Posts Tagged ‘Education’
July 12, 2012
Education and support have been thrown out the window in favour of control and over-regulation:
Authorities in Victoria are now using concerns about extreme obesity as justification for removing children from the care of their parents.
The Department of Health Services has removed at least two children from their parents’ care this year over the issue.
Associate Professor John Dixon, from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, says the number is expected to rise in the coming years.
“We’ve got to understand that as the waistlines of our kids grow, we’re going to have these extreme case of obesity,” he told News Breakfast.
Professor Dixon says sometimes removing the child is the best option.
“It’s not the obesity itself that would lead to a child being removed from their home, but it would be a range of circumstances that would make it difficult for that child to be managed in the best way at home,” he said.
“[Obesity can be the result of a] whole range of environmental issues, the food, the lack of transport, all sorts of things.
“But it also can be symptomatic of dysfunctional circumstances… where there’s problems; mental illness, siblings with disabilities, that really make family life for some of these children very complex indeed, and produce that rare circumstance where they may be better off out of home for a while.
“Thinking of the rights of the child, the best interests of the child, if it’s counterproductive to be at home, then in very rare circumstances that child may be best off not at home.”
Click here to read my post ‘Considered Too Obese to Keep His Kids‘.
Tags:Associate Professor John Dixon, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Childhood Obesity, Education, Goevrnment control, he rights of the child and obesity, Parenting, Removing children because of obesity, Removing children from parents care, sometimes removing the child is the best option, The Department of Health Services
Posted in Childhood Obesity | 1 Comment »
July 12, 2012
I believe that we should concentrate on the things that make us alike, not our differences. There may have been a time when ‘feminism’ warranted being in the curriculum, but I believe those days have passed. Instead, I believe we should concentrate on mutual respect.
Ashley Lauren, writing for care2.com disagrees:
Feminism should be taught in school.
In every class from English to history, math to science, parenting to auto mechanics, there is room for feminism. It could be something as grand as teaching about women’s roles in history to something as simple as asserting that girls can work on cars, too, but it should be a part of every class, every day.
Historically, women — and other oppressed groups — have been marginalized. Literally. We have been relegated to boxes in the margins of textbooks as if to say, “This is what the women were doing back at home while the men were off at war. It fits into this little box which must mean that it wasn’t that important and it won’t be on the test.” Imagine what that does to the self-esteem of the girls seated in the classroom.
Teaching feminism is important for many, many reasons. First, studying feminism can “reinvigorate girls’ sense of self-worth and to help pupils think about the gender implications of their language and image.” Second, as of this 2008 study, 84% of girls said that they are under an enormous amount of pressure to dress the right way. That was up from 75% in 2000. Third, and perhaps scariest of all, is that girls are starting to accept sexual assault and sexual harassment at school as a way of life.
Tags:Education, Feminism in the curriculum, Feminism should be taught in schools, girls’ sense of self-worth, Teaching feminism, Teaching Girls, women’s roles in history
Posted in Teaching Girls | 1 Comment »
July 12, 2012
There is a theory among educational circles that a struggling teacher can’t improve. This is probably true in today’s climate, but it isn’t a reflection on under-performing teachers, but rather a reflection on the total lack of support given to teachers.
A teacher’s journey begins with a pressurised, yet basically completely useless, teacher training course. This course not only fails to provide teachers with the requisite practical skills but is often taught and run by former teachers who are overjoyed at the prospect of finally being out of the classroom.
Then, if that teacher is lucky enough to score a job at a school with resources, a track record of half-decent behaviour and academic standards (because let’s face it – graduate teachers often go to the toughest schools to teach in), they are left on their own. No mentor, no support system. They are put in an environment where every teacher is in charge of their own classroom and teamwork is often non-existent.
That teacher can always break the unwritten rule and ask for help, but that would be a mistake. A graduate teacher’s first contract is usually a 12-month trial run. That teacher cannot afford to advertise their uncertainty and lack of experience. Teachers are overburdened as it is and many resent having to help an amateur when they have an ever-increasing workload to deal with. Therefore, a graduate teacher that asks for help risks not having their contract extended, thereby risking future employment.
So what do these teachers do? They learn on the job. And that’s where mistakes are made and bad habits are formed.
These bad habits sometimes make them look like “poor” teachers. Many of them are just well intentioned teachers who have never been given the support they needed.
The public are probably very supportive of new regulations that makes it harder for teachers branded “incompetent” from finding a new teaching job. I bid them to see beyond the labels and call on the system to support our teachers rather than replacing them for a newer version of the same thing:
For the first time, schools will be given legal powers to find out whether staff applying for new jobs have previously been subjected to official warnings.
Former employers will be required to disclose any disciplinary action taken against teachers over the last two years to give new schools a more comprehensive picture of their ability.
The regulations – being introduced from this September – come amid fears that too many schools allow weak teachers to leave and find new jobs rather than draw attention to their performance.
In the last decade, just 17 staff in England have been officially struck off for incompetence.
But teachers’ leaders insisted that the regulations would treat teachers “worse than criminals” and force some out of the profession altogether.
Click here to read about how I would solve the problem of the unsupported teacher.
Tags:Alison Ryan, Education, Education Secretary, Former employers will be required to disclose any disciplinary action taken against teachers, just 17 staff in England have been officially struck off for incompetence, life, Michael Gove, News, Schools will be able to find out if teachers had been disciplined, Teacher Training, Teachers, Teachers Stress, Teaching, too many schools allow weak teachers to leave and find new jobs
Posted in Teacher Training, Teachers Stress | 5 Comments »
July 11, 2012
People are entitled to feel very angry at the school that reportedly allowed a young Japanese boy to be bullied to the point of suicide. But it is incredibly important that the anger is expressed in a non-threatening way.
Firstly, those concerned should call for disciplinary measures for all those involved (including students, staff and administrators).
Next, they should be encouraging their children and close friends to speak out against bullying whenever they find themselves to be bystanders.
Finally, they should take an interest in how their local schools deal with bullying situations.
One thing they should not do is threaten the school. This course of action is tantamount to dealing with bullying by becoming the bully:
THE suicide of a 13-year-old boy in central Japan has sparked a series of bomb threats against his school.
Threats have also been made against the local government over claims of negligence in the case, police said.
The boy’s death has snowballed into a national scandal amid reports that bullies routinely forced him to “practice” killing himself before he took his own life, and that his teacher brushed off the abuse as a joke.
A letter sent to the boy’s school in Shiga prefecture threatened that the building would be bombed unless the pupils and teachers involved apologise, local authorities said.
Click here to read my post ‘Child Commits Suicide Due to Alleged Systematic Bullying and Inept Teachers’.
Tags:Bomb Threat, boy's school in Shiga, bullies routinely forced him to "practice" killing himself, Bullying, Education, Japan, Japanese boy suicide, Japanese boy suicide from bullying, jumped from his 14th floor apartment in the city of Otsu, News, omb threats against Japanese boys school, Parenting, suicide of a 13-year-old boy in southern Japan, Teacher laughing Japanese boy suicide, Threats have also been made against the local government over japanese boy suicide
Posted in Bullying | 2 Comments »
July 11, 2012
It would be highly unfortunate if women started thinking twice before having children due to the risk of minor weight gain as a result:
MUMS who blame their children for their weight gain now have evidence to back their claims.
UK researchers have found that the more children a woman has, the greater her body mass index (BMI) is likely to be later in life.
I hope mothers are not blaming their children for weight gain, or anything else for that matter.
Tags:Babies, Breastfeeding, British study finds having more kids can add more kilos, Children, Education, Health, International Journal of Obesity, kids, News, Parenting, Post-baby weight gain, postmenopausal women, weight gain after pregnancy
Posted in Parenting | Leave a Comment »
July 11, 2012
In light of the terrible story involving a Japanese child who committed suicide due to being victim of systematic bullying, I think it is worth focusing on the role of teacher in a bullying situation.
There were reports in that story that the teachers laughed as bullies tried to choke the victim. That reaction is certainly not an accurate reflection of how most teachers would react in a similar circumstance. But it does hone in on an underrated skill – the role of teacher as supervisor.
I have argued before that teachers have got to improve their supervision skills. At recess and in the classroom, they must be alert to any bullying that may exist. There have been too many incidents of bullying that have occurred in the playground at a time when teachers should have been supervising.
Readers have defended these teachers by claiming that they are so overburdened with responsibilities that one can not expect teachers to be as alert as if they were given a lighter workload.
It may be true that teachers are overworked – but this responsibility is crucial.
When my child goes to school I entrust her teachers with something I have no control over. Sure I want them to teach her well, but if they failed to do so I could always address the shortfall myself. The one thing I have no control over is her health and safety during the day (both physical and emotional).
Teachers must improve their alertness during recess supervision. They must be aware of the social dynamics of their students and any problems that may exist. I would much rather my daughter’s teacher be a brilliant supervisor than a brilliant planner or classroom decorator.
Click on the link to read my post, “Child Commits Suicide Due to Alleged Systematic Bullying and Inept Teachers.”
Tags:Bullying, Education, he role of teacher in a bullying situation, Japanese boy suicide, Japanese child who committed suicide due to being victim of systematic bullying, jumped from his 14th floor apartment in the city of Otsu, Overworked teachers, Planning, Recess duty, Teacher suspervision skills, teachers laughed as bullies tried to choke the victim, Teachers workload, Yard duty
Posted in Bullying | Leave a Comment »
July 10, 2012
I know of people who struggle with debilitating depression. It is a complex illness, with many different triggers and dimensions. I imagine that it must frustrate people suffering from depression to read articles like this one:
Violence aired on TV round the clock is causing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic disorder amongst children, according to a senior psychiatrist at the Ziauddin Hospital, Dr Syed Ali Wasif.
“A child or any other individual who is abruptly exposed to the sound of a cracker or breaking news on a TV channel goes through fear, anxiety, uncertainty and hopelessness,” Dr Wasif told The News on Tuesday.
“The child can develop depression and post-traumatic disorder. It also affects their educational productivity,” he said.
Are you telling me news is a trigger for depression? How would people suffering from this complex condition feel about that assertion?
The same goes with autism. With the autism spectrum seemingly widening every day, now including cases of such slight autism you wouldn’t be able to detect it if you weren’t alerted to the diagnosis, I feel for those with clear autism. Why should they be pigeonholed with others who have a dramatically easier quality of life and functionality?
If “the sound of a cracker” really is enough to send a child into clinical depression I’ll eat my shoe.
Click on the link to read Schools Have to Wake Up to Confidence Issues Amongst Students
Click on the link to read, Stricken with Self-Doubt
Tags:Asperger's, Autism, Autism spectrum, Child Welfare, Depression, Dr Syed Ali Wasif, Education, Medical conditions, post-traumatic disorder amongst children, PTSD, Violence on TV causing depression and anxiety, World Health Organisation, Ziauddin Hospital
Posted in Child Welfare | Leave a Comment »
July 10, 2012
Never, ever take a kids survey on face value!
According to a recent survey millions of children are complaining that school is too easy.
My students often boast about the lesson content being very easy. Then I assess them. It often turns out it wasn’t as easy as they first thought.
Why on earth would we believe a kids survey that claims school is too easy when it isn’t backed up by assessment results?
Millions of kids simply don’t find school very challenging, a new analysis of federal survey data suggests. The report could spark a debate about whether new academic standards being piloted nationwide might make a difference.
The findings, out today from the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank that champions “progressive ideas,” analyze three years of questionnaires from the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Educational Progress, a national test given each year.
Among the findings:
•37% of fourth-graders say their math work is “often” or “always” too easy;
•57% of eighth-graders say their history work is “often” or “always” too easy;
•39% of 12th-graders say they rarely write about what they read in class.
If I was from the Center of American Progress I would be embarrassed to admit to spending so long on a survey that is clearly misleading. Talk about a waste of three years!
Rule 1: Never ask students whether class work is easy when you can get a better picture by gauging their assessment results (I’m not referring to standardised tests).
Rule 2: Never ask students whether their homework was easy. Instead, ask their parents as they are the ones that do it.
Rule 3: If you are trying to make education more “progressive”, don’t waste three years on a survey.
Click here for a more in-depth analysis of this survey.
Tags:academic standards being piloted nationwide, Adults, Center for American Progress, Education, Engaging Students, History is too easy survey, kids, Maths is too easy, News, progressive ideas, questionnaires from the Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress, Students not being challenged, survey kids don't find school very challenging, Survey results kids find school too easy
Posted in Engaging Students | Leave a Comment »
July 10, 2012
I wonder if the firing of a yoga teacher for setting sensible standards of behaviour will soon apply to us school teachers:
For years, yoga instructor Alice Van Ness has started her classes with a simple request – that students turn their cell phones off.
She brought that policy with her to Facebook, where she began teaching a weekly class at the company’s Menlo Park campus in March. But it proved to be a hard policy to follow for at least one employee, who began tapping away on her phone in the middle of class. And after Van Ness shot her a disapproving look, the instructor found herself out of a job.
The 35-year-old San Carlos resident was fired last month after managers at the fitness contractor she worked for explained that saying “no” to Facebook employees is a no-no.
Tags:Alice Van Ness fired for banning cell phone facebook, Children and cell phones, Cisco, Education, facebook, Menlo Park campus, News, Plus One Health Management, Political Correctness, School Rules, Students bringing cell phones to class, Students using cell phones in class, yoga instructor Alice Van Ness, yoga teacher cell phone facebook
Posted in Political Correctness, School Rules | 3 Comments »
July 10, 2012
Bill Henson, a so-called artist, who makes his living by photographing (among other subjects) minors in the nude, is no expert on child welfare. I find it quite upsetting that a person who has grown to prominence by insisting that photographs of naked minors are somehow artistic, gets the platform to point the finger at the church and sport.
The church is an easy target. Mr. Henson has made a diversionary “cheap shot” which is offensive and in very bad taste:
CONTROVERSIAL photographer Bill Henson has pointed to sport and the church as far more likely to harm children than anything involving the arts.
Mr Henson, who sparked outrage by including images of naked minors in a 2008 exhibition, told The Australian that the arts were the last thing likely to actually harm kids.
“We’re talking about the potential for harm,” he said. “If you want to talk about that in relation to real children and real harm, you’d have to start with priests in the church, or sport.
“If you want to talk about actual harm to actual kids, the last place you would start would be the arts.”
Henson has an exhibition opening in Sydney in September but said he had not decided whether it would include nude figures.
“There’s a lot of grassroots common sense out there in Australian society and I think a lot of people began to get a bit sick of it,” he said in reference to the furore over his 2008 exhibition.
I am not in favour of banning Mr. Henson’s work, but I am certainly not a devotee. In my opinion, there is no way to photograph a naked pre-pubecent child without being exploitative and without sexualising the “model”. Sure he might be talented, but talent isn’t an excuse for poor taste.
Mr. Henson should stop looking for easy diversions and grow up!
Tags:Bill Henson, Child Welfare, Children, Chruch and harm to children, CONTROVERSIAL photographer Bill Henson, Education, Mr Henson parked outrage by including images of naked minors, News, Parenting, photographer Bill Henson sport and the church more likely to harm children than arts, Photography, Photography and minors, Sexualising children, Sport and hard to children, The Arts
Posted in Child Welfare | Leave a Comment »
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