I love TMS on the radio but yesterday they went down a few pegs in my estimation when they glowingly announced that today kids under 16 would be charged a pound for entry into the Oval, saying "you've got to go go for it." Err .... Monday.... school... under 16 !!! If it were me on the gates I'd be asking why you are there and would you please explain that to that nice lady from the Education Department over there.
In a city like London there are millions of visitors at any one time & many of these will be children , whats to stop a family on holiday taking the cricket in ? I think its brilliant , £1 for a day at the cricket , Cook at the crease & plenty to play for with weather permitting, a full day in front of you .
Well done TMS for encouraging kids to go "of piste" a lot more. It's about growing up and learning to think and act for yourself - to become a well rounded individual with a range of experiences. It's not like it's the run up to the exams either - the teachers will have barely found their backsides or recoverred from their hangover after 16 weeks off. I guarentee any kid going to the test match will remember more about today than any kid who attends class. It's about life - Not just about being indoctrinated to work for "the man" Good effort TMS
Not sure I’d condemn the commentators for pointing out that kids were a quid!! Potentially a great days cricket. Or given that school finishes at 3pm they could enjoy 3 hours for £1. Or perhaps there are foreign visitors, or kids that are home educated, or even as often happens local schools that take the children to the cricket. And I’d rather the lady (are they all women?) from the education department spent her time more wisely than hanging around the cricket all day.
What is the fine for unauthorized absence from school? Or do we teach kids that they can skive when they want as long as they lie to their school/boss? To be fair to TMS, most of the commentators no longer have school aged kids...
No but its fine for schools to throw in days off for teacher training days despite having 13 weeks a year to fit them in. Inset days I believe they call them .
They aren't extra days off though. Schools have to provide 190 days of teaching plus an additional 5 days of training, the 5 days aren't part of the 190 that they are throwing in, they are additional to that. If they wanted to schools could have a week of solid training as part of the kids 14 (not 13) weeks holiday but choose to split them up instead as they are more useful that way.
If that is the case , then why do not they tag them on to the end of school holidays instead of during term time ? Anyway , we obviously have different views , so that is my final comments on the subject
Could be wrong but I certainly can't remember there being "inset" days when I was at school. And I wouldn't say educational standards have improved any since the 70s. On the £1 for kids thing I'd say it's a good idea as long as it's aimed at local kids going along to the game after school.
Either way it doesn't really matter - Great myths of our time "Inset Days are used for teacher training" So teachers can randomly make up 5 days at their convenience when teachers get another day off with their feet up causing countless chaos for parents. Yet if parents - who lets remind ourselves at the end of the day are actually responsible for the whole person development of their child- decide to take advantage of this amazing offer to inspire their child by seeing a historic moment as Alistair Cook - Englands greatest ever test batsman makes his swan song - are pilloried as neglecting their children and punished through a fine. Oh no a parent isn't allowed to make this decision - Having the kids watch a video in the hall whilst the teachers figure out which way is up and gas about their frollicking in Benidorm during the summer as that is much more important. Teachers are constantly clamouring for the support of parents - especially when they are on strike for their own pay increases and to protect their gold plated pensions. Frankly I think the best minds in the country should be teachers. They should absolutely be amongst the best paid civil servants. If the country is to compete given the many challenges facing it - it is self defeating for them not to! But whilst they keep pulling this inset day - and we know more about your kids needs than you do **** they can stick it. ......nudgers nowt on me sunshine. ;-)
It's not about different views. ST is right, Schools are able to take inset days whenever they like. Some will take them after holidays, some will find training is more worthwhile at a different time.
I went to a predominantly teacher training uni first time around so have a few pals that are teachers. My best mate is a teacher and I asked him if he has to go in for these inset days... he told me not usually, no. By all means if the govt has decided that X amount of time is to be given to teach then fine, but it could be done in a way that doesn't inconvenience parents so much. They could give an extra week at Christmas or something, then have the last 2-3 days of the summer holidays as inset if need be and the other 2 days from this extra week at Christmas. Teachers have my utmost respect but this inset malarkey is a piss take in a day and age where most parents work and have to find childcare provisions. Kids starting September term on a Wednesday as has happened in Wakefield etc. is ridiculous.