Interesting supplement in Guardian today on the National Teaching Awards. Well done to all those who were recognised at the awards ceremony.
There was an interesting piece in the Guardian today which summarised what Shirley Williams: one of the judges learned from the teachers about what they thought.
Some key points that might be worth considering:
"The things that stand out in a special teacher are enthusiasm and innovation... someone who realises teaching is not just the handing down of knowledge from on high... The really good teacher is somebody who makes learning something challenging and fulfilling. Obviously, the national curriculum is quite a corset and tends to limit children's innovatory capacity by being too closely tied to tests.... What we are looking for is teachers who refuse to be stultified."
The teachers were asked for their views on what they wanted to change...
"Teachers felt very rigidly directed ad rigidly regulated, and they... long for more room - room for their own ability, their own discretion and their own judgement..... there is also a yearning for a greater degree of stability...
They feel there isn't enough time to see if a particular innovation works... there aren't anything like enough pilot schemes.
The link between testing and league tables is insufferable and doesn't reflect outstanding teaching...."
There was an interesting piece in the Guardian today which summarised what Shirley Williams: one of the judges learned from the teachers about what they thought.
Some key points that might be worth considering:
"The things that stand out in a special teacher are enthusiasm and innovation... someone who realises teaching is not just the handing down of knowledge from on high... The really good teacher is somebody who makes learning something challenging and fulfilling. Obviously, the national curriculum is quite a corset and tends to limit children's innovatory capacity by being too closely tied to tests.... What we are looking for is teachers who refuse to be stultified."
The teachers were asked for their views on what they wanted to change...
"Teachers felt very rigidly directed ad rigidly regulated, and they... long for more room - room for their own ability, their own discretion and their own judgement..... there is also a yearning for a greater degree of stability...
They feel there isn't enough time to see if a particular innovation works... there aren't anything like enough pilot schemes.
The link between testing and league tables is insufferable and doesn't reflect outstanding teaching...."
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