[Advisory] Re: [MirandaLink] Politicising Other People's Children.
Paul Vale Vale
paulvalev@yahoo.co.uk
Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:05:05 +0000 (GMT)
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Oh dear - I think I am guilty of going out of my way to provide a range of =
educational activities that are real, recent and relevant to the lives of c=
hildren I am working with!! In various on-line projects I have been involve=
d with I have certainly asked children to research their local MP - and inv=
ited them into school to meet the children. I always get my children to wat=
ch the way each politician listens very carefully to the question asked and=
turn it round to say what they want to say. I just love the way, irrespect=
ive of their political party, politicians are able to field the most awkwar=
d and difficult of questions, without necessarily giving an answer and yet =
making the question/questioner feel valued! Great for modelling listening a=
nd speaking skills!!=0A=0AAlongside being only too pleased to visit their s=
chools - I have found MPs only to keen to invite children to visit their lo=
cal town hall (Manchester is a fantastic building!!) - as well as the House=
of Commons. The guided tour round the HoC is just brilliant!! =0A=0AThat s=
aid - I have also invited a range of other people into schools ranging from=
athletes (Olympic Games project) authors (famous authors project), famous =
ex-pupils and indeed people like my late mother-in-law - who was able to gi=
ve her first hand experiences of being evacuated during the Manchester blit=
z. All these activities were tied into National Curriculum areas such as Li=
teracy, History, ICT etc .... but more importantly were far more real and m=
eaningful - and elicited far greater quantity and quality work and learning=
from my students.=0A=0AAs for an on-line World Cup Activity - alongside te=
aching web-safety, 'netiquette' and general on-line behaviour:=0A=0A1. With=
in the school's learning platform (or register with Oracle's free for schoo=
ls to use 'www.thinkquest.org) =0A2. Set up accounts for students involved =
(each student account has 25 pages)=0A3. Ask students to create 10 (or more=
) web-pages on their favourite world cup countries - within pages get stude=
nts to upload:=0A=0A* text about the country and their players=0A* pictures=
, photos, animations, video clips about each country and their players=0A* =
make the pages interactive using the on-line features (eg. votes to see whi=
ch team you think will win the world cup, ask me a question about a country=
etc) - so that other students can contribute, post messages=0A* create a '=
World Cup Project' setting up a number of project pages that all students i=
nvolved can contribute to=0A=0A4. Contact the school's local football leagu=
e team and invite the manager and players in to talk about their life as a =
footballer and the country they would play for - ask students to=0A=0A* cre=
ate another web-page about the visit of the manager/soccer players =0A* inc=
lude text, multi-media and make the page interactive=0A=0A5. Ask local foot=
ball club to arrange a tour, visit to training ground (teams like Mancheste=
r City and Manchester Untied are brilliant - but so are 'lesser' teams like=
Oldham, Stockport, Macclesfield etc:=0A=0A* again set up a separate web-pa=
ge about the visit to include text, multimedia, making it interactive etc =
=0A =0A6. Link up with another local school and organise a mini 'world-cup =
tournament' between the two classes - ensuring there were, say, 4 or 5 mini=
games and there was a mix of girls/boys from each school in each team (eac=
h team playing every other team for 5 mins)=0A=0A* and again set up a web-p=
age to celebrate the day=0A=0AIf you would like further information - parti=
cularly relating to setting up Oracle's free to use www.thinkquest.org acco=
unts - please let me know!=0A=0ARegards,=0A=0A=0APaul=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A____=
____________________________=0AFrom: "JNutt@cfbt.com" <JNutt@cfbt.com>=0ATo=
: mirandalink@mirandanet.ac.uk=0ASent: Wed, 17 March, 2010 8:20:36=0ASubjec=
t: [MirandaLink] Politicising Other People's Children.=0A=0A=0AAm I really =
the only Mirandanetter who=0Anoticed what was considered a suitable topic c=
irculated yesterday on behalf=0Aof the DCSF Primary and Secondary Teachers'=
Magazines? =0A=0AThe "Political Figures" example=0Agiven, says so much abo=
ut what passes for education now. The idea that=0Aany professional teacher =
actually believes this is a suitable educational=0Aactivity for any child u=
nder 18 appalls me. One of the things the Teach=0AFirst graduates were very=
concerned about when I taught them, was how to=0Aavoid this kind of trite =
politicisation of other people's children, largely=0Abecause they had been=
victims of it themselves. =0AJoe, =0AJoe Nutt=0APrincipal Consultant=0AC=
fBT=0AMobile: 07771 353804=0A=0A=0A =0AIf you have received this email in e=
rror, please delete it.Any views or opinions are those of the sender and do=
not necessarily represent those of the organisation.This email has been ch=
ecked for known viruses;however we cannot accept liability for any damage s=
ustained as a result of a software virus.The organisation reserves the righ=
t to monitor emails in accordance with current legislation.=0A=0Awww.cfbt.c=
om=0A=0ACfBT Education Trustis a registered charity and a company limited b=
y guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 867944. Charity N=
o. 270901. Registered Office: 60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United King=
dom. =0A=0AOther companies in the CfBT Education Trust Group which are acti=
ve are:=0ACfBT Advice and Guidance Ltdis a registered charity and a company=
limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 330728.=
Charity Number 270901-1. Registered Office: 60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4=
BS, United Kingdom. =0AWaverley School (Crowthorne) Ltdis a registered char=
ity and a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Co=
mpany No. 936622. Charity Number 309102. Registered Office: 60 Queens Road,=
Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom. =0AWaverley School (Waverley Way) Ltdis =
a private company limited by shares. Company No. 318157. Registered Office:=
60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom.=0ALeague for the Exchang=
e of Commonwealth Teachersis a company limited by guarantee and a registere=
d charity. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 4294081. Charity No=
. 1089920. Registered office: 60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kin=
gdom.=0A=0A=0A
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<html><head><style type=3D"text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></he=
ad><body><div style=3D"font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1=
0pt"><div>Oh dear - I think I am guilty of going out of my way to provide a=
range of educational activities that are real, recent and relevant to the =
lives of children I am working with!! In various on-line projects I have be=
en involved with I have certainly asked children to research their local MP=
- and invited them into school to meet the children. I always get my child=
ren to watch the way each politician listens very carefully to the question=
asked and turn it round to say what they want to say. I just love the way,=
irrespective of their political party, politicians are able to field the m=
ost awkward and difficult of questions, without necessarily giving an answe=
r and yet making the question/questioner feel valued! Great for modelling l=
istening and speaking skills!!</div><div><br></div><div>Alongside being
only too pleased to visit their schools - I have found MPs only to keen to=
invite children to visit their local town hall (Manchester is a fantastic =
building!!) - as well as the House of Commons. The guided tour round the Ho=
C is just brilliant!! </div><div><br></div><div>That said - I have als=
o invited a range of other people into schools ranging from athletes (Olymp=
ic Games project) authors (famous authors project), famous ex-pupils and in=
deed people like my late mother-in-law - who was able to give her first han=
d experiences of being evacuated during the Manchester blitz. All these act=
ivities were tied into National Curriculum areas such as Literacy, History,=
ICT etc .... but more importantly were far more real and meaningful - and =
elicited far greater quantity and quality work and learning from my student=
s.</div><div><br></div><div>As for an on-line World Cup Activity - alongsid=
e teaching web-safety, 'netiquette' and general on-line
behaviour:</div><div><br></div><div><span>1. Within the school's learning =
platform (or register with Oracle's free for schools to use '<a target=3D"_=
blank" href=3D"http://www.thinkquest.org">www.thinkquest.org</a>) </sp=
an></div><div>2. Set up accounts for students involved (each student accoun=
t has 25 pages)</div><div>3. Ask students to create 10 (or more) web-pages =
on their favourite world cup countries - within pages get students to uploa=
d:</div><div><br></div><div>* text about the country and their players</div=
><div>* pictures, photos, animations, video clips about each country and th=
eir players</div><div>* make the pages interactive using the on-line featur=
es (eg. votes to see which team you think will win the world cup, ask me a =
question about a country etc) - so that other students can contribute, post=
messages</div><div>* create a 'World Cup Project' setting up a number of p=
roject pages that all students involved can contribute
to</div><div><br></div><div>4. Contact the school's local football league =
team and invite the manager and players in to talk about their life as a fo=
otballer and the country they would play for - ask students to</div><div><b=
r></div><div>* create another web-page about the visit of the manager/socce=
r players </div><div>* include text, multi-media and make the page int=
eractive</div><div><br></div><div>5. Ask local football club to arrange a t=
our, visit to training ground (teams like Manchester City and Manchester Un=
tied are brilliant - but so are 'lesser' teams like Oldham, Stockport, Macc=
lesfield etc:</div><div><br></div><div>* again set up a separate web-page a=
bout the visit to include text, multimedia, making it interactive etc =
</div><div> </div><div>6. Link up with another local school and organi=
se a mini 'world-cup tournament' between the two classes - ensuring there w=
ere, say, 4 or 5 mini games and there was a mix of girls/boys from
each school in each team (each team playing every other team for 5 mins)</=
div><div><br></div><div>* and again set up a web-page to celebrate the day<=
/div><div><br></div><div><span>If you would like further information - part=
icularly relating to setting up Oracle's free to use <a target=3D"_blank" h=
ref=3D"http://www.thinkquest.org">www.thinkquest.org</a> accounts - please =
let me know!</span></div><div><br></div><div>Regards,</div><div><br></div><=
div><br></div><div>Paul</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div style=3D"fo=
nt-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><br><div style=3D"fo=
nt-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><font siz=
e=3D"2" face=3D"Tahoma"><hr size=3D"1"><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;=
">From:</span></b> "JNutt@cfbt.com" <JNutt@cfbt.com><br><b><span styl=
e=3D"font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> mirandalink@mirandanet.ac.uk<br><b>=
<span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wed, 17 March, 2010
8:20:36<br><b><span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [Mira=
ndaLink] Politicising Other People's Children.<br></font><br>=0A<br><font s=
ize=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif">Am I really the only Mirandanetter who=0Anoti=
ced what was considered a suitable topic circulated yesterday on behalf=0Ao=
f the DCSF Primary and Secondary Teachers' Magazines?</font>=0A<br>=0A<br><=
font size=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif">The "Political Figures" example=0Agiven=
, says so much about what passes for education now. The idea that=0Aany pro=
fessional teacher actually believes this is a suitable educational=0Aactivi=
ty for any child under 18 appalls me. One of the things the Teach=0AFirst g=
raduates were very concerned about when I taught them, was how to=0Aavoid t=
his kind of trite politicisation of other people's children, largely=0Abeca=
use they had been victims of it themselves.</font>=0A<br><font size=
=3D"2" face=3D"sans-serif">Joe, </font>=0A<br><font size=3D"2" face=
=3D"sans-serif">Joe Nutt<br>=0APrincipal Consultant<br>=0ACfBT<br>=0AMobile=
: 07771 353804<br>=0A<br>=0A<br>=0A</font>=0A<br>=0A<span style=3D"font-fam=
ily:sans-serif;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;">If you have received this ema=
il in error, please delete it.Any views or opinions are those of the sender=
and do not necessarily represent those of the organisation.This email has =
been checked for known viruses;however we cannot accept liability for any d=
amage sustained as a result of a software virus.The organisation reserves t=
he right to monitor emails in accordance with current legislation.<br>=0A<b=
r>=0A</span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif;font-size:10pt;color:#000=
000;"><span><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://www.cfbt.com">www.cfbt.com<=
/a></span></span><span style=3D"font-family:serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000=
000;"> </span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:10=
pt;color:#000000;"><br>=0A</span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, hel=
vetica;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;color:#000000;"><br>=0ACfBT Educatio=
n Trust</span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:10=
pt;color:#000000;"> is a registered charity and a company limited by guaran=
tee. Registered in England and Wales. Company No. 867944. Charity No. 27090=
1. Registered Office: 60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom</spa=
n><span style=3D"font-family:serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000000;">. <br>=0A=
</span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;color=
:#000000;"><br>=0AOther companies in the CfBT Education Trust Group which a=
re active are:</span><span style=3D"font-family:serif;font-size:12pt;color:=
#000000;"> </span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-siz=
e:8pt;font-weight:bold;color:#000000;"><br>=0ACfBT Advice and Guidance Ltd<=
/span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;color:=
#000000;"> is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Regi=
stered in England and Wales. Company No. 330728. Charity Number 270901-1. R=
egistered Office: 60 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom</span><s=
pan style=3D"font-family:serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000000;">. </span><spa=
n style=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold=
;color:#000000;"><br>=0AWaverley School (Crowthorne) Ltd</span><span style=
=3D"font-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;color:#000000;"> is a r=
egistered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England=
and Wales. Company No. 936622. Charity Number 309102. Registered Office: 6=
0 Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom</span><span style=3D"font-f=
amily:serif;font-size:12pt;color:#000000;">. </span><span style=3D"font-fam=
ily:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;color:#000000;"><b=
r>=0AWaverley School (Waverley Way) Ltd</span><span style=3D"font-family:sa=
ns-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;color:#000000;"> is a private company lim=
ited by shares. Company No. 318157. Registered Office: 60 Queens Road, Read=
ing, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom.</span><span style=3D"font-family:serif;font-s=
ize:12pt;color:#000000;"> </span><br>=0A<span style=3D"font-family:sans-ser=
if, helvetica;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;color:#000000;">League for the=
Exchange of Commonwealth Teacher</span><span style=3D"font-family:sans-ser=
if;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;color:#000000;">s</span><span style=3D"fo=
nt-family:sans-serif;font-size:8pt;color:#000000;"> </span><span style=3D"f=
ont-family:sans-serif, helvetica;font-size:8pt;color:#000000;">is a company=
limited by guarantee and a registered charity. Registered in England and W=
ales. Company No. 4294081. Charity No. 1089920. Registered office: 60=
Queens Road, Reading, RG1 4BS, United Kingdom.</span></div></div><div styl=
e=3D"position:fixed"></div>=0A=0A=0A</div><br>=0A=0A=0A=0A </body></ht=
ml>
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