Schools, and how they are kitted out, now and then!

[Beefsteak 305]

Last evening (Whilst some of you were gallivanting around a public house) I was pressured into going to visit our Charlottes' new big school (Next summer) as it was their 'open evening'

When I say 'pressured' it's a bit of an over statement as I wanted to go really but I had to put up the 'show' of disgruntlement to SWMBO after her 'course' earlier in the day was cancelled and I could have (Should have) been over with you lot instead!

Any road up , They get 'given' a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on starting school, and that's for them to keep by the way!

Every desk in all the 'humanities' classes has a laptop at it (500 of the bloody things) There was another class room with a load of tower systems in it!

A music department with an electric keyboard at every "Work Station" another room with about 30 Guitars hanging up.

But get this, there was another room full of Canon 110ds !!! OK not quite as good as my 550d, but still a damned sight better than any I had access to as a kid! and I'm pretty sure if my interest in photography was nurtured at that age my life would probably have been a bit different to what it is now. (It might not too , but Cest La Vis)

The only 'downer' was the sports hall which seemed tiny, but then again I did have Carlton Forum as my play ground, and I didn't turn into the new David Bedford.

They asked us if we wanted to 'come back to school for the day' , I've jumped at the chance.

The futures bright, the futures Charlottes.

[Cliff Ton 10,458]

A few triangles and tambourines for music.

We were spoiled.

[denshaw 2,871]

You were lucky.

[tomlinson 879]

An interesting subject. A friend of mine runs a florist's business down here and earlier this year he received a letter from a lad wanting a job. He told me it was so badly written in all respects, he did not even grant the lad an interview. Was he right not to do so or are written, and other communication skills, no longer necessary with the introduction of the computer at all stages of life?

[Beefsteak 305]

Even the tambourines had holes in them!

[Beefsteak 305]

Well at least it's one thing my lass doesn't have to worry about, her hand writing is impeccable and she keeps getting the "Star Writer of the Week" award.

[Cliff Ton 10,458]

And remember the other great piece of technology in schools back then...... the Banda printer/copier, operated by a circular/rotary system.

You were totally hooked on the smell from the chemicals which produced the print (I'm sure someone will come along and tell us exactly what the smell was).

[StephenFord 866]

From memory it smelt like neat alcohol - but it always reminded me of the smell at the doctor's when they were about to stick a needle in your arm.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Albert Einstein did not have up to the minute computers and lap tops, neither did Michael Faraday, nor Professor Hawkings when they were at school. I am not grudging all this expensive kit. We had what was then termed modern equipment at Bilborough Grammar School. But will it actually be of any use to some of the brats my poor grand kids have to share a classroom with? A sad fact of life is that many modern schools are filled with youngsters that have no intention of learning.

[Beefsteak 305]

The smell was Ether.

I have to disagree with you there Bilbraborn, I've never seen a school of kids wanting to do well as I did last night as I did last night. There will always be some di** heads in every walk of life that want to spoil it for the rest, but it didn't seem to be the case last night. I didn't really want to go, but I came away really impressed and full of anticipation and expectation for my kids future qualifications.

[mick2me 3,033]

Ether you say?

Thats where I'm from.

All I had was a scrapey pen with a wooden handle that I dipped in an inkwell and covered the tip in soggy inky blotting paper.

Thats why my handwritings crap today.

And thats what I say.

[Beefsteak 305]

My handwriting IS awful , always has been , and always will be. It was that bad at school one English teacher tried to put me in the remedial class ! The teacher in there took one look at my work, sent me back to my proper lesson and told me she'd sort it out.

Apparently the English teacher in question got a bit of a ticking off from the Head for not looking into my work before dismissing it as worthless.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

Good for them Beefsteak. All the same, there are some schools where learning comes second to disrupting. And my eldest three grandkids go to one of them. The willing ones (including my 3) tend to stick together, but they tell me it is very hard for them.

[Beefsteak 305]

You have to blame that on the teachers then !!

[denshaw 2,871]

We ad a slate and a bit o chalk.

[BulwellBrian 107]

you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

[Beefsteak 305]

I don't believe that should be, or is, the case , where kids and learning are concerned. It's poor teaching full stop. be that in the class room or at home!

[plantfit 7,580]

Methylated spirits, used to clean the paper so the print ink would set

Rog

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I think you have to be really assertive these days. Even with the best teachers there are kids who will make it hard. The parents don't always support the teacher. When I was a kid, if my mum found out I'd got a clout off the teacher I got another two off her. She knew what a cheeky little sod I was.

[mudgie49 401]

The time taken by parents to teach their kids the social graces,behavior,and the need to learn, seem to be a thing of the past.

Many parents think the teacher should be responsible for parenting, and teaching their kids.If bad manners and bad behavior are allowed in the home, what chance is there for the rest of the kids in the classroom.

Most teachers are dedicated to their profession,but in the last 30 years have been fighting an uphill battle,overcrowded and under funded schools.

Now the added problem of immigrant kids, not able to speak or understand basic English.The future belongs to our grandchildren,I almost despair at the future they will inherit.

Some time in the very near future, we will be forced to make a stand against the Establishment,and say, "No more,enough is enough".

I often wonder what my dad or grand-dad would make of the world today.

[Beefsteak 305]

I find (Round here) that most parents are quite responsible and kids do tend to behave themselves, mine aren't perfect, but they're as close as we can get them!

The thing I do find wrong (And we've all said it for years) is the fact that teachers hands are tied!

I have mentioned just recently that I had to drop everything and go get our Adam from school as he'd 'banged his head and the swelling is getting bigger'. I got there, didn't ask any questions, just held his hand tightly as we walked home. It was fortunate that I was working from home that day. When we got home I asked him to show me where it hurt , and he showed me the slightest red mark that needed a magnifying glass to view it! He told me he didn't ask to be sent home but they insisted he did.

They are just forced to mollycoddle our kids.

We normally fetch the kids from school, but on a Friday we let them walk home on their own, (First time today) I was talking to a teacher friend and told her just that, and she looked at me 'gone out'. She's a lot younger than me ! She said " You what? you're going to let them walk home alone?"

"Yup, what's the problem with that?" (They only have to cross one road, it's all of a 5 minute walk, and with the school run going on the traffic doesn't move anyway !)

"Aren't you worried"

"What about"

"They might get attacked, or worse , abducted"

Now I always thought this girl had her head screwed on slightly different to the rest of us,,,,,,,,,, but WTF!!

"Are you trying to scare the life out of our kids by telling them that if they're on their own horrible things are going to happen to them!, they walk home , they walk straight home, they do not pass go, they do not collect 200 pounds, they come straight home !, they've had that instilled into them since they were old enough to listen and understand, and they do that. In all the years I've lived here nothing , repeat , nothing, has ever happened to any kids, so why the hell are you scaring the living poo out of them by telling them tales like that ?"

She said , that's what they (The teachers) had been told !!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I agree with everything else. But overcrowded? On my last junior school photograph I can count 42 kids. But we didn't set a foot out of line in those days. We didn't dare.

But it is true. a lot of parents expect teachers to teach manners but like to have a go if the kids don't want to learn. If the parents have no manners, then the kids will have none also.

[geld25 0]

It is amazing to see how schools have developed over the past decade or two. I remember when computers were still basic ideas in schools, and now almost every desk is equipped with a computer. I believe there will be a day that every student has a tablet that holds all of their school materials. They will simply plug into different ports in each class and the internet at home. They will do their homework on the tablets, pay for lunch, hold their report cards, and any other necessary school activity. We may even get to the point with technology that things such as calculus become basic subjects.

[StephenFord 866]

I see that "nice" Mr Gove is aiming to have a 10 hour school day. Ahem - unions representing workers (who get paid for work), have been negotiating for years to reduce working hours. Does anyone remember the 40 hour week? And the school week is going to be 50 hours? The man is a fool - he needs a thick ear.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

10 hour school days are too much, I didn't like school, had it been 10 hours a day, I'd have hated it...

Bad enough as an apprentice on day release, we had the normal day with nightschool afterwards, that must have been ten hours!! Just thinking back, we didn't get paid the overtime either...LOL