South Gloucestershire, makes a suggestion
Ground down by SATs and targets, shocked and angered by New Labour’s attacks on teacher pensions and seething at the continuing war in Iraq, the Tsunami disaster forced me, more than any other event in the 16 years I have been
teaching, to consider: what is education’s purpose in a world where we can spend trillions on sending people to far away planets but we can’t solve issues like early warning systems for tidal waves and the logistics of aid?
In fact so shocked, I wondered if the young people we teach, the global citizens of tomorrow, could come up with ideas for dealing with the devastating consequences of events in South east Asia. Could the education we offer them provide the tools to begin to explore and identify answers to the situation we currently face? Not a rehashed vocationalism but a truly interesting and relevant learning experience that is situated in the world. In short can young people sketch another world in which natural catastrophes are not exacerbated by poverty, third world debt, unemployment and displacement? So, in a packed Friday briefing, when the Head was reminding us of litter problems, I put forward a modest proposal. Would it not be a good idea to harness the solidarity,internationalism and curiosity generated by the Tsunami disaster? Spending a week, perhaps working alongside NGOs such as Oxfam, our students should have the chance to analyse and explore the problems and the possible solutions to the situation we were witnessing on our screens each night. Not a week of regurgitating tired facts but a week when every curriculum area would offer each year group from 7-11 a real context and purpose for the skills we teach.
Yes, came the answer and I thought I heard a collective sigh of relief. The Head of Maths wants to look at the speed of waves and the effectiveness of early warning systems, the Design and Technology teachers want to look at the constructing new houses, in English we will look at discursive and argumentative writing around the theme of debt: relief or abolition, and many more ideas poured forth.
Each day of the week will focus on one year group. After showing a collated video of scenes from the area and an assembly provided by the Christian Aid website, a series of questions will then be shown followed by a starter on problem solving skills Then off to lessons. And it doesn’t matter what lesson they are in, students will explore the big questions thrown up. The last period of the day will be a whole year group plenary sharing their solutions to the questions raised at the beginning of the day.
The school council has proposed that the final day be a non uniform day with students contributing their money to the DEC fund.
So we’re off! And the theme for the week? Is another world possible?
Viral Marxism 