New British history classes for schools

[Parihaka]

The government has unveiled new plans to place British history at the heart of citizen classes in schools.
School pupils in the UK will be taught classes on British history as part of Citizenship teaching under new government plans.

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has announced that secondary school pupils to the age of 16 will be taught citizenship classes that include British history. In addition pupils may be given the opportunity to take GCSE and A Levels in citizenship.

Education secretary Alan Johnson claims that pupils need to learn British history in order to understand the country's core values and build community cohesion.

The changes to the curriculum are based on a report by Sir Keith Ajegbo on the teaching of diversity and citizenship in UK schools in which he stated that it was important for young people to understand the issues that have shaped the development of UK society "through the lens of history".

Subjects taught in the new British history lessons will include Commonwealth, Empire and universal suffrage, as well as contemporary history relating to citizenship such as the creation of the European Union.

Former headteacher Sir Keith said: "This report affects schools across the country, regardless of their ethnic make-up and issues have to be dealt with in the context of the school and its neighbourhood. It is important they consider issues that have shaped UK society today and understand them through the lens of history."

Source

All very well I suppose, but whose version of history will they be teaching, the liberals or the conservatives?

[rickusn]

"All very well I suppose, but whose version of history will they be teaching, the liberals or the conservatives?"

You know Ive studied British history and literature since I was 16 years old.

Its fascinating

But I didnt know there were liberal and conservative versions.

And not to psiss of my UK friends but my first research paper was a defense of Cromwell.

Mainly chose it because my English Lit instructor "hated" the man. And yes his classes were very much about history as literature.

It was difficult of course because all sources were not pro-Cromwell to any degree but I did an outstanding job as I got an A+ for the effort.

Of course with the caveat that my instructor stated and I quote "....albeit I totally disagree with your conclusions". Which of course I totally expected but I was after the grade not his agreement.

It was really an easy grade to get though as I knew he looked at critical thinking "out of the box"(and imagine this was 30 some years ago!!!unheard of then) with what can only be decribed as fondess.

He hated "regurgitators" even more than Cromwell. LOL

Then in college my minor was English History. My professors were amazed on how much I had been exposed to (and what was expected of) in a small town (pop 3000) High School(500 students approx in four grades.)

Just goes to show that with quality teachers a public school curriculum can be demanding, horizon expanding and top notch.

In fact in hindsight I was blessed with some fantastic teachers not just the one I mentioned. But he was definitely the most outstanding.

PS Forgot to mention. I dont think he and I agreed on anything except for our basic interest in history and learning. LOL

Most people thought we at best tolerated each other.

Maybe so. But we had a grand time doing it. LOL

[T_igger_cs_30]

.."

Source

All very well I suppose, but whose version of history will they be teaching, the liberals or the conservatives?

How's this for something unique, instead of teaching the views of different presenters/professor's, how about just presenting the documented historical facts, good and bad, as surely this is what really shaped us

[Parihaka]

"All very well I suppose, but whose version of history will they be teaching, the liberals or the conservatives?"

You know Ive studied British history and literature since I was 16 years old.

Its fascinating

But I didnt know there were liberal and conservative versions.

LOL, You haven't sat through the same revisions of history I have. When you see a massacre being described as a massacre one day then another day being described as a valid response to colonial oppression you'll understand what I mean. Somebody sets the curriculums, and the required reading.

[PubFather]

In terms of which version - it would be down to the National Curriculum and it the individual teacher teaching it. However, history is taught as a critical subject - i.e lots of interpretations looked at, and lots of perspectives examined...

[rickusn]

"However, history is taught as a critical subject - i.e lots of interpretations looked at, and lots of perspectives examined..."

Thats what I would expect but of course its not always the case apparently.

For me being 1/2 German and the other 1/2 Irish/Scot/English (what percentage depends on who I talk to LOL) there are inherent conflicts. LOL

It was exceedingly strange for me as a child being at one greatgrandparents house of humble German farmers and 20 minutes later being at the others mansion like home of Scottish/English patrician farmer/landowners.

Guinea Hens in one yard and Peacocks in the other was quite a contrast to experience all in one day.

The culture shock even in America was sometimes disconcerting just there without returing home to my working class/farmer German/Irish/English dad and his side of the family.

And then I married a Norwegian/Lithuanian.

LOL Its no wonder Im as screwed up as I am. LOL

[Ex MIB]

When I was at school (swing that lamp ), "the sun never set on the Empire" attitude was still in place, and we were quite proud to be British.
With a combination of the expansion and developement of the EEC/EU (both politically and commercially), the influx of immigrants and the increased influence of liberal minded political views, it seemed we were all being sent on a guilt trip.
Nowadays the National Carriculum changes every 5 mins and pass marks lowered to increase stats and show everyone how good they are doing.
This is then followed at the end of the year by complaints that the amount of students achieving "A" Grades for example has risen, and that the tests are too easy!
You just can't win.

The only thing I do know for sure is that generally speaking the standard of education has suffered on the whole, and rather than worry about how to teach us to be British, the Govt should concentrate on simply educating our children to the correct standard and concentrate more on "the 3 R's"

[PubFather]

When I was at school (swing that lamp ), "the sun never set on the Empire" attitude was still in place, and we were quite proud to be British.
With a combination of the expansion and developement of the EEC/EU (both politically and commercially), the influx of immigrants and the increased influence of liberal minded political views, it seemed we were all being sent on a guilt trip.
Nowadays the National Carriculum changes every 5 mins and pass marks lowered to increase stats and show everyone how good they are doing.
This is then followed at the end of the year by complaints that the amount of students achieving "A" Grades for example has risen, and that the tests are too easy!
You just can't win.

The only thing I do know for sure is that generally speaking the standard of education has suffered on the whole, and rather than worry about how to teach us to be British, the Govt should concentrate on simply educating our children to the correct standard and concentrate more on "the 3 R's"

I agree - the problem with our education system that - because of league tables, tests and targets - schools are becoming exam factories. Teachers only teach (and can only teach) narrowly to the curriculum and to the markscheme. Much of education now is to familiarise children with the markscheme (as narrow and presciptive as it is) in order to get the results required.

You cannot measure success in education through examination alone - and certainly not throughly politically manipulated figures...