At the chalkface Just unnecessary


Let me tell you an anecdote rich in pedagogical significance. I once went to hear the great


Dr John – the Night tripper – in Kentish town. His music “cures all your ills”. Ancient and beyond wise, he was resplendent in a killer suit, flash tie, necklace of voodoo bones, some Gris Gris love potions and a top hat from which sprung assorted peacock feathers. After hours of syncopated bliss, mr Night tripper left the piano on his magic, walking stick. “Watch me now!”


He danced round this stick to complex New Orleans rhythms. “A little lesson for


y’all!” He discarded the stick, shimmied towards the edge of the stage, threw some cool shapes and gazed out at us. “man, dancin’ this good..” He froze. “It’s just...


unnecessary!” Indeed. “Unnecessary.” He tottered


back to tickle those ivories. Alright! I’ve never quite


recovered from this. So... what’s the lesson? the


pedagogical significance? Wear peacock feathers? Or voodoo potions? Well, it wouldn’t hurt, but you might fail Ofsted. No, it’s this – teaching’s better without targets. Look no stick! Lark about a bit! Relish the superfluous! It’s necessary to be unnecessary. these musings were


prompted by the adult evening classes advertised in the school foyer.most have no final exams. most deal in sheer enthusiasm,


in unmeasured pleasure. “two Brains” Willets wouldn’t approve. too many subjects are too much fun and hence low status. too many flirt with the superfluous. Check them. tango. tap, Dante, Quiltmaking, Anglo Saxon verse, French existentialism, Car maintenance, Cup Cakes, tantric Sex and It for Idiots. Sure beats that National Curriculum. the other evening,


after another of those New Yeartwilight Workshops about the Dull and Necessary, I passed an evening class in the school gym – a


whole orchestra with about 30 musicians.they didn’t need to be there, they were


passing no exam, they were smiling. All ages.many races.they were banging out some Brahms with a conductor with big, electric hair, who looked as barmy as


Dr. John. I’m signing up for one


of these classes after the grim


treadmill of my teaching day. Let’s see... Lindy Hopping? Dante? the tango? that’s the one. Get the wife along. I’ll be rubbish. Who says?my measuring, necessary teacher’s voice. Avaunt! I might try to sneak some


Dr John pedagogy into my own classes. Look no targets! You can’t have too much fun. I got the moves. I got the suit. And I can probably cure all your ills. You watchin’ y’all?man, teaching this good... it’s just unnecessary.


• Ian Whitwham is a former secondary school teacher.


News Win a week in California


A work experience trip of a lifetime is being offered by SecEd for one lucky student and entries are already coming in. SecEd has teamed up with ICt


company Lightspeed Systems to offer a tailored work placement for one student in their American head- quarters in California.the competi- tion is also offering a second place on the trip for a teacher or a parent. Lightspeed Systems is based


in Bakersfield, California with its european offices inessex.the com- pany provides network, security and other solutions for UK schools. It also producesmy Big Campus,


which extends the classroom with a safe, engaging online environment; and Campus mail, which gives schools safe email accounts and pri- vate file storage. During the week, the winning


student could opt to work with the company’s It developers and sup- port team, the business development team, the marketing team, the staff members who work on the my Big Campus service, among others. Lightspeed will also work with


the teacher or parent to tap into their perspective when it comes to web safety and filtering.


The prize (and conditions)


the winning school wins one student place for a week’s experience at Lightspeed Systems in California and a second place on the trip for a parent or a teacher. the prize includes return flights


to Los Angeles International Airport, UK and US airport trans- fers, all meals, and accommoda-


tion at the Padre Hotel, which is based near to the Lightspeed HQ in Bakersfield, California. Lightspeed Systems europe will


agree the itinerary and the exact dates for the trip in collaboration with the winning school. It is for the winning school to decide which student and which teacher or parent should win the prize. the winning school must accept


liability for the trip under the guide- lines for school trips and outings as laid down by their relevant local authority or governing body. the school also undertakes to complete any relevant risk-assessment forms for the trip. All other costs for the trip –


including any costs arising from insurance requirements, additional fees such as visa payments, and


spending money – will not be covered by SecEd or Lightspeed Systems and must be met by the school or the winning student’s family. the winners must have a valid passport for travel to America.


How to win


to stand a chance of winning this prize, just answer the following question: Where are the US offices of Lightspeed Systems? the competition is strictly lim-


ited to one entry per school and entries must come from a member of school staff. It is only open to schools based in the UK. the deadline for entries is


Friday, October 14, and the win- ning school will be drawn at ran- dom from the correct entries and announced in January during the


Bett 2012 technology in educa- tion event at London’s Olympia.


How to enter


email your answer to the above question, including your name, school and contact details, to Pete Henshaw, the editor of SecEd, on pete.h@markallengroup.com. All entries will be passed on to


Lightspeed Systems and for fur- ther information, email the above address or telephone 020 7501 6771. this competition is awarded by


Lightspeed Systems and neither SecEd, nor any of its employees, accepts any liability for the non- delivery or failure to comply with any of the terms stated herein.


Lightspeed Systems Visit www.lseurope.com


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