Childhood across the generations

**Maggy J** · 12-10-2007, 15:42

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7041256.stm

I think stress is being experienced by everyone these days.

Can anyone tell me if they think this is a true representation.I'm not sure even with being a teacher.It's my experience with teens that if they get too stressed they just switch off anyway.

It might be better not to nag so much perhaps but then real life will smack them in the face eventually.

TheNorm · 12-10-2007, 16:47

I thought the original idea of having exams in primary schools was to measure the performance of the teachers, not the children. For some reason the exam results are now used to determine selection for entry to secondary school, which will of course put pressure on children and their parents.

We need more good schools, and fewer bad ones. I think the best way to achieve this is to increase the pay of teachers (together with other measures, of course). Unfortunately this is unlikely to happen.

Taf · 12-10-2007, 17:15

Stress is entering Secondary school when you still can't read, write or do basic arithmetic... and get told to catch up or fail... and get no help at all...

TheNorm · 12-10-2007, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taf

... and get no help at all...

Why should a teacher spend a lot of effort on one child such as this, when it will probably make little difference to the school's position in the league tables?

Taf · 12-10-2007, 18:03

If the teachers in Primary were doing their job, or be ALLOWED to do their job, the child WOULD be able to read, write and do basic arithmetic... I'm not talking disruptive, always absent or special needs kids here... but normal, bright sponges that are not being given the 3R's but loads of mumbo-jumbo tosh instead.

Schools are meant to prepare kids for their adult life, not indoctrinate to a political mantra.

**Maggy J** · 12-10-2007, 19:05

Well the ethos that children are products can be blamed on Maggie Thatcher's government and led to 'standardisation' of Education or the National Curriculum.Now we have to teach to a set timeline and this allows for no deviation to stop and make sure that at least 95% of a class have clearly understood a topic to the best of their's and the teacher's abilty.It's all onwards and upwards and tick the boxes off for each keystage.

homealone · 12-10-2007, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Well the ethos that children are products can be blamed on Maggie Thatcher's government and led to 'standardisation' of Education or the National Curriculum.Now we have to teach to a set timeline and this allows for no deviation to stop and make sure that at least 95% of a class have clearly understood a topic to the best of their's and the teacher's abilty.It's all onwards and upwards and tick the boxes off for each keystage.

I couldn't agree more, the education system seems to be arranged to be easy to measure, rather than than to help children to learn - and want to learn more.

I think I agree about the stress this puts on the kids, as they may feel that their success or failure is having a direct impact on the school, which depends on their SATS results & good OFSTED reports to maintain a position in the 'league table'.

Its about education, not a competion, fgs .....

They are neglecting the skills of the teacher by concentrating simply on measuring 'progress' against fixed targets, in my opinion.

RizzyKing · 13-10-2007, 11:50

If it were upto me i would bin all exams before 14 i would remove the league table for schools and would hand control of schools back to the headteachers. I find it quite hilarious that this labour government is so obsessed about statistics in education when many of the poor kids in the system leave not being able to understand the basics.

When i was at school it was simple you had an exam on english and there was one paper for all. This year my daughter did her GCSE's and there were foundation, intermediate and advanced papers for all main subjects. Thats purely a result of the pressure to have good statistics so that all kids or most of them at least can be said to have passed GCSE at some level.

Give the teachers both the time and the tools to educate and that will improve the situation not more interference from government not new ways of doing the statistics and definately not more exams on young kids that should have the freedom to be kids.