#Michaela - Debating Education (21/11/15)

Another Saturday, another education event... Am I an edu-geek or an edu-loser? Regardless, it was a chance to meet up with my 'edu-Twitter/blogger friends' and share a day of discussion, debate, reflection, beer and curry. 

The day was held at Michaela, a free school that divides the edu-Twitter world (Read about David Didau's visit <here>). It is a shining example of how schools could be or has Katharine Birbalsingh and her neo-trad collection of Teach First-ers got education totally wrong? Perhaps, thankfully, that wasn't on the days agenda. 

Due to a prior engagement (baptism preparation for my son Tommy' forthcoming initiation into all things Catholic), I could only make 3 of the 5 debates, but the trip to Wembley was still well worth it. We were polled in advance, presumably so Bodil (the data cruncher) could see if we changed our minds. The key questions that were to be discussed were:

1. Was Michael Gove a great Education Secretary?
2. Should Ofsted be abolished?
3. Is Sir Ken right? Does traditional education kill creativity?
4. Does mixed ability work?
5. Should character be in the curriculum?

For me, yes / no answers were tricky:
1. Not great, but had a good vision, just maybe poor execution.
2. Only if it is replaced by a better regulatory body.
3. Not really, as I don't agree with his definition of creativity.
4. Maybe in some subjects, but not all?
5. It has to be, but not in separate lessons.

I think I went with:
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. Yes
5. Yes

My final thoughts were:

1. Still not great, but Jonny had done a fine job of selling him as such. Would I go back to pre-2010 education? No. Did Gove drive up standards and expectations, especially for the poor? I think so.

2. OFSTED is not fit for purpose; it may need a new name, aims and form to have any kind of impact. However. I also don't really trust teachers or schools to be self accountable.

5. If I need character lessons, I am not carrying out my pastoral responsibility properly in the everyday interactions with my students. 

Takeaways

Did I bring anything practical back to my class room for Monday? No. Did I change my mind about any topics? Not really. Do I think the day was useful? Absolutely. So many seeds were sown. The conversations, interactions (both face to face and via Twitter), questions and reflections are still settling. I want to read more about Hirsch and his effect on Gove, I want to consider my contributions to character education as a head of year, I want to consider further the accountability within schools. This was NOT a TeachMeet with a whole series of shiny ideas to magpie (and don't get me wrong, I love those). This was not a panel debate with 5 minute soundbites. This was something a great. A space, and a time to think about some of the most important issues in education.

Big thanks to Katherine for hosting us. Huge gratitude to the speakers for giving up their time and leading us in a really excellent series of debates. Thanks for Bodil for awarding my chocolates. And of course to Andrew for organising the curry - thank goodness Moore Spice delivered! 

Other Blogs

• Daisy's Review
• Teach_Well's Review

Strike Action

Firstly, I am in the ATL union and as such I cannot strike, however obviously I will be supporting my colleagues in the NUT and NASWT who decide to strike on Thursday 17th October. There has been all the usual debate about whether teachers should or shouldn't be striking, the effects on the education of children and so on.

I saw this on a friend's Facebook. He shall remain anonymous:

On the 17th October I will be going on strike. It's not something I'm very happy about but I thought I'd just clarify a few things about it:
1. There are many reasons for the strike, but most can be summed up in two words. Michael Gove. There is plenty of information out there that goes into far more detail if you would like it, but may I suggest you avoid the Daily Mail, as it is b******s and Michael Gove writes the odd column for them.
2. I, and my fellow teachers, are NOT striking for better/more pay, or better working conditions or a better pension or longer holidays.
3. I appreciate and am sorry that it inconveniences parents, and they may incur childcare costs, but hopefully it'll help them appreciate that not only do we look after their children for them during the day, we also educate them as well. We do this for every child, regardless of the parents' financial or employment status and you don't have to pay any extra on top of your taxes for this excellent provision.
4. Your hard earned taxes are not paying for me to go on strike, as we are not paid for the days we are strike. Feel free to contact the gov't to get a rebate on your tax.
5. I personally do not agree with strike action, however my union has gained many improvements over the decades with regard to the working life of teachers so that not only can schools now try and attract the best people to the teaching profession, they are also given the time and support to prepare and deliver exceptional lessons. It would be pretty shallow of me to take all the benefits and support that goes with union membership and then refuse to give them my support when they ask for it.
6. Michael Gove is a s**thead.
7. I'm not really interested if you once had a teacher who didn't care, or you didn't learn much in Geography one week, or a teacher once looked at your kid a bit funny, or you know someone who once knew a teacher who left school at 3.35pm. I do a f***ing good job, I give a s**t about the children in my care and I won't stand by and let that c*** Gove destroy my profession.

I think it sums up very well the generally feeling towards this government and in particular Michael Gove; I did do a little 'starring' to get this through your filters!

However, I have to be honest, one thing I don't totally agree with is Point 2.

Andrew Old writes extensively to explain this, and his position on his blog <TeachingBattleGround> and concludes:

"Because I believe in high academic standards, because I believe in planning every lesson to pass on the maximum amount of knowledge, because I believe in creating an academic culture in schools built on attracting the academically successful into teaching, I oppose PRP, deregulating pay, pension changes and removing the workload agreements. That’s why I voted to strike and that’s why I won’t be in work today."

I do think that it is important to continue to raise standards in our schools; there is still 'bad teaching' (I'm reluctant to say there are 'bad teachers' as often particular circumstances result in people being labelled 'bad teachers' and I'm not sure they always are!) and some of the ideals that Gove puts forward do have some sense. However they get lost because they are implemented in the wrong way, by deregulating everything, how are these changes even going to be implemented and assessed? I completely agree with Andrew Old that some of the pay and conditions changes Gove suggests will do the exactly the opposite.

So we are left with lots of reasons for striking. I hope 'the public' look into some of the background before labeling teachers as 'work-shy, slackers, money-grabbers' etc. I can bet that most teachers will still work more hours in the week with a day of strike action than many others. I also hope those striking do go and join a march, not just sit at home and put up a Facebook status about watching Jeremy Kyle with a cup of tea.

What would I do? I'd like to see a major day of protest on a Saturday or Sunday. Every teacher in the land descending on a London park and show Gove we care about our professional, our students and the future of education in this country and we won't take it these changes lying down.

I love my job and I honestly just want the best for my students and I will do anything to give them the best education I can.