Shirley's blog on her writing and on living in Egypt etc

I had a really good laugh this week. There was a report in the newspaper saying that they have found that children do best in classes where they sit in rows of desks, facing the teacher, rather than grouped at tables! Give me a break! I have known this for years as I suspect have most teachers.

I remember a teacher once moving his desks in his classroom like this, only to be told by the then 'trendy' head to put them back in groups. This meant that many couldn't see the blackboard either. We both thought it was ridiculous.

He and I knew that when children sit in groups all they want to do is chat and do not concentrate on the lesson at all. You also find the lazy ones copy from their neighbours and that is one reason why a lot of children get through the system without knowing much themselves-having always relied on others to do their work for them.

I get sick and tired of these stupid reports coming out.I knew this thirty years ago for goodness sake.

Why don't people in charge of education listen to the teachers?

They do know best. Everything went wrong in schools in this country when people decided they knew better than teachers.

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