Friday, 21 January 2011

Genius and Ethics

How is it that those deemed as making positive contributions to society ie Wagner, Ezra Pound, Heidegger, can also behave in a political and morally irresponsible manner?

What assumptions are made within a given society that assumes that people that have made outstanding contributions are imbued with superior moral qualities also?

Friday, 7 January 2011

Politics of change topics

1. The Crisis in Education

2. Higher University Tuition Fees.

EMA - DfE EMA costs £560 million per year. It's replacement the learners support fund has a budget of £26million. the 157 group say that £225million is the bare minimum needed to support disadvantaged students.

EMA application form.




2 Pupils who do not want to learn?
Article "The destructive presence always in our minds" TES 17 12 2010
Paul Willis
Cultural inheritence.
Manufacturing to knowledge economy.


3. Education or Entertainment

4. Pupil Teacher Relationships.
GTC has reprimanded Simon Hipps for grabbing two boys by the shoulders to break up a fight... or was he reprimanded for having the whole class write lines for a separate incident.
Students are required to bring in a media article to discuss inappropriateness.

5. Free Schools

6. The pupil premium.

£430 per pupil.
£625 million in 2011/12 despite the £2.5 billion pledged in the Lib Dem manifesto.
There is an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies. IFS.
In an average secondary that could mean a loss of £150,000, savings might be made from job cuts.

The Institute for economic affairs claim that Sweden's free schoold have been successful when allowed to operate 'for profit'.
Free Market. Adam Smith. Two parties to contractual agreement, not three ie seller, buyer and 'government' [Milton Friedman's 'Right to Choose'].

Article for analysis: "On a roll: Gove wants pupil premium's reach expanded" TES 17 12 2010.
Key Questions:





7. CRB Soham and Risk Aversion.
Article "Eight years on from Soham, some Cambs schools are failing CRB duties" TES 17 12 2010

SATS
"League toppers share secrets of their success" TES 17 12 2010

8. SureStart
Durham University researchers studying 117,000 children at primary claim that language development and numaracy have not improved.