I WELCOME the report on attempts to encourage innovation for teachers (TES, November 12). Unfortunately today’s teachers are enmeshed in an ever tightening web of bureaucratic threads, leaving very little time for creativity.
This will reflect seriously on our future citizens. The sooner it is realised that neither teachers nor children are empty vessels to be filled with sometimes dubious material, the better.
Local education authorities should be urged to open more teacher centres. These would encourage the exchange of ideas and good practice by teachers and their advisers. The centres should be well-resourced with materials that could be examined before purchase. For example there is an abundance of material to “support” the literacy and numeracy strategies which needs careful scrutiny for which a teacher centre warden could be responsible.
Some years ago, my husband lecturing in Karachi, was told by the education spokesman: “we don’t want the children to think for themselves, especially the girls”. Are we heading down that path?
Dr Julia Matthews, 50 Sydney Road, Bexleyheath, Kent
