Name

Sean McPartlin

Bio

Sean has been teaching in promoted posts for over 30 years. Edinburgh-born, he has an Irish and English background, as well as relatives in France, the USA, Malaysia and Vietnam. He loves music, literature and sport of all kinds, supporting Hibs at football, Scotland at cricket and Leitrim in Gaelic games. Despite this, he generally finds the glass is half full, but is sometimes not sure whether it contains stout, tea, or Irn Bru.

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  • Why our schools should move forward – not back to the 19th century

    We meet the eloquently named Mr Bounderby and the teacher Mr M’Choakumchild in front of a class in the local school. Dickens describes the class before them thus:

    “the inclined plane of little vessels then and there arranged in order, ready to have imperial gallons of facts poured into them until they were full to the brim.” 

    Later on, he says of the fact driven teacher, in reference to his submersion in the latest utilitarian concepts:

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  • How to solve the loneliness of the classroom

    Even the classroom set up, with anything up to 33 pupils and the teacher, seems to suggest that ‘lonely’ is not an appropriate adjective.

    However, teachers will tell you that once that classroom door is shut, it is possible to sense a quite disorientating isolation. What is happening next door? Why does Mr Blogs never have any problems with this class? Do my colleagues teach this topic like this, and if not, why not? Am I doing right?

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  • Schools need to be trusted with more autonomy

    The conclusions reached in the recent report of the Commission on School Reform (By Diverse means: Improving Scottish Education) began with Montaigne’s words.

    It’s an obvious, but nevertheless crucial, observation, especially in the field of education. One summary point elaborated:

    “The autonomy of schools should be greatly extended. As a general principle, decisions that can competently be taken at school level should not be taken elsewhere.”

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  • Investing in PE teachers should be our aspiration

    That is, through personnel, facilities or time, the pupils don’t receive enough Physical Education to affect their fitness.

    Through the window, I could see, sweeping down to the Forth, a large area of ground, partly filled by high end housing, and partly vacant.

    In the middle of my teaching career, this had been the site of Dunfermline College of Physical Education. Most of Scotland’s female PE teachers trained there, whilst their male counterparts were at Jordanhill College.

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  • There's always one forgotten coat left hanging in the cloakroom

    They were small stones, and not much damage was done, but we were unaware that the headteacher was watching from his office. Out he came, and took the three of us back through the empty, echoing school, and gave us each two of the belt. Even at that age I was aware of a vague sense of injustice. He was a friend of my dad’s, and, by the time I got home, the message had already been phoned: “He wasn’t throwing any stones, but it’s a good lesson about the company he keeps.”

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  • How two old Sirs in bushes achieved a health legacy

    I see two middle aged deputy headteachers lurking in bushes on the fringes of an industrial estate.

    I should probably explain!

    Our school won a national award for health promotion. We were obviously delighted and, as for elite athletes, there followed predictable approbation and recognition.

    When bidding for major sports events, the talk is generally of legacy; afterwards, the ‘L’ word fades somewhat, and it’s all about medals and success.

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  • Children trust their teachers to protect them – but not with guns

    He was the first voice in the aftermath of the murders to propose the incredible; that pupils’ safety would be improved if all teachers were armed in the classroom.

    Reacting to his interviewer’s consternation, he went on to say: “After all, in most states we can carry guns in shopping malls, and  in parks, why not in schools? How are schools different?”

    Hearing this remarkable sound bite, I was first of all confused: was it a rhetorical question, or was he genuinely ignorant of the role and ethos of schools?

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  • Have you changed a life today?

    There was a quotation from snowboarder, Emilio Previtali: In every life, there are only a few epic minutes.

    As sometimes happens, the thought remained in my head; in fact, it nagged away like a drawing pin stuck to the heel of my shoe, clicking all the way home.

    What were my epic minutes?

    There have been a number – spread across family, sports events, concerts, and travel - and then I thought of the classroom.

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  • Why does our society not give kids the chance to reach their full potential?

    The grass was still lush, and the cricket pavilion, even closed down for winter, exhibited a kind of relaxed insouciance. The trees and foliage displayed fifty shades of autumnal brown.

    It was busy. There were runners on the paths, and, on neighbouring pitches, two games of lacrosse – men’s and women’s.

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  • A new kind of education twitter

    It could be the eventual light of understanding dawning behind a pupil’s eyes, a class that goes better then expected, or a sudden brainwave for an effective initiative. Occasionally it’s a thank you from a child or parent for the help or support you’ve given. Hopefully, and especially for younger staff, it's a sign of clear appreciation, understanding, or encouragement from a senior colleague.

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  • A confident child is less likely to be a victim

    I was on a canal towpath outside Edinburgh when approached by a TV News crew.

    They asked if I knew that the previous day a young girl had been attacked at that spot - I didn’t - and wondered if I was surprised that such a thing could happen there.

    Seeing the 30 second clip on television that night, I gained new sympathy for those who suffer from the unprepared sound bite. All I had managed by way of reply was the grumpy old man’s standby reaction: “Nothing surprises me these days.”

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  • 'Barking' teaching methods can help pupils learn

    Their preparation, knowledge of the need for interactive and collaborative learning, and their use of varied IT and pupil-led initiatives revealed a far greater depth of reflection and self awareness than my generation had when we first entered the classroom.

    This bodes well for teaching and learning and for the pupils with whom they interact. However, I do wonder if the modern approach is in danger of eradicating the unpredictability which left its mark on me when I was a pupil.

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  • It's time to work together for a better educational future

    In some ways, it was much as you would expect, although, in a nation still suffering economic uncertainty, the traditional razzamatazz seemed a little muted.

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  • Today's sixth year in school presents a new challenge

    We called them the Rosla (raising of the school leaving age) pupils. They didn’t know that their existence heralded an ecstasy of acronyms in Scottish education. They didn’t know that Scottish education would feature almost constant change for the next four decades.

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  • Extra activities work, but they cost extra

    Violinist Nicola Benedetti recently suggested that there should be more music tuition, and politicians have been opining that schools need involvement from the army.

    On a programme investigating whether pensioners are still up to working, Lord Sugar’s man, Nick Hewer, contrasted the dependability of the older generation with a fecklessness amongst some young people.

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  • Little things matter in creating the right school ethos

    A couple of days before the end of term, I overheard a conversation between one of my fellow deputes and a first-year pupil.

    My colleague had caught him in the school atrium with a large screw that had obviously been removed from part of our superstructure.

    Patiently, she went through her concerns, pointed out the excellent state of the school buildings, the respect pupils showed for them, the compliments visitors always paid to the condition of the school fabric.

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  • The raw emotion of pupils - and teachers - at our School Prom

    At the pre-prom reception in the school atrium, families get the chance to mix with the Prom pupils in all their magnificence, take pictures, and reminisce with other families and staff.

    Taking pictures from the balcony of the 400 folk milling about below, it was easy to reflect on the success of the Scottish comprehensive education ideal when at its best.

    A fleet of limos and minibuses then transported pupils and staff across the Firth of Forth to a hotel overlooking the iconic bridges.

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  • Our teachers need sabbaticals, not short-term contracts

    Such contracts have become very common in commerce, and especially in the media; in both these outlets such an arrangement gives flexibility of response to changing circumstances, and is an efficient way of keeping an organisation "lean and mean".

    However, I don’t think this can be translated into the world of education, nor that it would be sensible to do so.

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  • Details from the past keeping our school history alive

    No matter. With three school generations of pictures and reminders of important moments, there was much to marvel over: pupils' fashions, despite school uniform, have changed considerably; certain staff seem either unaccountably young then or mysteriously old now – depending on how you look at it.

    Like any family album, smiles and tears were conjured up as we  reflected on these faces who had been the embodiment of the school community over the past two decades.

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  • My American visit brought a lesson in civics

    Applications for tickets flood in from all over the country, and families from every state in the union, who are lucky in the ballot, get to visit the White House south lawn, roll eggs, take part in arts and crafts, or meet celebrities from all areas of life.

    This year some lucky youngster played a set of doubles with Barack Obama against Chris Evert and Andy Ruddick, another played basketball with him, some listened to the Obamas reading from "Where the wild things are", and there was food and music as well.

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Name

Sean McPartlin

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