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SecEd: On Your Side
Consistency – it’s a
foolish obsession
Back in 1841, Emerson
wrote that “a foolish
Colin
consistency is the hobgoblin
Foster,
of little minds”, yet the goal
guest
of “consistency” is one which
editorial
is fiercely promoted today by
many of the sharpest minds in education.
Many schools’ management devote much of their time
to writing and implementing policies, which mostly seem
to set out to define and then try to ensure maintenance of
“consistency” across the various spheres of school life.
Rarely is the appropriateness of this goal challenged.
“We have to be consistent about it” becomes an
unanswerable argument. But is it?
it seems to me that consistency is frequently confused
with equity. When someone says “we need a consistent
policy regarding behaviour”, for instance, what they are
usually concerned about is fairness, and this is not the
same thing. in fact, a rigid “consistency” that does not take
different circumstances into account will inevitably lead to
Images
unfairness and discrimination. an obvious issue that will
not go away is the banning of particular items of religious
ellcome

W
clothing, which is of no consequence to the majority while
Photo:
being a serious issue for a much misunderstood minority.
as the saying goes, “there is nothing so unequal as the
Support: Sir David Attenborough is hoping The Wellcome Trust’s Darwin resources will ignite students’ interest in science
equal treatment of unequals”.
To take another example, deciding on a consistent
response to pupils who swear in class may allow no
room for acknowledging the difference between a “sotto
Discovering Darwin
voce” cry of frustration with a piece of work, say, and a
threatening outburst towards a peer or teacher.
THEy Say that everyone use different strands and colours
These actions are completely different in motivation and remembers their favourite teacher
It is 200 years since the birth of of worm-sized spaghetti to find out
effect, yet a “consistent” policy may force them to be dealt
– someone who inspired them to
with in the same way.
pursue their chosen career, or who
Charles Darwin, and new school
which colour and size of worm is
the most attractive to birds.
as soon as you become obsessed with consistency,
offered them guidance and support
during their time at school.
resources, backed by Sir David
Sir David continued: “Darwin,
throughout his life, never stopped
you find that there are too many factors to try to allow
Sir David attenborough is no
Attenborough, have been released
trying to find out new things.
for, including those (like home background) over which different, although it does take him answering questions is what he
a school has little or no control. it is too much to demand
a moment or two to recall the name
to mark the occasion. Chris Parr explains
was all about. We need to find
that schools act consistently – and it is a distortion of what
of Mr Lacey, who – perhaps unsur- ways to instil this passion in our
prisingly – was his biology teacher young people, and carrying out
schools should be about to imply that they should even be
back when he was a student at “Then, when i was about 16, Sir David feels that the use of active and practical experiments
striving to do so.
Wyggeston Grammar School for learning really became exciting. lively experiments could be the key in secondary schools is one way of
it is not just the complexity of a school environment Boys in Leicester. Mr Lacey was a huge part of that to ensuring that more students study doing this.”
– and the human beings that constitute it – which makes
“it was some 70 years ago, so – he was a fantastic biology teacher, the sciences into the 6th form and He added: “Darwin’s 200th
consistency hard, if not impossible, to achieve; it is that
the memory’s a little rusty, but i a model railway enthusiast too, i beyond. He told me: “all people birthday year is a wonderful oppor-
can see Mr Lacey as clear as day,” believe, and he was one of the main have the potential, and the desire, to tunity to reflect on the life and
schools need to be places where difference is welcomed,
he recalled. reasons i went on to study natural develop their minds. However, our science of one of the world’s most
encouraged and understood, rather than places of dull
“We were taught an awful lot of sciences at cambridge.” brains are not just empty milk bot- famous and influential scientists.
uniformity. Latin in class and, although i can i met Sir David in London, where tles into which you can pour facts “i hope having such opportuni-
For example, just as pupils are often regarded as
see the benefits of understanding he was promoting Survival Rivals and information. ties to engage with Darwin’s story at
displaying a myriad of different “learning styles”, which
language and its origins, i have to lesson packs – a set of resourc- “The key to retaining informa- school will inspire children to follow
say it never really inspired me.” es designed by Uk charity The tion, and to finding it interesting, in his footsteps and let their curiosity
may change over time and be highly dependent on mood,
it was a few years later, when Sir Wellcome Trust, which are aimed at is to carry out experiments – to lead them on their own journeys to
the nature of the task, the surroundings, and so much more, David entered the 6th form, that he secondary science teachers. find things out for yourself. The new discoveries.” SecEd
so also do teachers present a wide variety of approaches to
really began to enjoy life at school. The packs include experiments experiments available as part of the
how they want to do their jobs. a school where colleagues
“i used to spend a lot of my that are designed to show young- Survival Rivals packs really enable
Further information
are encouraged to teach in a “consistent” manner to
spare time in my early secondary sters the ideas behind Darwin’s students to do this.” To receive Survival Rivals, visit
years studying things like fossils, or theory of evolution, and they are in one of the natural selection www.survivalrivals.org
one another, perhaps becoming clones of their heads of
plants and birds, but there was no available to every school in the Uk experiments – the imaginatively For more information on
departments, will be a boring and uninspiring place in academic focus on these things at as part of the famous scientist’s titled i’m a Worm, Get Me Out of Darwin’s 200th birthday events, see
which to teach or learn.
all, until i moved into the 6th form. 200th birthday celebrations. Here! – pupils are encouraged to www.darwin200.org
Such an arrangement will fail to capitalise on the
individual gifts and interests of the teachers who work IN rESpONSE…
there, or to play to the strengths of the pupils they teach. it
will also be a much less human place. Dear sir, There is a culture in school of Dear sir, Why? They have no
What matters, surely, is quality of teaching and learning
doing a lot, above and beyond the electricity! These schools are
– a drive for consistency, rather than being a route to
i write after reading your article call of duty, and individuals are i read with interest your article desperate to have computers, but
about teachers topping the list scared to appear lazy compared on the appeal for second-hand without electricity or solar panels
quality, is more likely to strangle creativity and dampen
of those working unpaid hours to “everyone else” who seem to computers for africa (African it is impossible. Even if they had
enthusiasm for new ideas. consistency can lead to a
(Teachers do most unpaid hours, be working so hard. it’s a form of computer appeal, SecEd 201, electricity or solar panels to run
levelling down for everyone, unless you are very careful, SecEd 205, March 5, 2009). self-perpetuating peer-pressure. January 29, 2009). computers, very few people are
because you have to spell everything out in precise detail,
My colleagues and i routinely also, highly dedicated senior i have recently returned from trained in computer maintenance
and that necessarily constrains, constricts and simplifies.
work extra hours. This is partly leaders (whose lives seem often to a study visit to The Gambia, or know how to set them up.
because the job is never finished: be devoted to school) think nothing where i am setting up an it is an aspect which is
The sad fact is that the more these differences are ironed
there is always something more of scheduling meetings, briefings, international link with my school overlooked when these appeals
out by an oppressive push for consistency, the more natural to be done. parents’ evenings, open evenings, and St Edward’s Upper Basic are made and causes such
it becomes for everyone (pupils and teachers) to respond to
it is also because teachers and so on, while simultaneously School in Bwiem. frustration in parts of africa. They
circumstances in a stereotyped and predictable way.
do not have a clear idea of what requesting written reports, i think the aims of the e- are grateful for the kind donations,
True education needs surprise, innovation, spontaneity,
their hours should be. We know statistical analyses, progress data, Learning Foundation, and its but can you imagine what it must
our day isn’t just 9am to 3.30pm, schemes of work or lesson plans. collaboration with Digital Links, be like to have the equipment, but
thoughtfulness, and variety – consistency is not a wise
but how early should we come a conscientious teacher needs is very worthy and we should all not the means to operate it?
course to follow. SecEd in and how late should we stay? to spend hours to properly meet all be aware of the lack of facilities
Teachers probably need someone these demands. i would like to be in the Third World. Theresa Falconer
• This guest editorial has been written by Colin Foster, who (senior management?) to tell us told how many hours i “should” a couple of the schools i St Peter’s CE Aided School, Exeter
teaches at a secondary school in Coventry. Do you have a
how many hours to work per day. be working, and then i could visited in Banjul, the capital of
view on any aspect of secondary education? Contact the
The trouble is, senior managers “legitimately” reach a cut-off point Gambia, had computers which Send your letters to: The editor,
often seem to be the worst without feeling so guilty. had been donated by schools in SecEd, St Jude’s church, Dulwich
editor of SecEd, Pete Henshaw, on 020 7501 6771,
“culprits” for coming in early, Europe, but they were stacked in Road, Herne Hill, London, SE24
editor@sec-ed.co.uk or via www.sec-ed.co.uk staying late and taking work home. Rachel Pattisson, Northumberland cupboards and had not been used. 0PB or email editor@sec-ed.co.uk
6 SecEd • March 12 2009
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