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hi pigale and elle
I fear for the future as education as we knew it is long gone,I spent 20 years in a Further Education college and could hardy believe how standards had slipped on a yearly basis ,we were getting students who had been to school but could barely read or write,I know the 3Rs are frowned upon but most children left school with basic knowledge but today they dont read why bother when you can google any subject and texting means you dont have to spell.There is little respect for teachers and very little discipline and I fear tere is no going back

Hello Elle and Doglet,

The lack of respect for teachers plays a big part in prompting strike movements; The poor teachers go to their job - which they once loved - with fear and dreading the day ahead; they are submitted to insult, verbal harrassment and sometimes physical attacks too (ie one got stabbed not that long ago). So, yes, I can understand why they go on strike;

Statistically, in comparison with other jobs, the teaching profession has the highest percentage of nervous breakdowns; it says it all I think.

As to the teaching programs, well I don't know who sets them up but they seem to treat 10year old kids like babies, whereas they should be starting secondary education at that age. Bring back the 3Rs, and at an early age too!

Elle, our weather here is nice but not as warm as you seem to think; don't forget that Northerly influence I have been mentioning; our temps at night and early morning are no higher than yours really; having said that, we did reach 19/20 this afternoon in protected areas.

We were told at the primary school open day we attended yesterday that all the children would shortly have their own ipad in school to help them research information and work out their maths problems etc. What happened to using their brains?
If you had listened to how long it took a child to subtract a single digit from ten , you would be horrified! and multiplying seemed to present incredible problems- what is wrong with learning Times Tables?

Yes, and how will they cope later on in life when ipads, computers and/or calculators are not working (Flat battery, lengthy power cuts etc)....... use their fingers ?

Plus the fact that learning Times Tables and a few grammar rules would train the child to use his memory, and exercise it regularly.

there's a very cogent isaac azimov story called "the feeling of power"

I even doubt that grammar as we know it is now taught in schools?
I think it a great pity that correct usage of the English language is now waning.
Does this apply to French, Pigale?

should be aSimov

Ah yes, Chris - Technician Aub...... I'd forgotten all about that!

Very well remembered, elle - especially as you didn't remember it!

Quite so!