Keeping this to the matter of education (no point in spinning off into the la-la land and the detention centres for illegal aliens who try to thwart the migration laws of Australia - hint - anyone need to guess which way I feel about the issue?)

When I went to school, teachers left their politics at the school gate and worked on the idea that their goal was to produce someone who was equipped to make decisions for themselves. They were not their to indoctrinate me in one political creed or another - in fact when I think back - the only schools which taught "politics" to primary and secondary students were behind the Iron curtain - and I guess they have found how lacking in wisdom their "way" was.

When a teacher wants to "educate" the class in "the right way of political thinking" he has ceased to be a teacher and become a propagandist for his cause.

The last thing any "education system" needs is a propagandist they are (despite what they may say) anti-education and anti-individualist, the very thing which makes western society a superior social process.

Hi people - I usually refrain from posting to this kind of forum because these 'debates' seem invariably to descend to slagging matches between entrenched (and outmoded) "left" and "right" positions. However, I'm prompted to write this time by my observation that over the past weekend the august Dr Nelson has called for an inquiry into the training standards of English teachers at our universities.

Do forum correspondents think that this is merely coincidence, or is it possible that the discussions here are being manipulated by partisan editors?

Happy Valentine's Day.

Morgan

Morganzola the author of the article is a member of the Menzies group. They call themselves a think tank but they are really a conservative pressure group. To All the point of having to read most of it is to get a realist view of what the authors of both tests methods think the test show. It is very easy to distort the conclusion of the test when you try the make some sort of executive summary. This is exactly what Kev has done. Go back and read his article about PISA and TIMSS does it leave you with the impression that the TIMSS testing showed we are doing badly in English? Funny that the TIMSS didn’t actually test reading and writing skills.

For those of you not familiar with Kev’s views in another article that has appeared on this site Kevin admonishing the labors party for Uni more accessible to low income family’s because he thinks Uni is for the upper and middle classes and the ability to pay should be determine whether you can get into Uni that very egalitarian of him.

BOAZ_David I’m six gen Aussie with a Jewish and Scottish back ground ( not tight with money). I’m a software engineer with a large multinational and I do very little writing these days in English. What I do do is usually dot point stuff so that is what you may be picking up on.

KENNY
here is one for your scottish side :) (I'm half scottish)

A ship is coming out to Aussie land, from England. The Minister holds an impromptu service. He asks for the offering plates to be passed around. When the offering is back, he notices a 'farthing' in it, and declares "OHHHH.. I see there is a SCOTSman among us." whereupon a voice pops up. "OH noooo.. thats for TWO of us"

Thanx for the background Kenny. has anything I've said about Biblical history resonated with your Jewish side ?

Hi Kenny,

Here is a quote from my PISA/TIMSS article:

Unlike PISA, with its faddish approach, the TIMSS test focuses on what is taught in terms of essential mathematics and science content. TIMSS also identifies effective classrooms by analysing the characteristics of those systems that perform best. Effective classrooms are those where teachers actually teach, instead of “facilitating”, and where more time is spent on whole class work instead of students working individually or in groups.

Note the first line - I specifically state that TIMSS deals with maths and science and not literacy!

Boaz - you need not worry about my demise quite yet. In fact I am not that much older than you, old boy. Perhaps you will be a grandfather soon too... It certainly changes your perspective on life, and you could do with a bit of a change, another epiphany perhaps.