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The truth behind the ‘rise’ in the education budget

The widely heralded increase in the schools budget is, it turns out, not what it at first seemed. The Financial Times this weekend (30th/31st October) spelt out the reality behind the rise.The resource budget, which is used to fund day-to-day running costs will, it appears, rise by 0.4 %. However, the increase in the numbers… Continue reading The truth behind the ‘rise’ in the education budget

Anamika Veeramani · Expertise and Expert Performance · Rebecca Adlington

Deliberate practice and expertise

A short while ago I was upbraided for daring to suggest that individuals we commonly refer to as geniuses are not born with abilities beyond the scope of ordinary individuals. My thinking was heavily influenced by the publication in 2006 of The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance, where two approaches to the expertise… Continue reading Deliberate practice and expertise

Daily Telegraph · Ms Birbalsingh · Nick Seaton · Sunday Times

Ms Birbalsingh departs

The Telegraph (yesterday) and the Sunday Times today are both running stories on Ms Birbalsingh’s departure (sacking) from St Michael and All Angels Academy after she had spoken out against ‘low standards and expecting the very least from the poor and disadvantaged’ at the Conservative Party conference a few weeks ago.Despite being given permission to… Continue reading Ms Birbalsingh departs

Anamika Veeramani · Scripps National Spelling Bee

2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Ooops! I almost forgot the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee, held in the United States on June 5th.This year’s winner was Anamika Veeramani, from Ohio, who spelled the word ‘stromuhr’ correctly to win the competition. According to npr, a ‘stromuhr’ is a medical instrument ‘that measures the amount and speed and flow of blood through… Continue reading 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Michelle Rhee · npr · The New Republic

Goodbye to Michelle Rhee, children’s champion

My guess is that unless you keep abreast of US politics, you probably won’t have heard of Michelle Rhee. She was, until very recently, children’s chancellor to Adrian Fenty, mayor of Washington, DC, until he was defeated in the Democratic primary on September 14th.Over her three years in tenure Rhee turned education in Washington schools… Continue reading Goodbye to Michelle Rhee, children’s champion

books v tv · Desmond Morris · Keith Stanovich

Desmond Morris on books v TV for toddlers

Many years ago I enjoyed very much watching Desmond Morris’, at the time, utterly captivating TV programme ‘Zoo Time‘, where he would get up to, amongst other things, all sorts of antics with a number of favourite chimpanzees. His books, The Naked Ape and Manwatching, were also great fun, if a little speculative in places.… Continue reading Desmond Morris on books v TV for toddlers

Betrayed - Why Public Education Administrators Don't Listen · neuroscience · New Scientist · Sounds-Write

The New Scientist on neuroscience and education

This week’s New Scientist (October 2nd 2010) is carrying an interesting piece entitled ‘Supercharge Your Brain’ but it’s also the introductory editorial ‘From neuromyth to reality’ that has much to commend it.Firstly, I can’t resist including the remark once made by John Maynard Keynes quoted at the beginning of the editorial. He is recorded as… Continue reading The New Scientist on neuroscience and education