I have rambled about my education being self driven, however I do want to talk about my secondary school. It was a purpose built school for 400 girls. It had two of each type of Laboritory. The ethos of the school before it was destroyed by Labour politics in the 70s, was that each of us had the opportunity to reach the highest level of excellence in any field we chose to persue. The intention of the school was that every pupil who had the potential of further education would get equal opportunities. This was unheard of in the 70s!
I asked why we had to do Typing and shorthand, I didn't like it much. I was told that we were expected to be able to get jobs with Company Directors.
I had a paddy about not being able to do 3 sciences! I argued that as I wanted to go on to Vetinary College I needed all three sciences. We also had Cookery, Sewing, and Typing, Language Labs, and the first year we seemed to be given all of these lessons and then picked the ones we wanted to persue for 'O Levels'. What we did not have were any metalwork carpentry or building Labs. The Boys had those down the road at the technical college. (We couldn't do these options though). We did do drama with the Boys at sixth form, however I left at just 15.
I wanted to go and work.
Well that's not strictly true, I wanted to do Art, but my parents said as I had not done well in the school environment and was unsuitable to be left on my own as I got myself into trouble in all sorts of ways, that I had to get a job.
They would not support me financially to go on to any College. I kind of think I might have been a Tracy Emmin type, and I think one Tracy Emmin is enough! I did compare her art with iconography when I did my Lay Preachers training, which seemed pretty random to everybody at the time I did it. However I was drawing the comparison to the type of secular 'icons' the world creates for itself, and the Holy Icon of Divine Sanction. Hagiography is very complex stuff, and my hope is to persue this now I have the time to do so.
I am going to a Heritage thing this week on how to make ox gall ink, and to get a quill and how to use it!
I like the idea of writing letters like this, and sending them to people I love. I might even post one to myself, as I normally only get bills! Bills.... Feathers... Stormy petrol might be feeling a bit worried!
We also had current affairs classes, and had to read the newspapers and compare the styles and types of news editing, the way the news was presented, and track events.
Within two years our school was decimated under Labour, and this was a local comprehensive school for girls. It was state funded, yet offered everything the top private schools offered. Under Labour the school was amalgamated with the boys technical college. Any of the academic boys had already been sent to another school so we had a field of huts put up on our beautiful playing fields. There were only two girls in the Physics class, and we had to sit at the back. The girl who did physics with me copied everything I did, and the teacher always thought it was the other way round! Yup my experiments usually worked which p....d him off a treat! I got grade 2 at 'O level' I think the highest the boys got was a 4, and I am pretty sure the other girl failed.... Surving the system is what this lesson is all about!
The model I would use is a combination of technical college and academic, so that pupils who excell in one subject academically can do well, and suppliment this with a skill, so that when they can't get a job in an academic feild can get one in building or hotel and tourism.
The reason the UK has to import so many skilled restaurant staff from europe is because table manners and restaurant culture has been so decimated by sitting in front of the TV while eating food from plastic containers, which by the time they are microwaved are about as dangerous to health as an atom bomb on time delay. Most people start eating their food immediately it comes out of the microwave and it is cooking their gut as and mouth as it goes down. (Because they don't have to chew gooo food).
If a child has no table manners, how will they know the proper way to serve someone else. Most young people in the UK would not be able to set for a 3 course meal. I would put this on the curriculum as an option from the age of 12. Top waiting staff get paid big bucks, why should we have to imort all our top restaurant and hotel staff from abroad?
The other loss through 'Political Correctness' is the Saturday Job. We all had to earn our own 'pocket money' from the age of 12 with a paper round, and 14 with a Saturday Job. If you didn't do it you just had no money. Also the life experience of a work ethic of turning up on time, in some semblance of order was invaluable.
We didn't get paid very much but the lifelong learning skills of staff room politics, being told off by an employer, sacked, promoted.. etc; in my opinion is invaluable as a testing ground for the real thing. Now all the beaurocracy surrounding youth employment makes it impossible for willing employers in the retail and service sector to give these opportunities. £20 for an 8 hour Saturday job is enough payment, from the age of 14. It's the soft skills you have to learn in life before you can put education into use!
Why £20 you ask? So that they learn the concept of saving and money management!
My Husband went to Westminster College to do His Hotel and Catering Course, He had worked at a top hotel as a kitchen porter for a year before he went. I am very proud of Him. We had a great time in this industry! We met incredible people, had lots of parties, got spoiled rotten, and made friends. I also got to make some wonderful frocks to wear! Now I don't have anywhere posh to go so I don't make frocks any more... well I just might when I get around to it.
Well I am off to do some gardening. Why not just educate to a high standard at 16, and then get these kids in work and offer funded open university as lifelong learning for those interested.
I am saying this twice. The Saturday Job teaches a child from the age of 14 the value of money. It isn't slave labour to expect a young person of 14 to turn up on time for work. Get back from Lunch on time, learn staff room politics, and stay late if the work has not been finished to a good standard. Hairdressing salons were a fantastic place to learn these skills. Also the local high street shops. This also goes on their CV, and is valuable for further
I want to do Iconography and Orthodox Theology, so I need to sort out some finances over the next year or so to fund it.
I asked why we had to do Typing and shorthand, I didn't like it much. I was told that we were expected to be able to get jobs with Company Directors.
I had a paddy about not being able to do 3 sciences! I argued that as I wanted to go on to Vetinary College I needed all three sciences. We also had Cookery, Sewing, and Typing, Language Labs, and the first year we seemed to be given all of these lessons and then picked the ones we wanted to persue for 'O Levels'. What we did not have were any metalwork carpentry or building Labs. The Boys had those down the road at the technical college. (We couldn't do these options though). We did do drama with the Boys at sixth form, however I left at just 15.
I wanted to go and work.
Well that's not strictly true, I wanted to do Art, but my parents said as I had not done well in the school environment and was unsuitable to be left on my own as I got myself into trouble in all sorts of ways, that I had to get a job.
They would not support me financially to go on to any College. I kind of think I might have been a Tracy Emmin type, and I think one Tracy Emmin is enough! I did compare her art with iconography when I did my Lay Preachers training, which seemed pretty random to everybody at the time I did it. However I was drawing the comparison to the type of secular 'icons' the world creates for itself, and the Holy Icon of Divine Sanction. Hagiography is very complex stuff, and my hope is to persue this now I have the time to do so.
I am going to a Heritage thing this week on how to make ox gall ink, and to get a quill and how to use it!
I like the idea of writing letters like this, and sending them to people I love. I might even post one to myself, as I normally only get bills! Bills.... Feathers... Stormy petrol might be feeling a bit worried!
We also had current affairs classes, and had to read the newspapers and compare the styles and types of news editing, the way the news was presented, and track events.
Within two years our school was decimated under Labour, and this was a local comprehensive school for girls. It was state funded, yet offered everything the top private schools offered. Under Labour the school was amalgamated with the boys technical college. Any of the academic boys had already been sent to another school so we had a field of huts put up on our beautiful playing fields. There were only two girls in the Physics class, and we had to sit at the back. The girl who did physics with me copied everything I did, and the teacher always thought it was the other way round! Yup my experiments usually worked which p....d him off a treat! I got grade 2 at 'O level' I think the highest the boys got was a 4, and I am pretty sure the other girl failed.... Surving the system is what this lesson is all about!
The model I would use is a combination of technical college and academic, so that pupils who excell in one subject academically can do well, and suppliment this with a skill, so that when they can't get a job in an academic feild can get one in building or hotel and tourism.
The reason the UK has to import so many skilled restaurant staff from europe is because table manners and restaurant culture has been so decimated by sitting in front of the TV while eating food from plastic containers, which by the time they are microwaved are about as dangerous to health as an atom bomb on time delay. Most people start eating their food immediately it comes out of the microwave and it is cooking their gut as and mouth as it goes down. (Because they don't have to chew gooo food).
If a child has no table manners, how will they know the proper way to serve someone else. Most young people in the UK would not be able to set for a 3 course meal. I would put this on the curriculum as an option from the age of 12. Top waiting staff get paid big bucks, why should we have to imort all our top restaurant and hotel staff from abroad?
The other loss through 'Political Correctness' is the Saturday Job. We all had to earn our own 'pocket money' from the age of 12 with a paper round, and 14 with a Saturday Job. If you didn't do it you just had no money. Also the life experience of a work ethic of turning up on time, in some semblance of order was invaluable.
We didn't get paid very much but the lifelong learning skills of staff room politics, being told off by an employer, sacked, promoted.. etc; in my opinion is invaluable as a testing ground for the real thing. Now all the beaurocracy surrounding youth employment makes it impossible for willing employers in the retail and service sector to give these opportunities. £20 for an 8 hour Saturday job is enough payment, from the age of 14. It's the soft skills you have to learn in life before you can put education into use!
Why £20 you ask? So that they learn the concept of saving and money management!
My Husband went to Westminster College to do His Hotel and Catering Course, He had worked at a top hotel as a kitchen porter for a year before he went. I am very proud of Him. We had a great time in this industry! We met incredible people, had lots of parties, got spoiled rotten, and made friends. I also got to make some wonderful frocks to wear! Now I don't have anywhere posh to go so I don't make frocks any more... well I just might when I get around to it.
Well I am off to do some gardening. Why not just educate to a high standard at 16, and then get these kids in work and offer funded open university as lifelong learning for those interested.
I am saying this twice. The Saturday Job teaches a child from the age of 14 the value of money. It isn't slave labour to expect a young person of 14 to turn up on time for work. Get back from Lunch on time, learn staff room politics, and stay late if the work has not been finished to a good standard. Hairdressing salons were a fantastic place to learn these skills. Also the local high street shops. This also goes on their CV, and is valuable for further
I want to do Iconography and Orthodox Theology, so I need to sort out some finances over the next year or so to fund it.
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