Clare Gale's Blog

Being the new ones

2010-07-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

This really comes as a follow-on from my last post and our results day has prompted this entry. Everyone is the 'new one' at some stage in their life, some more often than others, which is a good thing. I think by putting yourself into a new situation, whether it be a job, a new social circle, or otherwise, it shows that you're adaptable, postive and powerful. How you deal with being new greatly impacts your frame of mind.

Being with the cohort which are to begin the course made me think about when I started the course. My personal regard for beginning this degree was simply as a means to an end, but I soon realised that rather negates the whole process of what you learn while at college. Some of what is taught is tough, some of it just common sense, and if you have any interest at all in children and families and what is faced by them on a social, personal and welfare basis, the course will be terrifically interesting and worthy of your blood, sweat and tears. The teaching by the tutors will vary considerably, and as one tutor often called the process - it's a game, and to win the game you need to know the rules. You learn the rules by asking questions, both of your tutors and of others on your course. Rules can also be learned by just being flexible: to be able to alter your own style to suit that of the person marking the piece of work. Find out what the rules are with regard to referencing (this should get easier the more experienced you become). You'll also need to look closely at the question being asked. 'Crtically analyse' and 'discuss' will take on deeper meanings as you get your teeth into the course, but don't get too uptight about it just yet as the tutors will go over and over this with you. You also learn the rules by listening. I come across people who just don't listen, both in my professional line and personal, and it's most frustrating! If you're being told something: LISTEN to the reply. Keep your mind and your thoughts open to new information and don't allow your own judgement, attitudes or opinions to cloud that information. This was one of my biggest hurdles in the early days, but having said that, I found the tutors more than welcoming of some on-the-spot questioning and for this I thank them as it developed my own 'critical thinking', therefore developing my 'crtical analysis'.

Holding your long-term dreams close to your heart can have impact positive and negative as you proceed through the degree. You'll certainly waiver in the early days and question whether you'd still like to teach, become a social worker or early years professional, but ride the waves in those early days and it'll pay off. This is where positive thinking plays a role. In my cohort we've had to deal with all manner of life-crushing elements and we're still going strong (battered and war-torn, but stronger than ever). I have had my confidence tested as a result of my grades. A third for an essay in my first year really took its toll, but what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, and regard every grade as a learning opportunity. Read your feedback and next time you'll perhaps be able to hand in something which will provide you with more satisfaction.

As I move to Warwick in October, I won't be at Nuneaton any longer and that's something which I shall deal with, but at the same time I shall miss it. It's 'safe' at Nuneaton college and the tutors are always available. This will be a major change at Warwick by all accounts, but one which doesn't really bother me as I know I can call upon Nuneaton's tutors, namely Lin, should I feel I need support. A wealth of knowledge and support, she is quite formidable and her help knows no bounds.

Lastly, I'd like to say good luck to all starting their degree, continuing their degree, and those who are moving with me to Warwick. Postive thinking is a wonderful thing and one which has seen me through to this stage. Without it, I wouldn't be right here right now.

Transitions

2010-07-02T14:39:00.001-07:00

Time brings change. Time is change. Change is good. Or is it? There are many changes occuring in my life right now which have collectively prompted this blog entry. Today we accepted an offer on our house, the house where my babies saw their first years (I was pregnant with our son when we moved in). My studies move from little ole Nuneaton College over to Warwick University in the Autumn. I also had a phone call regarding my job, possibly leading to big changes in my employment. My daughter is moving on to high school this September, leaving behind for good her primary school, which is also the location of my other job. She won't be there any more and I'm unsure how I'm going to cope with that on an emotional level. I also had a bit of a clearout of other aspects which kept providing me with an annoyance which I knew I could well do without.

Change comes in two forms - pro-active change or reactive change. I'm a great fan of the former, but am more likely to perform the latter. Being pushed into making a decision to make a change is not something to be recommended, but is possibly the way many of us regularly make decisions.

Anyway, to relate this entry loosely to our lectures, I was thinking about Lin's lectures on transitional dips. By my estmation, I only need to get divorced, have a close family member die, and it's a full house for life's most stressful situations. I'm wondering how my transitional dips are going to make themselves known. Will I go into complete meltdown? Nah, that's not really me. Will I live through them without any change in my emotional state? Probably not, I am human after all. So, how will I cope? Perhaps I shall turn to my security blanket, start sucking my thumb and asking for my mummy? Stay with me - I promise I won't do that........just threw that curveball in there as everyone who knows me knows I do not suck my thumb. I suck my hair.

I try to make pro-active decisions and I think that for the greater good, they're more satisfying, but as I said before, we rarely make decisions in that manner and most tend to be made after the horse has bolted, when it's either too late to have major impact or just plain and simply too late. I think transition can be affected by our decisions. Unlike a child, who has all major decisions made for them, such as starting at pre-school or having to spend every other day with grandma because mum's gone to work, us adults are in charge of our destiny, our decisions can be empowering and cathartic in equal measures. I made one decision today which provided me with such a release that it physically made me smile. I can't decide whether it was pro-acvtive or reactive (most probably reactive) and will not affect my daily life in any way, shape or form, but had been something I'd considered doing for a while. Decision made and acted upon, release. What I guess I'm trying to say is that even if you won't benefit on a personal, professional, financial or familial level, don't shy away from making decisions which perhaps you'd put off making or acting upon.

Howard Gardner - Multiple Intelligences - FAO Zoey

2010-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

This is for Zoey, just some session notes from Fiona's lecture, but in a bid to extend the learning to others, I thought I'd put it on here....happy reading!

Howard Gardner is of the interactionist belief that development is a combination of nature AND nurture. His multiple intelligence theory is based on genetics. The intelligences are thus (using a child as the perspective):
Music - child learns through song
Bodily - child is a kinesthetic learner
Logical - child is a critical thinker, a problem solver
Linguistic - child has good native language skills
Spatial - child is aware of environment
Interpersonal - child is a good communicator
Intrapersonal- independent child, shy, strong opinions
Naturalist - describes in detail the outdoors

Gardner has more recently identified two new intelligences:
Digital
Sexual

A definition of Multiple Intelligences:
A psychological theory of the mind. Human beings learn in various levels of intelligence. Within the 8 different human intelligences, humans learn, remember, perform and understand in different ways. It is different to most forms of intelligence testing, which only rely on general intelligence (language/logic).

The National Curriculum is 70% geared toward only two of the intelligences - linguistic (literacy) and logic (numeracy).

ICT and the digital age
Gardner has suggested we need to consider the digital era and this is to be included as one of his intelligences. In his discussion of digital intelligence he looks at: How will it change the way we see education - the challenges in learning? He also says that in the area of digital intelligence, with too much information, we will lose knowledge.

Ethical considerations when incorporating ICT into the National Curriculum are:
- sense of identity
- respect for others
- sense of self

Robert Sternberg (1995)
Broadly, Sternberg identifies three categories of intelligence:
Analytical intelligence
Creative intelligence
Practical intelligence

Sternberg and Gardner say that practical intelligence is NOT being recognised in our current model of schooling and qualifications.

Brief, but hopefully to the point. Hope it helps, Zoey, and if you need any more information there's a chapter on multiple intelligences in Linda Pound's How Children Learn. If you need any other session notes on anything else, let me know and I shall see what I can do. This has been a good process for me too as it helps with revision!

Introspective reflection

2010-02-04T04:09:00.001-08:00

Over the past couple of lectures its fair to say that we in our group have had our general attitudes towards life and social structure challenged. Its taken a couple of sessions with a foundation degree course to realise that we are perhaps not as 'street' as maybe we think we are.

Its easy to think that you are an individual who would treat others in the correct manner of equality, yet when its pointed out to you in not so many words that you're not, its defeinitely a lesson well learned. Social mobility is a matter which concerns all of us and its true, the harder one works, the more upwardly mobile one becomes. Is this fair? I would say that yes, put the hard work in and reap the benefits as and when they come to you. However, if one is never presented with the opportunity to work hard or prove their academic worth and therefore denied any sense of self-fulfillment or accomplishment, upward social mobility is extremely difficult.

This was brought home to me yesterday after working with the mentioned group. There are people, indeed peoples, who have nothing when they're born, live life with nothing and die owning nothing, yet they live in a society where all around them there are individuals with extreme levels of wealth. Are we correct in allowing those born with nothing never to experience a sense of self-progression? Oppressed groups, such as ethnic minorities, women etc have always, will possibly always, experienced such oppression - who's responsibility is it to make sure they're treated more fairly?

As a member of the female race myself, I can say I have never experienced to my knowledge any oppressive attitude towards me based on my gender. However, and its a big however, I have always chosen lines of work more associated with being female. The list of jobs is too long to mention here, but children have always been a major interest of mine and most jobs have revolved around them. Maybe I have adhered to my gender conformant identity and stuck to what I know is safe and somewhere I know I can progress? Some oppressed groups never ever have the oppotunity to find out what it is they're good at/interested in/have a talent for, as they're never allowed that opportunity.

It's all good stuff to find out about yourself and the plight of others. Reflective practice or simply being humanistic? I'm not sure.

Working to fast-approaching deadlines

2009-11-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

With the end of my lit review in sight, it is with relish that I approach the composition of my advanced Powerpoint presentation for Brian's module. As the new owner of Office 2007, I have to say that I am a true convert to the ways of the 2007, even if I am 2 years behind everyone else. So a huge thankyou to Tony for his assistance in supplying the 2007 and the codes!

My lit review is sort of in the bag so I have been researching contextual data to go in my presentation. Do I go completely academic and use only political and educational research or do I give it a relaxed feel? I'm not sure what to do. The presentation brief states that the presentation is to include technology and the use of You Tube, music, film and/or photos. All in fifteen minutes. Is it possible? It's gonna take some major production expertise and more importantly, clock watching on the day. I'm far too tempted to waffle on during presentations as quite often you find yourself wanting to verbally embellish but in most cases this simply makes your presentation lose its edge. Lots of practice needed I think!

With the lit review in mind, I have in the last day or two been implementing the changes which Lin has made to it since emailing it to her while she was in hospital. If anyone in the first year is apprehensive to do this, I would thoroughly recommend doing it. Lin will read your prepared work, whatever state it's in. She'll add her own notes, knowledge and references for you to work through. It's a little soul destroying at first to see all your hard work ripped apart but Lin does it in such a way that you don't feel demoralised for too long! And, when you get a first grade for your piece of work, it all seems worth the hard work! Don't underestimate the assistance and knowledge of our tutors - after all, that's what they're there for and I have always found them more than accommodating.

As for the observations for Fee's longitudinal study, they're just sort of looking after themselves for now. The obs are happening but not much writing up is going on! However, I really enjoy her sessions and I think I've learned more about theorists during these last few weeks than I did all last year. That's no criticism of the teaching styles of our tutors last year, more that I am now having to put theory into practice and understand each theory and who developed it. I have never given Piaget much more thought than any of the other theorists, but its glaringly apparent that he is one of the seminal pioneer theorists on child cognitive development. His research is still being used as a basis to assess children in schools now, even after his work has been ripped apart ethically and methodically. Our obs are to take on a structured format and because of that we need to have a good underpinning knowledge of all of the different learning, development, cognitive and maturation theories. For this reason only, I would recommend to the first years the Linda Pound book How Children Learn. A comprehensive guide to all the relevant theorists, put in layman's terms. If I can read and understand the book first time, believe me, so can you!!

Jenny's Story

2009-10-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

Watch this it's moving in a strange way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48gwikhKrKU

It's a story which was referred to in one of my abstracts for the lit review and reading the comments under the video on You Tube, the younger generations are agreeing with Jenny, I guess they didn't get to the end of the video then...

Gender revisited

2009-10-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed Fiona's lesson today. I like her style of teaching and appreciate that she feels the same way about us that our other lecturers do. By this I mean she has a correct level of empathy with us as adult learners and understands the work life balance so important to us all.

I enjoyed her section on gender with the view to applying it to our longitudinal study. We have covered gender previously in year one, but today it all seemed to click for me. A penny dropping scenario you could say.

My own first-hand experience and knowledge of gender is not so enhanced. I can honestly say that prior to starting this course, I had never given the subject much thought. I have two children, one girl, one boy, and I can (or rather should) say that their gender, other than basic physical differences, has never given me food for thought. Til now. I have in my time (Christmas, birthdays) played along with the girl toys/boy toys as this is what they as individuals have requested. Yes, they watch TV. Yes, they are consumer animals, at the mercy of advertising executives who target them while they are eating their 12 weetabix (!) at breakfast time with the TV on.

I am a believer that humans are born with a biological make-up which leads them into affirming to whichever gender role they are born with. I also believe that social structuring has much to answer for in to regard gender roles per se. I can see and believe in both sides of this particular nature/nurture debate - it ain't arf comfy on this fence!

What I can't get to grips with is the army of people who get angry with girls selecting pink, liking pink, wanting to play with dolls. Equally I can't understand parents of children (boys) who get annoyed with little Johnny because he wants to play with a doll. In the context of my own children, if my daughter wanted to play with Thomas the Tank Engine (as she often did) I didn't steer her towards the toy pushchair instead. Equally, If my son was discovered playing with his elder sister's dolls, I would never have contemplated steering him to his toy cars. Both my children enjoyed playing with toy cars (and still do), they enjoy playing mums and dads (not every time are the roles dished out among them as you'd expect - my son is often 'big sister' or 'mum' and my daughter 'baby brother' or 'uncle Paul') therefore, after a bit of retrospect, I have indeed allowed them to explore their individual selves.

Something which my son struggles with, interestingly, is tranvestites. I guess you can say we as a family lead pretty sheltered lives in that none of our friends or work colleagues are, on the surface, anything other than similar to ourselves (mum, dad, 2,3,4, children etc). A couple of them are divorced, a couple have never got married (shock, horror!!), but in the main, the people we socialise with as a family are all heterosexual and have children. Not even so much as a sniff of anyone testing the waters of the same sex. So, the scene is set.

While watching the TV programme 'Transvestite Wives', my son asks me 'Is that a man or a lady?' My repsonse leads me into a conversation which takes me in all sorts of directions, the conclusions of which were unsatisfactory to him as a seven year old. 'It's a man' I say, looking at the hefty masculine figure clad in an unflattering wig, mini skirt, makeup, and the most hideous pair of boots ever made. I don't think his (absolutely lovely) wife had given him much fashion advice, let's put it that way.

Gay, my son understands. A man loves a man. A woman loves a woman. They live together, they love each other. Sometimes they have children, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they get married, sometimes they don't. They are simply leading a different life to the one his parents have chosen to lead. Simple.

What is hard for my son to understand is the desire/feeling/need which drives a man to want to wear a woman's clothes, or a woman a man's. This is what I find difficult to explain to him, therefore he remains in a state of confusion over the recently oft thought of scenario. If anyone has any tips for me in trying to explain this to him, I'd greatly appreciate them! Is it a need? Is it a sexual kick? Is it a desire? Is it something in their biological make-up? The reason that Dave wants to be Dierdre at times and still keep his wife and go out as friends occasionally rather than as spouses is a difficult one for a child to understand. My daughter seemed, at the time, to accept it. But, after discussion with my husband, he flagged up that she wasn't really that interested in the programme at the time and wasn't really watching it. I shall broach the subject with her another time to get an eleven yera old's perspective on the matter.

I could apply theory here. Emotional Intelligence, Howard Gardner, Daniel Goleman. My son has to develop a more enhanced emotional intelligence for him to understand the empathy required to accept men needing to dress as women or women as men. He needs to develop the necessary emotional literacy to be able to understand what others are feeling. At seven it's not there. When does he get it? At what age will he as a male develop the understanding of others? Some would argue never. I on the other hand await this day with much excitement.

Anyone got a spare 50 Grand?

2009-10-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

A direct link to today's session with Mr Melling:

Check out the MBEs, OBEs, prices (under admissions) and curricular subjects at these schools:

http://www.uppingham.co.uk/rpmServer/generatorSystem/asp/rpmServer_GoGenerate.asp?PageMode=frameset&

http://www.oundleschool.org.uk/

http://www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/

Anyone for a spot of yachting? Most of the staff have BAs, MAs and PhDs from Cambridge or Oxford and if that isn't good enough, most of them have an MBE or an OBE from her Majesty no less. Worlds apart from my community college.

These schools range in price from around £5000 per pupil per TERM to £10,000 per child per term. Not bad eh? I make that a cool £30,000 per year to send one child as a boarder to Oundle. Would you pay it?

Changing the subject to Ihar's Lit Review, have you taken a look at the Wiley InterScience Database? Available through my.warwick library e-resources, I have spent all evening trawling through the mega amount of ICT research literature - much of it of mucho use!!!

Brian's Homework

2009-10-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Construct a Primary Curriculum Model for the 21st Century (UK) Revised 7/12/09

In general we in the UK have technology at our fingertips. However much we accept or reject technology, the fundamental core subjects taught in primary schools remain as important as ever. For this reason, a suitable primary curriculum model for 21st Century UK would include English, maths and science. With a difference. Reverting back to separated Biology, Physics and Chemistry is wholly more satisfactory. Knowing the finer points of chemical reactions, physical forces and biological facts would be far more clearcut for Key Stage 3. However, we discuss Primary curriculum so perhaps this is irrelevant.

Teaching life skills is an important factor where children are concerned. More opportunity to prepare food, learn how care for oneself and respect society should carry equal gravity as subjects like ICT, philosophy, history and geography. Allowing children to express themselves through art and design is tremendously important, as is music as a subject.

If sport and movement is the preferred method of expression for children, then of course this should be considered as an important subject. After all, we are living longer as a race, therefore physical activity, and the promotion of, could in some cases be the key to living a longer, healthier life.

Religious Education should remain high on a teacher's agenda. This is to include teaching the main denominations (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism etc) and, perhaps more importantly, being reflective of the surrounding community's religions. I have a feeling that RE is now taught in Key Stage 3 as citizenship. Please do correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever it is dressed as, teaching subjects such as RE, life skills and philosophy can help to produce more 'well-rounded' children. I guess this could be reffered to as a more holistic approach to teaching.

The important message is to not get too caught up in core subjects but to broaden the horizons of the children and incorporate a wide range of subjects. This is important on a few levels. It could potentially tap in to a child's preferred method of learning, say, by teaching them numeracy through music and movement. Counting beats to music is a most enjoyable way of learning for children, especially if they can move their bodies at the same time. ICT can assist in English for obvious reasons with the keyboard and communication, but it can be viewed as creative and, depending on the ability of the child, used in music, languages, numeracy and much more.

After reading through this entry, the realisation has dawned upon me that it doesn't matter what subjects are on your curriculum, you have to have an enthusiastic and professional teacher who understands children for what they are (learning machines who slip off the rails every now and again) in your classroom so that learning is maximised.

I return to add to this entry as part of Brian's homework. He set us some reading in Contemporary Issues and this addition comes after reading the three chapters he suggested.

Whereas my entry focused on actual subjects, Chapters 6 and 8 from the book were wholly more theoretical. Yes, they make suggestions on subjects, but on the whole the chapters were more general. Diversity, social competance, inclusion, a curriculum fit for the future were all featuring heavily in the writings of Duffy and Siraj-Blatchford.

Chapter 8 focuses on multidisciplinary teams and having a clear and meaningful vision of integrated services for children and families.

Theoretical talk of what a curriculum should include for the 21st Century child is all well and good - necessary in that it's a good starting point from which to determine a suitable curriculum. However, when it comes down to the task of selecting which subjects are to be taught, what does one do? Allegedly the current National Curriculum is failing our children, producing demotivated, sub-standard workers for our workplace (according to Terry Leahy, Tesco). So where are the practical changes to be made? Is it time for the Government to put their heads together to create another education system for us? I have a feeling that this is exactly what Brian wants us to do in our essay, whose working title is:

"Critically discuss the relevance of the work and writings of at least two of the following authors in framing a suitable curriculum for the next generation"
Authors:
John Dewey
Ivan Illich
John Holt
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Paulo Freire
Seymour Papert
We can use some expert witnesses to enable us to construct our curriculum. Those witnesses are Dr M Shayer, Prof A Prout, Prof R Alexander, Pia Christiansen and AS Neill.

Any recommendations/assistance/help/written essays would be very much appreciated!

Up date

2009-09-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

I promised in an earlier post that I'd keep you updated on the progress of a friend's daughter who was sitting the 11+ to gain entry to a highly sought-after grammar school. Well, the results are in and she failed. She's a very bright 11 yr old and to be honest, I thought she'd sail through.

Her failure could have happened for one of two reasons - firstly that she's not as bright as I thought (unlikely), and second, that the test is really so so difficult that only the creme de la creme pass it. Bear in mind, fellow students, that our own Brian Melling passed his 11+ if I remember rightly, so there must be a lot going on up there in the mind that belongs to our own dear Mr Melling!!

Pen Green connection for 2nd years

2009-09-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

To all those wondering who Margy Whalley is, here's a good link for starters:
http://www.4children.org.uk/whatwedo/view/node/212

Should give you all the basic info and that link from Recife, Brazil, to Corby, Northants.

Early night

2009-09-28T13:57:00.001-07:00

Ten o'clock and tis bedtime. Being the big kids at school is amusing and something I'm looking forward to. One more step towards that degree! Can't wait to get back at it and nose down onto the grindstone. Jay has to take control of the homefires again, the kids lose their mom for another 8 months, and my parents will think that once again their daughter has dropped off the face of the earth.

Going back, back, back to school again

2009-09-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

The time is upon us to return to the hallowed halls of North Warwickshire College.

What delights await us? What essay titles will we be given? Willl Clare ever get the link from Recife to Corby? I don't think so, although Naomi seems to have it in the bag so I may just 'collaborate' with her on it!!

It'll be good to catch up with everyone and it'll probably be like old times when we get together. Roll on Tuesday!! If not for all the assignments, for the fact that full time work is KILLING me and I need to get back to being a student! (Anyone reading this from work obviously understands that the children at school mean the world to me but some things just gotta be done!) It'll be quite a wrench to drag myself away from our new Foundation Stage intake - it's like being mummy to 29 children sometimes - but I think my heart needs to be in my course and with my studying, otherwise I'd never go back to trying to achieve personal fulfillment (Self-Actualisation, Maslow anyone?!) and possibly transcendence (Kelmer-Pringle? Am I right or am I trying to re-live my revision unsucessfully?).

See you on Tuesday.

Back to study

2009-08-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

One month left? After what amounts to nearly 4 months off, we shall return to college and to what level of work? Who knows? We shall find out. It will be slightly strange being level twos and the ones to whom the first years will look to for advice. I understand we have a new person joining us which shall alter the current dynamics of the group, I should imagine. It's all really surreal due to the fact that we have such a long period off study over the summer, I hope we can all settle back into it with ease.

Time on my hands

2009-06-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I've now got used to having relatively little to do. Studying has finished for the summer and for a while I felt as though I was just bumping around the house a bit like an unused satelite in space with no purpose.

I have become accustomed to only the two jobs and all the housework to do that I am now wondering how I will find returning to study come September. The work/life balance which we all were concerned about came so easily at around January/February and I really enjoyed having something constructive (the studying) to focus on. I guess I am now worrying that when we return to study, I shall find it difficult to fit it back into my schedule.

I am so looking forward to seeing everyone on the 9th July it's untrue. It will bring me back into a studying frame of mind, being in the college environment. Any reading which the second years could recommend for next term would be great, just to keep me on the straight and narrow - prevent me from getting an ASBO through boredom!

Gender

2009-06-07T03:28:00.000-07:00

Gender. Even when I say it to myself I don't know where to start. Reading Haralambos' chapter on Gender it appears that every researcher has their own take on it and there is a distinct lack of starting block from which to direct my revision. Because of this I am finding it increasingly difficult to know how to revise gender. Do we attack it from an educational point of view (girls v boys achievement levels) or do we need an all-encompassing knowledge of it? Considering the fact that I am revising for Lin's exam should it not take on a 'welfare' theme, or would education suffice? If any 2nd years happen to read this before approx 11pm tonight, let me know please!!

My reading on gender thus far is that girls have (and continue to do so) been outperforming boys on many levels with literacy being a considerable subject to highlight this differentiation. The 11+ results have in the past been 'adjusted' to ensure equal number of girls and boys obtained grammar achool places (Tomlinson, 2005). Haralambos points out that this shameful procedure was kept quiet.

This holds poignancy for me. The daughter of someone I know is to take her 11+ soon as a 'latecomer' due to the fact that the family are moving house and the school the parents have chosen requires attainment of the 11+. Being a girl, the odds are stacked against her of being allowed in, but surely if there are places still available and she passes her 11+ then she should get a place? I hasten to add that she is not the sole latecomer - there is a group of children who are in the same boat and they are to sit their 11+ en masse at the council offices. I shall keep you posted as to how she does. Interesting stuff. Even more interesting if there are more boys taking the test with her than there are girls.

I guess gender is an issue on many different levels - ethnicity (Asian women, their lack of education and their oppression, Kalwant Bhopal 1997; Black boys underacieving), educational attainment (girls outperforming boys and creating a moral panic that boys can no longer do boys' stuff like maths and science Observer 1998), socialisation and construction of identity (Original sin in the Garden of Eden was woman's, she tasted the forbidden fruit, tempted Adam, and women have been paying for it ever since). In the book of Genesis, the Lord said:

I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Genesis 3:16

Marvellous!

Many women would uphold the view that this is how it has been for them on many levels - to the point of being excluded from consideration for high-powered jobs as we are more than likely going to have a baby, or run home to look after poorly children, or be too emotional, or wouldn't earn the respect from out male counterparts, or leave after 10 months because we cannot take the pace.

Even sociologists themselves are at it. Malestream sociology is a practice whereby all-male samples have been used and have been generalised to apply to everyone, women and all, not just to men. What?? Even worse was that areas of social life of concern to women were rarely studied and not seen as important. Nice.

I am by no means feminist but am a true believer in the right person for the job. We have at work (a primary school) one male member of teaching staff (year 6, so he holds a teaching post with high importance, SATS, etc, he is also deputy head, senior management, and year leader), one male LSA, one male full-time premises officer (and 2 male part time ones) and one male sports coach. Now, apart from the first two (traditionally primary teaching is female-dominated), the others are traditionally posts held by males. Sports (male), caretaker (male), but I bet you can think of a few women who really enjoy sports and who have qualifications in it (me!!) and I have always thought my mum would make a brilliant caretaker - there is NOTHING she wouldn't attempt to do/make/fix/mend/create/saw/hammer/drill. If she had ever had applied for the position of a caretaker in any school, I'm sure she wouldn't have ever been successful but she is the most resourceful person I know (how many grandmothers do you know who have built their own garage and summerhouse?). Instead she has made her living from being a dinnerlady and an escort (not that sort - escorting children with disabilities to and from their school). Typical female roles, although I'm sure she would've derived as much if not more satisfaction from being a caretaker!

Back to the books it is, then. Good luck with any exams yet to do.

Revision

2009-05-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would add to my blog in a bid to do a little bit of revision. For the last week I have been revising needs and wants, in particular Maslow, Kelmer-Pringle and Alderfer. What I have discovered is perhaps nothing new, but interesting insight on my own outlook. The ability to experience the new and be open minded to the views of others is, as I've discovered, an important element of Self-Actualisation.

I recall Brian informing us way back when we first touched on Maslow that we had all embarked on our own personal journey to SA. I gave it little thought at the time, but after a conversation with certain members of my family yesterday evening, I can now understand Maslow a little more. I come from an argumentative family who will challenge you at every turn, no matter from which standpoint you come. Be it verbal or by action, my family will argue or criticise or generally disagree with you. All well and good, but most of the time, even if you're the one with the most knowledge of the particular topic of debate, your point will be criticised. So, it was with interest last night that I was able to put my point across (it was actually Maslow's pyramid we were discussing after an attempt by my brother-in-law to assist me to revise) and, of course it was ripped apart by one, but as part of my SA, I was able to listen, digest their point (again, Maslow's SA) and not get uptight. Interesting. Before, this would have made me cross, but I was able to form an opinion based on what I was hearing and not necessarily verbalise my disagreement. I am willing to accept other's opinions if I know they're founded on research, but I now know not to criticise if they're not - I guess it's called acceptance of ignorance!

Listening and digesting is an essential part of SA, so as an educator, to listen and digest is fundamental - possibly one of the hardest things to do when inside you're disagreeing endlessly. I now have more respect for our tutors on the course. I think of all the times when during sessions I have interjected or disagreed and acknowledge that at no time have I ever been ignored nor ridiculed. I have now made it a goal to take steps not to do this either with my children or husband or members of my family. In a bid to achieve SA, you can learn lots about yourself and the way you impact others. Confidence to uphold your point of view and welcome that of others is a huge step in SA.

This brings to mind a certain 'friend' on facebook. Constant ridiculing and writing generally derisive comments about those they choose to spend their life with can to my mind only highlight the mistakes they are making on a personal level. I understand some like lots of personal drama and destruction but when they choose to live their life that way, don't complain when it's not all going your way.

And now the time has come that I will face my final curtain....

2009-05-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

I did it my way!!!!!!

Looks like the last bit of assessed coursework is in the bag and I can knuckle down to some heavy duty wine drinking... uummmm revision. If the truth be known, I have really liked working on Brian's presentation on postive aspects of childhood in the 21st Century. To be honest, the last three pieces of work (particularly presentations - luv em!!!) I've enjoyed researching and constructing.

I cannot believe that now all that stands between me and the summer holidays is one presentation (bring it on) and three exams (keep em - can't do exams!!). Oh, forgot about the two jobs and shedding the couple of stone I've gained through inactivity since starting this course. Prior to starting college, I sometimes went to 10 classes per week to stay fit. Now I'm lucky if I get to one (that I'm not instructing), so not good.

Revision is made so much more interesting with the use of tinternet and its now so different to how I can remember revision all those years ago. Anyone struggling to get to grips with any info not sinking in, The Psych Files (a recommendation of Lin's) is really interesting and helpful - I appear to have learned all sorts of useless and useful knowledge through Michael Britt's natty methods.

Have to add on the end here that I'm reading Lady Chatterley's Lover at the moment. Has any of you read it? Only I'm a few pages in and it's not what I anticipated at all. Let me know your thoughts - what about our own sort of book club? Sounds like a good idea to me if you're up for it. Reading the same book and digesting our thoughts in a kind of forum setup.

Monday off

2009-03-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Can't believe how excited I feel about not having to go in to college tomorrow. That's a WHOLE morning off to work on my essay for Christine yay!

Have tried getting going on Twitter - does anyone else use it regularly? Must admit to feeling totally flummoxed by it - it's not the easiest thing to use.

See ya Weds for lots of playtime.

Still struggling

2009-03-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well, still stuggling along, but I have now reached the stage of arggghhh! The work isn't due in til the end of April but in a bid to stay one step ahead of the game, I am trying to get most of my work completed. My son's birthday is in April and it's usually a busy month for us, so to be organised would really help at this stage.

Must say I am LOVING the play aspect of our sessions lately. It's right up my street and long may it continue. I could even be persuaded to take it up as a profession - I have no idea what the pay is for a play specialist or play therapist - can anyone help here? But I know that the job satisfaction in that role would be immense for me.

Work work work work work

2009-03-17T04:50:00.000-07:00

Well its no wonder I haven't kept on top of my blog. We have ummm, four lots of work to do before the end of April. Its a two down, two to go scenario for me, but that's only because I have pushed myself to work of an evening when all I wanted to do was flop in front of the telly or read this fab book I've got at the mo. Anyway, I knew it was going to be like this so I should stop moaning.

The real purpose of this post is to shout out to all second years (and maybe first years) to see if they remember what the word count (if any) is/was for Christine's affective development essay. I have the brief from both Christine and Jen but there is no mention of a word count. Am I to understand then that there isn't one, or is it a secret, or is Christine just a little bit more easy going than Lin and Brian? Please tell!

Thanks for anyone even bothering to read this and bigger thanks goes to anyone putting their minds into gear and giving it any thought - I shall pop you on my Christmas card list.

Essays

2009-03-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

After handing in the most recent essay to Lin on Friday, its a case of onto the next one, or two as the case is. I find Brian's essay title straightforward and because it involves a theorist, perhaps I won't find it too much of a pain in the neck - there are certain perameters involved and it should be easy to stay within them.

However, Christine's, with its use of the word affective, is a bit harder to research. I have looked up the definition, I have a good understanding of what the word means and how it relates to a child's development. What I can't seem to get to grips with is how it relates to the how and the where and so on. I have read Kipling's Just So Stories, still I am no further forward on my thinking of where the essay is heading.

This all harks back to when I was at Uni before and given an essay title (usually in psychology) which featured the word 'discuss' - hell on earth! A statement followed by the word 'discuss'. Enough to strike terror in the most studious of people.

Even more disconcerting is the fact that as a result of my research on the affective development of children, I have come across very little to help me in writing the damn essay. Perhaps I am researching in the wrong place, perhaps I haven't tried hard enough, I just don't know. What I do know is that affective development of children is not entirely well documented and that much of Christine's essay is going to have to be the observational study that, thank God, the title includes.

As an afterthought to this post, I wanted to add how much Lin's visit to the library helped and that by assisting us in our academic research, Christine (Warwick's librarian) really pushed me in the right direction for researching the online journals etc. It was needed and appreciated.

Children

2009-02-17T09:04:00.001-08:00

Children. They are what makes the world keep on moving. They are noisy (well, the seven I've had at my house today have been). They are messy (see preceeding brackets). They eat lots (again, see brackets). They are great. We've had a bit of everything today - teeth coming out, boys in sequins and skirts, water pistols (in February), a sleepover, guinea pigs falling out of cages, running home from town with 4 children , 2 shopping bags and one pushchair because a 2 yr old needed a wee, chocolate fudge sundaes, pancakes and pizzas, hugs, tears, laughing and singing - EVERYTHING.

We have had a tiring day which is not yet over - one more sleepover to get through! When on earth am I going to get Lin's essay written?

Ethics

2009-02-08T11:55:00.000-08:00

To be a completely unbiased/successful early years practitioner its understandable that you need to adopt good attitudes and beliefs. Morals, too, come into play but after reading Brian's link to Judith Dunn's article for The Times written in collaboration with (or for, can't remember which) the Children's Society, morals, ethics and values are just the thing we're lacking when it comes to our families too. Take a look at the article :http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article5626662.ece

It makes for saddening reading as its message is loud and clear when it tells us we're not loving, nor respecting nor supporting each other, our children or our fellows in society. If you continue and read the comments made in response to the article, you'll see that people are in agreement.

What's happening to us as human beings? Why don't we respect our nearest and dearest? Why can't we show our own children love? Sure enough, as one commentor pointed out, those never shown love are emotionally immature and are thus unable to show love to their own children. It's the age old problem of that viscious circle rearing its ugly head again.

I don't know the answer and don't profess to know it, but by simply showing common courtesy at each and every step during our day we would go halfway to creating the society that most people are pining for. I could reminisce about days gone by, but not even I can remember a time when a gentleman held a door for a lady, people refrained from swearing out loud, strangers took the time to converse with you or to enquire as to your wellbeing. This sounds rather quaint and old-fashioned, but think about it - if a stranger asks you tomorrow how you're doing, would it not make you stop and think? Would you instantly assume there's an ulterior motive for the question, or would you enter into conversation? Chances are that you'd be far too busy to even stop and talk, but you can't blame that stranger for trying, can you?

Showing love and respect makes you more ready to accept it. Perhaps Ms Dunn is right - our children do indeed need to be shown more love and respect, it really could do no harm by trying it.

Gender

2009-02-06T11:58:00.001-08:00

Of all the topics we've covered so far in Lin's sessions, it's the ones on gender with which I most struggle. Before embarking on this course admittedly it wasn't a topic to which I'd ever given much thought, but as a necessary element of Lin's module, we have covered, discussed and digested it in at least two of her sessions.

I don't consider myself to have a closed attitude to diversity but what I do feel is that we shouldn't actively promote people to digress from what they believe is right for them and, for want of a better phrase, feels good. There's a huge element of 'crossing the bridge when you come to it' with regards to how you'd deal with a loved one coming out to you. As it's never happened to me, I cannot say honestly how I'd feel. Whatever goes on in my mind at that point, I would like to think that whoever is telling me this very personal information about their life is doing so because I would accept it and simply carry on. Each case on its own merits. If it was my son, my daughter, my husband - how could you possibly gague what your reaction would be then?

As an early years practitioner it would be wrong to emanate discriminatory vibes, whatever your view of diversity, so it really has to come down to knowing current legislation, knowing your service users and above all, feeling it in your heart. As Lin has said in the past - it's not the writing on the wall, it's what's in your heart which matters. Correct me if I'm wrong, but was it Martin Luther King who originally said this?

So, this rather raises the question 'Can a bigotted, discriminatory person ever make a good early years practioner?' Would racist Rachel make a good Social Worker? Can homophobic Helen make a good teacher? Could ageist Alan cut it as a Nursery Manager? Even if they with their discriminatory views carved a successful career in their chosen area, what's in their hearts must surely guide them at times.

My point is that what is in my heart is good. I accept diversity. Embrace it even, for it makes life so much more interesting.

With this in mind I am about to tackle the essay for Lin and after this cathartic process I am, dare I say it, looking forward to it now. It's the research which is putting me off starting tonight. But tomorrow is another day.

work

2009-02-04T15:34:00.001-08:00

What time is it? I have just finished my paperwork for my 'proper' job and have somehow found my way into this again - I dunno, the temptation to type away for hours is so overwhelming at times, not even my bed is calling me!

So - you get back from work after working your socks off because it's PPA time, and think about all the work building up for college. You look at the phone and it's flashing. On closer inspection there are ten thousand answer phone messages. What do you do? Listen to them? Erase them? What would you do? Just as I was thinking to myself - do a bit of research and pootle off to work, throw myself around a room a bit and waffle on about eating low fat and staying on the right side of a heart attack, I made the wrong decision and listened to them, hence I'm only just finishing paperwork (since when was paperwork anything to do with fitness training?) as it was various requests from my boss asking me to cover a back-to-back class - in two different villages.

Now not only am I very tired, I'm also swamped with extra paperwork, loads of cash (not mine) to bank, odds and ends to tie up and still no further forward on my research for Lin's essay nor Christine's presentation. Ho hum. Have toned thighs though........

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2009-02-02T13:14:00.000-08:00

Hasn't today been the best for a loooooooong time? Sledging with the kids, snowballs and hot chocolate have been the theme of the day and it's been great. Absolutely, positivley no work has been done, I have simply behaved like a child all day and I've had a ball. Even when the kids wanted to go home because hypothermia had set in, I was running around like the child that every so often one needs to be and it felt GOOD!

Please please please, don't open the schools tomorrow - let me have one more day like today. Pleeeeeeeease. I'll be a good girl for the rest of the year. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!

PS you cannot run around with a sledge, throwing snowballs at people if you don't have a couple of children with you can you? D'ya see what I mean now?

Ihar for Prime Minister

2009-01-30T12:29:00.000-08:00

Is it me or is Ihar one of the nicest people? He has such a personable nature and his methods of imparting information are, although somewhat disjointed perhaps due to the broken English, on the whole very interesting. He made academic research slightly more interesting than you would be led to believe, and he certainly grabbed my attention, if only through the lovely cut of the suit which he was wearing.

So, academic research. Where do we start? It seems that's just it - where do you start? There is such a plethora of information out there that we need to really sort out the wheat from the chaff. We are to no longer use Wikipedia to assist in our research - it just doesn't cut the mustard. Academic research is the way forward. To access Athens is a bit of a trial and error scenario, one which I have actually mastered. To access Warwick library e-resources is a similar trial and error scenario, another I have mastered. So, what's stopping me starting my next piece of work for Lin, I hear you all shout!!! Nothing!!! I simply cannot decide upon which question to tackle.

Do I go for the child development question or the discrimination based question? I need to get onto Athens and tackle my decision logically. If I was listening to Ihar today, I think what I came away with was to break down each question bit by bit and work on it logically. I need to apply that method to my selection of question. Can I find relevant papers to critique against each other? Will it be interesting? Will I learn anything from it? What do I know about either question before I even begin my research? Mmmmmm.........

I'm going to think about it over the weekend and if I find the time I shall do something constructive about starting to work on it.

The title is the title

2009-01-29T05:44:00.000-08:00

What d'ya think of the masthead? I think it rather reminds me of The Sun and I like it. Now for that Page 3........

I'm gonna add an entry as I'm at home with a poorly son....

2009-01-29T02:14:00.000-08:00

As I unexpectedly find myself at home all day today with a poorly little boy, I thought I'd add an entry to keep Lin happy.

Yesterday's session with Jen was a real eye opener and helped give me a huge push in the direction of entangling myself even deeper into the realms of cyber techno electronic-ness and here we are - the most un-techno person on the planet actually getting somewhere!!! What do they say about grannies and sucking eggs? Well - I m that grannie!

Now - more importantly, instead of my aimless ramblings, these are actually supposed to be constructive in some way, shape or form, so what is there to talk about?

Our lack of one tutor in particular seems to be going slightly unnoticed in some circles but causing quite a feeling of unrest in others. I'm sure it'll be OK, but one does tend to think 'what's the point?'! I refuse to get all wound up by something I know very little about. I don't believe it to be in anyone's interest to leave us hanging in limbo for a great deal longer, therefore someone will have to take the proverbial reigns and steer us in a more child-development friendly direction soon. We all have our own agendas going on and cannot afford to lose out this year to have to go through it all again. I guess it's a kind of watch that space.

Now that I'm finally connected (in every sense of the phrase!) I can see there's a point to it as I'm feeling a little better already. When originally I started at college I felt a great sense of 'everyone knows everything and I'm not good enough' but, as I said earlier, here's your grannie sucking eggs. Next on the agenda - Movie Maker! If I get the hang of it - watch out - you could be the subject matter of my first blockbuster (one can dream can't one?).

I was going to ramble on some more, but I'm going to construct mentally my next entry to make it a bit more academic. By the way - how on earth does Lin expect us to get any work done if we're busy with blogging, FB, Moodle, the list is endless. I'm doing OK with the workload so far, so I would like it to continue, but as I got into FB, I felt my degree slipping through my fingers, along with it my kids, Jay, the housework, family, my jobs......................

The Blog has now been created

2009-01-28T09:29:00.000-08:00

Here we go then, although Claire beat me to it today according to Facebook, but here we are - my first Blog! Thanks to Jay, Kat, Lin, Jen et al for prompting me to create this. Hopefully it will be as successful as it should be and according to Jen, it's a necessary part of our course, what with Movie Maker etc. Anyway, this is my first blog of many (hopefully) and as it's Wednesday, work is a-calling, so that's me for now.