So with the announcement yesterday about the changes to the curriculum – many teachers have really strong views on the impact that this will have on our schools but more importantly on our students and their future. This is what has been said:
“The new government believes the current national curriculum is over-prescriptive, includes material that is not essential, and specifies teaching methods rather than content.
It says there should be more emphasis on what facts are taught, arguing that there should be a core knowledge that pupils should have to take their place as “educated members of society”
You can read more about the details in two very interesting news articles one from the bbc: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12227491 and one from the Daily Mail: http://bit.ly/exIGuy
What do you think about this? What impact will this make? What do you plan to do in your school?
One colleague of mine said “How can we possibly put things in place from Sept? Doesn’t he see that of we give them a Bash Street curriculum we’ll get Bash Street kids?”
I would love to hear your opinions on this by leaving a comment here on the blog or emailing me your opinion to chickensaltash@live.co.uk I will then in a weeks’ time right a post combining all the comments. Please leave a comment or email by Friday 28th January 2011. I look forward to hearing from you.
I know the UK curriculum is extremely prescriptive, but it seems that more emphasis on what content is taught is foolish.
In a world where total human knowledge is growing at an exponential rate the UK government wants to go back to the linear model of choosing which content is suitable for their students to learn?
You need even MORE choice and more flexibility. Yes, scripted lessons disappearing is good, letting teachers be professionals is good, but you need to find a way of measuring what kids can do, not what they know.