Well, it's annoying the right sort of people:
...critics including Dr Vardy fear the move will result in arts subjects being sidelined as schools and students increasingly focus on the EBacc.
"Well-placed people I have spoken to say Michael Gove is adamant that this is the way things should be going and will push it through," Dr Vardy explained, adding: "I fear that it is because he wants to create economically effective units who will encourage growth, but that is short-sighted.
"Look at the financial crisis. We need young people with a broad range of skills and understanding, not a narrowing of education."Yes! Who wants the next generation to learn how to be 'economically effective' when they could study so much more progressive and rewarding things instead?
Bunny
ReplyDeleteIf Dr Vardy is upset I am all for it, school doesn't produce a rounded person, it produces the basic building blocks. When I used to work for a small builder and read the applications of those applying for trainee jobs, I was amused and saddened at the same time. The lad who was a 'practising christian who served at the alter' always stuck in my mind. People leaving school, who can communicate effectively and have a basic understanding of science and maths is a good place to start with developing a 'rounded person'.
How much louder would these arty-farty progressives wail if Gove did the sensible thing and also brought back the Technical High Schools - the technical equivalent of the grammar school. We might then get some people that actually know what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteThere is one big problem to all of Goves reforms - the present crop of limp wristed leftie liberal teachers. Until such time as a new crop of teachers can be produced without all the brain washing there is little hope of anything progressing.
Whilst the arts have a place in the curriculum they aren't a core subject (i.e. English, Maths) and should be treated (pre-GCSE) the same as the humanities, languages, PE and the hands-on stuff (home ec, woodwork) etc.
ReplyDelete"Look at the financial crisis. We need young people with a broad range of skills and understanding, not a narrowing of education."
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr Vardy entirely. It is essential that young people don't devote all their time to 'hard' subjects, particularly those that are utterly objective, and take some woollier disciplines, where the teachers can reward pupils who agree with them and stifle any dissent.
You are going to embrace diversity and if you have a different opinion we will lock you up and all that.
Identifying pupils who respond to this challenge will encourage them to shun dry and unproductive degrees in Engineering or Science in favour of Humanities. They will be better equipped not to start a banking crisis, for as we know, there has only ever been one banking crisis, and it was in London in 2008 and it was because of some OEs with Ferraris.
Upon graduation, their careers will reflect the high stock placed in a broad education.
"Would you like fries with that?" - how would Socrates have phrased that? Would Jesus want fries with that? Would Mohammed want fries with that?
Without the benefit of a rounded education, you might find yourself serving Mohammed an Egg McMuffin, something a dreary chemist would never spot. And you might also anticipate Buddha's serene and smiling acceptance of a supersize offer, a point that would be lost on someone like James Dyson or Patrick Moore.
Dr Vardy makes the very good point: Young people are naturally interested in life's big questions. Never a truer word spoken. Sadly, I guess I was atypical because all I thought about was exam results, vaginas, breasts, booze, drugs, money, cars, surfing and breasts again - in that order. What a shame that I couldn't do some bible reading in all that spare time I had.
On reflection, the traditional State offered choice between Arts or Science, was too austere.
ReplyDelete"cultural misunderstanding in Croydon" - no, rilly? It'll more than RE to deal with that. Removing most of the population might do the trick.
ReplyDelete"Trinity's head of religious studies Esmond Lee said his subject was very popular with students, with 95 of the 125-strong Year 11 planning to take the GCSE next summer." - er, because it's easier than a lot of the others?
XX Dr Vardy makes the very good point: Young people are naturally interested in life's big questions.XX
ReplyDeleteAll I can see the bastards being interested in is; "Life's big Macs."
"If Dr Vardy is upset I am all for it..."
ReplyDeleteWell, indeed. It's a good rule of thumb.
What makes me so happy to see Gove's recommendations is the anguish they cause the teachers unions!
"... if Gove did the sensible thing and also brought back the Technical High Schools - the technical equivalent of the grammar school."
Yes! That really would be a step in the right direction.
"Whilst the arts have a place in the curriculum they aren't a core subject (i.e. English, Maths)..."
Spot on!
"Without the benefit of a rounded education, you might find yourself serving Mohammed an Egg McMuffin, something a dreary chemist would never spot. "
ReplyDelete:D
".. er, because it's easier than a lot of the others?"
Yup!
"All I can see the bastards being interested in is; "Life's big Macs.""
Fair enough. Most of them will, after all, end up serving them. If they are lucky.
Buddha's serene and smiling acceptance of a supersize offer
ReplyDeleteIs this the moment to revive the "Make me one with everything" joke?