By Margaret Macintosh, former headteacher
SCHOOL education is a subject on which everyone always has a view. It is frequently negative and there is always an expectation that someone somewhere should be doing something about it.
It is worthwhile having a cool look at whether this negative picture is an accurate one. If we look simply at how Scottish school education compares with that in other countries in numeracy, literacy and science then it’s not great. It is not appalling. it’s just not outstanding. The Scottish scores are average. In that respect we seem to have fallen back, because according to popular legend we used to be among the best.
But instead of beating ourselves up about this we should remember that education is about much more than numeracy, literacy and science. It is not that these things are unimportant: but they are not all-important. And I suggest that schools are doing a much better job than in previous generations in other areas of learning. We are probably doing better than many other countries too, but because we only measure these three so-called “basics” there is no real way of knowing. Or the information is not widely available.
This “measuring” – testing, examining, assessing, comparing, looking at league tables – has been and continues to be the bane of education. Teachers, parents, employers, inspectors, the Government, are obsessed with it. As a result, when a set of results comes out, be they national exam results or the international Pisa study, a sort of hysteria sets in. Where are we going wrong? It’s the fault of the teachers, it’s the fault of the Government, it’s the fault of the curriculum. But many things in life can’t be measured in this way. The conduct of relationships, for example, the ability to negotiate, flexibility in thinking, creativity of thought, compassion, empathy– these are all essential skills or aptitudes which mostly defy measurement but which are essential to success and quality of life.
Fortunately teachers, overwhelmed as they are by the demands of this constant programme of measuring, have nevertheless managed to include some focus on these invaluable skills and the result is that children are being much better prepared for adult life than their parents or grandparents were.
Might I suggest that we all just look and listen. Have you spoken to any young people recently? You should try it; it might cheer you up. By and large they are more articulate, better informed about current affairs, more concerned about society both local and global, more tolerant, more aware of the environment and the damage being done to it, more enquiring, more able to seek out information and make judgments for themselves, than any previous generation.
It is also worth noting that the younger generation is healthier – likely to live 10 years longer than their grandparents’ generation for example – and are much more likely to go on to higher and further education. They drink less, are less likely to smoke or take hard drugs or commit crime. Teenage pregnancy rates have halved in the past two decades and are at their lowest level since record keeping began. These successes are the result of education.
So to parents whose children have started school for the first time or going on to secondary school or to sniversity or college, relax. They are almost certainly going to do well – better than you did, I shouldn’t wonder. And to teachers, facing up to the challenges of the new term, new faces, new problems – you are doing a great job. We are grateful to you.
As if all that was not enough, it seems to me that most children actually enjoy school now. Did you?
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