C.E. Jottings

Has Bradley Wiggins "reached his full potential"? Not if he's minded to overcome fatigue.

Has 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins reached his full potential? Have you? Do you know anyone who has? Perhaps the problem lies with the whole notion of "reaching potential"? One of the minor irritations of the Murdoch press is the paywall. Behind it are two of the most interesting journalists writing occasional articles about human performance: sports writer Matthew Syed and Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Dickinson. Just such an article recently was that by Matt Dickinson "Cyclists can... Read more →

More potential nonsense. Sadly. But some good reading, too.

There are few enough books written by those who have cerebral palsy. "I'll Do It Myself" by Glenda Watson Hyatt is one that I have throughly enjoyed reading and highly recommend. (Her blog is on my recommended reading list, too!) Another quite different book but equally enjoyable read is "George's Travelogue", by George McDowell. One of the best regular blogs (because, like the two books, it challenges comfortable, conventional thinking) is "Lawyer on Wheels" by Ralph Strzałkowski. (Both the latter... Read more →

Potential nonsense. Reach it or unlock it, if you know what it is.

"Potential", in mainstream educational discourse is everywhere to be "reached" or "unlocked". Here's a fine example. I have, as they say, "redacted' the name of the institution. "XXX’s purpose is: Unlocking Potential Through Learning. With a nationwide network of colleges and training centres, we work with more than 20,000 businesses and 133,000 learners every year, regionally and nationally, to help them reach their full potential and build a talented workforce through high quality training.” Does anyone have any idea what... Read more →

Save Sproughton School for Parents

Another small conductive education centre in the UK is under threat. This time it is Sproughton School for Parents in Suffolk. The call "aux armes" (or 'Mayday' perhaps) has gone out. An appeal for £80,000 has been launched on "GoFundMe". By this morning, £8,140 has been raised in six days. "We've got a fight on our hands. The School for Parents is a vital service for children with disabilities across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. "With 2 weeks notice, the school... Read more →

It wasn't actually the declaration of "war" on numeracy and illiteracy that irritated me, flatulent as that is

It wasn't actually Education Secretary Nicky Morgan's declaration of "war" on numeracy and illiteracy that really irritated me, flatulent as that is. I first heard that said on this morning's Andrew Marr Show on BBC1. Then I read her statement at length in The Sunday Times (£ War declared: illiteracy and innumeracy must perish) No, it isn't the witless idea of education as "war" that really irritated so much as the vacuous notion that “We will expect every pupil by... Read more →