More evidence today via The Telegraph that teaching in the UK is more about indoctrinating the little darlings in how to follow the rules set by the state rather than actually imparting knowledge and teaching the skills of learning (emphasis mine) :
A teacher was sacked after taking a sledge to school as an example of good design and allowing two Year 11 pupils to ride it down a hill.
Richard Tremelling, 37, was accused of breaking health and safety rules and was fired from his £40,000-a-year job as head of technology.
A disciplinary hearing heard that he had failed to get authorisation from the head teacher, and did not carry out appropriate risk assessments.
He also failed to ensure that the pupils were wearing protective clothing and headgear.
Neither pupil who used the sledge was harmed during the 10-minute demonstration on snow-covered playing fields at Cefn Hengoed Community School in Swansea, South Wales.
Mr Tremelling appeared before a General Teaching Council for Wales disciplinary hearing yesterday (MON) and could be struck off the teaching register.
He said he had taken the racing sledge to school as a teaching aid for his 15-year-old pupils.
He said: “I considered how I could use the weather conditions in the lesson and with this in mind I took in my sledge.
“I thought of using it as an appropriate example of design technology with my GCSE class.”
Mr Tremelling explained that he had discussed the manufacture and use of the sledge with pupils during a revision class.
He added: “A number of pupils stayed behind interested and excited.
“They wanted to see it in use and, giving it some thought, I agreed.
“I took the sledge and pupils to the back of the building where there was two to three inches of snow.”
The experienced teacher said that he conducted a “mental risk assessment” before sliding down a small slope himself on the sledge.
Two of the pupils then volunteered to ride the sledge, one after the other.
Mr Tremelling said: “I told the first boy to follow the track marks that I’d laid out – which he did in a safe manner.
“I wanted to demonstrate sledge control so I moved to a different slope.
“I went first turning at the bottom of the slope. It was a bit fast so I was not happy for the child to go from the top.
“He started from half way down the slope and completed the turn correctly.
“The whole process took less than 10 minutes and I was sure it reinforced their knowledge.”
Mr Tremelling offered to show the sledge to the disciplinary panel.
He was dismissed following the lesson last February.
What on earth are they playing at here?
I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it must be to deal with kids in school these days. I would imagine that trying to get them engaged in the subject you are attempting to teach has to require some very creative thinking these days when you are up against the whole array of devices, gadgets, games and myriad other distractions that behold the modern youth.
The teacher decided to use the weather conditions and his own hobby to introduce and discuss a well designed product in a class all about design.
What better way could there be to capture the attention of the kids than real live examples of the very subject they are studying as well as being able to make the lesson fun and interactive? Surely, these outcomes are the very essence of what makes a good teacher? Using knowledge, enthusiasm and creativity to get your subject matter across to the best of your abilities.
And, just look where it landed him in this safety and rule obsessed country.
Risk assessment?
Well, it all took place on the schools own playing field which I am sure is not a barbed wire infested plague pit (although we are talking Wales here I suppose).
Protective clothing and headgear?
Again, it was on the schools own playing field in a few cm of snow. Is that any more dangerous than the journey the children make to and from school each day in a few cm of snow on dark roads with things like cars? I know which I would consider more hazardous but we don’t demand that all school children wear reflective clothing and head protection when going to school in the first place.
All I can see this action achieving is to strengthen the indoctrination of these children that you must follow the rules, no matter how arbitrary they may appear to be. It will also deter other teachers from using their initiative and creativity when it comes to trying to engage their pupils in learning.
Perhaps that may actually be the whole idea – churn out unquestioning, rule following sheep who are nothign more than providers of taxes to further the mighty state.
This kind of shit really pisses me off and, despite all the evidence, people still cannot work out why the UK’s place in international education league tables sinks lower and lower even though funding is at record levels.
It’s almost enough to make you want to leave this horrible little island for good. The only problem being where to go?
Unbelievable, yet when police officers go sledging on duty they just get a reprimand….