| My youngest son bless him is 9 years old, his | | | | rightly or wrongly, need an education tailored to |
| writing/reading skills are, with a bit of help on my | | | | their individual needs. Whether this should be |
| part, far more advanced than his years. He | | | | funded by the taxpayer is a question I can not |
| started reading the excellent 'Secrets of Droon' | | | | unfortunately answer, I have my own views |
| series of books by Tony Abbott about 4 years | | | | naturally but lets stick to the plot! |
| ago, closely followed by the legendary 'Harry | | | | Miss X is involved mainly with kids who think that |
| Potter' adventures. At breakfast time whatever | | | | Shakespeare is the pub round the corner, |
| happens to lying on the table (newspapers, | | | | Wuthering Heights is some naff song their mother |
| magazines even junk mail) are scrutinised with a | | | | plays endlessly and the only writing they do is |
| passion .... then the questions begin. What does | | | | usually confined to expletives and graffiti in public |
| ***** mean? Why did Tony Blair say | | | | places. She soon realised that some of the kids |
| **********? Yes we've all been there! Obviously | | | | didn't even want to be in school, some of them |
| there are certain limitations to a 9 year old child's | | | | put up with it but would rather be elsewhere and |
| conception of the world, but usually most of the | | | | a handful actually enjoyed the experience and |
| questions are answered plainly and as honestly as | | | | participated fully in her lessons. |
| possible. | | | | She listened to the kids, we're talking 14 - 16 year |
| The dreaded end of term parents evening | | | | olds here, and took on board their needs, |
| beckons and if the last one is anything to go by | | | | comments, suggestions etc and after reading |
| this is the probable scenario; | | | | between the lines (and sometimes a barrage of 'F' |
| Teacher - I think he could put more effort into his | | | | words!) realised surprise surprise, most of them |
| literacy lessons. | | | | deep down were responsible, caring young adults, |
| Me - Carry on. | | | | they just showed it in different ways. |
| Teacher - Your son seems to show a lack of | | | | The most popular gripe held by the kids was, |
| interest in his reading and writing classes. | | | | you've guessed it, the relevance or total lack of it |
| Me - Carry on. | | | | regarding some of the subjects they were being |
| Teacher - I was just thinking what we could do | | | | force fed. The main reason half of them were |
| to address the problem. | | | | bunking off every day! Childrens skills are many |
| Me - My son reads, and writes his own stories for | | | | and diverse, I believe as individuals they should be |
| hours on end, there is no problem. | | | | nurtured accordingly. |
| Teacher - Maybe but he seems to find it hard at | | | | Unless they are studying for a degree or writing |
| school. | | | | an essay/paper, young kids today don't need |
| Me - I've seen the stuff he brings home from | | | | Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde etc. |
| school and quite frankly it's nearly all outdated | | | | Maybe the odd updated example to illustrate a |
| rubbish! | | | | point, but to the kids I'm talking about it's all a |
| Teacher - I'm sorry you feel that way. | | | | foreign language. Many of the words, metaphors |
| Me - So am I but it's true! | | | | and similies have no use whatsoever in modern |
| Teacher - What would you suggest then? | | | | day vocabulary. My own feelings are that some |
| Me - I suggest that the faceless archaic | | | | of the so called 'Classics' are now history and |
| bureaucrats supposedly running the education | | | | should be placed in that category. Although her |
| system drag themselves and the curriculum out | | | | job at the school is still in it's infancy Miss X has |
| of the dark ages. I know it's not your fault and to | | | | integrated more up to date authors/writers into |
| a certain extent your hands are tied but honestly | | | | her lessons, interest has grown and student |
| some of the subject matter bears little or no | | | | participation has increased along with attendance |
| relevance to modern society. | | | | levels. Nuff said. |
| End of conversation, sound familiar! | | | | How long will it take for the aforementioned |
| My sister in law - (Miss X for the purpose of this | | | | education chiefs to brush away the cobwebs and |
| story) is an English teacher working in an inner | | | | bring our schools into the 21st Century?Until such |
| city 'Learning Centre' (school). An idyllic job at a | | | | a time arises I will actively encourage my son, |
| well to do all girls College, through her own choice, | | | | with a little supervision, to read anything and |
| came to an end and on returning to her 'roots' | | | | everything he chooses. The questions, even the |
| decided to take on a more challenging role. The | | | | awkward ones will still be answered honestly and |
| majority of the kids here have ethnic, mixed race | | | | hopefully his journey into young adulthood will not |
| or under privileged backgrounds and as such, | | | | be a confusing, daunting or lonely experience. |