VIEWS From the pen of... Fiona Carnie
From the pen of… is a series looking at the authors of books on topics in education. This month we hear from FIONA CARNIE, educationalist, parent and writer. Her book Alternative Approaches to Education was published in May by Routledge. Her new book, Rebuilding our Schools from the Bottom Up, will be out in December.
“Children’s mental health is rarely out of the news these days. The pressures of growing up in today’s world are taking their toll and the NHS is struggling to cope with the rise in demand for its services. Many young people are waiting months to get the help they need. “Against this backdrop it has to be asked whether schools are part of the problem, part of the solution or a bit of both. The classroom can be a stressful place for many. An OECD report in 2008 found that English children are among the most tested in the world.
And research conducted by the Children’s Society last year found that out of 15 diverse nations, England ranked 14th in terms of the life satisfaction of its young people, behind Ethiopia, Romania and Algeria. What is going on? We are one of the richest countries in the world and yet our young people are unhappy. “In a report published by the Guardian entitled The School I’d Like, children said that they wanted their educational experience to be tailored to suit their own needs. “Sausage machine schooling with a one-size-fits-all schedule” was their biggest complaint. “It is surely time to ask whether we need to organise learning differently. It is encouraging that the new head of Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, has talked about the need for schools to offer a broad curriculum and focus less on testing, but it is unlikely that the kinds of changes that are needed will come from the government. It will be up to teachers and parents to work together to develop schools and learning experiences that are fit for children and society in the twenty first century.
“There are thousands of schools and learning centres around the world based on different educational philosophies which are showing another way, places where adults and children work together to create an environment where education is tailored to meet their developmental needs. Many such places focus on nurturing the whole child – head, hand and heart – and ensuring that learning relates to the outside world. Children are encouraged to become independent learners which is key to a successful life beyond school. The emphasis is on building a respectful learning community where everyone has a voice and everyone matters. “So what can teachers here do to provide the nurturing and supportive environment to enable all children to thrive? We need less testing for sure. But we must also create calm, nurturing and happy environments which focus on building positive relationships. Nel Noddings, Emeritus Professor Education at Stanford University, has written widely about the importance of putting caring relationships at the heart of school life. As adults we know that we perform best when we feel valued. This is even more true for children. “So perhaps we need to start talking and listening – teachers, parents and children – so that we can work together to create schools which put children first.
“As John Dewey said: “Children are people; they grow into tomorrow only as they live today”.”
November 2017 British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA)
Here’s how to make the most of your ICT budget
This month, regular Education Today contributor and BESA Director PATRICK HAYES looks ahead to January and the biggest date in the UK’s ed tech diary – the Bett Show.
Looking to make the most of your ICT budget? Your time would be well spent at Bett, as in the Bett Show (24–27 January 2018).
The largest edtech show in the world takes place in London every January. Over 900 exhibitors fill the vast hall of ExCeL London, with upwards of 35,000 people visiting. From the cutting-edge of virtual reality, to innovative initiatives helping schools cut down on workload and help save money, it’s all there. Bett is a truly global event, attracting
people from over 130 countries. Over 80 ministerial delegations from around the world also attend this event, as part of the Education World Forum.
Attendees come together to celebrate, find inspiration and discuss the future of education, as well as the role technology and innovation play in enabling all educators and learners to thrive. Admittedly to a first-timer, it can seem a lot to take in – so some advance planning is useful. Look at the floor plan to locate edtech companies you already know and use, who will give you a warm welcome and show you what exciting new plans they have for the year.
But also allow yourself time to wander through the stands and see what grabs your attention. And keep a close eye on Twitter – a blizzard of big new announcements about new edtech products or partnerships are made at the show.
The Bett Futures area is always a buzzing hive of activity. Full of new ideas, usually developed by teachers themselves, this is where you see the next generation of edtech products and services activity being forged. Also, the discussions and presentations are always stimulating, giving you lots of ideas for the classroom. One of the questions we know a lot of schools will be asking this year is for companies to demonstrate the efficacy of their products, drawing upon evidence to show that their edtech investments make an impact.
This comes from government too. Indeed when she opened Bett in 2016, the then-Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan claimed that, “Where technology is evidence based and outcome driven - where it really works - we will back it all the way”. It’s for this reason you should head to the EDUCATE zone in the Bett Futures area, which is run by UCL in partnership with F6S, Nesta and BESA. EDUCATE brings together educators, researchers and the edtech industry in order to develop and use the best research- informed edtech.
The aim of EDUCATE is to translate research into new and better educational products, improving the quality of products and services and engaging with users as part of the design process. This will be the first year EDUCATE exhibits at Bett, so it will be a unique opportunity to explore this cutting-edge initiative and engage with the education companies and academics involved in it. It is also a chance for you to gain powerful evidence about the impact your ICT investment is making in the classroom. Don’t miss it.
For information from BESA contact: Patrick Hayes 020 7537 4997
patrick@besa.org.uk
www.besa.org.uk
www.education-today.co.uk 13
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