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: Edge | 30.06.2009 11:04am
The Edge Learner Forum is about to publish a report looking into young people's opinions on the Government bill to raise the participation age meaning all young people will have to stay in some form of learning until 18 (e.g. school, work-based learning).
It would be really great to know what ideas you think would make raising the participation age a success and what are the key motivations and changes that need to happen to keep young people engaged in education until 18.
Staying on until 18
Posted by: Mrs, Anne Crosbie | 15.09.2009 08:10pm
As a special needs teacher for many years,now retired,I am amazed at this intention to raise the leaving age in school to 18.I have watched disaffected pupils who have no interest in subjects forced upon them,leave school with no chance of a job until they have met an invidual who has taken an interestin them,far away from the classroom.Boys seem to have more incentive if only to support their leisure activities.Sadly, the girls fair badly,having little or no incentive to learn how to integrate with the outside world.A huge percentage settle for pregnancy and finish up with several children and no socialinteraction outside their immediate friends.This inability to choose a forward path with hope of rising to a position and earning a wage instead living on income support largely stems from the current situation.
If pupils have to stay in education until 18,it must be out of the classroom, with training in a wide variety of subjects which can give them a sense of worth.I would suggest that the right people to run these
courses and experiences are people from the world of work witha desire to give these children hope for the future and a determination to push forward with their sights firmly set on their future.
I am a twin whose brother was always at the bottom of the class in school.Thankfully,his lessons were of a practical nature which have given him huge confidence sadly lacking and the ability to run a multi-
million business.He would be the first to admit that without an apprenticeship and work experience he would have had a far different lot in life