party political masters? Give teaching back to the teachers.’

Well said!

You will never EVER get the best out of teachers whilst, you have so many restrictions in place. Is it hardly surprising that so many teachers quit the profession and less and less people wish to enter it?

Give childhood back to the children!

If you have the time to spare and can afford to put up your feet

 and have a cuppa, then do read this excellent article:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/give-childhood-back-to-children-if-we-want-our-offspring-to-have-happy-productive-and-moral-lives-we-must-allow-more-time-for-play-not-less-are-you-listening-gove-9054433.html


Basically, what the writer says is that our children don’t need longer school hours; they need more play. We should give childhood back to children and allow them to play, explore and be creative. 
This in turn will help them to grow into intellectually, socially, emotionally, physically strong and resilient adults.

I can only say that my own childhood was full of all sorts of play, creative activities, sporting activities,
outdoor activities etc etc. That is not to say that I didn't work hard at school and my studies. I did. 

However, I believe that the balance between work and play was just about right. 

I was musical from quite an early age; I was very sporty; I took an interest in the outside world and spent a lot of time roaming the woodlands near where we lived with an iSpy book of some sort, in my hands; 
I collected stamps, which taught me so much about the world in which we live; I could sew and knit when I was quite young. I loved going to watch the ballet at the local theatre; I spent much time at the beach (living in South Devon, it was pretty easy to do that!). On top of that, I was an avid reader, loved books and could often be seen at the local library. Much of the time, I made my own amusement and was never ever bored.  The internet was unheard of as were mobile phones. Indeed, my family didn't not even own a landline phone or a car until I was in my teens. 

My 1950s/1960s childhood made me the person that I am today.

The above article in 'The Independent'  also reminded me about Susan Isaacs, a passionate lady when it came to the subject of play and the importance of a nurseries:

http://eyfs.info/articles/_/pedagogical/educational-pioneers-susan-isaacs-1885-1948-r40


And so Michael Gove ...you are so very wrong if you want to extend the school day!
Open your mind a little and take a tip from those of us who were so fortunate to have
had the kind of childhood which nurtured the important qualities in life.

Surely we are the living proof !! ;-)