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Norman Pratt

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Everything posted by Norman Pratt

  1. Thanks John. Despite my reading, I am still unable to distinguish between what's dead, what's alive, and what's being contested! (My computer 'Go' is not very sensible on the subject either.) Your comment answers two of the hundred or so questions I've got on the subject in one fell swoop. Prepare for many more similar errors ..... Previous move withdrawn. B - R 19
  2. For anyone who understands 'educationese' language some of the thinking behind the government's plans for Curriculum Reform may be found here: http://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/ca/digitalAssets/188853_Could_do_better_FINAL_inc_foreword.pdf The basic idea seems to be to 'pick and mix' from the best that other countries have to offer.
  3. One of the Conquistadors (but I can't be sure which one without digging up old notes) managed to publish his version of the conquest of Peru just before the marriage of Mary l to Philip of Spain took place. It is thought that its account of Spanish atrocities in Peru was one of the reasons why Spaniards suddenly replaced the French as the foreigners most hated by the English public.
  4. B - F 1 I cannot understand why I invited you to take two prisoners. Had it been today, I could have blamed the hoax chain-letter email attributing anti-muslim comments to your Prime Minister which I spent an hour answering before the penny dropped and I looked it up in Hoax-Slayer. Unfortunately I can't think of any excuse for losing the plot before then!
  5. B - P 1 Thanks. A helpful comment in a tight corner.
  6. The British Secretary of State for Education, Mr Gove, wants to set the content for the History syllabus in English schools. He denies that he wants to dictate how teachers teach History, but at the same time he has made clear that not enough facts are being taught. An alleged wish-list of Mr Gove's preferred topics may be found here http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2009/10/michael-goves-history-list.html and may be compared to Simon Jenkins' preferred list in The Guardian yesterday. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/20/michael-gove-stalin-history-politicians Mr Gove has created a feeling that 'something has to be done' about History teaching. This has implications for all children at school. But the group probably most affected would probably be the 11-14 year-olds who 'drop' History at 14 in order to do a different subject. Mr Gove has made clear that a primary function of History is to encourage patriotism. At the moment the content of the History taught to 11-14 year olds varies from school to school, but has to come within prescribed limits, and is generally focussed on British (particularly English) History. The fact that different schools appear to give students a different experience of History appears to be one of the things worrying the minister. So Mr Gove wants there to be 'a big story' - to tie the content of the History syllabus together - and this he believes should be in the form of a narrative. He has recruited Niall Ferguson and Simon Schama - presumably to provide the story which History teachers will then be obliged to teach. Apart from refusing to take the poisoned chalice - what advice could members of the Forum give to these gentlemen to make an interesting syllabus of, say, 300 teaching hours, over 3 years? Contributions from other countries would be particularly welcome as the arguments 'in-house' seem to be going in circles.
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