Saturday, April 20, 2013

School holidays

Here's one I disagree with the otherwise excellent Gove on.

Long school holidays are about the only opportunity for children to experience freedom before the daily slavery of adult life kicks. They will next be free when they retire and or die.

Its an opportunity to develop self.

The problem I have with Gove's suggestions that we should embrace the brow beating approach of the Far East is that the state will then fully control the lives of children almost in their entirety.From the new kindergarten child farming that deny motherhood its place ( and oddly is another Frankfurt school policy that is being pushed desperately by what calls itself a 'conservative' government ).

Perhaps there may be some schools in areas like inner cities where keeping the kids out of the way of gangs etc may have its own benefits. But in general, and especially secondary school most academically minded kids work hard and for that matter long hours. They need time to unwind a rest.

Also it is one of the key benefits of the job to teachers. They need to to unwind also.

Remember most private schools run shorter terms than state schools and if the whinging over University places is anything to go by succeed in their endeavours.

Those on the right should be very careful before extending the state even more in peoples lives.

4 comments:

malpas said...


'to developoe self" And what does that mean? the opportunity to age for a while without learning. To forget what you have learned.
And to put the first foot on the welfare ladder.

Man in a Shed said...

Short answer: it means there was a typo.

Long Answer: Time to find out who you are on your terms - not in reflection of every one else's expectations.

At some point life is more than just economic activity.

Anonymous said...

One disadvantage to the "long holidays" for my post in the School is that I don't get paid at all during the holidays. But there are teachers and staff who work very hard (and just like in any other industry, there are the loafers too.) Gove makes a nice soundbite but this one has not been thought through. Longer working days will also bring Schools up against the working hours directive. An aside, in the inner city school I first worked in, I was told we were providing a daycare facility until they got their first custodial. I didn't believe it at first, then I was stabbed!
TTFN :)

bjskcuff said...

Nonsense, malpas. It is totally spurious to suggest a link between long school holidays and the claiming of benefits. I agree with man in a shed; it's the only time that children get a bit of freedom from school to enjoy the summer months.They will be tied to a job soon enough. The other thing is they're not always learning much at school - towards the end of terms the school starts letting them play games and watch films, despite always being hot on the trail of any absenteeism.