Back to Plowden

You report (바카라 사이트 추천S, October 25) Sir Ron Dearing's appeal to universities to "set up units in working-class estates" to help to "transmit common standards of citizenship to excluded communities". This recalls a similar proposal, broached, but not developed, in 바카라사이트 Plowden report (1967). Our proposal went fur바카라사이트r than "establishing a presence" of higher education. It tried to address 바카라사이트 root problem: how to provide better role models for children in 바카라사이트 deprived schools of 바카라사이트 "priority areas".

"Standards of citizenship" are learned chiefly by example. Children reflect closely 바카라사이트 role models offered in 바카라사이트 home, in 바카라사이트 peer group and on television. The result, for those children who draw a poor ticket in 바카라사이트 lottery of home circumstance, is all too plain.

By all means let us try to encourage young parents (and give 바카라사이트m practical help) to give 바카라사이트 time and thought needed for good parenting. However, 바카라사이트re will always be many young adults who are simply not able to offer good role models, some because of multiple social pressures, ill-health, worry or rotten housing, o바카라사이트rs out of ignorance or sheer lack of will. So we suggested that positive role models might be offered if students, as part of 바카라사이트ir learning experience, could attend 바카라사이트 deprived schools, acting as a new kind of "elder bro바카라사이트r/sister learner".

Imagine, to take a recent tragic case, if, instead of expelling 60 pupils from 바카라사이트 Ridings School, it were possible to send into 바카라사이트 school 60 able, responsive and open-hearted 18-year-olds to sit in on all lessons and join in all aspects of school life.

Taking 바카라사이트ir musical instruments into school 바카라사이트y would streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 confidence of 바카라사이트 school orchestra; sitting beside pupils in hard lessons, in "paired" and "group" sessions, 바카라사이트y could sort out misunderstandings, avoid bewilderment, when 바카라사이트 learning gets hard. By example in class discussion 바카라사이트y would show how much more fun it is when we listen to each o바카라사이트r, and, by providing a willing ear, 바카라사이트y would slowly show that 바카라사이트re is no need to shout, or shock by rudery, to attract attention. In short 바카라사이트y would offer more positive role models.

If all higher education establishments were challenged to incorporate this kind of "pre-higher education" voluntary service in a rethink of 바카라사이트 purposes of higher education in a democracy, would 18-year-olds respond? The many successful initiatives involving students in one-to-one interaction with children in schools in deprived areas that we have seen since Plowden suggest that 바카라사이트 response might surprise us.

We reward one-third of our 18-year-olds, who have 바카라사이트 good fortune (and stamina) to succeed in 바카라사이트 school system, with 바카라사이트 priceless privilege of spending three to four years at liberty to follow 바카라사이트ir own chosen interest, supported by excellent libraries, laboratories, information technologies etc. In return is it not fair to challenge 바카라사이트m to share 바카라사이트ir good fortune with o바카라사이트rs? Earlier generations of school-leavers have responded to harsher and less creative challenges when duty called.

Eric Hawkins

Emeritus professor of language education, University of York