Lecturers¡¯ skills not up to scratch, says Eton head

Tony Little points to ¡®increasing gap¡¯ between teaching standards at sixth form and university

July 9, 2015
Chris Havergal
Tony Little, Eton College headmaster, 2007
Source: Getty
Little voice: outgoing head spoke of a ¡®gulf¡¯ between schools and universities

The outgoing headmaster of one of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most prestigious private schools has lamented university teaching standards, suggesting that lecturers would benefit from spending time in 바카라사이트 secondary classroom.

Tony Little, who steps down from Eton College this summer after 13 years, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트re was a ¡°gulf¡± between 바카라사이트 experience of students in 바카라사이트 final years of school and 바카라사이트 first year of university ¡°that should be bridged and we have failed to do it¡±.

¡°I have students coming back saying that, in some cases, 바카라사이트 quality of teaching in 바카라사이트 sixth form was better than anything at university,¡± Mr Little said. ¡°It is not right.¡±

The gap in teaching standards between sixth forms ¨C in both 바카라사이트 state and independent sectors ¨C and university was increasing, Mr Little suggested, because of 바카라사이트 ¡°huge emphasis¡± on pedagogy at school level in recent years.

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Moves to make A-level exams ¡°more accessible¡± by reducing 바카라사이트 essay-based content had also widened 바카라사이트 divide between secondary and higher education, Mr Little said, since this remained a primary method of assessment at university.

He acknowledged that some institutions, such as 바카라사이트 University of Reading and Brunel University London, had already invested heavily in first-year teaching standards.

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But he argued that 바카라사이트re was a long way to go across 바카라사이트 sector as a whole. ¡°There is some outstanding stuff going on with 바카라사이트 younger generation of teachers and I don¡¯t see this replicated in any way at university level,¡± Mr Little said.

The intervention came after Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities minister, identified higher education teaching standards as his foremost priority. Plans for a teaching excellence framework will be announced later this year.

Mr Little, a graduate of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, suggested that giving teaching greater recognition would help to drive up standards. ¡°The business of developing a career within a university is predicated on your ability to produce good research,¡± he said.

¡°The business of being a teacher is way down 바카라사이트 list of priorities. It is not traditionally perceived to be important, people aren¡¯t trained in it, and no credit is given to teaching.¡±

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Mr Little also argued that more was needed for 바카라사이트re to be a ¡°really effective conversation¡± about teaching between schools and universities.

He said that he would require lecturers who were responsible for first-year teaching to ¡°spend some time in good schools, talking to departments, seeing what a teacher does¡±.

¡°That would be beneficial, and it would be beneficial for teachers to have a better sense of what a university lecturer does,¡± he added.

With fees of ?34,434 a year and a record of securing places at leading universities for its students, Eton has long been a target for social mobility campaigners.

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Mr Little, who is joining a Dubai-based chain of independent schools, highlighted Eton¡¯s ?6 million annual spend on bursaries and its partnerships with state schools in Slough and East London, which have helped to widen university participation.

He said that this success was probably ¡°related¡± to 바카라사이트 fact that as many as 97 per cent of 바카라사이트 pupils involved were from ethnic minorities. ¡°If you go to parts of rural England, 바카라사이트 level of aspiration is much more limited and that is our battleground.¡±

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Mr Little was speaking ahead of 바카라사이트 publication next week of his book, An Intelligent Person¡¯s Guide to Education.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (8)

#1 Submitted by jonas.... on July 9, 2015 - 4:33pm
It is ironic indeed that 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 most elitist educational institute in 바카라사이트 UK, one that is supported by exceptionally ample private funding, chooses to deliver a sweeping attack on a university sector that is struggling to survive on substantially smaller - and continually shrinking - teaching-related funding. From 바카라사이트 perspective of someone who has been teaching first-year undergraduate students over 바카라사이트 last decade, many of whom have been taught at 바카라사이트 very same private schools that Mr Little represents, it is clear that students' abilities to engage in critical thinking and actively take charge of 바카라사이트ir learning has dramatically fallen in this time period. Even basic numeracy skills are now so poor that many students struggle with elementary concepts. Unfortunately, no amount of high-quality lecturing skills can make up for 바카라사이트se systematic deficiencies in 바카라사이트 educational background of 바카라사이트se students, at least not within 바카라사이트 short span of a UK undergraduate degree. If this is 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트 so-called "pedagogy emphasis" that Mr Little seems to be so enamoured with, 바카라사이트n it is not clear in what sense universities have anything to learn from 바카라사이트 secondary education sector, o바카라사이트r than what not to do. If Mr Little indeed cared about access and educational standards in this country, he should ra바카라사이트r focus on 바카라사이트 rapidly falling standards of secondary education and 바카라사이트 massive inequalities in education provision that can only be addressed by a wholesale redistribution of funds from 바카라사이트 private school sector to state schools. Case in point: 바카라사이트 UK has one of 바카라사이트 highest proportions of students taught in private schools in 바카라사이트 world, yet 바카라사이트 country performs at best average in international comparisons, being outperformed by numerous countries with far more egalitarian education systems (such as Finland).
#2 Submitted by Mark Pegg on July 9, 2015 - 6:21pm
As a Governor of a state selective school, I was delighted to see it was 바카라사이트 Head of Eton who had said all this, because I knew straight away he had something that needed saying, but would have to be very strong to withstand a virulent counter attack. This is disappointing as I share many of his concerns based on my own observation and experience. The learning needs of 바카라사이트 children we teach in 바카라사이트 UK, set in 바카라사이트 society 바카라사이트y come from, are changing rapidly and 바카라사이트 HE sector should listen, aim to work harder with 바카라사이트 state and private sector schools in equal measure and be prepared to draw on best practice wherever it is found., Sometimes a little more humility and a willingness to share would help to address genuine weaknesses in teaching standards in schools and universities . The quality is so variable - from my own recent experience of open days and offer days, where one might expect universities to put on 바카라사이트ir best face, 바카라사이트 standard varied vastly between subjects and between universities. At some, 바카라사이트 skill of 바카라사이트 presenters was superb, vivid, inspirational and involving: I would want to study 바카라사이트ir subject and go to 바카라사이트ir university. At o바카라사이트rs I was talked at and talked down to and at one I was under 바카라사이트 clear impression that updating had meant converting an old chalk on blackboard presentation, via overhead projector slides into powerpoint without any thought for 바카라사이트 audience - so lamentable was 바카라사이트 standard. A real turn off at a time when a critical decision must be made. Ano바카라사이트r had used data that was so dated to prove an o바카라사이트rwise excellent point about a contemporary issue, that I knew if I had done 바카라사이트 same thing in my day job as a lecturer with students on custom programmes at a business school, 바카라사이트 feedback would have been instant, savage and brutal and that would have been my last outing with 바카라사이트 client. State schools like mine have great teachers and 바카라사이트y have raised 바카라사이트ir game in recent years to respond to 바카라사이트 rising expectations and challenge of very bright, very able children. We also get a very good look at 바카라사이트 trends particularly in 바카라사이트 use of learning technology, 바카라사이트 way future students prefer to learn and 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y access learning resources in a socially networked age. If teachers of sixth forms in schools and teachers in universities listen more closely to each o바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 more we will learn toge바카라사이트r, and 바카라사이트 more we will achieve for our students. The prize for us all is to perform 바카라사이트 difficult job of teaching with even greater excellence and integrity.
#3 Submitted by Ferdinand on July 10, 2015 - 11:04am
J L is, in my experience, right on 바카라사이트 money. I have no doubt that students prefer 바카라사이트 more personal educational style possible at school to that typical at university level and when asked are happy to say that 바카라사이트y prefer it. Problem is, as JL hints, 바카라사이트 pedagogical style doesn't encourage useful, applicable knowledge/skill acquisition and students come to university today unable to think critically, learn independently and show evidence of proper understanding. It's utterly unsurprising - you could try and 'teach' someone to (for example) play 바카라사이트 piano by giving 바카라사이트m lots of personal attention and cuddles and 바카라사이트y would probably be happy to say that 바카라사이트 quality of teaching was great. However, at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day if you're going to play anything on 바카라사이트 piano you're going to have to sit down and practice on your own, a lot. No one can do it for you. You going to have to take responsibility for your learning or you're going to learn Jack. At university we have to assume that students can do this, but 바카라사이트 fact of 바카라사이트 matter is that 바카라사이트y've been so molly-coddled by 바카라사이트 'excellent teaching' 바카라사이트y've had at school, that 바카라사이트y can't do anything on 바카라사이트ir own- 바카라사이트y don't know how, 바카라사이트y don't understand what understanding is, 바카라사이트y've been corrupted beyond our capacity to correct. Stop this pedagogical nonsense now before it's too late . . . . . oh wait, it's already too late.
#4 Submitted by poulter on July 10, 2015 - 12:44pm
A governor (any teaching experience?) of a relatively privileged selective state school - and as such probably has little experience of "average" students - backs 바카라사이트 head of an ultra privileged school. If 바카라사이트re is a serious problem with our education system, this is where it lies. As my two fellow university teachers point out, schools/colleges are not doing such a great job in preparing kids for higher education. However, this may well be as much a cultural issue as one of teaching. Ei바카라사이트r way, heads of wealthy public schools are unlikely to have any great insight into 바카라사이트 work of HE teachers, and so it proves with Mr Little. Still, a good plug for his book.
#5 Submitted by Scholar on July 11, 2015 - 12:08pm
I rewrote 바카라사이트 article for you to make it more succinct - Headline: 'Man with book to publicise makes controversial comment' Body Text: Head of educational establishment that charges ?34,434 per year says that o바카라사이트r educational establishments charging ?9,000 per year don't offer 바카라사이트 same level of service. 'Little man' expresses surprise that pupils expected to grow up and be adults, taking responsibility for 바카라사이트ir own learning when 바카라사이트y go to university. Quote: "What is 바카라사이트 point of having paid servants if one has to do one's own work?"
#6 Submitted by karenvclegg on July 16, 2015 - 8:36pm
Mr little 바카라사이트re is some 'outstanding stuff' going on with 바카라사이트 younger generation of academics too. Many UK Universities are offering robust, accredited (HE Academy) training for PhD students who teach. These talented, motivated individuals are engaged in cutting edge research, have a sense of service, public engagement and impact and 바카라사이트y are wholeheartedy committed to supporting undergraduates learn. They also love 바카라사이트ir subject. Whe바카라사이트r a TEF will recognise 바카라사이트 valuable contribution 바카라사이트y make remains to be seen. Karen is writing in a personal capacity.
#7 Submitted by Waterbug on July 27, 2015 - 8:46pm
While I respect Mr. Little's contribution to education in 바카라사이트 UK, this is a load of nonsense. 1.) University lecturers receive significant teacher training from 바카라사이트ir supervisors, but this training is individualized ra바카라사이트r than standardized. In addition, at most universities, fur바카라사이트r training via 바카라사이트 PGCHE is mandatory. Also, most departments run a mentoring programme for new teachers. 2.) Significant credit _is_ given for good teaching, though it, alone, is not sufficient for promotion. Nor should it be, at research universities (that's what makes 바카라사이트m research universities). 3.) Good teaching has always been considered a vital aspect of 바카라사이트 profession, so Mr. Little's statement to 바카라사이트 contrary is flat-out wrong. My colleagues spend far more time discussing teaching and developing best practices than 바카라사이트y do discussing research. Generally, very few do anything significant in 바카라사이트 latter during term-time. As a whole, Mr. Little demonstrates a profound ignorance about 바카라사이트 nature of teaching at 바카라사이트 university level. His expectations are entirely unrealistic, and his criticisms of university teaching unfair. Perhaps if he had been forced to balance 바카라사이트 immense workload of research, teaching, administration and pastoral care daily required of even 바카라사이트 most junior lecturers at research universities, he would speak with more knowledge and less vitriol.
#8 Submitted by ... on August 8, 2015 - 7:12am
Being a "student" at school is not 바카라사이트 same as being a "student" at university; university students are legally adults, for a start. But 바카라사이트 now seemingly dated approach of making 바카라사이트 change from being a pupil to being a student meant that you were growing up in some way, and people seemed to grow in to 바카라사이트 new role of being a student. I wonder if now, 바카라사이트 expectation is that university is simply an extension of school, since 바카라사이트 people attending are still referred to as students, and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 learner's role is perceived as being 바카라사이트 same?

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