Corporal punishment never really stopped the 'offenders' but it taught you that actions have consequences, and it certainly deterred others from getting out of hand.
I only got caned once. That was quite enough. Apart from the pain I couldn't risk my dad finding out. That would have been much worse. I still have a piece of dead skin and an indentation where the cane landed. I taught in a comprehensive school that used the strap, which was similar to the tawse. Some people used it a the first line of defence. One bloke used to strap pupils for not brining a pen. I left there in 1981 and wondered how they would cope when corporal punishment was finally outlawed.
The difference being now kids of different levels are in the same class, where as back in my day all those in my class were of a similar ability and given tasks to suit that ability. I still can't see any benefit to having a potential genius in the same class as a kid with some learning deficiency, attention seeking, syndrome.
The streaming was more for junior schools. Infants schools were pretty much cobbed together until their level could be determined. In infants, some kids were steaming through the set books, while others were still eating crayons in the sand pit. What was your favourite flavour of crayon?
So wait, you didn’t understand it last night, but now you’re questioning somebody who has implemented that system for the last five years and got quantifiable results out of it?
Steady on there tiger. Last night I (and others) was failing to understand your fluffy words trying to explain how the education system works today. After going to all the bother of typing out the differences between the old system (my day) and how I understand from your explanation of how things are today, your short reply was the results are there to see. So on what basis are measuring these results? Number going onto higher education, A levels, GCSE's. And then I remembered you said you are teaching 6 year olds, so I guess keeping them all in the sand pit and not eating the crayons will be a success. (thank DMD for that) Not looking for a cyber squabble even though it may come across that way, and I really do have the utmost respect for teachers as I don't envy your challenge trying to teach kids these days. Some of them and their parents should be put down for the benefit of the rest of us.
Year 2 children don’t play in sandpits and do colouring in, I know you were exaggerating but that stuff is kept in nursery. Once they start full time education they do proper lessons. I didn’t use fluffy words, those are just the words of the education sector. If a lesson is planned well, it caters for all the children’s needs, regardless of their ability. If you stifle the learning of lower ability children, you are setting them a ceiling. For higher ability kids, they can answer questions lower ability children can’t. It all happens simultaneously.
A teacher at my senior school plunged a very heavy piece of steel into my stomach in front of everyone in class. I didn't report it or tell my parents as I'm certain it wasn't meant to actually make contact. I could tell that, because as purple in the face and unable to breathe as I was, I could see he looked ****ing terrified at what he'd just done. It was some kind of engine part and was so heavy, once he'd thrust it at me, he couldn't stop the momentum. The **** didn't even apologise.
What's our opinion on home education? My 12 year old nephew is home educated, he's never been to school, but he's so bright, his maths and English are excellent and he's just such a well rounded young man. He's fit and healthy and until Covid reared its ugly head, he was involved in all sorts of activities. Gymnastics, football (obvs), swimming, drama, he's starred in a few plays. He has plenty of friends, he's very well spoken, reads exceptionally well. Next year I think he does his GCSE's and we're very confident he'll do very well indeed. I really wasn't keen on the idea of home Ed, but my nephew seems way ahead of many kids in his age group.
It can work, but it's definitely down to how proactive the parents are and how they manage it. By the sounds of it your nephew has done really well and that's fantastic. I dated a home schooled girl when I was 18 and at a pub quiz, when asked who scored a hat trick in the 1966 World Cup final for England, she replied David Beckham. She was, to put it politely, dense as ****. However, I don't hold her as an accurate representation of home schooling.
I'm flattering her, believe me. That quiz was on the same day she claimed you could make toast in a microwave. It would have been kinder to tell her to leave a metal fork in to stir it.
Well his father ****ed off when he was 2 (the **** him). But his Mam, Grandparents, his aunt and myself have always been very proactive. I think together we've done fantastic job and I can only see him being successful in whatever he chooses to do in life. I've never had kids of my own, but I've always been surrounded by them, three Nieces etc. The lad's lived with us all his life and he means everything to me. Whatever he wants, he gets, if I've got it, he can have it, if I haven't, he can't. He's not spoiled though. Thanks for listening, Steven.
Hey, you don't need to be a parent to be a good guardian for a kid, sounds like you've got a good set up that I'm sure a lot of children would kill for. I'm sure he'll turn out great.
