Children Should Be Taught... (2014 Edition)

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I can take no credit for this list, James Williams has done all the hard work and I urge you to read his original piece of work <here> (it's far better written and entertaining too - it also has all the references if you don't believe them!). James Williams did a Google search for "Children should be taught" over the last 11 months. A substantial amount of these 'ideas' came from ministers... Gove, Law and Morgan.

For me, it highlights the comedy circus that is teaching in 2014, and no doubt 2015. I have been contributing to the new proposal for GCSE and A-Level RS, which will be a lot more content heavy (like all other GCSEs and A-Levels). I am also now a pastoral leader (Head of Y10), am I supposed to fit these 'extras' into our Citizenship and PHSE lessons? I agree that some of these ideas are excellent... I just wish there was time, resources and expertise to do them well. Others are absolutely not the responsibility of schools.

Some people will go mad about this, I just smile. Even in my short 10 years of teaching I have seen things come and go. Most of us literally don't have any more time in our days to teach any more things. It's easy for someone to go to the press and say "Children should be taught..." but the reality is very different; we can't even really listen to the minsters for education and follow their suggestions.

Carry on doing a good job, enjoy your Christmas break and let's wait with anticipation for the new things we'll have to teach in 2015! 

Here is the abbreviated version for those suffering under workload or Christmas exhaustion!

January
Employment Skills
Online Bully & Sexting

February
Grit & Determination
Pornography

March
Probability & Uncertainty in Maths
Theatre Etiquette
How to Worship & Pray
Meditation, Mindfulness and Buddhist Techniques
Body Image
How To Fail

April
How to Speak Eloquently

May
Risk & Survival Skills
How To Ride A Bike
Coding

June
British Values

July
Cancer Awareness

August
How To Celebrate Being Gay

September
Imperial Measurements

October
Early Warning Signs of Domestic Abuse
First Aid
CPR
Nature of Marriage, Family Life & Bringing Up Children
Dangers of Alcohol [Primary]

November
Finance Management
How to be Rebellious & Break Rules
How to Brush Teeth
Dangers of Gambling