|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Clare's Page Archives
Well I hope the term has started well for everyone. My term starts today – and it is filled with the usual mix of trepidation and excitement.
Unfortunately, my living situation is still all over the place – I've sold my place and I'm still waiting to complete buying my new place. I know that people do it all the time, and I even know that some people enjoy it! But for me moving is a nightmare. I don't even have that much stuff, but just the hassle of dealing with all the parties that get involved with moving is a big pain the neck. I hope I don't have to move again for a long long time!
|
|
Anyway, in preparation for the new term I decided to make the most of having some time, and I went to two very different cultural extravaganzas – one the Al Gore film, An Inconvenient Truth, and the second a new Opera called Gaddaffi: A Living Myth.
The Gaddaffi opera was a bit of a disaster – Asian Dub Foundation, an Egyptian group and an orchestra put the music together, and the multi-media presentation was obviously intended to be both educational and entertaining, but it was awful! They lost me with the line 'This juice could set us loose' – I’ve seen more accomplished and polished school productions!
The Al Gore film on the other hand was really interesting, and a good lesson in presentation and exposition, but at times I wondered to what extent it was a personal/political ad campaign. Call me cynical, but to what extent were the moments of sentimentality put in to make you feel sorry for Al Gore or to personalise the issue? I liked the way he used the graphics and how he presented an apocalyptic scenario to put you on the edge of despair only to present the 'but it could all be okay' option – really? But I did see people in the cinema noting down the web-address, and I genuinely hope it does some good, so maybe I shouldn’t be so cynical. Has anyone else seen it? What do you think?
Look out for the An Inconvenient Truth resources we'll be adding to the Theme page shortly.
<<< back to top
|
| A Hectic Spring and the Flora Dance! |
What a hectic few months it has been! The GA Conference, school visits and now my PGCE group are back and we are all getting ready for our week in the Lake District. I am exhausted, and yet the sun is shining and I feel refreshed and ready to go... to the pub for a long cool beer!
Those of you above a certain age will remember Terry Wogan’s one and only venture into the Charts – the Floral Dance? Well I spent a fantastic weekend in Helston, Cornwall last month, enjoying Flora Day – which seems to be where Terry got his tune from.
|
|
Describing this day can come no way close to the experience of it. From early in the morning, different groups dance through the streets, following the Town band which play the Flora Dance tune (the original and best version apparently!).
This is, of course, except for the one event when the townsfolk dress up and run through the streets re-enacting a traditional song and battles. I was amazed, not just at the celebration but the whole town getting involved – especially the Children’s dance that seemed to involve everyone under 19!
Sharp contrast from that, to dealing with Estate Agents! Does anybody actually grow up wanting to be an Estate Agent?
<<< back to top
|
What a busy week! Inspired by Fair trade fortnight, I have had a bit of a clear-out and resolved to lead a more sustainable life, well to be more specific not to use disposal pens or pencils anymore. I am strictly a refillable stationary addict now. And very satisfying it is too!
Not been terribly sustainable with my travel though. Went to a fantastic place at the weekend. It was so good that I almost don’t want to tell anybody about it in case it gets spoiled.
|
|
What do I mean? Well, a beautiful city, nestled between its communist past, and the aftermath of the Second World War, rebuilt so well that you can almost believe that it hadn’t been destroyed during the war. Great food, cheap(ish) beer and vodka. I was impressed by everything there. In fact, after spending a disappointing weekend in Prague, this place was everything that I had hoped that Prague would be, without the rowdy tourists. Which is why I don’t want to mention it!
After a civilised, relaxing and cultural weekend, we were joined on the flight by a group of young British men, drunk, singing and generally behaving like they had just been on a stag or footie weekend. I can feel myself turning into my mother by the day!
So, where do you think I was?
<<< back to top
|
|
I’m thinking of moving house... not too far you understand, just from inner London to central London. I’ve decided I want to live in the very heart of the city. No more of this traveling to work - I want to walk to work, to the best shops and to the theatre. And I am prepared to pay for the privilege. The problem is where? I do live in North London and consider myself to be a North Londoner... but the south is so much cheaper.
|
|
It reminds me of a friend of mine who lived in Bath and complained that you paid extra to live on one side of Bath but you got to pay to look at the grottier other side of Bath. I want to live in north London but would I prefer to just look at it?
Why am I telling you this? Divided cities. I was in Berlin at the weekend: my first visit. My traveling companion had been there when the Wall was still up and got very excited and animated that he could walk around in places that had previously been blocked off. Now, although nearly bankrupt (and with 18% unemployment!!), parts of the East and West are indistinguishable. We sat down for dinner in one restaurant and I realized I had no idea if I was in the former east or west.
I wonder, do they pay the same Council tax?
<<< back to top
|
I was in Brighton this weekend. We had a fantastic conference of Geography Teacher Educators, hosted by the University and held in a hotel right on the seafront. And what a bracing seafront it was too! It even snowed!
Although feeling a little tired, I came away from the conference feeling refreshed and revitalized and full of good ideas and food for thought - if only I now had the energy to put them into action.
|
|
Educating geography teachers is a fantastic job, and really exciting watching talented young geographers grow and mature into great teachers. However, when I got home on Sunday, I did kind of wish some of them had gone into transport, and transport planning. It took me five hours to get from Brighton to London! Five hours! I could have walked it quicker (maybe not!).
If you have a moment over the next week, check out our Key Stage 3 Consultation feature. It's a great opportunity to have your say about how the curriculum should be developed at this stage - very important, I think, if we want to get those GCSE numbers up again!
<<< back to top
|
Normally, in a perverse way, I love the start of term. Although, spending time at home sends me into realms of fantasy of what it would be like not to work, by the time term starts, I’m normally raring to go. January even more so: new diary in hand, new shoes from the sales and lots of new ideas for the new term.
But this term has been a bit different. Run ragged with school visits (I know, I shouldn’t leave them so late) and just feeling like I am chasing my tail to stand still.
|
|
The most uplifting thing though is watching my tutor group teach. I’ve seen some fantastic lessons from very talented teachers who are just starting out on extremely promising careers. And having the privilege of going to lots of different schools means I get to see a real range of fantastic kids. The other day I went from a private school near Wimbledon straight to a comprehensive directly under the flight path of Heathrow - and in both cases it was lovely to see students motivated and excited about their geography lessons. Even when the resolutions are gone, those bright faces are still there...
<<< back to top
|
It isn’t like it is a surprise! After all, it comes every year. At least with Easter, you can pretend it is early or later this year - but no, Christmas comes every year, same time, same date!
So why am I always so unprepared? Like all of us, I have a friend who is so organised her Christmas cards arrive in November! That should be the warning... but is it? No.
I’m always shocked when I go out to eat and a restaurant is playing Christmas songs – do I take that hint? No.
|
|
I get bored of moaning that 'it seems to get earlier every year' - do I do anything about it? No. I even start to avoid shopping because of the Christmas crowds - do I consider joining them? No.
So what do I do? I wait right until the last minute, and then moan that Christmas has arrived totally without any warning! Rubbish.
In my defence, I do normally head out of the country at this time of the year, but as a number of you have pointed out to me, I go away far too often anyway - and this year, I am stuck in blighty! Will it snow? Oh don’t worry there is plenty more moaning left!!! Wish I was back in Thailand!
So that’s a bah humbug from me! But seriously, I’m sure I speak for everyone at the GA when I wish you a very, very merry Christmas and a jolly New Year and most of all, a deeply relaxing and satisfying break!
<<< back to top
|
I write this sat on my deserted sandy beach with sand between my toes the texture of flour, watching the sun set over the gentle lapping waves of the bath-water-warm sea. Well, actually not – I’m in my cold office in London, but I wish I was back in Thailand!
There is something faintly surreal about travel – sitting on a plane always seems to me to be endless, whether it is for 40 minutes or 14 hours – and to get on the flight in tropical summertime and get off in November grey with Christmas adverts everywhere, does more than just give you jet lag!
|
|
And how was it? Fantastic and fascinating – it seemed that with every corner we turned, a different side of Thailand revealed itself, just as you start to work the place out, something spins you into another orbit. What did amaze me though, is how in other Eastern countries I have always felt very white, very western and very different, but not in Thailand. In fact, the only places I did feel odd was where there were lots of my fellow Europeans, and you can guess the sort of areas that was in!!
Whilst I was away, I also read about Edward de Bono’s thinking hats, which is based to some extent on how different cultures think differently. He cites for instance, how Eastern cultures make decisions by consensus rather than argument. It struck me that the thinking hats would be a great way to structure a geographical enquiry – has anyone done this? Please, please let me know.
<<< back to top
|
|
I’ve been delighted with the responses to our special feature on fieldwork last month. Although we take for granted that geography teachers are interested and motivated by fieldwork, it is especially important to maintain the debate and to ensure that our enthusiasm for fieldwork remains fresh. Personally, I think that reviewing deeply held beliefs can often reinforce them and reinvigorate - and that’s how I feel about fieldwork. It is timely then (or was it planned!?) that the government has just released its consultation document on the issue. Read up and make your voice heard!!
|
|
In the meantime, if you fancy some light reading, I’ve just finished a book by Peter Hyman, former speechwriter to Tony Blair who spent some time in Islington Green School. It is an interesting book that compares leadership styles (once you’ve got past the political spin), but what struck me most of all was his shock, horror and admiration for what life really is like in schools. He reminds us how policy and practice are linked but unbelievably divided, and reminded me how much policy makers are divorced from reality. Even more reason to have your say on outdoor learning!
Myself, I’m off for a bit of fieldwork on my own… Ok not exactly fieldwork - although I shall be soaking up the geography, it will actually be a holiday! And I can’t wait - expect to be bored about it when I get back!
<<< back to top
|
|
I’m feeling a bit miserable today. I was in Prague over the weekend, and not only have I come back to London and felt the weather shift, but I also feel dismayed at what I encountered in Prague. Initially, I was delighted to enjoy such a beautiful city, but as the crowds drew in and I became more and more aware of the hoards of stag-parties staggering around, I started to feel increasingly embarrassed about the behaviour of my fellow country-men (and they were mostly men!).
|
|
It seems such a shame that the tourist trade has done so much to change this place, and whilst I’m aware that I could be accused of romantising what was arguably an unsustainable economy, I wonder what the sustainability of the current tourist trend can be. To what extent are the gangs of young men in pink tutus aware of what they are doing? To what extent do they care? Does anybody make them accept responsibility for it? Should they? So many questions…
Don’t forget to check out Matt’s second diary entry this week. Last time we heard from Matt he was looking forward to a new term but how is he getting on now the honeymoon period is over?
<<< back to top
|
|
|
|
|
