TEACHING PHYSICS AGAIN... AND I LOVE IT!

People constantly tell me that things are too hard, too difficult, too complicated and that only very special, very talented and very clever people can do these things... like physics! I started my teaching career as a physics teacher and I am still passionate about the subject and how it is taught...

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL AND DEVELOPMENT

I was in Sheffield again today talking to members of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and development (South Yorkshire and District Branch) about the Cutlers Made in Sheffield initiative.

This radically different and unique programme was developed in Sheffield by businesses and schools working together and students from Bradfield, Firth Park, Forge Valley, Meadowhead, Stocksbridge and Yewlands, who had followed either the engineering/advanced manufacturing or the NHS Teaching Hospitals programme, were the first to achieve the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield passports.

THERE IS ANOTHER WAY!

We have created a negative and destructive culture where bullying, command and control and high stakes testing are seen as the only way to achieve excellence. Those in control dismiss anyone who disagrees with them as the 'enemies of ambition' despite evidence from the best performing systems across the world which reinforce the need to nurture, develop and support learning leadership, beautiful systems and intelligent accountability.

REMEMBER TO THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK...

REMEMBER ON DAYS LIKE TODAY...

HAPPY SUNDAY!

To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower.

Hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour.

William Blake

REMEMBER THAT...

CREATING INNOVATORS: THE MADE IN SHEFFIELD WAY!

I think Tony Wagner has captured some really important messages in his book “Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World”. I read this brilliant piece by Thomas L. Friedman again which I first saw in the New York Times. I have highlighted and underlined some sections which confirm the importance of the work we are doing with the Cutlers' "Made in Sheffield" approach which is about to be launched into its next exciting phase. Lord Nash is a fan but I am not sure Michael Gove has read it!!

THE CUTLERS' MADE IN SHEFFIELD PROGRAMME!

In his recent speech, Lord Nash, the schools minister, mentioned the Cutlers' 'Made in Sheffield' programme following his recent visit to Firth Park Academy in Sheffield where he met some of the first Cutlers' Made in Sheffield Ambassadors. The approach has at its heart the Cutlers' "Made in Sheffield" Passport to Employment which recognises and celebrates young people's achievement of eighteen basic, core and key skills which are essential for success in the work of work.

LABOUR'S EDUCATION POLICY REVIEW!

This makes interesting reading with forty recommendations aimed at although it fails to address some of the concerns around OFSTED!

THE DANGER WHEN OFSTED RULES!

The danger, for schools in a simplistic and graded world where OFSTED rules, is that the model doesn't even come close to capturing the dynamic, organic and complex reality of any school and that there simply aren't the people talking about school improvement and developing and sharing a coherent vision for learning!

REMEMBER TO CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES CAREFULLY BECAUSE...