C.E. Jottings

Just for today, I'd like to not feel like I have to fight for my kid

I was thinking it was time for a cup of tea and for checking on the latest football results on Sky Sports. I'd checked out Andrew's latest post "Feeling of Contentment", followed his links to James Forliti's post "Gaps" (reading Susie Mallett's Comment while I was there) and to "About the small stuff" which was new to me so I lingered a while, looking around; liked the badge "I Love Someone with Cerebral Palsy" (I might get one) and somehow... Read more →

Taking training out of universities #CondEd

Andrew responded to my posting about Robin Murray’s review for Cooperatives UK, “Cooperation in the age of Google”, by taking the thinking in an unexpected but interesting and highly relevant direction: that of the training of conductors. If one wished to train 'a conductor' at no more than the cost of the actual training, and to hell with any formal requirements for recognised qualifications etc. that are not central to the task in hand (but easily a lot of effort... Read more →

Co-operation in the Age of Google #CondEd

As I write, I am in the middle of reading "Co-operation in the Age of Google" by Robin Murray, a review commissioned by Cooperatives UK: "a radical vision of the how the co-operative sector can expand in the 21st Century." Its underpinning contention is that "we are living at a time of profound transformation". I am reminded of a thread of recent postings on his blog by Andrew Sutton, such as "CE's New Wave - creative not beholden" which in... Read more →

Why blog? Why twitter? Why Facebook? What's it all to do with me? #CondEd

Dorothea De Courcey is, she says at the top of her new blog "A senior lady on an internet journey ...." If you've ever been tempted to start a blog or join Facebook and held back,Dorothea's blog might be just the encouragement you need. Dorothea has only just started writing, so you can still read her very first post and catch up. Do take a look - and do let me know if you set up your own conductive education... Read more →

Two very welcome visitors

Belatedly .... Thursday saw two very welcome and special visitors to Paces. In the morning, one of Paces' oldest friends, Graham Moore, Chairman of Westfield Health. Graham it was who in 1994 attended our very first public meeting, where we announced our intent to bring Conductive Education to Sheffield and set up our own centre. As Graham tells it, he just couldn't believe what we were planning to do, couldn't see how we could possibly succeed - and decided he'd... Read more →

Changing Education Paradigms - Sir Ken Robinson again

Ben Sutton pointed it out to Andrew Sutton. Posted here because I like what he has to say (and because I can), Sir Ken Robinson "Changing Education Paradigms": Read more →

Searching for an answer, any answer, some answer

You probably didn't see this - unless like me you read the Sunday Times last Sunday (or care to pay to get through Rupert Murdoch's paywall). Underneath a prominent front page picture: Sasha brown, 3, has taken part in the first trial to treat cerebral palsy using stem cells taken at birth from the patient's umbilical cord. Her parents say her condition has improved. On page 4, a main news story spreads over 6 columns with a lovely picture of... Read more →

Strategic thinking in Conductive Education #CondEd

Thanks to Andrew Sutton for posting the link to the Address by Andria Spindel (President & CEO March of Dimes, Canada) to the ACENA Conference in August this year. And what a most interesting address it is to read. With local variation, it is all very familiar. I found myself repeatedly thinking, Yes. Yes. I admire and agree with Andria's strongly positive concluding remarks. Only in one area do I firmly want to present an alternative case. Andria says "Parents... Read more →

Teacher expertise for special educational needs

I've just downloaded, and will read it shortly: Teacher Expertise for Special Educational Needs, a publication from Policy Exchange. This looks promising: "The research note recommends that all teachers should receive at least some SEN training as part of their initial training and that teachers in specialist roles should have or be working towards specialist qualifications specifically relevant to the needs of the children they are teaching." Read more →

DfE: More flexibility & freedom - and the 'duty to cooperate'

You can read the full report on the Department for Education news website. An extract: "All evidence and experience suggests stronger partnerships, greater integration of services and a shared purpose for all those working with and for children and families lead to better services for children, young people and families – especially the most vulnerable. The core principle of a shared commitment to improve the lives of children, young people and families – enshrined in the ‘duty to cooperate’ on... Read more →