A Forum For Teachers
19 March 2010
Teachers and educationalists are too often expected to be 'compliant' in their thinking, but education is a contested subject where there is room for exciting debate.
”Professor Dennis Hayes
There is a 'debate deficit' in education says University of Derby expert Professor Dennis Hayes, ahead of a conference to launch a new teachers' forum in Matlock next week.
The Teachers' Forum is supported by the Derbyshire County Council Educational Improvement Service, the University of Derby, the Standing Committee for the Education and Training of Teachers (SCETT), and the Institute of Ideas' Education Forum.
Professor Hayes said: "Teachers and educationalists are too often expected to be 'compliant' in their thinking, but education is a contested subject where there is room for exciting debate. If you are a teacher or educationalist and want to discuss some different ideas, the new Teachers' Forum is for you."
The success of the latter is the inspiration for this new forum which will, by encouraging open and informal debate and allowing all participants to examine an important issue through the free flow of argument, create a true conversation between teachers and educationists from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
If you are interested in education, come along and join in the discussion!
The launch Forum will be held on Tuesday 23 March at 6.30pm in County Hall, Matlock, when Dr Helene Guldberg will lead a discussion on the importance of Reclaiming Childhood, the title of her controversial book.
Helene says:"We need to allow children to grow and flourish, to balance sensible guidance with youthful independence. That means letting children play, experiment and mess around without adults hovering over them. It means giving children the opportunity to develop the resilience that characterises a sane and successful adulthood.
"We can suggest ways we can work to improve children's experiences, as well as those of parents, teachers and 'strangers' once we take a step back from panic and doom-mongering."
The Teachers' Forum is free. To register, email: laura.bradley@derbyshire.gov.uk or telephone: 01629 532818.
For further details contact Professor Dennis Hayes by email: d.hayes@derby.ac.uk, Tel: 07791 200 341 or join the Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=414393012574&ref=ts
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For more information about this news release, contact Deputy Head of Corporate Relations Simon Redfern on 01332 591942 or 07748 920038, or email s.redfern@derby.ac.uk
