Wednesday 12 October 2011

Let the pupils decide ....

Now, as someone who teaches Physics, I know that I am somewhat behind the times. If I was really at the cutting edge of the educational enterprise, I know exactly what I would do.

At the beginning of the academic year, in early September, I would sit down with my new AS Physics class and hold an extensive consultation with the students as to what they feel the content of the course should be. The students knowledge of Physics would be sufficient for them to recognise the inter-relation of the different areas of the subject, and to know which parts needed to be taught first as a basis for the later topics. They would also know which parts of the subject were most important for future study and for understanding the world around them. They would even realise that some of the most intellectually "obscure" topics do actually underpin some of the most common technological developments of our time and so, even though they are in all appearance "not relevant", would include them in what they want to be taught.

NOT.

It would be utterly absurd to ask students beginning Physics in Year 12 to determine the content of their own course.

So why should Brook want to do exactly that with regard to the content of sex education in schools, as reported here by the BBC?

No comments: