We believe we need to revolutionise the education system to include more practical and vocational learning. In today's job market it's skills that count. Tell us how you would improve the way young people learn and what they learn.
Posted by: Hal Austin | 29.05.2009 01:42pm
We must make teachers take more responsibility for their charges. Although teachers spend more hours with young children than their parents, it has become almost a joke that everytime something goes wrong the teaching unions and heads compete with each other to blame parents.
And, of course, since parents are not organised in the same powerful lobby groups, the popular press take those claims for granted and go on to blame parents.
Now we have seen the emergence of a culture of blaming parents and the rise of a movement for the regulation of parents - from the criminalisation of parents for their children's truanting, to the introduction of so-called parenting classes, middle class authoritarianism given the blessing of the state.
It is just a matter of time before young people are told that unless they attend parenting classes they will not be allowed to have children. Think of beliefs driving the reports on Baby P.
We had this in New York in the 1960s, the battle for control of the class room, especially with black parents, and the same thing has emerged in this country, especially the perceived 'threat' of young black boys.
Schools in inner city areas now routinely invite police in to the class rooms, along with social workers and other official workers. From their race and ethnicity, to their social background and DNA, children are now marked out to be the underclass from the time they enter nursery.
Of course, this is not the discussion we want to hear.
Hal Austin
Posted by: Edge | 03.06.2009 12:32pm
Agreed that teachers must accept responsibility as they play a vital and important role in young people's lives. Parents must also accept a great role of responsibility as they carry great influence over young people in shaping their decisions and life routes.
When there is fault on either part then there must be acceptance of responsibility. From work I have been subject to the large majority of teachers are aware of this responsibility and are proud to accept this challenging role in developing students and see them progress succesfully into later life.
In terms of parenting classes they must be implemented in the right way to ensure that those attending feel they are there to learn, not to be criticised. If used as a positive rather than negative tool then there can be benefits to them.