Debra Kidd has recently had her views on education published in articles in The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/teachers-speak-out-against-michael-goves-lists-of-facts-curriculum-8572623.html) and The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/apr/12/michael-gove-teacher-petition-curriculum-plan) She’s been outspoken in criticising our Secretary of State for Education, and in standing up for education that genuinely meets the learning needs of all children.
In this post we’re re-blogging an article Debra wrote for her own blog, “Love Learning” http://debrakidd.wordpress.com/about/ – “A Royal College of Teaching – A view from the Grass”
3Di strongly supports the creation of a Royal College of Teaching to lead on professional matters and to help remove education from the political arena. In Debra’s own words,
“I am excited by the prospect of a Royal College of Teaching. I am proud to stand in support of it and will do all I can to assist. I believe it could achieve a level of consistency and trust in education that has not been seen for decades, if ever. It will raise the status and morale of the profession – if it truly represents us – and, most importantly of all, it will give the children of this country some stability and security. And that cannot come quickly enough.”
A lot has happened in the past month. A blogpost turned into a letter, which turned into a petition, which ended up as a political football and I found myself thrust into a limelight I’ve found bewildering to be honest. Nevertheless, the overwhelming support has shown me that there is a genuine desire in the profession for educational accountability structures, pedagogy and curriculum design to be removed from the vagaries of party politics. So it was exciting to see the publication this week of a series of essays on the subject of the creation of a Royal College for Teaching. My first thoughts were:-
1. Hurray.
2. Where is the teacher?
There were some brilliant essays in there. Hopeful, ambitious, unifying thinking by wonderful minds. But not one of them currently a practising classroom teacher. When disappointed, I’ve learned, you have two choices:-
1. Moan.
2. Act.
Here is my…
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