Those Who Can’t, Teach
‘HANDS up who knows where Ukraine is? Thats right, it is abroad.
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| The cream egg and spoon race |
But, as the Times reports, the standard of geography teaching is so low in the modern classroom than in time to come, Ukraine may disappear off the map completely.
A report by Ofsted, the education watchdog, says that geography lessons have become neglected and marginalised, not unlike the Tuareg (a predominantly nomadic people of the Sahara Desert, mostly in the Northern reaches of Mali near Timbuktu and Kidal).
And the fault lies with teachers who lack ability in the subject and with the courses themselves, which are not sufficiently relevant to capture pupils’ interests.
But the demise of geography is only the tip of the iceberg (seven-eighths of which lies under the cold ocean).
The Telegraph says that Exeter University has decided to abandon the teaching of chemistry in a bid to cut costs.
This announcement is bad enough but, following the decision of Kings College, London, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London, and Swansea University to do the same, it looks like a developing trend.
And this is not all, because back at school the Times says the Government is planning to announce its drive to get pupils to do more exercise.
The powers that be want to give all children the option of taking four hours of organised PE a week.
Ministers hope this will stop our nations young becoming even fatter and curtail the spiralling obesity rates among children.
So more darts it is.
But the youngsters dont have to do it. The exercise is only there is they want it.
Which is not much use if youre the parent of a child, who will very soon – thanks to the demise of geography and chemistry – not know where they are or where they came from.
Although, thanks to PE, theyll now know where theyre going home to the fridge…’
Posted: 25th, November 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
