The TES online forums are a hotbed of debate. Here is a taste of what users said this week. Join the discussion at: www.tes.co.ukstaffroom What do you think of the Rose Report findings ?
Merenwen: I’m going to carry on using a mix of methods appropriate to my children. Already do a stack of synthetic phonics, but it doesn’t help much with the first 100 words, most of which are really irregular.
SamanthaN: I’ve just done a dissertation on phonics in schools. I’m of the opinion we should teach with synthetic phonics. However, I do agree that the teaching of reading needs to be multi-sensory and appropriate to age - how can we teach three-year-olds to decode if they can’t pronounce words properly yet?
peeceee: I am sick of the Government’s initiatives, mostly done by people who have never spent a whole day in a classroom. Leave me alone and let me teach my class.
What makes vocational subjects so much better than standard subjects?
Chris 2005: To me it seems that these vocational studies are not very relevant to the real world of employment, are years out of date and don’t give kids the wide ranging skills that more traditional subjects do. That is surely the role of state secondary education, to give pupils a wide range of skills.
Eureka! Business studies and health studies are barely vocational. They are pursued in the academic manner beloved in schools, and are very boring as a result.
Happygolucky1977: We need more reliable plumbers, builders, electricians, mechanics and other skilled workers. We should be teaching these skills at school.
Sorviodunum: I came into teaching to make a difference. Education means to lead into light. It does not mean training. I see it as my role to widen pupils’ horizons.
National Anthem Marjessica: As a connect activity, I asked my Year 7s to write out the National Anthem in the back of their exercise books. Most of us only got to three lines and didn’t know the rest (me included).
Touchmuchtoosoon: I recently asked in assembly who knew the National Anthem -three boys said that it was the song David Beckham sang before England played.
Seren_dipity:I’m with Billy Connolly on this one: let’s change it to The Archers theme tune!
These comments are the personal opinions of individual contributors
