Inclusive Education

No, this isn’t a reference to head lice … we’re referring to Scratch, a new programming concept developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  The concept behind Scratch is simple and consists of choosing blocks (actions, sounds, etc) with variables (which sound, how long should the sound last, how should the character move, etc) to create custom animations.

After a quick download and installation process, you’re ready to begin making your first masterpiece with excellent documentation and support available on the Scratch project web site.

As well as being hours (perhaps days or hopefully weeks!) of entertainment for kids, it’s also introducing them to the basic building blocks of many programming languages.  It introduces the concepts of reusable modules which can be used time and time again to avoid inventing the wheel and to cut development overheads.  It also introduces the notion of variables, allowing a level of customisation into the modules depending upon the applicable need.

But most of all it’s really good fun.  You can create animations, stories, etc and share them on the Scratch web site for others to view and to remix.  Those six weeks will just fly by … more interesting programmes and web sites coming soon…

New government plans announced today include the ongoing assessment and licencing of teachers which need to be renewed every five years.  The proposals will be introduced for newly qualified teachers from 2010 and will be Headteacher assessed.

Unions remain divided on the proposals with some representatives viewing it as an unnecessary step.  Others welcome it as increasing the status of teachers, reaffirming the professional status which has seen a decline over the last few years as assessment moved more towards administered tests rather than teacher assessment.

This builds upon previous licencing schemes for School Improvement Advisers which saw existing professionals engaged in school improvement facing additional tests to ensure their ongoing suitability.  Presumably, if they failed then they would be ineligible to continue their school improvement role and this then begs the question what would happen to their employment by the relevant Local Authority or external agency.

Many educationalists have feared that the current education system whereby the role of the teacher is to disseminate information to the children is one that has not traditionally provoked ongoing professional development.  Initiatives such as Literacy and Numeracy hour, along with other expensive school improvement methods, has had some impact.  However, reform needs to be at a grass roots level with Headteachers being held to account for the current status of their individual school and plans to allow schools to open chains need to be shelved until education returns to it’s promotion of discussion, sharing of ideas and pupil centred learning rather than training pupils to pass examinations.

Just to bring to your attention the book which we published a while ago relating to social and educational exclusion primarily amongst Traveller and Gypsy families, but which is extentable to other similar groups.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/the-design-of-a-learning-system-to-address-issues-of-educational-exclusion-among-travellers-and-other-groups/551392

Welcome to the Inclusive Education blog.  This blog has been created whilst the Inclusive Education site at http://www.inclusive-education.co.uk is being reworked to include more materials, resources and links for pupils, teachers and parents with an interest in special educational needs, social inclusion and educational inclusion.

We intend to be posting lots of information and links to other interesting reads on here soon, so please check back regularly.