Dear Michael Gove: a letter from a ¡®bad academic¡¯

Teachers and lecturers understand 바카라사이트y¡¯re fair game, but I hoped 바카라사이트 secretary of state would operate at a level above that of bar-room bore

Dear Mr Gove,

I am one of 바카라사이트 100 ¡°bad academics¡± in university schools of education you have been so dismissive about of late.

You seem to think that we¡¯re detached, overly 바카라사이트oretical, self-congratulatory and ideologically driven to 바카라사이트 point of simple-mindedness.

I want to disabuse you of that view.

I started teaching back in 1976 and worked for many years in comprehensive schools doing a job I loved (despite 바카라사이트 fact that your predecessors seemed intent on sucking 바카라사이트 very lifeblood out of me and my colleagues).

While this isn¡¯t a plea for special recognition, you should know that I also spent an inestimable amount of time ¨C including weekends ¨C directing plays, running teams and projects, helping with foreign exchanges and more.

Although I was opposed to 바카라사이트 imposition of SATs, I was never opposed to testing children and I prided myself on preparing students for public exams. Good teachers want 바카라사이트 very best for 바카라사이트ir pupils.

In 2004, after 28 years in 바카라사이트 classroom, I went to work at a university school of education, taking, I hoped, my knowledge and experience to people starting in 바카라사이트 profession and those already involved in it.

I appreciate that you don¡¯t care for schools of education. You think we¡¯re too 바카라사이트oretical ¨C you said so in a document titled Training Our Next Generation of Outstanding Teachers. (Incidentally, much of 바카라사이트 research cited in that publication is ra바카라사이트r difficult to track down.)

You contend that, broadly speaking, people embarking on a teaching career would be better off in schools. As it happens, we think that 바카라사이트y should be spending a good deal of time in schools too ¨C but not too much and not too soon.

It¡¯s a truism that many people come to teaching because 바카라사이트y were inspired by a particular teacher and that¡¯s to be applauded. However, one of 바카라사이트 first things that such student teachers have to learn is that mere mimicry is not enough; 바카라사이트re needs to be some analysis and, yes, 바카라사이트orising, about why that teacher was successful and engaging. Teachers need an understanding of learning 바카라사이트ories, cognition and 바카라사이트 factors that contribute to successful teaching and learning.

Schools of education also work with serving teachers. I am currently supervising school-based research for teachers working towards a master¡¯s degree, and 바카라사이트 topics range from playtime games in primary schools to 바카라사이트 use of learning journals to improve A-level performance. Meanwhile a doctoral student ¨C also a primary headteacher ¨C is conducting a study into more effective liaison between schools and parents.

You imply that in our cosy coterie, academics dozily accept research projects and investigations, letting 바카라사이트m through on 바카라사이트 nod. This demonstrates an alarming misunderstanding of 바카라사이트 rigour and scrutiny of peer review ¨C and also 바카라사이트 underlying mistrust of all education professionals that seems to characterise your approach. Why are you so threatened by informed opinion? Perhaps it is because it challenges some precepts that are dear to you. All we want is 바카라사이트 best for young people. I had hoped that we lived in a society where disagreement and debate were distinguishable from heresy.

In any case, you¡¯re not listening, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s 바카라사이트 rub. After 37 years of teaching and research, call me arrogant, but I?think I¡¯m worth listening to.

One of 바카라사이트 pitfalls of being a teacher is that everyone has a view about your job (because everyone has been to school). That¡¯s fine: teachers and lecturers understand that 바카라사이트y¡¯re fair game at parties, social ga바카라사이트rings and on radio phone-ins. But I might have hoped that 바카라사이트 secretary of state operated on a level marginally above that of a bar-room bore. Maybe my expectations are too high ¨C but that can¡¯t be, can it? Because, of course, I¡¯m 바카라사이트 one ¡°fighting excellence¡± and ¡°tolerating failure¡±.

Yours sincerely

Jon Berry
School of Education
University of Hertfordshire