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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.

Melanie C

Sporty Spice, Melanie C has joined the cast of Blood Brothers as Mrs Johnstone. It will be interesting to see how well she copes. I’m sure she will be great for the show. There’s bound to be a lot of interest in a scouse spice Girl in such a scouse role. There are already reports that  Baby Spice, Emma Buntun, will be supporting Melanie on Monday. And both Posh and Becks are believed to be doing the same.

I’m looking forward to seeing the show on Wednesday. Every other time I’ve seen this production in London, it’s had me in tears, I’m hoping Mel will do the same!

The Three Musketeers

This is a somewhat belated recommendation, as the season has ended, but should this  speedy romp ever energetically throw itself near your doorstep, then make sure you clasp your overflowing goblet close to your chest, ensure your preferred means of defence – sword, dagger, pistol – is well oiled and grab the nearest lusty knave or wench (why not both) to accompany you on this breathless journey. They don’t stop. There’s fight scene after acrobatic fight scene. Everyone on stage has a magical ability to transform themselves utterly. There was literally a cast of thousands, well hundreds, as the three Musketeers and D ‘Artagnan fought the Cardinal’s men. Amazing what can be done with a a couple of beards and a moustache.

Favourite funny bits?

• All four in D ‘Artagnan’s cramped open air room needing to step out side to cry One for All…
• Duke of Buckingham
• The guys – they’re just so cool
• Baggy boots
• 

  Eavesdropping the Cardinal's evil plans

  Mme. Bonacieux’s flirtatious luring of D ‘Artagnan

• King Louis XIII’s fear of Balls
• Stunningly accurate knife throwing – every one landing in the middle of the forehead, amazing.
• Horses
• D’Arty’s summersault
• Wicked Laughs
• Battle of Crecy – defeating the English during breakfast
• Sword fight 1, 2, 3
• Duke of Buckingham
• Frying pan fights 1, 2, 3
• Sister Maria in the Convent
• Beheading…

I must know, there must be other Musketeer devotees out there – What did you think?

A Midsummer Night's Dream

They rip through the script at an amazing pace, always clear and with plenty of space for innuendo and slap stick. Hermia was blowing smoke out of the ears at one point. We loved it. And there were plenty of us, tables, chairs, chandeliers, boaters, blazers and all the other accoutrement. Those who brought rugs where privileged to be seated at the front – we were in that category although we were on black plastic bags – not quite the same class. Nevertheless, we were close enough to catch Helena’s head as it was kicked into touch by a steaming Hermia (Lizzie Dive or was that Ivy Dizzle, Zed Zilivy?) This prompted a request as to whether there was a doctor in the house. She recovered herself quickly enough however, and we raced on to the second half.

When it pelted down. All we lacked was the thunder and lightning. The noise was deafening. They had to really shout to be heard, and costumes where getting soggier. I felt very cosy on my black plastic bag sitting under my broken umbrella, hugging my cushion.
But they played on, as they do, with as much gusto as ever. It was a wonderful performance. And A Midsummer Night’s Dream is still one of my favourites.

Looking For Eric

Looking for Eric – what a gem. I loved this film. It’s beautifully crafted. I don’t know how they catch people reacting to each other so naturally. The central character is the most unlikely hero. He’s certainly not your Alfa Male, but he’s just lovely and he has your sympathy right from the start. I was so frustrated for him with his break down, thoughtless step lads and that shabby, and my god it was shabby, house.

There’s not much going for him. And he just continues to sink further into his own despair, despite the best of efforts from the most inept bunch of mates. It takes a lot of self-talk in the form of a philosophical Cantona and a number of spliffs, which must help free the mind, before things do start to turn around.

It’s wonderfully gritty and yet it’s characters never step beyond the boundaries of being gentlemen – even when dealing with the local psychopath.

If you haven’t already, you need to go Looking for Eric.

The Ambassadors

It is just amazing. You can see them casually standing, waiting for you, on an end wall through several linking rooms. Two friends, in all their brilliant finery. They are very patient. Don’t appear to be in a hurry. But I suppose when you are at the king’s disposal, time is not your own. And Jean de Dinteville was the unhappy representative of King Francis I of France at Henry VIII’s turbulent court. He seemed to have spent much of this visit, in 1533, waiting for the coronation of Anne Boleyn on 1st June. An intriguing time as they had already married in secret in January before Henry divorced Catherine. As well as ordering thirty tons of Gascon wine to shield de Dinteville against the best of England’s cold and damp, he would no doubt have been instrumental in the negotiations that led to Francis I being godfather to their new born child, Elizabeth.

His friend, Georges de Selve, a bishop of Lavaur in southwest France, apparently made a secret appearance at this time. And how better to celebrate a secret meeting, “which was no small pleasure” to de Dinteville, than to have one of the most iconic images of the time painted in its memory. (Well, perhaps.)

Terrestrial Globe

Hans Holbein (the younger) was a man for gadgets and symbolism, and such a subject as requested by de Dinteville, must surely have been God sent – in more ways than one. How many messages and hints can you cram into a seemingly simple portrait? Two men, eager to demonstrate their wealth, learning, statesmanship and prowess, flanking an unusually high table on which are displayed all the latest high tech gizmos: items for telling the time, a terrestrial globe (which also indicates the location of de Dinteville’s chateau – where the painting would hang), a book on arithmetic conveniently left open on a page entitled “Dividirt” (divide) alluding to the various forms of political and religious division in Europe at that time.

Lute and Lutheran text

There is also a lute, normally a symbol of harmony, with a broken string, next to a text revealing the Ten Commandments interestingly translated into German by Martin Luther (first published in 1529).  This is all hot off the press stuff. The expensive celestial globe, made of brass and embellished with starry constellations, reflects the skies of 12th July in Rome’s latitude, not London’s. Henry was excommunicated from the Holy Roman Church by Pope Clement on 1st of that month. Interesting, isn’t it?

Celestial Globe

But of course the most famous detail is the slash of the skull across the center foreground. Why? He must have been showing off, knowing that this painting was going to be seen by some of the most influential wheeler-dealers of the age. The skull is a symbol frequently used to indicate mortality, how long we have on this mortal coil. From Medieval time onwards, they tell an illiterate audience that the crucifixion took place in Golgotha, the hill outside Jerusalem. But here its use is mystifying. It’s so out of place with the rest of the scene. Is it a cry for science and new ideas?

Skull - anamorphosis

Skull seen from the correct perspective

In order to paint in the detail that he did, with such photographic precision, did Holbein use his own state of the art technology, the camera obscura, with the crafty use of lenses? The foreshortening and mathematical contrivances that went into creating this anamorphosis causes audiences to wander back and forth trying to ‘get it’. I have to admit that I did guide some poor souls to the position they needed to be at in order to ‘see’ the skull. The painting is hung on the equivalent of a chimney-breast, and this is so that you can walk to a line along side the painting and stare at it from the side. Right side’s best.

But despite all the intellectual wealth and science on display through the subjects and the technical virtuosity of the artist, there’s that little detail, almost hidden behind the edge of the richly embroidered curtain. It’s probably the most intriguing revelation. When one of your star subjects is a bishop, experienced diplomat known for his views on reforming the Roman Church, why hide a little crucifix? These men are bound to spot it. Aren’t they? So, is this a sneaky declaration of Holbein’s, or is it done with their approval inferring that the Catholic church is being deliberately pushed to one side?

Weekly non-contact time would crawl round and in the allotted shift I would sift through the backlog of mail and find myself making time to actually scan beyond the enticing ‘Don’t miss this opportunity, apply now!’ This might actually be something that could be meaningful to me, and, I can’t stress how important this and is, and not bore me to death with dissertations. Statements like ‘assessment via portfolio’ ‘written work or it’s equivalent – presentation/exhibition’ were music to my ears.
My friend and I were discussing how wonderful it would be to go back to college and just listen and not have to do all those laborious essays. Only do when really interested. How many people have you come across who have just finished – in particular – their English degree, A level, whatever, a subject they really thought they loved, and didn’t want to do anything with it again? Their love for reading or writing analysed out of existence. That is such a crying shame.
That’s why I’m somewhat nervous. On paper this course does look good and after the initial meeting I’m still feeling eager to press on. There are plenty of get out of jail cards to play. I can ‘rest’ after earning a PG certificate, or later with a diploma. But if I find the creative juices haven’t been altogether squished I can progress to the heady heights of MA. If I’m good enough. Well, we’ll see.
My other doubt, and this is one that was mooted by many who were there at the first meeting, is the all encompassing, exponential nature of teaching, subsuming all attempts at work/life balance. Really have to work hard to find the other you. It makes me feel how important it is to be selfish and seek out those opportunities to do something for your self.
OMG. I’m going to be a student again. I’ll get a bona fide card and everything. Wow!

One anecdote made me swallow back tears. He talked about how we can be trained into conditions, like flees. Flees can jump extraordinarily high considering their mass. But if you trap one in a cup and put a lid on it, it will eventually learn to jump to the height of the cup. And if you take away the lid it will still only jump as high as the cup – so never jumping out.

Admittedly, that’s not the part that made me tearful.

It was when he went on to describe an associate who had, as a child, loved singing. Sang all the time. But at some point in her Primary school life, the music teacher was listening to children for the school choir and had them all singing a song. She was to walk along the line, listening to them individually, and if she put her hand on the child’s head they were to mime. It makes my blood boil just to write this. Well, as you can imagine, the child in question was praying not to be touched. And sure enough, as the teacher approached, she touched her head. That spark of desire disappeared. She never sang again. Even to herself. She had been trained to jump only as high as the cup. Only to mime. Disturbing isn’t it, what we (i.e. teachers, trainers, adults) do for the accepted norm? And how thoughtless that norm is.

We need to see our selves without the lid. To learn to see the world and what we can do in it with new eyes. When that veil is taken away, my god it’s exciting.

Intelligence is dynamic, creative and reacts to different ways of seeing things.

We need to radically review our view of intelligence.

We’ve all been crippled or educated out of creativity. In this, frankly amazing and inspiring talk, Sir Ken Robinson discusses why we need to re-evaluate our approach to education. Creativity as important as Literacy? Shocking!

Schools Kill Creativity (link to the TED site)

Scribbler art from Ze Frank's site

www.zefrank.com