Get your kids scratching this Summer holidays

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…

Behaviour management and respect within schools

Recent headlines are again full of issues relating to the management of behaviour within classrooms and the wider school community.  This also fits into the wider respect agenda, with the need for pupils to respect their peers and school based staff with mutual respect flowing in the other direction.

To be called into school to have your child’s behaviour questioned must be high on the list of every parents’ top ten of difficult situations.  The triggers that can provoke an unruly or violent episode can be complex and varied including peer pressure within school and at home, parental behaviour as well as problems relating to unemployment, finances, mortgages and potential repossessions.  This situation can be further complicated by the involvement of multiple agencies including the police, social services and trades unions where required with each party vehemently defending their own party.

In the current climate, respect has taken on a meaning which is likely unrecognisable to anyone over the age of 25.  Respect to older generations includes getting up from your seat on a bus to allow someone to sit down, holding a door open for someone following close behind and remembering please and thank you.  This is a whole world away from the current use of the word ‘respect’ which seems to now imply that respect is something to be demanded from anyone and everyone that you have an interaction with – it is no longer seen as something that has to be earned, it should be given like fealty to a medieval baron.

The balance needs to change for the better, but the question is how?

Newly Qualified Teachers to face licencing scheme

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.

Inclusive Education to be offering Microsoft Digital Literacy

Inclusive Publishing Limited have recently renewed their Microsoft partnership programme and will shortly be bringing you their Digital Literacy short courses as part of their revamped web site.  Supported by a virtual learning environment, registered users will be able to access a variety of free resources to achieve a certificate after completion of five main areas:

Computer Basics
The Internet and the World Wide Web
Productivity Programs
Computer Security and Privacy
Digital Lifestyles

Each of the five areas takes between 2 – 3 hours to work through, so you can easily fit it around existing commitments.

The goal of Digital Literacy is to teach and assess basic computer concepts and skills so that people can use computer technology in everyday life to develop new social and economic opportunities for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Whether you are entirely new to computing or have some experience, this curriculum will help you develop a fundamental understanding of computers. From using the Internet, to sending e-mail, to creating a résumé, the Digital Literacy Curriculum helps you develop the essential skills you need to begin computing with confidence.

There are two versions of Digital Literacy. While there are minor changes to the content coverage between versions, the course titles remain the same. The primary difference between the versions is that the examples and screen shots in the original curriculum feature Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Windows XP, while Version 2 of the Digital Literacy Curriculum offers examples and screen shots from Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Windows Vista.

Inclusive Education will be offering both versions of the Digital Literacy course to support users on previous versions of Microsoft Office as well as those of us who have made the transition.

If you have any queries, please contact us at publishing@inclusive-publishing.co.uk

The Design of a Learning System to address Issues of Social and Educational Exclusion Among Traveller and Other Groups

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

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.