Dear Sarah and Sue,
I am very much with Sue here, and am trying to bring this out in the piece
I am currently writing.
Warmest
Alan
--On 22 February 2007 10:51 +0000 Sarah Fletcher <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Dear Alan and All,
>
> Sue Peterson has asked me to forward this to this strand of the list -
> she is having ICT problems:
>
> Re Child of Reason/Learning styles
>
> I believe ( a very subjective word I know) that both creativity and play
> have a huge part to play in education (teachers and learners - if you
> can distinguish the two!). I believe (that word again !) that creativity
> has been largely pushed out of the curriculum in schools at least, over
> the last 20 years or so. This is based on anecdotal rather than more
> 'rigorous' research but I BELIEVE that a large body of anecdotal
> evidence from many sources, has a role to play in research. Even medical
> research (the gold standard perhaps)often starts off this way!
>
> I have often argued (with some colleagues supporting) that most (if not
> all) of the more 'academic' cuurriculum could be taught through the
> expressive arts. This is, perhaps, harking back to the 70's and primary
> education in particular.
>
> My autobiography follows (I think this also has a role and was a key
> tenet of my M.Ed couse in Professional Studies at Exeter University-
> c.f. Mike Golby- also Visiting Prof. at Plymouth until recently.
>
> Trained primary (infants) -taught across the age range including adults
> Almost all subjects! Jack of all trades- master of none? Forgive the
> pun!! Now teaching excluded pupils with statements of special needs
> (Mostly EBD but also some recognised learning difficulties) teach on 1:1
> - limited hours - across the curriculum.Individual Learning Programme
> (ILP) - part of Complementary Education (Northants LEA) Like
> complementary medicine- many parallels here. We try to make the
> curriculum as relevant to the children/young people as possible,
> following their own interests where possible (within the confines of
> National Curriculum!) It gives us MUCH more flexibilty than a mainstream
> teacher. Many of these kids are very creative- also enjoy any practical
> activity - mostly kinaesthetic learners. ART, in particular, has been a
> channel for many of them and they often achieve very high GCSE results
> in art even if in nothing else! At moment I am using art in this way
> with 2 boys (Even though I am NOT a specialist art teacher - I am taking
> advice from art teachers but not everyone agrees that a non-specialist
> should be teaching art. I think that having ideas/being creative/able to
> engage and motivate (I hope!) is more important than technical skill ).
> The role of the generalist/specialist is another huge area for discussion
> and was also one of my M.Ed topics) Music/Creative English/Drama can
> also be used effectively, particularly with the disaffected and should
> have more of a place in mainstream I BELIEVE!
> Hope I have rattled a few cages! It seems to be my mission at the moment1
> Now I'll get back inside mine! All the best to all on the various lists.
> Sue
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