Today, let’s talk about education in the UK. The framework is different to that of Continental Europe.
To begin with there is nursery school. This is for children aged 3-5. Primary school follows for children aged 5-11. This is split into two segments; Infants aged 5-7 followed by Juniors aged 7-11. Secondary school is for students aged 11-18. Students take their GCSEs when they are 16. Students aged 16-18 can take their A levels for the next two years in the school 6th form.
Today, let’s focus on why you need to speak more than one language in the world today. The first part of the discussion focuses on the negative attitude and ignorance of many British people in Britain when it comes to speaking a second or third language. Frankly, most can’t communicate in another language. Most Brits can only speak English, as ‘English is the business language of the world so we don’t need to speak any other language except English!’
Category: Education / Languages / Business
There are many fine universities in the world today to study at. Each has its own history and reputation. In this lesson we will be looking at the top ten universities across the world in 2013. We will also be comparing the 2012/2013 rankings that were published recently. The results prove a good debating topic.
To begin with let’s look at the top ten university rankings in the world today (2013). Coming in at number one is the California Institute of Technology. Joint second goes to Stanford University in the USA and Oxford University in the UK. Number four is Harvard University followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Category: Education / Universities / Study
Today we will talk about how education was taught in the past, how it is taught today and how it might be taught in the future. In particular we will look at an exciting new way of teaching subjects to students in classrooms using interactive whiteboards. Before we do, let’s quickly go over some of the old fashioned ways lessons were, and current ways lessons are, presented in the classroom.
To begin with in the past most schools taught their pupils using blackboards using mostly white and coloured chalk. In my day, it was like this! Books were also used. In some classes we had whiteboards using black or coloured marker pens.
During the last decade this evolved into overhead projectors, where teachers could write on a clear plastic sheet that projected and magnified the written matter onto the whiteboard. Teachers or students could present whatever they had prepared on the clear plastic for overhead use.
Category: Education / Learning / Whiteboards
One of the UK’s most famous chefs, Jamie Oliver, has urged the British government to introduce cookery teaching into schools to help fight obesity. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Oliver, alongside leading health figures, call on him to introduce a minimum 24 hours of practical cooking lessons and food education for all pupils aged four to 14. The group laments that the “pride” of hosting the Olympic Games has been tainted by the shameful fact that Britain is officially “the fattest nation in Europe”.
Teaching children through the National Curriculum how to prepare nutritious meals for themselves and their families would be an important step in tackling the rising obesity epidemic, the letter argues. Without these skills, people are less likely to exercise control over their diet and food intake, and tend to rely on pre-prepared food or takeaway meals, the campaigners add.
Category: Jamie Oliver / Cookery / Schools
Recently in Britain the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said he believes that children should be taught the Lord’s Prayer in school. Speaking to the BBC on its children’s TV programme Newsround Dr Williams said he was worried by news that half as many children know the prayer compared with 40 years ago.
He said, “I’d like to see schools introducing children to the Lord’s Prayer, so that they know it’s there, they know what it means and why it matters and they then can make up their own minds later about whether they wish to use it.”
Category: Religion / Church of England / Lord’s Prayer
School detentions recently hit the news headlines in Britain when one headmistress handed out an amazing 534 detentions in three days! Following complaints by some parents of the City of Ely Community College in Cambridgeshire the story made the news in Britain. The detentions follow the headmistress’s introduction of a ‘zero tolerance policy’ to improve the standards in her school.
Catherine Jenkinson-Dix won the support of many parents after deciding to punish the misdemeanours including chewing gum, eating between lessons, smoking, carrying mobile phones, applying excessive make-up and insubordination.
A strict uniform policy was also announced under which individualistic touches such as odd socks or wearing hoodies in class would be banned. Anyone breaking the rules would be sent immediately to the school hall for five hours where they would have to read a booklet about good behaviour.
Category: Education / Students / Detention
In today’s world is an internship simply a degree in slavery? That’s the question Britain’s Daily Mail discussed recently. It said it is the employment scandal of our age. Highly educated graduates working for nothing as interns in supposedly glamorous jobs.
The paper names the people who are exploiting them – Britains MPs, celebrities, publishers and even charities. Certainly, it is an interesting question whether or not an internship is a degree in slavery? The paper says the graduates of the cream of a generation are now skivvies. It mentions tales of bullying, humiliation and says abuse abounds.
It makes you ask why do people work for nothing, when at the end of the day they probably won’t get a job out of it. Certainly, employers are still taking full advantage of employing interns for free. Graduates though are desperate for experience and want something good to put on their CVs in order to secure possible future work.
Category: Education / Interns / Students
A British Headmaster in Cheshire recently sparked a ‘respect’ row by sending home pupils who failed to stand up when he entered the classroom – Britain’s Daily Mail recently reported. Kevin Harrison, 55, is the Headmaster (or in these politically correct times Headteacher) of the 900-pupil Macclesfield High School in Cheshire, northwest England.
Mr Harrison believes children should immediately rise when he comes into a room because it helps increase ‘pride and educational standards’. However, he has been accused by some parents of being heavy handed. The ‘standing rule’ in Macclesfield High was dropped two years ago. Earlier this year on becoming headteacher at the school he revived it.
