And I find myself agreeing with Mr Gove...

He doesn't look like the sort of man I might agree with but... click the pic to read the Guardian article and you too might have a first time life experience!

This just can't be right, but for the first time ever I find myself in agreement with the very man behind disastrous exam policy decisions and education reform that lacks real grit and understanding of the young people with whom it works.  Today I note in this Guardian article that he not only suggests maths should include more real life, interesting, useful detail, but that all students should be encouraged to continue to study Maths at post 16 level even if not as A'Level.  At my last school a very wise head of sixth form, Cath, listened carefully to the Heads of science and maths and introduced a compulsory Maths for scientists course for those choosing A'Levels in Science who had not chosen A'Level Maths.  I would indeed agree with Gove and go one step further and seriously encourage all students take a maths course alongside their Level 3 courses to support their continued development of numerate skills for life.  Yes indeed it is important that young people can understand the findings of opinion polls or more important in their lives calculate the best rates available on phone tariffs and the like.  But it is likely that most students in post 16 will either at Level 3 or in their studies beyond need to carry out a research project of some credibility.  The maths needed for this has always been a discreet lesson I have taught to my A'Level students, many of whom had not tackled a Maths problem for 2 or even 3 years and often began the sessions with the low esteem default position of "I havent done any maths for ages and I wasn't very good at it then so I dont get this now." A barrier to be chipped away in advance of getting them to really engage with the required skills to calculate statistical evidence and present it in a fashion that was efficient and effective, rather than using a Doughnut chart cos excel can do them in more colours and they look pretty.

Morning Papers...

Hi all...
Ok as no stranger to blogging it is a bit weird that I feel quite so on edge about starting this new personal blog.  Somehow writing under my own name has added pressure to be real about my views and thoughts but flecked that emotion with anxious moments during which I wonder how things will pan out when  my opinions upset some readers.  The right minded among us would just suggest those of a polar difference in viewpoint could simply just surf off and find some other blog to read that is more in tune with their mindset, however my experience tells me that is not generally the case and some blog readers will make it their daily mission to visit your site and contest any aspect of your thought patterns that is not in perfect orbit with their own.  Well fore-warned is fore-armed and my shoulders are indeed somewhat broader than average so with that in mind I am launching into my new Blog based on a range of things that matter to me, and in turn maybe to you.

Previously in the blogosphere I have created and maintained a posting station for a small partnership business owned and run by my partner, Helen and I.  Readership developed pretty quickly and from right across the globe until we now have a healthy following of people sharing in our adventure into the world of small business.  Reflecting on that experience I suppose the success was that people became emotionally tied into the adventure and the trials and tribulations that we encountered along the way.  Sharing with us the highs and lows of a fresh produce growing enterprise was something that people mostly engaged with in a positive and congratulatory manner, but this blog has been bubbling below the surface of my typing finger tips for too long now and will I imagine prompt some quite different views, comments and responses.   I hope in part there will be continued sharing of celebratory moments but am ready to face the music whatever tune is playing in order to contribute to the wealth of research, views, opinion and info sharing that exists on screens across the world.  So here goes ...

This mornings papers did nothing to inspire me at 5.47am when I scrolled through the BBC news App and read of one disaster after another in countries at war and in crisis.  I learned not only of the destruction caused by 'Super Storm Sandy' along the East coast of America and of course the estimated cost of repairs but also the doom awaiting the people of this fine Island at every turn in the coming months.  People are no more confident about the future of the economy today than last month according to some very clever survey people, someone wheeled out Michael Heseltine to review plans to boost the economy, David Cameron is facing a rebellion from those sitting in back benches if he doesnt plan a cut in spending on the EU budget, wind farms are off the agenda it seems there are more than enough uglying up the countryside already and finally the elderly are so frightened of falling over they are staying indoors and becoming housebound.  So the future looks rosy then, Not! How did we end up here was my opening thought of the day.  A day it has to be said that has all the makings of a lovely sunny war free environment.  I am not going to have to travel to the shops in stealth mode to avoid shelling as in Syria, nor will I have to avoid the clashes with Police as in Turkey yet my potentially bright and successful day has begun in a pit of dispair just having read the news which seems these days to be a contest for journalists to see who can report the bleakest item from across the planet.

The local news did not hold any greater fortune, it was splattered with reports of possible tolls on the Blackwall tunnel and the environmental impact of digging a third tunnel as well as an additional bridge crossing from Silvertown to Thamesmead.  I am not entirely sure that anyone would know which way to go on that bridge, would it be to escape the windy litter of Silvertown or the gang infested streets of Thamesmead, that's a tough call! In further news locally there was one stabbing, two suspicious deaths in a sauna, the possible closure of Lewisham A and E and a man charged with killing his partners 3 year old son.  So off to the razorblade store it is then.!

No just kidding I am certainly made of sterner stuff than that, although bleak and suggesting the future will be worse not better I felt this was just a mid week blip and surely there must be more positive news to be found, after all this is Autumn the season for annual awards ceremonies and the like.  So I turned to my trusty Pink Paper App for a boost of optimism from the Gay community.  Should never have bothered as it just incensed and enraged me at the articles reported there in the past few days.  How must it feel for a young gay or lesbian teen to read the pink news headlines today, try this for size.
Just below the news of 2 gay men who died suspiciously in a sauna are the details of Nadine Dorries who suggests the Tory party will lose 4 million votes if they support marriage equality.  This she says will be due to the christians removing their conservative support if they go ahead with this change of law.  Next in line is comment that Barclays have said they will remove their financial support of the Stonewall awards unless they in turn remove the 'Bigot of the year' award from their ceremony.  Barclays suggest singling out people who have stated they feel Gay marriage would be "grotesque" or "unnatural and deviant" would not be OK.  Does that by association tell us Barclays feel it is Ok to make such comments?  In balance it is true to say there were also several positive articles of significant folk who have pledged their support for same sex marriage.  Mind you I cannot fail to be taken aback that in 2012, yes that is 2 thousand and 12 we are still having discussions in parliament about whether some human beings should be afforded the same rights as others.  It is mind boggling and certainly creates a great backdrop against which to talk to youngsters about the struggles of the past to even get to this point.

Well as the sunshine beckons me out of doors I have to say this first post has not felt controversial in writing it but has brought clarity to my thoughts for the day and certainly improved my outlook on the potential for it to be a whole heap brighter than the papers would suggest.  Happy Day all.