Supporting changes along St Denys Road
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Saturday, 08 August 09 - 11:16 AM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Willetts accuses Labour of playing politics with college building projects
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Monday, 29 June 09 - 04:26 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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David Willetts has attacked the Government after it was revealed that Ministers have only given the go-ahead to college building projects in Labour-held seats.
The Government has approved just 13 of 144 frozen further education projects – and every one of these lies in a Labour-held seat.
David, the Shadow Secretary of State for Universities and Skills, attacked the decision, saying, “The Government has decided only projects in Labour seats can get support – Labour’s lucky thirteen.”
And he warned that people will be “deeply disappointed” that a further 131 college building projects have still not been approved:
“It is the young people deprived of high quality training opportunities who are the real losers from Labour’s incompetence.”
Citizenship classes yes or no....
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Saturday, 21 February 09 - 10:59 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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In September 2002, Citizenship classes were made a compulsory part of the national curriculum for 11-16 year olds (Key stage 3 &4) and optional in primary education (Key Stage 1 &2). Is this correct or should we be putting our teachers time and effort into other areas of the national curriculum. In this brief article I am going to explore this controversial issue and try to draw some conclusions on the subject.According to OFSTED, citizenship was created “out of the political determination to confront key issues facing society. These are-
-Disengagement from public life.
-Apathy on the part of young people.
-Confusion of identity (what is Britishness).
-A perceived breakdown in moral values.
In the criteria of the subject there were to be three main strands for teachers to look at-
-Knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens. E.g. legal and human rights and responsibilities, work of parliament and courts and how the economy functions.
-Developing skills of enquiry and communication e.g. researching topical issues/ analysing sources of information.
-Developing skills of participation and responsible action e.g. understanding other people’s experience.
This would mean that children would be taught about institutions of local and national government what roles these play in society. Elections would also have to be understood and their importance recognised. Tolerance would have to be taught, so that children would respect the values of other societies and cultures. Lastly law and justice would be looked at and the role of the courts.
However despite these bold and challenging targets and objectives recent research has suggested that citizenship classes in schools are failing. The report by an educational watchdog stated that there had been a “A half-hearted attempt to introduce it to the National curriculum”. 25% of school inspected in 2005/2006 were offering “inadequate” citizenship classes (1/4 children not getting sufficient teaching of citizenship). Only a minority of schools that were surveyed were teaching it with enthusiasm. In half the schools surveyed, only the citizenship co-ordinator had specific training for the subject. Almost 1 in 10 had nobody trained. Teachers when questioned seemed confused and complacent over the subject. Also even though interaction with the community was listed in its objectives few schools were doing so.
We have seen that citizenship has had a troubled start as a subject, but does that mean we should remove it from the national curriculum? There are many positives and negatives to it that I have summed up below.
Positives-
-Engages children in the basics of being an informed citizen.
-Gives then the skills of questioning and reasoning.
-Allows for a specific time for the subject that would otherwise be sidelined by the core subject areas.
-Allows for school/community integration.
-Hopes to tackle the fundamental problems confronting modern day society.
Disadvantages-
-Uses up valuable resources and time that could be better spent on other subjects.
-Could easily be integrated into other subject areas. EG. Elections with geography and culture in history.
-Teachers don’t seem to be warming to it. If they can teach the subject maybe it need to be dropped
-Some local communities may not want to participate in what they deem to be “patriotic lessons”.
-Inadequate teacher training.
Even though citizenship classes do have major disadvantages it does need some time to “bed in” like other subjects did. When other notable subjects were first introduced they were met with opposition just as in citizenship classes. However Citizenship education equips children and young people with the knowledge, understanding and skills to play an active part in society as informed and critical citizens who are socially and morally responsible. It aims to give them the confidence and conviction that they can act with others, have influence and make a difference in their communities. Due to this it must be given a chance to prove itself as part of the national curriculum and see if it can achieve its current objectives.
Gove stresses need to enhance status of teachers
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Thursday, 05 February 09 - 02:07 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Michael Gove has outlined a programme of reform to improve the prestige of teaching and ensure better rewards for “the professionals who make a difference.”
The Shadow Children’s Secretary explained, “The quality of teachers has a greater influence on children’s achievement than any other aspect of their education.”
And he highlighted the importance of teachers in increasing opportunity and reducing the educational gap between rich and poor:
“Having a good teacher matters more than anything else, and teacher quality matters more than anything, even the quality of the school, in driving up performance.”
Michael set out our plan to increase the quality of teachers:
- Ensure the environment in which teachers operate is safe, secure, ordered and welcoming by giving them more powers over discipline
- Free schools to pay good teachers more
- Allow teachers to progress further academically by making it easier for them to pursue higher level qualifications, such as masters and doctorates
- Commission a new ‘Teach Now’ initiative which would increase the number of highly qualified people leaving other areas of employment and coming into teaching
He stressed, “Education reform involves getting lots of things right – it’s about whole system change – ensuring exam standards are robust, ensuring curricula are right, ensuring accountability mechanisms are robust and structures are properly responsive to citizens - but the single most important thing is getting the right people into the classroom.”
Read the full speech: Enhancing the status of teaching to spread opportunity.
Interactive Whiteboards, are they as useful as we all think?
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Friday, 30 January 09 - 10:24 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Over the past few years the interactive whiteboard has taken the educational world by storm and has the potential transform teaching and learning for the better. The increase in interactive whiteboard use has been unprecedented; in 2001 around 9% of all primary schools in England were equipped with at least one interactive whiteboard. By the spring of 2004 this figure had risen to 63% and this figure included a significant number of schools with an interactive whiteboard in every classroom. This increase has truly been extraordinary with teachers warming to this new device.
In this short article I will attempt to move through some of the different advantages and disadvantages of the interactive whiteboard.
There are certain major advantages of using the interactive whiteboard; the first of these is it is an effective way of presenting information to the whole class rather than a few pupils gathering around one computer screen. Information can be given to the children without them having to move and the teacher can explain ideas with the minimal amount of disturbance caused.
Another advantage is that material can easily be shared with other teachers as most of it is electronically stored. This means that teachers can now save data from year to year, or adapt it to suit different classes with ease.
The interactive whiteboard can also use multimedia links, animations or other types of medium from the computer to engage the children in the chosen subject.
Lastly results from various areas of research have shown these different features mean higher levels of motivation, concentration, participation and enjoyment of pupils.
However there are some major limitations and disadvantages to interactive whiteboards that must be recognised.
The first major disadvantage is that sometimes teachers can fall into the trap of using the interactive whiteboard to entertain the children rather than to teach them. They can sometimes put little substance into the presentation and try to compensate it with an “awe and wonder” factor. However entertainment for the children should never come at the expense of teaching and learning.
Also the quality of interaction between pupil and teacher can decrease as a result of interactive whiteboard use. . Some teaching using the interactive whiteboard decreases the quality of interaction with pupil and teacher, sometimes little to none interaction. Children’s role can be reduced to passive observers, who are watching the TV. So learning is reduced, and measuring pupil’s progress is difficult.
Lastly Teachers can become focused on the technical possibilities offered by the whiteboard rather than on the learning objectives and the best way of achieving them. Maybe they need to go back to basics and not use the technology for its own sake. Always need to consider the fitness of the purpose when planning an exercise. Most have the most effective way of approaching the exercise.
Overall though I believe that interactive whiteboards have huge potential to raise the quality of teaching and learning across the curriculum. They open up so many different avenues that can be explored by the teacher and the possibilities are endless.
Carol Service with Roseland's School
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Thursday, 11 December 08 - 03:29 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Earlier on this week, I was able to spend an enjoyable morning at the Rosewood Schools carol service at King’s Church, Coxford. The choir of Oakwood School, brilliantly sang a number of carols to the Children of The Rosewood School. Overall the morning was really enjoyable and thanks must go to the children of Oakwood School and members of the Rose Road Association making the event happen.
For more information on Oakwood School please use this link.
For more information on the Rose Road Association please use this link.
Young people take over Southampton City Council
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Friday, 14 November 08 - 01:05 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Eight students from Cantell Maths and Computing College visited the civic centre last Friday to take an active role in running the Children’s Services and Learning Directorate. They were able to shadow and advise officers throughout the day, participating in there day to day business at the council.
It is all part of 11 Million Take Over Day - led by the Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green - to give the 11 Million young people across the country a voice in its running.
I was able to sit in and give input to one of the sessions with Cllr Terry Mathews, Cabinet Member for Young People and Skills. He was able to explain the roles that were involved in his cabinet position and get feedback on some of the new ideas he is currently looking into implementing. I was also able to give input on life as a young councillor and what role I play in the council system.
To end the day the children were able to see the Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Brian Parnell, for a tour of the Mayor’s Parlour.
Presenting the Civic Awards to Year 3 Children at St Denys Primary School
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Thursday, 13 November 08 - 12:56 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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The children of St Denys Primary School have over the past year been busy working on various exciting activities to achieve the Southampton Civic Awards.
Last week I was able to present the year 3 children their awards for all the work they had done while they were in year 2. The children had to undertake different activities at school and at home to achieve the award. Some chose to help their parents clean their houses’, while others decided to help with the gardening! While the year 3 pupils were able to receive the award from myself, last years year 6 children were able to visit the civic centre and have their award presented to them by the mayor. Overall, the award recognises those people, or groups, who’ve made an exceptional contribution to the life of the city and from spending the day in St Denys School these children defiantly made an outstanding contribution.
For more information about St Denys Priamry School you can visit therewebsite.
A Tour around the Rose Road Association
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Saturday, 08 November 08 - 01:39 PM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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Earlier on this month, myself and councillor Ben Walker (Coxford Ward Councillor) met Heather Aspinall, the Rose Road Associations Chief Executive, for a tour around the facility. The Rose Road Association was founded in 1952 by a small group of parents seeking services for their disabled children. The Rose Road Association celebrated its fifty years with a historic and exciting move to a new state-of-the-art centre 'The Bradbury Centre' at Aldermoor, Coxford and this is the facility that we were we were given a tour of. The Bradbury Centre has been named in recognition of The Bradbury Foundation for their substantial donation.
The Bradbury Centre is a state-of-the art building conveniently located on the outskirts of Southampton, and has been the home of The Rose Road Association for over five years. The centre is built around the Rosewood School which is a non-maintained special school run by the Rose Road Association.In total there are thirty places at the school, all funded by Southampton City Council. They cater for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties between the ages of two and nineteen years. There are currently twenty seven pupils on roll, fifteen boys and twelve girls. There are Sensory Gardens with wheelchair accessible play equipment, an interactive Hydrotherapy Pool, a state of the art Sensory Room, a Soft Play Room and a Food Technology Room.
They also have the “Oaks and the Acorns” area at the centre. The “Oaks and the Acorns” is a residential respite facility registered with Ofstead, offering short-breaks and support for children and young adults in a safe and homely environment. One of the rooms used for children to say in is Saints themed, when it was launched Saints legends Jason Dodd and Francis Benali helped open the room!
Barriers to effective ICT use in Schools
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Wednesday, 22 October 08 - 11:15 AM (GMT) By Vincenzo Capozzoli in Schools |
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After attending a recent conference at
There is no doubt that ICT has become an important tool in the arsenal of the primary school teacher but it is by no means a perfect tool. There are some major barriers to its effective use.
The first is that many teachers lack the confidence or training to use ICT effectively. Some teachers believe that there are weaknesses in the design and delivery of many courses. By focusing on basic ICT skills, training fails to prepare teachers to integrate ICT in their pedagogy. Many older teachers lack the confidence to use ICT preparing to use traditional tools and methods, this is linked to the mixed training that is given. They do not know where to start so they do not attempt to use it in their teaching.
Another barrier to effective ICT use is the attitudes of certain teachers. Attitudes partly depend on personality; the importance of previous computer experience is widely recognised as being a contributing to positive attitudes. Negative experiences affect perceptions of the ease of use and relevance of ICT, reducing confidence and increasing anxiety. Computer anxiety and anxiety about change are key factors limiting teachers’ use of technology. Underlying these anxieties are fear of embarrassment when using computers and fear of losing professional status through a downgrading of traditional pedagogical skills.
There are other barriers to effective ICT use, which include lack of equipment and the unreliability of equipment. Until ICT equipment becomes 110% trustworthy some will still want to distance themselves from its use. Putting faith in the technology and it letting you down creates a recipe for disaster in the classroom.
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