The News report did nothing to highlight the services - mostly free - that libraries offer and just focussed on books. Perhaps it is the image of libraries that has to change. Ideas of ‘libraries’ in shops, cafes and pubs … closer to the people … was talked up. But I am not sure … perhaps schools could do more to foster the connections across the community … or perhaps the community library should be in the local school (I know this happens in some places).

I spend most of my reading time online but always have books and magazines around me. Is this because of where I have come from rather than where I am going to? And I now read books on my iPad rather than on paper. Will the next set of loans be digital downloads to my iPad from a website library? Will the materials that children read in schools soon be coming to them on e-book readers? Are the publishers already onto this?

More space to watch here …

Attribution: Original image: ‘Seattle Public Library’
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124385307@N01/96383039
by: Kees de Vos
Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

On the Merlin John blog (MJO) yesterday Ray Barker wrote an interesting article about phonics and ICT – Routes to literacy lead through ph-ph-ph-phonics – in which he describes the support that ICT can give to the learning of reading through phonics.

Ray talks about teaching phonic skills and so enable children to read and I am not so sure about this. The learning of phonic skills can certainly support children’s ability to ‘read’ (and I am finding that I need a different definition of reading at the moment having just noticed the Boris Johnston’s recent report on literacy in London, suggested that over a million people in the capital could not read. But does it help with understanding and does having the skill bring about the joy that should be inherent in the activity.

One of the loves of my teaching time with young children was to read to them and get them excited about wanting to enter the wonderful world created by stories. I don’t see this happening in classrooms enough today and I don’t get the impression that teachers in training feel the enthusiasm that i felt nor do they seem to explore the world of books in the same way as I did. They are good at teaching phonics though … and are good at creating games and activities for the skills.

The new government has promised us a review in the Autumn … I have high expectations (hope that there are no mentions of ITA)… hope they won’t be dashed on the rocks of ph-ph-ph-phonics …

Attribution: Original image: ‘Reading Is Fundamental’
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by: Troy Holden
Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

PS

I just love the definition of literacy in the New Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland … many thanks to Hilery Williams for pointing it out to me in her comment below:

‘the set of skills which allows an individual to engage fully in society and in learning, through the different forms of language, and the range of texts which society values and finds useful. A text may be seen broadly as the medium through which ideas, experiences, opinions and information can be communicated’.

So it is that ‘reading’, in its traditional sense, is only a part of the story …

Photo: ‘Old pots for new, old pots for new’ - D Dickinson Summer 2010

The BBC reports that Private firms are lining up with parent groups to run the Conservatives’ flagship “free schools” in England.

Why is this such a big surprise? The intriguing thing is - what is in it for them - as further down in the article it says: Firms such as Pearson, Serco, Tribal and Nord Anglia are all said to be seeking work in this area, although none would be allowed to make a profit.

They are all ‘working with’ schools to help and support them in their wish to be free from controls. I suppose I have just missed the plot on what ‘making a profit’ means.

Picking up on my Twitter friends today I noticed a tweet from @whatedsaid referring to a blog post from ’swiftkick’ where Erica Goldson graduated as valedictorian of Coxsackie-Athens High School. Instead of using her graduation speech to celebrate the triumph of her victory, the school, and the teachers that made it happen, she channeled her inner Ivan Illich and de-constructed the logic of a valedictorian and the whole educational system.

Erica posted the whole speech on Sign of the Times … well worth a read and a listen on Youtube as she denounces schooling … student voice being heard but will it be listened to?

Especially interesting are the comments on the ’swiftkick’ blog post.

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday this week in the company of some fabulous and supportive people who are passionate about the role that technologies can play in teaching and learning.

I was in Torquay and Bristol for the SWGFL Annual ICT Conferences, the sun shone and the teachers and exhibitors met were a lively bunch keen to plot pathways forward in these difficult times.

On Tuesday in Torquay Prof Kevin Warwick wowed the audience with tales of his adventures into cybernetics and a, far-from-well, Prof Tanya Byron talked of our responsibilities in making sure that children/students taught were involved in their safe and exciting futures. It was at the end of the day in Torquay when people began to realise that the ‘Harnessing Technology’ Grant had been cut by a further £50M and the implications of this were discussed … optimism was the key and planning for an indeterminate future.

My keynote was sandwiched in the middle of these two most excellent speakers … if you want the see/hear/try/read some of the things said then simply click here.

Wednesday in Bristol was full and thriving - the Conference that is - again the discussions were around loss of technology grants and their implications. Prof Tanya Byron led off with a spirited call to arms explaining that she had been asked by michael Gove to go and talk to here about what was needed and she wowed to pass on delegates’ views as to why keeping up the technology pace was so important. SWGFL have set up a page where comments will be fed back to Tanya to assist her in the conversation.

I was up next and exhorted delegates to be confident about their professionality in all of this and to keep focused on the ‘day job’ of giving sparkling educational opportunities to their pupils. I demonstrated some Web 2.0 apps and emphasised that great though these were they were useless if the broadband connection into the schools was not swift and reliable (in all ways). I urged them to protect, at all costs, the valuable infrastructure that provided their access thus safeguarding the progress of digital teaching and learning. I used Barak Obama’s speech quote - We are the people we have been waiting for - to conclude my presentation emphasising the responsibility of us all to make happen the things we are passionate about.

You can follow some of the ideas here.

Sir Bob Geldof was up last and he was superb in his support of teachers and schools. He emphasised that it was important for all involved to stay involved and to actually make things happen - however difficult the circumstance. He used examples from his work in Africa to demonstrate overcoming insurmountable difficulties.

My thanks to all the many friends and colleagues met in these two days for their support and appreciation.

Reported in yesterday’s Daily Mail - School sports day ban for father with no criminal records check -

Time for a rethink somewhere …

Today I read on the BBC Education page that Michael Gove is indicating that ‘rigour’ is the important thing in exams. He comments that he wants to revive ‘the art of deep thought’.

I can remember, just, the essence of the A Levels I took all those years ago where I was simply required to ‘know’ things and then tell someone about them on paper. No deep thought there at that time … and this was the ‘gold standard’ - the halcyon years… dark hall, lined up outside, yes you will wear your uniform, examining pencil cases, old wooden desks in very straight rows, hot, hay fever, no drinks ….

He then goes on to say  … We need to ensure that the knowledge expected of A-level students is such that they can hit the ground running (at university)…

So it is knowledge then - not deep thought !!

In this freeing up of the curriculum and more choice etc I had hoped for a re-think on examination and assessment looking forward … not a backward wish for a past that does not fit a digital century. Can we please have a system that celebrates success rather than one which seems to put an emphasis on failure?

Attribution: Original image: ‘final exams‘

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91372563@N00/132071876

Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

Could this be related to the World Cup, Wimbledon, the approach of the summer holidays or just worry or perhaps apathy. It could be the fact that the sun is shining … perhaps …

And then I read the speech of Nick Gibb, The Minister of State for Schools who set out his agenda for reforming school education at the Reform Conference today.

I like these bits:

• We’re going to place greater trust in professionals to give teachers more freedom to decide how to teach.
• … we’re going to reduce bureaucracy so that schools can get on with their core business
• We are also making it much easier for parents, teachers and education providers to set up new schools, so that there is real choice in every area. …but am totally unsure how this can work !!
• I believe very strongly that education is about the transfer of knowledge from one generation to the next.

Attribution:
Original image: ’sh’
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50318388@N00/2633537084
by: Tom Magliery

Image: ‘The other man’s grass …’ D Dickinson 2010

Compulsory education - does it work, is it necessary?

If the system is right and the aims are clear then surely we ought to be able to sell the idea that education is such a wonderful privilege that the wonder of it is that it is available to all for the most part freely given.

There is a clamor for it to begin at a very young age but is this best for the children? And there is not such a clamor at the other end of the age scale - why?

If this is right then the idea that students must be at school for a specific time and until a specific age just should not work. Compulsion almost always doesn’t work. People don’t do things willingly because they have been compelled to. They do them because of need, will, enjoyment, interest, passion etc .

It is worth reflecting in this moment of the setting up of Free Schools that children do not actually have to go to school at all. Education is compulsory, schooling is not. I wonder how the compulsory education age is monitored in those cases where children are educated away from the school system?

So where does this leave schooling? And where will this sit in the new schools as they start their fledgling lives?

The new government’s (I wonder when I will stop using the word ‘new’) ideas on education are getting me excited … in many ways - some good, some bad. I have always thought that institutionalisation and politicisation of education is not a good thing and i can see in the concept of ‘Free Schools’ an opportunity to open up teaching and learning in a way not available before.

I am adamant that education should not be subject to tethering by geography, religion, time, gender, finance or age and that it should be available whenever, whatever and wherever there are people wanting to learn. The NHS in England has long been struggling with the concept that treatments should not be subject to a post-code lottery … neither should access to education.

The current proposals for Free Schools seem to me to close down rather than open up options for choice as they all seem to be localised and therefore restrictive and restricted. This not withstanding the high ideas of the teams developing their philosophies.

What I propose is something different … well, a 21C version of ideas that have been tried before using modern technology and an open vision. Why shouldn’t there be Virtual Schools? In areas around the world where children have difficulties through travel these are already the norm and they seem to be successful in generating enthusiasm and quality learning.

My school will have no buildings. It will find its resources in the communities both on and off line. If it is good that pupils want to swim then groups using social media sites can arrange to meet at the pool. If it is art that is interesting the to the gallery and those that can’t get there can attend ‘virtually’ through other learners. If people are needed to teach then the best would be approached from the world in which they know best - Roger McGough perhaps for poetry, Jhonny Ball for maths, Simon King for natural history etc … this can be stretched up or sideways to include many who have lots to offer.

There would be coordinators and mentors all working online and F2F, where appropriate, to support and ensure personalised balance and context through creative engagement. Learners would not be isolated but would be part of a much wider community that would have the potential of growing and developing across wide age ranges and geographic boundaries.

People should not start to develop their Free Schools ideas from what they know of already - if the idea is to succeed then there is a powerful need for a radical rethink of what education should be for and what it should look like.

I have a dream … why not?