State of the parties as 2015 General Election looms.

[Beef Oven!]

Its really sad that people spout this nonsense
But I guess that's what a grammar school education does for you
"Strategic vision" my arse

Sometimes I don't understand you, Harry.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Its really sad that people spout this nonsense
But I guess that's what a grammar school education does for you
"Strategic vision" my arse

It's best not to react to those gullible enough to go along with tabloid stupidity. Those of us who work in education know Gove was/is a nincompoop of the first order. I think he reads Dickens and models his teaching styles on Mr Squeers etc. (And most of the villains in Oliver Twist are alive and well in the Cabinet.)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Michael Gove ... ?

Bad language is against House Rules. :winkeye:

[jean]

Those of us who work in education...

...are the only ones who have anything worth hearing to say on this subject.

[teamsaint]

...are the only ones who have anything worth hearing to say on this subject.

What, Gove or education?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A bit harsh. TS is a good example of someone who expresses valid ideas on education and Gove - without being a teacher.

[Beef Oven!]

It's best not to react to those gullible enough to go along with tabloid stupidity. Those of us who work in education know Gove was/is a nincompoop of the first order. I think he reads Dickens and models his teaching styles on Mr Squeers etc. (And most of the villains in Oliver Twist are alive and well in the Cabinet.)

And those of us who have had our children educated in schools over the last 15 years know something too. Very arrogant of teachers to dismiss their customers and tell them they know best. And btw, some of us gave up reading all newspapers, many years ago. Because people don't agree with you, does not mean they are gullible. Many teachers seem to operate in their own little, very unrealistic world, IMV.

[Beef Oven!]

God help them all, kids, teachers , parents, when the next one gets going.

True story this.

I Was sitting in a nice doctors waiting room in nice Salisbury this week.
One of the staff and a patient got talking, and it became clear that their very young children, reception age by the sound of it, were finding life really tough at school. Afternoon play abolished, so that more teaching can be crammed in. Both of their kids taking time out in the toilets , to get a break, both of the parents resigned to this regime of endless hoops , in the name of raising education standards.

Instill the fear early enough, in parents and kids,mand you have it cracked. Sun readers and debt slaves for life.

It really is very, very sad for them,and for society.

Well done ts. I think you'll get approval from sir with this valid idea that you have come up with, even though you are not a teacher. If I could only be a little bit more like you, sir would give me a gold star, too!

[Richard Barrett]

The question is: when it comes to how education ought to be organised, are you going to trust teachers, most of whom are thoughtful and caring people just trying to do well, despite being overworked and underpaid (I'm talking about the state sector obviously), at a job that requires love and commitment, or are you going to trust politicians, and in particular Tory politicians, whose agenda and motivations are let's say somewhat different?

[Beef Oven!]

The question is: when it comes to how education ought to be organised, are you going to trust teachers, most of whom are thoughtful and caring people just trying to do well, despite being overworked and underpaid (I'm talking about the state sector obviously), at a job that requires love and commitment, or are you going to trust politicians, and in particular Tory politicians, whose agenda and motivations are let's say somewhat different?

No, that's not the question. They're not the only two choices - trusting nicey people or wicked Tories.

[jean]

A bit harsh. TS is a good example of someone who expresses valid ideas on education and Gove - without being a teacher.

You can tell he isn't - he thinks everything would be all right of we just got rid of discipline.

[P. G. Tipps]

Bad language is against House Rules. :winkeye:

Sorry, EA, after your post on the rather short list of Tory MPs you had respected in your entire life I had this sudden and irresistible urge to suggest ... :laugh:

I won't comment on education matters as, according to Jean, I'm not qualified to opine on the subject as I've never worked in a school. I assume she has the same views regarding other occupations. We are not qualified to comment on the performance of top bankers and the banking system if we have never worked in a bank, for example?

Richard Barrett is no doubt absolutely right when he claims that most teachers are caring and hard-working. There is absolutely no reason to think otherwise, though, like any other other occupation, there is bound to be a small minority of uncaring loafers as well. After all, even teachers are only human and I do remember a huge range of teaching abilities and standards from my own school-days.

My only real suggestion (however unqualified) would be to suggest that it might be an advance if raw party politics were kept out of educational matters altogether and the very best interests of students being the main concern of any Government, whether Coalition, Tory or Labour.

An apparently very tall order, I know!

[teamsaint]

You can tell he isn't - he thinks everything would be all right of we just got rid of discipline.

next time I need to know what I think, I'll just ask you, shall I ?


then I can have all my thoughts on a particular subject summed up in just a word or two, and save myself lots of effort.

Sounds great, actually.

Just for the record, that isn't what I think at all.

[visualnickmos]

No Harry, Gove's the daddy and I hope the strategic vision that he had, is not abandoned by his successors.

That sounds quite creepy, actually.

[visualnickmos]

...are the only ones who have anything worth hearing to say on this subject.

Absolutely. That's the most sensible posting in this thread. It says it all.