[SSC] A busy week ahead.

Sun Sep 30 17:46:57 UTC 2012

Hi David, 

I have to say that I don't agree with you on several counts and I know my comments are not at all relevant, if they were, meetings would be consulted upon before being agreed. This is a rehash of in-between meetings from last week. There are no minutes from Saturday. 

I agreed to take care of the website on Thursday only to find out today a meeting is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss its development. I'm not sure if I can afford to attend. If I am to attend I would add communication to the agenda i.e., learning support. Will work be eligible for travelling expenses?

Another point is - and it was raised at Michael Fielding's lecture - there is a disparity between community focused primary schools and market driven higher education. I noted the commentator said there were some exceptions to his positive experience with his primary school, but it didn't go far enough. Purposely so.

Michael Fielding was unaware of the continuation of academic selection as young as 10 years old in Lincolnshire. Ok, I could have spoken out, but I was concerned that talk of discrimination wouldn't bode well with the purpose of SSC. I want to raise this now.

What does one have to do in Lincolnshire to become involved in democratic education? I won't join the Labour Party, so was hoping for scope within SSC. 

To reiterate, there is no representation for education on the Lincolnshire coast. CERD supported anti academies in Louth, yet appear to have no appetite to discuss rejection by 11+. Why is this? Furthermore, do you agree that children should be selected on faith? 

Just to add some context. From personal experience, children on the coastal strip have been told in Y6 that if they are naughty they will go to our all ability schools and academies (they are not comprehensives), whereas, children who behave will go to grammar school. This is Lincolnshire's worst kept secret. 

Back to the public lecture. I had a governor's meeting on Thursday so had to decide whether to attend the lecture or to honour my commitments at our school. The decision was taken out of my hands. I had spent the morning in school discussing how to improve outcomes for children with additional needs, but later that day my 12 year old daughter returned home covered in spit. It was in her hair and on her coat. She was deeply distraught and looked as though she felt violated. Grace has also had to endure text messages from troubled pupils.

I hate to admit it, but I don't think this would have happened in a grammar school or faith based school. The type of school my daughters attend is a byproduct of Lincolnshire's selective system - which, appears to be supported by the DfE. This is not to say teachers don't work bloody hard, but the odds are stacked against them. Academic selection distorts school intakes, lowers self-esteem and exacerbates austerity.  

No, I don't want to think of SSC as a Greek / Roman Symposium. To me this would further instil snobbery, Plato elitism, already inherent in Lincolnshire education. I want to talk about real-life social issues with people who are able to think dialogically.

Alan

Sent from my iPad

On 30 Sep 2012, at 13:57, David McAleavey <davidmcaleavey at virginmedia.com> wrote:

> Thanks for this Steve.
>  
> Thanks for offering to chair on 20.10 (or 13.10, if we rationalise - and Alan's comment is VERY relevant re: deciding such things), and your enthusiasm for a SSC Symposium... if I remember correctly, wine was also considered a vital ingredient!
>  
> DM
> 
> On 30 September 2012 10:08, STEPHEN HOPKINS <hopkins668 at btinternet.com> wrote:
>> David and All
>> I will be at the Angel Coffee House on Tuesday but not at the business meeting on Wednesday.
>> Re the agenda for Wednesday - I'd be happy to take the chair on the 20th October - although I wonder about rationalising a little and holding the meeting scheduled for the 20th on the 13th before/after the workshop if this is going ahead. I'm just conscious of peoples time.
>> The idea of a meal sound a great one. Originally ( Greek and Roman ) a Symposium  was a meeting with intellectual conversation following a meal. Perhaps we need to hold our first Symposium !
>> Steve
>> 
>> 
>> From: David McAleavey <davidmcaleavey at virginmedia.com>
>> To: ssc <ssc at lists.aktivix.org> 
>> Sent: Sunday, 30 September 2012, 7:26
>> 
>> Subject: [SSC] A busy week ahead.
>> 
>> Dear Alan and All,
>>  
>> You will not be surprised to hear that I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the science, and creative potential, of our evolved capacities for social and individual learning... I'll get the first coffees on Tuesday Alan!
>>  
>> Tuesday: Can all scholars (student and teacher) raise their hand if they will be joining us at the Angel Coffee House at 6.00pm.
>>  
>> Wednesday: We have an organisational meeting at Pathways scheduled to start at 7.00pm
>>  
>> Proposed agenda
>>  
>> A new model for agenda setting/minute taking (Zoraida and David)
>> Feedback on Michael's lecture (David)
>> Feedback on 2nd October Angel (a student scholar)
>> Decision making workshop proposal 13.10.2012 (Sara M.)
>> Our Purpose... I propose a meal. (David)
>> Website development
>> Sociological Imagination
>> Creative Projects (2013)
>> A chair for 20.10.12 (David and Sarah in Liverpool)
>>  
>> Please let me have any other items for the agenda.
>>  
>> Thursday
>> Thanks again to Sarah, Zoraida and Mike for facilitating this course, I think we're all excited to see where our individual - and collective - imagination will lead us... which (kind of) brings me back to my first point. What sort of society can we imagine? How can we contribute to creating it?
>>  
>> Respectfully yours,
>>  
>> David
>>  
>> 
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> 
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