tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169740113013066976.post4169606632671684053..comments2024-02-10T12:12:06.028+00:00Comments on The Real Blog: Tutoring for two-year-olds?David Boylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11410159311875228620noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4169740113013066976.post-71737123639276033962013-10-03T14:28:15.777+01:002013-10-03T14:28:15.777+01:00This reminds me of a Channel 4 programme from roug...This reminds me of a Channel 4 programme from roughly 1990 comparing the performance of classes of pre-schoolers in several countries. The starkest contrast was between a class in one of the leafier and most middle class outer suburbs of SW London and an inner city working class district of Budapest, Hungary.<br /><br />The London approach was Govoid before Gove - formal teaching to a large extent. In contrast the Budapest approach was participative with instructional games to teach social skills. <br /><br />In London one little boy called Jack was trying to write his name. He had managed to write a very wobbly 'J' then collapsed in floods of tears. The voice-over by an educational psychologist explained that he knew his name but did not yet have the physical dexterity to write it. She went on to explain that he should be doing colouring to gain that dexterity. Boys, being slower developers, are selectively disadvantaged. Jack's take-home from that day was that school was horrible and best avoided.<br /><br />Meanwhile in Budapest the kids were playing a conga game. The teacher called out names spelt phonetically. When the children worked out who it was they all chorused "Jane" or whatever and Jane joined the conga. They learnt co-operation and that school was fun.<br /><br />And here's the rub. Those working class kids from a school with minimal budget (immediately after the fall of the Soviet empire) by most measures knocked spots off those the middle class ones from Surrey.<br />Gordonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09261797893125328161noreply@blogger.com