A plea to Nicky Morgan and STEM evangelists

It seems, if the reports I have read are true, that the Education Secretary,  Nicky Morgan*, has warned schoolkids that choosing to study Arts subjects, "Could hold them back For the rest of their lives."

It seems she said this at a 'Your Life' event to promote and encourage kids to study the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths). She told the gathered masses that studying arts and humanities closed our children's career options rather than opened them. She continued by saying that those kids who have no idea what they wanted to do tended towards the arts and humanities stuff but this closed so many options whilst STEM subjects meant doors would be one for you to pursue careers in medicine (bit of a silly example after the comments from yesterday's doctor's strike) and engineering (wonder if she's visited the former manufacturing centres recently).

She said that employers valued maths as the most desirable subject, which is a fair comment because being numerate is important, but then put any spark of intelligent thinking out before it could catch fire by adding, "People who study maths to A level will earn 10% more over their lifetime."

The last nail in the coffin was banged in with the observation that too many kid are making the wrong career choices at 15 - perhaps this means that we need to give them more information and let them make their choices a little later?

It seems to me that the three foundational subjects derive their status because everyone needs to be able to read, write and count - I don't think many would disagree with this - but the event was about the STEM subjects (maths and physics in particular) so I guess we can write off Morgan's comments as mere marketing. But I don't think we can ignore them because in her words we find more of the same old tosh that is damaging our kids and making our nations poor as we disregard the arts and humanities. Mind you, looking at some of the tosh that gets wheeled out in the unmade beds, concrete hours and other 'art' that some competitions parade and applaud, perhaps the arts are doing the work for her!

Now I am someone who studied maths and science and had pretty useful careers in engineering and technology. I am a STEM person and I have enjoyed the world I inhabited before swapping it out for a dogcollar, but have to make a few observations and issue a few correctives:

i. Education is about imparting knowledge in a way that enthuses and informs. It's goal is to discover in each of our children those things that attract them (so we need teaches to understand and make them attractive) and things they have natural gifts and attitudes towards- and maximise them.

School is about discovery, nurture, excitement and enabled and fulfilled kids - not blessed grades!

ii. Whilst I, as a kid, wondered about those who 'don't do science' I soon came to realise that we are all different and my spending every available minute in London's Science Museum (I'd walk their and back from Stoke Newington most Saturdays as a kid) was something that shaped me. I wonder what I'd have done if I'd discovered the V&A first (was nineteen before I lived there for a week listening to Wagner) or stumbled into the National Portrait Gallery - would I have become captivated by music and art then rather than fifteen years later?

Taking up the STEM subjects in favour of the 'soft' subjects might, as Morgan says, get you a career in medicine, science or technology BUT if you don't have additional languages you'll function at a disadvantage and need those who did humanities to speak and listen for you. Oddly, most of my medical friends were musicians and book readers - loves that began at school and saw them get better grades in English and mUsic than they did in Maths and some of the sciences.

What we are heading for with this eschewing of the 'soft' arts and humanities is a bland, uncreative and dismally grey world.

iii. This is not about enabling kids and seeing them fulfilled, this is (in my humble opinion) about creating a country who are at the forefront of technology and science: It's about Gross National Products and out 'taking our place' as a major technological and scientific force. Because this generates money and wins worldwide approval.

This is about more than making our children numerate - it's about guaranteeing income and marketable goods for future. Isn't that why we worry abut out the advances in technology from the East?  We buy their stuff because they use cheap labour and high technology whereas where once might ocean-going vessels were built we now find a few men welding shopping trolleys (I kid you not!).

What I think Ms Morgan should have said is this:

'Kids, find the things that excite you and put everything you have into making them yours. Become the best person you can be at the things that excite you and seek to understand the world around you. Learn that we are all different and understand that 10% extra earnings over a lifetime is a lot to pay to deny who you really are!'

Going on, she should end with:

'Teachers, excite and enthuse those in your care. Help them to explore the whole world before them: Take them to the theatre, concerts, museums, art galleries and more beside (this is where she apologises that they can't really do this because of the lack of government funding and the deconstruction of the state education system). Take you children and watch them and as the flame flickers in them, fan it into a fire that consumes them and help them to blaze with passion for those subjects.

Some are called to be actors whilst others are called to be doctors - both bring cheer to the soul.

Some are called to be artists whilst others creat computers that enable to who aren't to be creative.

Some will build and do technology, but without the copy writers and journalists, who will read about them or buy the products?

Some will make music and sing, others will dance and all, regardless of their occupation will find solace, comfort and inspiration in this.

Dear Ms Morgan - don't condemn our children (or our nation) to a grey stodgy future.

When I was doing Physics we were told to buy the book 'Scientists must write'
By the time we're finished will it be 'Scientists need to learn to read?'

+ 'Your life' is a campaign to encourage the kids to study maths and physics; their goal being a 50% increase of kids taking exams in the subjects over the next three years.

* perhaps from henceforth that should be amended to 'moron' (should we have a poll?)

Scotland/England and that referendum

I have to say that I'm feeling rather sad over the issue of Scottish independence for a number of reasons, the greatest of these being what a friend referred to as a prime example of 'Narrow Nationalism'! I'm concerned with poverty across the board (and borders) but this doesn't necessarily apply to those who want a 'Yes' vote - and that is indeed rather sad.

Add to this a comment from a young person from the oil capital of Scotland, Aberdeen, who (perhaps ironically wore a 'Yes' badge) thought that the money generated from the oil and gas industry that is centred in that place, "Hadn't made much difference or been seen here!" and the claims of wealth (see below) and the promise of Scotland as a land of plenty all seem just a little hollow if the OBR (Office of Budget Responsibility) are to be believed:



Interesting that the Scottish claims, which generally appear to be founded in the land of 'I want it to be' are estimated by an expert on the subject, Sir Ian Wood, to be as much as 60% too high. A spokesman for the 'Yes' party response was something akin to, "That can't be right because we don't want it be!"

Look at the pound and the 'Yes' vote group are determined that they will keep the GBP (that's Great British Pound) 'because they want to!' and that is really all that needs to be known. Mind you, since then Alex has said that should it come to it they will keep the pound (Guess that will be the SAP - Scotland Alone Pound). I can't wait to see the exchange rate!

When in Scotland I was stunned to find out how many businesses from that side of the border are looking to move South should the 'Yes' vote succeed. I was then appalled when someone explained that a 'Yes' would lead to Scotland becoming an independent, England-free, third world nation as billions of SAPs were lost from tax income.

I see Scotland is keen to get rid of things that go bang in the night and this meaning nuclear would see British military establishments close. Personally I think this can only be good for those places in England that would be receiving them and so this is surely a win-win outcome. Mind you, can't see how the Scottish military are going to find a home in NATO but guess the border guards and those on guard outside Edinburgh would find something for those who choose to remain to do. I read somewhere that Scotland would have its own Special Forces (perhaps they could be called 'Special Brew'?) to protect the rigs and the like.

All in all I am sad because I don't think this campaign gives a monkeys about the people who live in Scotland and don't think it's beneficial for any of those who consider themselves British (which I do). I am sad because I found Scotland to be a wonderful place to be and found it populaced with extremely lovely people too - and I would like us to be working together for a common good.

BUT

I can understand that many would rather be free from England in their own country regardless of the fact that it might mean they can stand proudly, but bankrupt, rather than solvent but on their knees!

I can understand that a vote for the 'Yes' campaign might mean that at last Scotland could have its own Eurovision contestant and vote of their own!

I can understand that losing the BBC and other media channels (TV and Radio) might be seen as a good thing, after all they can always subscribe to Sky and other channels (can't they) but would they take all the great Scottish TV shows (Balamory to name the only one I can think of) with them? This would be a shame from my side of the TV!

Scotland could have their own monarch (I'd favour Billy Connolly) and bard (think J K Rowling's out of the running for that job) and better still - could, once it's gained the required status and approval (which I read takes 3-5 years) could even join the EU (I fancy the name ALBA myself).

So where we are waiting to see which way the vote goes - and I have to say that that anything other than a vote to stay together would be a tragedy for all concerned - mind you, shouldn't all members of the United Kingdom have a vote? The Scots as to whether they want to stay and the others as to whether we want to keep any union with them! Seems to me that this is a very one-sided divorce in prospect and should they go they will not only have to take over custody of the children (who one Glaswegian said were like people from nnnnn - an not popular people group - who had many of the jobs in England) and also pay their part of the national debt as they leave too.

Seems to be a divisive and wrong discussion all round - has nothing to do with the people only bitterness, rancour and division and I can only see the poor getting poorer North of the border and those to the South losing something money cannot buy :(

Clearing the air (3) - Homelessness

Another of the issues that cause me grief is that of homelessness.

A few years back (2006) the town in which I find myself serving had one of the local characters freeze to death in a bus shelter as he endured a night in the cold conditions. At that time some of those in  the town decided that they would set about 'doing something' and yet here we are, almost seven years on from his death (January 7th) and nothing has changed.

One of the town's key officials at the time told me that, 'There are no problems surrounding homelessness in the town.' This was a true statement for when homeless people arrived they were given the fare to one of two places away from here to find a hostel. The opinion was that if we 'didn't encourage them to stay, then we didn't have a problem!'

Last year we had a homeless man whose tent had been burgled and his possessions taken. Now I don't know about you but I can't imagine being reduced to living under a canvas shelter only to find your stuff has been nicked - talk about being at the furthest end of the food chain!

Anyway, at first I tried to set him up with a proper tent, food and other stuff, but this was met with opposition from some of the locals in the place I tried to site him for the night (I needed to get him somewhere safe for one night so I could see what could be done to provide a more stable and safe environment).  In fact, not only did they call the police but they told them that there were two vagrants (me being the other) who had dared to set up camp in their nice little village!

The upshot of this was that I got him moved and the church let him stay in a building until such time as he could be housed - and he was, for after some seven weeks, the day before Christmas Eve last year, the man got a flat (where he remains) of his own!

So this is how it is:

1. Many of those who find themselves homeless are in that state becuase of circumstances that are not always of their own making,

2. Many of those who are homeless also suffer from mental illness and are in need of more than a handout, they need help and support to establish them, safely, within the community,

3. Many of those who are homeless have actually been members of the armed forces of this land and are often where they are because of life outside of the forces, and

4. If we took the trouble to listen to the stories they have to tell, we would find that the majority of those who are homeless are no different from you or I (in fact one, an former pupil at a prestigious public school and former legal type had suffered a major breakdown and was was in fact probably much better off, and better educated, than many of us before his tragedy).

So here's the bottom line on this topic - I will not stand by and see people treated badly from now on. Where I find homelessness and nothing being done (whether it be church, council or community) or worse still, steps being taken to act against them - I will shout and make sure everyone who has ears hears, and will keep doing so until something happens.

What about you?

And for those who are homeless and have served - a little reminder (and spur?) for the rest of us:

Words and pictures - The Express

It is always fun when words and pictures come together to tell one story but illustrate another.

The Daily express has managed that with a heart-warming story of Christmas Day and our troops getting the full Christmas meal.

Sadly though, the soldiers featured in the image appear to be from the  Czech Republic:

For those who are wondering how on earth you can tell where these well camouflaged men come from (it's difficult I know) the clue is that we have a little union flag on our uniforms.

Still - was a great story (and it made me smile) Perhaps the caption should have been 'someone's brave troops'?

Happy Thursday and Veselé Vánoce!