| Artists Wanted | In Focus : Pete Eckert from Artists Wanted on Vimeo.

There are supposed to be special edition four pack out this year too for those who are not faint hearted:)

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I’m quite pleased about that. There’s always the risk that someone will play it safe with an older, classic  piece by a more established name and then the ‘gift with value’ card will have  been seen to be played. (a bit like Mr Brown’s very politically correct Victorian timbers from an anti-slavery ship, pen holder). But dealing the modern art card is definitely more peppy, risky and shows a good deal of faith in the value of modern artists. Obama gave Cameron a signed colour lithograph by American artist Ed Ruscha, one of leaders of the Pop art movement. The piece, “Column With Speed Lines,” was selected for the red, white and blue colors matching both countries’ flags. Hmmm, symbolism laid on with a trowel.

The Pop Art link with Ruscha is an astute  choice – he’s not one of the massive names of the Pop Art movement. However, he has has been around from the start, having exhibited with the likes of Warhol, Lichtenstein, etc in the historically important and ground-breaking “New Painting of Common Objects,”exhibition first acknowledged as the beginnings of the Pop Art movement in the US.

Twenty First Century City-Eine (Courtesy of the British Embassy)

On the other hand, Cameron’s gift shows a surprising savvyness that is very up to the moment. His choice, well his wife’s,  is a piece by Graffiti artist Ben Eine valued at less than the Ruscha but worth a hell of a lot more in street cred. A conservative leader promoting a known graffiti artist!? Who has a criminal record!? Eine admits to being a hardcore part of that ‘hooded tracksuit gang thing’. And having been arrested 15 or 20 times, with a close escape from prison.

Nevertheless, the piece, although reflective of Eine’s obsession for lettering, doesn’t have the satirical or political edge that other graffiti (or as Eine himself and other similar artists are beginning to be called – Street Artists) have.  So it wasn’t a dangerous choice in that sense. It’s certainly a clever title and theme. It reminds me of Jasper Johns – but not as sloppy!

I find the intrinsic v extrinsic argument one that has simmered for a very long time in the teaching profession. Were I work, we would never countenance house teams and points which were heavily extrinsic in their thinking – given and taken away as the occasion demanded. Along with that there was an old school type of thinking that went with school houses, lists or tables that showed which house was winning – and also laboured on which was loosing. Only finding a model which avoids publicly demonstrating who has lost would be considered.

We always looked for intrinsic means of motivating. The trouble is that all too often, children only recognise that they have done well if they see something in their hands as proof of their success. General praise and public applause would not be enough. Hence a drift into certificates, or more recently “Spotted”s.

“Spotted”s are little slips of paper which say on one side,

“You’ve been Spotted by….”

and the teacher’s name follows. Amazingly simple in it’s concept. But this is a ticket to a greater prize! These are given to children, not just for good work, but also for good behaviour. They child might not even have been looking to receive this small token of praise, but the hope is that (and is generally the case) that when good/kind behaviour, or concentration on a task, is rewarded, then the child feels a warm sense of achievement and will remember that behaviour in the future and repeat it.

The reward can be given for anything you wish and for any circumstance e.g. a good idea, reasoning and explanation, writing, reading, leaving another fidgety child alone, keeping their temper when provoked etc…

It’s aim is to promote a positive ethos and attitude – and unlike house points, can’t be taken away once given.

The child writes their name on the back and it goes into the ‘spotted’ box. Each class has the chance of having one name drawn out each week and (here’s the carrot) that child – as well as being seen to have done something positive by the whole school, also has the opportunity to choose something from the head teacher’s treasure box!

It has proved to be very popular. It does reward in an extrinsic kind of way for more intrinsic actions.