Blogs

Raising Standards in Education: the Political Method

by grumpyoldman
10 Mar 2010 at 2:24pm
Recently, under the new school inspection framework, schools that used to be judged as “good” have only rated a “satisfactory” rating. This is not because their standards are declining. It is because, as Ofsted confess, they are “raising the bar” in order to “drive standards upwards.” This is no different to attempting to improve the health of [...]

Autism blogs

by grumpyoldman
10 Feb 2010 at 2:13pm
At the risk of starting a flame war… Get a life, guys! Get a life! (Comments are filtered. Trolling will not be approved. Constructive criticism will.)

Greatness

by grumpyoldman
6 Feb 2010 at 3:51pm
The standard measure of a great life is the achievement of great things. I have decided that I disagree. A great life is one that achieves mundane, ordinary achievements – but does so while carrying a great burden. Achieving greatness while shoving the burdens of everyday life onto others is not great.

Some Are More Equal Than Others

by grumpyoldman
24 Jan 2010 at 1:11pm
So I’ve already had a go at Lord Snooty for his “brazenly elitist” ambition for our education system, but I’ve come round to a slightly different way of thinking about this. Forget the teachers – let’s think about the children. Let’s just imagine that my wildest dream comes true: the English education system actually does adopt a [...]

Game Theory (Or why I don?t play war games against my wife.)

by grumpyoldman
22 Jan 2010 at 2:19pm
“I’d win,” she said. “No you wouldn’t. You would have a lovely happy time building a peaceful civilisation until suddenly, and without warning, I attacked it from four directions at once and destroyed you. Then you’d cry and refuse to have sex with me ever again.” “I’d win,” she said.

Education, education, education.

by grumpyoldman
18 Jan 2010 at 1:50am
Lord Snooty has waded in with his Bright Idea. Apparently, setting the entrance requirement for a teacher training course to a 2:2 or better will raise standards in education. Would that be a 2:2 from a Russell Group University, or a 2:2 from a Million+ University? And yes, there is a difference. A hell of a big [...]

Raising standards in education

by grumpyoldman
13 Jan 2010 at 2:49pm
Today, a colleague and I found a box of ancient lesson plans – and we were delighted to pick over them. Oh, how standards have improved since Tony Bliar won an election by declaring his three top priorities to be, “Education, education, education,” and explained, “Our children will learn more and they will earn [...]

December Books and DVDs (warning, not Christmassy post)

by busyknitter
8 Dec 2009 at 3:08am
Christianity’s Dangerous Idea by Alister McGrath – A surprisingly pacy read for such an intense subject. The Winter Book by Tove Jansson – Short stories for adults by the inventor of Moominland River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall – I cannot even begin to describe how good this book is, every recipe an absolute winner. Reilly, Ace of [...]

The Christmas Cake Chronicle ? 2

by busyknitter
14 Nov 2009 at 11:01am
Cream the butter and sugar Add the egg Dry ingredients Fold them into the mixture Add the fruit and some other yummy stuff Mix it all together Into the tin and wrap it up And into the oven you go (140 degrees Celsius – 4.5 hours with no peeking for the first four hours)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

by busyknitter
14 Nov 2009 at 10:03am
It’s quite fun, but have to say not as profound as the author thinks it is.