The Holocaust Education Development Programme (HEDP) seeks to transform teaching and learning about the Holocaust. It is leading world-class research on Holocaust education, delivering targeted and effective teacher education across England and building an interactive community of enquiry and exchange.
The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme in Holocaust Education, launched in the autumn term of 2009, is delivered by internationally recognized experts through innovative workshops in every region across the country. It will be supported by the highest quality teaching and learning materials through multiple channels of ongoing support.
Underpinned by the latest developments in learning theory, leading edge research and scholarship in Holocaust education, the CPD programme addresses students’ key questions about the Holocaust and the challenges and opportunities faced by teachers exploring this subject in the classroom. The programme takes a historical, disciplinary approach but can also help teachers address issues of diversity, social cohesion, and social and emotional aspects of learning.
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Primary review: a 'damning indictment' of Government policy
Ever since New Labour was elected, they have sought to dictate to schools what to teach and even how to teach it. Policed by the threatening machinery of OFSTED inspections and league tables of SATS and GCSE results, schools have been bullied into following each new instruction imposed by Ministers and Whitehall officials.
To see more visit
http://electmartin1.blogspot.com/2009/10/primary-review-damning-indictment-of.html
To see more visit
http://electmartin1.blogspot.com/2009/10/primary-review-damning-indictment-of.html
Friday, October 09, 2009
General Dannatt
General Dannatt
General Pinochet
General Franco
The history of generals in politics is not a happy one!
Dannatt's only solution to the unwinnable war in Afghanistan
is to send in more troops. At the time when George Osborne
wants to cut teachers, nurses and firemen we need more
soldiers like a hole in the head.
It cannot be denied that Dannatt has guts but it is a pity
that 18-20 year old soldiers will have to spill theirs in
the sand of Helmand province to prove it.
And "politicising the army" at a time when the corruption of
politicians has reached an all time high is a clear message
that the rich and powerful are toying with the idea of
ditching democracy altogether.
They expect the working class to roll over and let them.
They have another think coming.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 07, 2009
Chess in Concert
Chess in Concert was on in Horsham yesterday.
Although it is a concert rather than a musical it presents the plot in a non-realistic way and has some great performances in it.
The plot is based on the goings on in the chess world in the 1960s and early 1970s. At the height of the cold war, chess became a non-violent battlefield mined with dirty tricks and brinkmanship.
Josh Groban plays the lead role of Anatoly Sergievsky - who defects to the West but is persuaded to return to the USSR to get the father of his girlfriend (Idina Menzel (Florence Vassy)) and there is a plot twist which will take you by surprise.
Adam Pascal is so good as the obnoxious American Frederick Trumper it makes you wonder what he is like in real life!
David Bedella (Anatoly Molokov) plays a sinister Stalinist to perfection
The music (Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson) and lyrics (Tim Rice) are excellent.
Although it is a concert rather than a musical it presents the plot in a non-realistic way and has some great performances in it.
The plot is based on the goings on in the chess world in the 1960s and early 1970s. At the height of the cold war, chess became a non-violent battlefield mined with dirty tricks and brinkmanship.
Josh Groban plays the lead role of Anatoly Sergievsky - who defects to the West but is persuaded to return to the USSR to get the father of his girlfriend (Idina Menzel (Florence Vassy)) and there is a plot twist which will take you by surprise.
Adam Pascal is so good as the obnoxious American Frederick Trumper it makes you wonder what he is like in real life!
David Bedella (Anatoly Molokov) plays a sinister Stalinist to perfection
The music (Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson) and lyrics (Tim Rice) are excellent.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Banksy at Bristol Museum
Banksy who has gone from being a graffiti artist to the quasi-respectability of having an exhibition at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. His picture of a spiky-haired anarchist having his mask adjusted by his mum probably suggests what his attitude towards this is.
When you first approach the Museum you can see a figure of Ronald McDonald on the facade. If you think another public service has succumbed to corporate sponsorship - the clown cries tears of blood and has a bottle by his side and a clear intention to commit suicide.
Some of the pictures are lighthearted such as the Wizard of Oz picture of Dorothy saying "I don't think we're on Canvas any more."
Others are less so with a KKK member hanging from a tree to comment on the fine old Southern Tradition of lynching.
The exhibition is thought-provoking and interesting and well worth a visit. It is also free.
Edinburgh Fringe and all that Jazz
On Saturday we went for lunch at a jazz venue to listed to Ian Millar (tenor sax) and Dominic Spencer (piano) for a relaxing time with the best pop video ever - evidently Dominic Spencer is a keen photographer and the video was videos of the highlands and islands.
The big Cambridge University Jazz band were completely different - very fast paced and engaging. The MC said they were not music students, "many of us are scientists....and one is a biochemist!"
And the Oxford Gargoyles were an a capella jazz group - a highly original performance including a take on Austin Powers.
"Four Poofs and Piano" might sound like a show about furniture but in fact it is the much underused band on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Their repertoire is extensive and varied and at times absolutely outrageous. They have a song about the question you need to ask on a third date ("Do you take it up the ****?") and then said they wanted some audience participation. In the event they only wanted us to sing along.
Shappi Khorsandi's show was well worth seeing. She adapeted it to the audience and toned it down a bit because of the 12 year olds in the front row.
The street performers were a mixed bunch - the most spectacular act was Frankie G who also does a different act under the name Derek Derek - his act included escaping from bondage while balancing a lighted torch on his nose.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Brighton Pride
Members of WSTA attended Brighton Pride. This is the first time WSTA has attended this event and we have learnt some useful lessons for next year.
The morning started sunny and we set up the stall (which was fortunately covered) before the rain set in in the afternoon.
When we had exhausted our supply of whistles and pens we got a good response from the public to the anti-SATS petition. There were a lot of good discussions about SATS and the response was overwhelmingly positive.
They sited us next to the Conservative Party who were handing out sweets to children (shades of the gingerbread house!)
Other groups in our area included HM prison service, the inland revenue, the NASUWT and Unite the Union.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Tolpuddle 2009
The Tolpuddle Museum is an educational resource supported by the NUT. As you can see many teachers' organisations take part in the annual Tolpuddle Festival. Crawley Trades Council organised a coach this year.
Friday, July 17, 2009
118800 Keep your mobile phone private
118800 is a proposed directory of every mobile phone number. If you don't want every pupil in your class to get in touch; if you don't want every paedophile in Sussex getting in touch with your child then you want to stop 118800.
Following pressure from the public 118800 have - very late in the day - made some assurances.
For example they claim they will not publish the mobile phone numbers of minors. This is very odd because they have no way of knowing whether people are minors or not.
Their website says "If someone wants to get in touch, and we have your number, we contact your mobile and tell you who they are. If you reject the call, they don't get through - and they don't have your number." So an unlimited number of unsolicited texts could be coming your way and they have conveniently disabled their website to prevent you from making your number ex directory. Incidentally they still take £1 from everyone who uses their service whether they actually get through or not.
You can still email their address which is contact@118800.co.uk and I suggest you go on emailing them until they respond. Do not phone their number because they will charge you a fortune for doing so.
If you have a blocking facility on your phone you can block them.
Following pressure from the public 118800 have - very late in the day - made some assurances.
For example they claim they will not publish the mobile phone numbers of minors. This is very odd because they have no way of knowing whether people are minors or not.
Their website says "If someone wants to get in touch, and we have your number, we contact your mobile and tell you who they are. If you reject the call, they don't get through - and they don't have your number." So an unlimited number of unsolicited texts could be coming your way and they have conveniently disabled their website to prevent you from making your number ex directory. Incidentally they still take £1 from everyone who uses their service whether they actually get through or not.
You can still email their address which is contact@118800.co.uk and I suggest you go on emailing them until they respond. Do not phone their number because they will charge you a fortune for doing so.
If you have a blocking facility on your phone you can block them.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Most Sun readers think The Sun prints lies
“You cannot hope to bribe or twist,
Thank God, the British journalist,
But seeing what the man will do,
Unbribed there's no occasion to.“
(Humbert Wolfe, poet 1885-1940)
Journalists unleash periodic attacks on teachers and
teaching. “Falling standards” every time the exam
results are better than last year, “failing schools” if
the results are not as good and of course “no progress”
if the results are the same. “Failing teachers” become
“greedy teachers” when we put in for a pay rise.
However the public trust in journalists has been low for 25
years at least, according to the nation-wide face to face
surveys carried out by MORI (now Ipsos MORI) since 1983. In
1983 19% of the British public said they trusted journalists
to tell the truth. Now it is 19% again.
At the top of the scale 92% said they trust doctors
Teachers (87%), professors (79%),
judges (78%) and clergy (74%) completed the top five of
those the public rated as the most trustworthy.
In every one of the last six years overall trust in
journalists has been at 18%, plus or minus the usual margin
of error of 3%.
It is worth remembering that government ministers (24%) and
politicians in general (21%) just come ahead of journalists
at the bottom of the table of sixteen occupations measured.
Interestingly only 30 percent of News of the World and Sun
readers say they trust their newspaper to tell the truth
even "somewhat". Rupert Murdoch sells the newspaper on the
slogan “Lots of fun in the Sun” but it is not seen as a
reliable source of information, even by Sun readers.
Thank God, the British journalist,
But seeing what the man will do,
Unbribed there's no occasion to.“
(Humbert Wolfe, poet 1885-1940)
Journalists unleash periodic attacks on teachers and
teaching. “Falling standards” every time the exam
results are better than last year, “failing schools” if
the results are not as good and of course “no progress”
if the results are the same. “Failing teachers” become
“greedy teachers” when we put in for a pay rise.
However the public trust in journalists has been low for 25
years at least, according to the nation-wide face to face
surveys carried out by MORI (now Ipsos MORI) since 1983. In
1983 19% of the British public said they trusted journalists
to tell the truth. Now it is 19% again.
At the top of the scale 92% said they trust doctors
Teachers (87%), professors (79%),
judges (78%) and clergy (74%) completed the top five of
those the public rated as the most trustworthy.
In every one of the last six years overall trust in
journalists has been at 18%, plus or minus the usual margin
of error of 3%.
It is worth remembering that government ministers (24%) and
politicians in general (21%) just come ahead of journalists
at the bottom of the table of sixteen occupations measured.
Interestingly only 30 percent of News of the World and Sun
readers say they trust their newspaper to tell the truth
even "somewhat". Rupert Murdoch sells the newspaper on the
slogan “Lots of fun in the Sun” but it is not seen as a
reliable source of information, even by Sun readers.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Socialist Alternative in America
Socialist Alternative and "Justice" Newspaper Needs Your Help
Help us raise $10,000 to make "Justice" newspaper a monthly!
In the United States great opportunities for socialists are opening up because of the manifest failure of the capitalist class in their stewardship of society. Our assistance will help make the Socialist Alternative in America more powerful.
You can donate by clicking here. Every penny or every cent counts.
Help us raise $10,000 to make "Justice" newspaper a monthly!
In the United States great opportunities for socialists are opening up because of the manifest failure of the capitalist class in their stewardship of society. Our assistance will help make the Socialist Alternative in America more powerful.
You can donate by clicking here. Every penny or every cent counts.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
LA Teachers End 24-Day Hunger Strike
In Los Angeles, a group of teachers have ended their twenty-four-day hunger strike to protest budget cuts. The teachers said they will now organize a campaign to recall some members of the Los Angeles Unified School Board. Thousands of Los Angeles teachers may soon be fired as the district faces a $700 million budget gap.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hope or Despair?
The BBC built up the BNP as a "protest vote" so it is hardly surprising that many people misguidedly voted for them as a protest against the corruption of politicians. It was a gesture of despair.
The Labour Party responded not by attacking the BNP but by attacking immigrants - "we have to pay attention to the public concern over immigration" - and perhaps ignore the public concern over MPs with snouts in the trough?
A gesture of hope was the 150000 votes for the left wing "No2EU Yes to Democracy" campaign in the UK and the election of a workers' MEP on a workers wage - Joe Higgins - in Ireland.
In the end education and tolerance will be the death of the BNP ..... and vice versa of course.
The Labour Party responded not by attacking the BNP but by attacking immigrants - "we have to pay attention to the public concern over immigration" - and perhaps ignore the public concern over MPs with snouts in the trough?
A gesture of hope was the 150000 votes for the left wing "No2EU Yes to Democracy" campaign in the UK and the election of a workers' MEP on a workers wage - Joe Higgins - in Ireland.
In the end education and tolerance will be the death of the BNP ..... and vice versa of course.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
NEW EU HEALTH DIRECTIVE WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR PRIVATISATION OF NHS
NEW EU HEALTH DIRECTIVE WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR PRIVATISATION OF NHS
Britain’s newest political grouping, No2EU-Yes to Democracy, warned today that Britain is sleepwalking into the wholesale privatisation of the NHS after the European Parliament approved the extension of EU “internal market” rules to cover healthcare services, paving the way for private companies to take over the UK’s national health service.
No2EU is warning that this EU diktat is the biggest single threat to the founding principles of the NHS as a service “free at the point of need regardless of the ability to pay” since it was set up by Aneurin Bevan and the post-war Labour Government in 1948.
The approval of the Commission’s Health Services Directive has been bulldozed through despite assurances from the Party of the European Socialists, which includes the British Labour Party, that they would “defend public services”. Come the crunch they abstained on the vote, without any explanation, allowing it to be bundled through.
Labour MP Gisella Stuart has been quoted this week as saying, “I bet you my wages that in 10-15 years, if this Directive goes through, we cannot have a generally tax-funded NHS system".
No2EU is calling on everyone who supports the principle of a public National Health Service to turn out and vote for them on June 4th. No2EU is running a slate of candidates in every region of the UK, with the exception of Northern Ireland, on a platform of opposition to the Lisbon Treaty and the EU gravy train and in defence of public services and workers rights.
Bob Crow, No2EU convenor and RMT general secretary, said today: “Anyone who believes in the principles of the NHS and public services should be voting No2EU on June 4th. We are fighting to stop the break up of the National Health Service which is being driven by the EU and their backers from the banks and big business. The political elite in the UK are conspiring with this destruction of our public services and we have to mobilise over the next three weeks to stop them.”
Further information:
Geoff Martin 07818 513 435
Brian Denny 07903 376 303
Britain’s newest political grouping, No2EU-Yes to Democracy, warned today that Britain is sleepwalking into the wholesale privatisation of the NHS after the European Parliament approved the extension of EU “internal market” rules to cover healthcare services, paving the way for private companies to take over the UK’s national health service.
No2EU is warning that this EU diktat is the biggest single threat to the founding principles of the NHS as a service “free at the point of need regardless of the ability to pay” since it was set up by Aneurin Bevan and the post-war Labour Government in 1948.
The approval of the Commission’s Health Services Directive has been bulldozed through despite assurances from the Party of the European Socialists, which includes the British Labour Party, that they would “defend public services”. Come the crunch they abstained on the vote, without any explanation, allowing it to be bundled through.
Labour MP Gisella Stuart has been quoted this week as saying, “I bet you my wages that in 10-15 years, if this Directive goes through, we cannot have a generally tax-funded NHS system".
No2EU is calling on everyone who supports the principle of a public National Health Service to turn out and vote for them on June 4th. No2EU is running a slate of candidates in every region of the UK, with the exception of Northern Ireland, on a platform of opposition to the Lisbon Treaty and the EU gravy train and in defence of public services and workers rights.
Bob Crow, No2EU convenor and RMT general secretary, said today: “Anyone who believes in the principles of the NHS and public services should be voting No2EU on June 4th. We are fighting to stop the break up of the National Health Service which is being driven by the EU and their backers from the banks and big business. The political elite in the UK are conspiring with this destruction of our public services and we have to mobilise over the next three weeks to stop them.”
Further information:
Geoff Martin 07818 513 435
Brian Denny 07903 376 303
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