The problem with education? Children aren't feral enough

The 10-year-old Londoners I took to Wales were proof that a week in the countryside is worth three months in a classroom



George Monbiot

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"Instead of being encouraged to observe and explore and think and develop, children are 

being treated like geese in a foie gras farm" Illustration by Belle Meller.

 

What is the best way to knacker a child's education? Force him or her to spend too long in the classroom. An overview of research into outdoor education by King's College London found that children who spend time learning in natural environments "perform better in reading, mathematics, science and social studies". Exploring the natural world "makes other school subjects rich and relevant and gets apathetic students excited about learning".

Derby Muslim faith school closes on first day of Ofsted inspection

Al-Madinah school shuts its doors to pupils over 'health and safety issue' just hours after inspectors arrive.

Richard Adams

Ofsted is currently undertaking a two-day inspection of the Al-Madinah school. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

A controversial Islamic faith school in Derby – under fire for forcing female staff to wear headscarves – abruptly shut its doors on Wednesday hours after the arrival of inspectors from Ofsted, citing unspecified "health and safety" as the reason.

Do examinations get in the way of learning?

The national obsession with measuring progress places a premium on cognitive development but does not consider the whole child, says Tricia Kelleher

Is the development of students as individuals getting lost in the exam conveyor belt? Photograph: Aly Song/REUTERS

Watch out for the sharks! The plank is for the bad pirates."

This snatch of conversation between two, three year-old children in our pre-prep captures brilliantly their learning experience. Adults tend to equate learning to the amount of time children sit behind desks. But the children I observed were outside, creating a world of buccaneers, princesses and sword wielding heroes. I was even given a lesson in ballroom dancing by two little girls keen to share their skills with me.

Children should be taught how to 'lose graciously', says independent schools leader

Children should be taught how to “lose graciously” to prepare them for life after school, an independent schools leader said today.

Eddy Newton, president of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools, said pupils should be shown the etiquette of shaking hands with their opponent after a game and telling them: “Well done - you were better on the day.”

How to teach… ancient Greece

The Guardian Teacher Network has some imaginative teaching resources to help explore ancient Greek life, achievements and philosophy.


Emily Drubble


Fans of the classical world are delighted to discover Ancient Greece's firm foothold in the key stage 2 primary curriculum which begins next September.

The Guardian Teacher Network has some stimulating teaching resources to help explore the life and achievements of ancient Greeks and look at their huge influence on the western world in key stage 2 and beyond.

Teachers are like gardeners

by Sir Ken Robinson

Run, don’t walk’: The school that gets pupils to generate electricity

Special floor tiles produce sustainable energy when pupils pound them

In a reversal of normal classroom rules, students have been encouraged to run and jump around a corridor at a Kent school.

It’s because the corridor has been laid with special kinetic tiles and every footstep on them creates sustainable energy.

Which Study Strategies Make the Grade?

Education generic desks classroom school / iStockphoto

Report finds several popular study strategies are ineffective; effective study strategies are underused

Students everywhere, put down those highlighters and pick up some flashcards! Some of the most popular study strategies — such as highlighting and even rereading — don’t show much promise for improving student learning, according to a new report published in Psychological Science in the Public Interest, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The 3 R’s 4 Success

By Bill Powers



@MrPowersCMS
I still believe it boils down to GREAT teachers that instill the 3 R’s – RELEVANCE, RIGOR, and RELATIONSHIPS in everyday practice.
What does this mean?

Cyberbullying – news and teaching resources round up

A teenage girl who killed herself after months of online bullying has put the spotlight on the dark side of the internet. Here are some resources to help you explore cyberbullying in class

Bullies can get in touch with their victims at all times
thanks to social media sites. Photograph: Alamy

One in five children have been victims of cyberbullying on social media sites during the last year, research by the NSPCC has found

Earlier this month Hannah Smith, 14, of Lutterworth, Leicestershire, killed herself after she had been taunted and told to "drink bleach" on the question-and-answer forum ask.fm.