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Quandary

17 Jul 2008 - Our 11-year old wants to be a vet. He is above-average academically but not outstandingly so. Should we encourage him?

10 Jul 2008 - Help! After a year at secondary school our 12-year-old daughter has become a rebel whose work is going backwards.

03 Jul 2008 - My daughter was ill during A levels. What can she do? She doesn’t want to spend her gap year doing re-sits

26 Jun 2008 - What is wrong with the Early Years Foundation Stage? I’m a childminder, and haven’t seen anything that bothers me.

05 Jun 2008 - School cadet corps -- good or bad? As a woolly liberal do I cheer when my boys want to join?

29 May 2008 - How can I tutor my 13-year-old London pupils about violence on the streets without making them even more anxious?

22 May 2008 - My daughter often gets after-school detentions, and then I have to drive to fetch her. Why not have lunchtime ones?

15 May 2008 - Can you ever make a good film about teaching? In the recent Happy Go Lucky the girl made a completely unconvincing primary teacher.

08 May 2008 - I am a PE teacher in an inner city school. How do I get reluctant teenage girls moving? Nothing works.

30 Apr 2008 - One of my maths teachers is in a relationship with a former pupil. What, as his head, do I do?

24 Apr 2008 - Our daughter wants to take the new diploma in IT. We like the idea, but worry there could be problems.

17 Apr 2008 - Why should we fund public youth projects that teach youngsters things like how to record violent rap songs?

10 Apr 2008 - Our seven-year-old’s teacher resents her because she is bright and precocious. Our daughter is unhappy. What can we do?

27 Mar 2008 - I teach more and more children on the autistic spectrum. Why is the incidence of this going up so fast?

20 Mar 2008 - If exam boards put more modern novels on the syllabus and squeeze out the classics, isn’t this dumbing down?

13 Mar 2008 - Our daughter’s teacher has criticised her for not being willing to share her feelings at circle time.

06 Mar 2008 - Does it matter if a pupil does a double science award at GCSE, instead of three separate sciences?

28 Feb 2008 - My daughter doesn't have a good memory, which is a real handicap for her in exams. Can we do anything to help her?

14 Feb 2008 - Why do you have to have a qualification to teach adults? Doesn’t it put people off sharing their skills?

01 Feb 2008 - My twins only get half an hour for lunch. The school says it’s for discipline reasons. What can we do?

25 Jan 2008 - Isn’t raising the school leaving age to eighteen stupid? In my experience, nothing works for youngsters unless they motivate themselves.

17 Jan 2008 - Is there evidence that bedtime stories are good for children? I work and my children sometimes have a tape.

10 Jan 2008 - My 14-year-old always texts and listens to music while working. Should I stop her? She does well at school.

13 Dec 2007 - Education isn’t all bad news. What are the best memories you, and your readers have of the past year?

06 Dec 2007 - My 11-year-old is upset because he has been told to mime in the Christmas concert. Can I help him learn to hold a tune?

29 Nov 2007 - All children reading by six? Will teachers ever be able to make politicians understand how education really works?

22 Nov 2007 - Why bring in academic diplomas, as well as technical diplomas, for sixth formers when we already have a perfectly good A levels?

15 Nov 2007 - My sons are financially ignorant and know nothing about mortgages and interest rates. Shouldn’t they be taught them at school?

08 Nov 2007 - Should my grandson take a year out from university, get some work experience, then go back to try for a First?

01 Nov 2007 - My daughter says her teachers are as good as those winning Teaching Awards. Why have these awards? We don’t for doctors and nurses.

25 Oct 2007 - Our 12-year-old wants to be a doctor. Her school is not strong at science. Should she go to private school?

18 Oct 2007 - I read that silent reading first thing each day helps secondary-age children read better. Why don’t all schools do it?

11 Oct 2007 - I want to take an MA but I work and have a family. Distance learning would be easiest, but I hanker after classes.

04 Oct 2007 - Our children are moving to a primary school that gives children a taste of many languages. What about their French?

27 Sep 2007 - What should primary teachers wear? I think my young staff are too casual. Am I out of touch?

20 Sep 2007 - Teaching happiness when children can’t even master basic English and maths? How can people be so stupid?

13 Sep 2007 - My daughter is set on going to Oxford but may not get in. Should we encourage her or not?

06 Sep 2007 - Where can I find out information about how to help the boys in my class catch up with the girls?

30 Aug 2007 - I’ve been taught to cater for different kinds of learners in my lessons. Now I’ve read that this is nonsense.

09 Aug 2007 - I’m a new, male graduate who would like to be a primary school teacher but worry how people will react

02 Aug 2007 - My children’s RE teacher says she would teach that intelligent design is an alternative theory to evolution. I am shocked.

26 Jul 2007 - As a long-time primary teacher my heart sinks at topic work returning to the classroom. Younger colleagues say I’m wrong.

19 Jul 2007 - When will private schools start to partner state schools? Our mediocre comprehensive badly needs help from its public school neighbours.

12 Jul 2007 - My students can’t construct arguments, and all of them cut and paste in essays. Do people understand that this is how things are universities now?

05 Jul 2007 - Surely there are better ways for schools to be accountable than with our tests and targets culture?

28 Jun 2007 - Help! My husband wants our daughter to go to private school, I want her to go to school locally

21 Jun 2007 - My daughter is so shy it is hampering her experience of primary school. How can I help her?

14 Jun 2007 - Children’s reading and writing are not improving. Are schools to blame, or is this the limit?

07 Jun 2007 - As a lifelong Tory I don’t get it. Why turn away from grammar schools? They work.

31 May 2007 - Why build a new school with no playground? Surely even secondary school children need to let of steam?

24 May 2007 - My son says he intends to study computer games and advertising in the sixth form. What’s he talking about?

17 May 2007 - My daughter’s English teacher says you can’t switch today’s pupils onto Shakespeare. Surely she’s is wrong?

03 May 2007 - My boys never speak in sentences. They only grunt. Why don’t schools teach children to speak properly?

26 Apr 2007 - Our son’s teachers are accusing him of causing trouble in class. He says they are racist.

19 Apr 2007 - Doesn’t music help children to learn better? I want my daughter’s reception class to do more of it.

12 Apr 2007 - How can I get my pupil’s parents more involved in their education? Nothing works at our primary school.

05 Apr 2007 - Shouldn’t children be taught to type and write at the same time? They need typing more than writing.

Feature Articles

12 Jun 2008 - The Importance of Networking

12 Jun 2008 - A US educationalist claims to have the answer to failing schools -- and it lies in literacy

08 May 2008 - A bit of a mess: why the Government's plans to end child poverty were botched

22 Apr 2008 - Taking care of business: George Yip profile

22 Apr 2008 - Why greed is no good

11 Apr 2008 - Teachers -- don't strike

28 Feb 2008 - Information overload: an intranet linking schools in Scotland is set to provide a giant resource bank

28 Feb 2008 - Do little ones need formal lessons?

14 Feb 2008 - A four-year battle with the system

07 Feb 2008 - The diploma revolution

07 Feb 2008 - Rooms for improvement: Britain's dilapidated schools are being rebuilt

17 Jan 2008 - Before you learn how to organise other people, learn how to organise yourself

10 Jan 2008 - Keep the faith: Why religious education is booming

06 Dec 2007 - Student entrepreneurs

01 Nov 2007 - Children’s Commissioner: an interview with Sir Al Aynsley-Green

25 Oct 2007 - Bringing education to the Nairobi slums

15 Oct 2007 - Developing university study skills

10 Oct 2007 - AMBA accreditation

06 Oct 2007 - Nurture groups

20 Sep 2007 - Learning outside the classroom

31 Aug 2007 - Take six of the best and learn to be a great teacher

12 Aug 2007 - Low grades? Finding another university

26 Jul 2007 - Lessons in money management

01 Jul 2007 - Girls on Top: the work of CAMFED in Africa

17 Jun 2007 - Young Geographer of the Year

14 Jun 2007 - Interview with Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School

07 Jun 2007 - A song a day is Howard's way

19 May 2007 - Hull Business School

10 May 2007 - Why can’t all children go to primary school?

10 May 2007 - Why can't all children go to primary school?

05 May 2007 - KIPP Schools

01 May 2007 - Specialist MSc Programmes

19 Apr 2007 - MBA courses in Africa

08 Apr 2007 - Why children's play matters

01 Mar 2007 - Beyond A levels: the sixth-formers who write dissertations for fun

28 Feb 2007 - Silent women: an exhibition of art by Iranian photographers