Teraknor

One of the greatest joys when it comes to automation; is the fact that I can present this post from the comfort of my dining table. Days before midnight on the 31st of December. So ... happy new year, enjoy. If it has been a good year so far, may this continue. If your year has been a bit shit, don't let the bastards grind you down.

Then it is better that you stop reading; Chinese proverb. Yet in the cynicism of our modern moderately media savvy society. There are times where I wonder those reading what they read, read it with the possibility that what they are digesting may be: Wrong Moderately incorrect Biased Not answering the original question So many facts, yet there seems to be a willingness to accept the words of well known sources as the final version. The same goes for media outlets to shout about individual scientific studies as 'fact'. In spite of the reality that each new study is consumed into the pantheon of knowledge to be eventually accepted or rejected. In my mind, a fact is always a transient affair. It can sit in my mind as something to be challenge and open to adjustment when new information comes along to enhance or degrade my original notion. To enhance this, I tend to be at ease with many cognitive dissonances. Having contrasting and contradicting ideas sitting beside e...

Some of you who follow the muttering of this blogger, may be aware that I am working on the notion of teaching by twitter (well multi-platform social media engagement to be tediously precise). Following the study calendar of a particular module I chair at the Open University. With Christmas, came a study break and therefore equally a social media lull. I could have tweeted over this period; like spam emails there needs to be a time when the relentless automation of communications technology must cease. So, with this in mind we took a break from the 23rd until the 30th. Only interrupting this silence with an occasional 'seasonally apt' message. Why, personally I think students must rest, our forums fell silent christmas eve and someone ventured in late Boxing Day (the 26th). They have so much to do, it is equally important that we reinforce this time and communicate the need for quality time away from study as well as when we must equally focus on learning. If you are a...

Books for bed time; beasts at bay. Sleepy time slumber; boredom away. Literary tradition, words of joy. Which tale, to tell, about Girl or Boy? Many books, many stories told.  Generation passed down, wonder behold. Tigers, Caterpillars, Builders maybe. Long lost islands or visions of the sea. From babe to teen, youth to adult.  Reading is the experience of common cult. Everyone who can, will find the words to see. Imagination, inspiration, setting you free. Do you read to your children, you should ....

Personally I find Turkey to be quite a tasteless meat, good for quantity but not so great when it comes to quality. If you are a fan of the bronze Turkey. I grant you it has more taste (not a lot, just a little bit more). But these seem to come in at a price that makes ones eyes water. Starting in the region of £70+ for anything worth having. The rules of the Smith household Christmas dinner are ... It must be different The quality must be high The cost must not be outlandish Another tradition that has been agreed over many years is that 'Dad' (AKA me) cooks the dinner. Mum (AKA Shirley) has done it occasionally, but for this meal I feel that one must serve my wife. So, lets explore this years treat, I decided that it had to be four different fowl. Duck, Grouse, Pheasant and a stuffing of Chicken with homemade mincemeat. Taking each picture in turn, we will explore this treat. There are no set rules, only the pleasure of prepping and cooking this delight. Pre...

There are many things that signify Christmas; creating traditions is one of them. Not national traditions, nor international ones. Those personal traditions that are special to you, family and friends alone. Why are they important, it isn't the ritual. It is the trust that you will have a shared experience with those worth sharing it with. Accepted, some traditions become habit and some traditions should best be stopped before they become too laborious. But those traditions that bring a little comfort, joy and familiarity to the season are the ones worth maintaining. So, what are your traditions. What are the ones that are worth keeping and make the Christmas season worth revisiting every year?

During today (being Christmas Day), we have been releasing this poem in instalments. I do not pretend that this is the finest prose composed, it is corny and maybe painful. So what, here it is. Its christmas morning in the Smith household Not a single turkey in sight Whilst one fowl breathes easy Five others take fright Its 8:30 in the morning, The women still in bed, Leaving father to write this dodgy christmas thread Soon it will be time for breakfast Our first set of seasonal treats Stockings filled to brim Have we hidden the amazon receipts? Church service done, birth of Christ celebrated Children having wild fun ... Today isn’t only a pagan time Christmas is for everyone Time to open the main gifts Time to remember Knowing that our Son is working So others enjoy their December Lunch time soon, the Arnolds will arrive A mince pie welcome John and Yoko playing in the kitchen Sharing and welcome is what Christmas becomes Stuff...

If you are chasing the next 'thing', in any walk of life you could be considered to be a little on the vacuous side, lacking any substance etc. Yet education has long been a chaser of trends. From educational style, teaching methodology to tech toy for enhancing the delivery experience.  If you are a teacher, think about it, what trends have you imposed. What edicts from either your organisation or on high within the Government have you witlessly inflicted. Also what cool ideals are now quite uncool. Did that mean we were not educating our students properly when the uncool mode was cool. Often I wonder if our students learn, in spite of us. As if the will to learn will overcome the best efforts of education to kick that out of students. There is collateral damage on the way; those who will be discarded by our ever changing ebb of ideas. But the majority, who still work, prosper and seem to learn. Have an innate ability to survive and discover new things. Even when t...

Well wasn't that a **** year? Please insert applicable term, based on how well you think you know us. Good things have happened, but this has been marred by the chaos imposed by a specialist college that shall remain unnamed (yet south of Hull, north of Boston and east of Lincoln). If you need any perspective, go back to our post of last year ...  http://teraknorblogs.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/another-christmas-bah-humbug-message.html  or get to know us. Either will work. To be fair, good things have happened. When you are looking through the lens of a challenging experience; they are harder to see. Shirley's business a bun in the oven  is slowly developing (or proving), she has delivered some group sessions. Shirley has also learned that a community group have acquired funding for more of her time and expertise. The group that started in September 2012 has been gently growing in this time, with sessions most months. Here lies a small community that encourage, le...

Last week I had an entertaining and interesting email from a centre one works with, within Englandshire. When I say, work with, they are a service provider that has been providing an excellent service since 2006. Until last week, I would say without reservation they have been one of our most worry free. Whilst small, they reach a potentially underserved region and have in our minds delivered to a high standard. For this, we pay handsomely and have never quibbled. In fact, since last September, we have offered them more work. Because they reach a smaller, they never get a full allocation. We never pay less, treating them as equals in terms of their fee. So, you would think that we like them (quite a bit). Then we get the numpty email; demanding extra cash for printing some supporting material. Immediately shooting a .44 calibre bullet into their foot, via the medium of email. Something in the region of £20, which is less than 1.5% of the fee that we pay them (per day). And un...

Am I a cynic? Yes, it has come with some considered practice, care and precision. One does not acquire this overnight. It has to be worked on with dedication and occasionally polished so that it doesn't tarnish. I do think that education needs a reboot, not rewriting, not upgrading, improving or some frigging new quality standard applied. It just needs a reboot. Someone needs to apply a three fingered salute (ctrl-atl-del) and say to everyone ... Lets start again and reload all the good things we remember. But ensure that the needless bloatware of the last twenty years isn't loaded. There are so many patches, variations and deviations in our current education system. To be honest it is effing confusing. No one has control, there is no continuum, even the Government does not have the final say. The result is that we have academies, federations of academies, free schools, ordinary schools and schools under local authorities and some mix of all that I have just shared. ...

I do them, you may have done them, many are doing them. Yes it is the often trivial questionnaires on social media sites. Encouraging hapless, marginally bored individuals to measure themselves against a multitude of measures. That seem to be very popular on my social media stream. They come in many guises ... How northern/southern are you? What foods have you consumed? How 19xx's are you? What is your mental age. Ironically, in my social media circles I would like to think that I have quite a diverse cross section of individuals. Equally interesting is that participation happens in all 'groups'. Maybe the idea that you have succumbed to social media means that by default you are also susceptible to these questionnaires? Yes, that includes me. To put value in these questionnaires is dubious at best. My wife who is comes from the almost northerly part of Englandshire scored less than me. I come from the south west!!! Go figure? To be fair, I could work out mo...

As many of you know, at least those who know me, I exist in variety of roles as well as my day job at the Open University. Offering consultancy at different times in different contexts, to a range of organisations. For the outright majority, they understand remuneration is required. But occasionally for a couple of less than inspired souls. They cannot seem to get into their heads that I do not do free consultations. The result is that instead of getting the answer they need, I will send them on a merry dance.

There are bits of my job that make it occasionally worth while and today was one of those moments when all around is an otherwise maelstrom turd soup of education at the moment. I came across a centre hidden away in the southern Chilterns where there is some good work afoot and they don't know it. This little centre is not without issues, but within its confines are educators who have the right idea and could with a little leadership and wisdom take many of their subjects to another level. Lets see what next year brings. 

Following an excellent conversation with some dear friends. A new educational organisational upgrade path has been discovered. Assuring quality standards requires a framework and with a framework comes iteration and version numbers. Time to develop a new framework ... Continual Review Assured Practice ... or CRAP. There was a time when working in education, I was subject to the ministrations of CRAP 1.0. A time when the organisation decided to rid itself of the teaching experts (after a successful second grade one inspection not long into the residence of a new CEO). Over the successive years, with this excellent outstanding pinnacle of education. The organisation slowly descending, slowly eating itself, evolved into CRAP2.0. After not having an inspection for some considerable time a culture evolved. Focussed on results, success and acquisition of more partners. Forgetting that it was a previous culture that brought them success. Allowing quality assurance and judgement ...

We all think we know who (or what) a leader is, often without giving much thought to who may be the real leaders vs those who like to think they are in charge. In social and work situations, I often amuse myself by watching and prodding those who think they may be leading. Often they are not. Unaware what happens around them, it often carries without their intervention, wisdom, 'leadership' or input.  To lead is to effect change, to manage is to ensure that what is remains so, without the wheels falling off. Some managers may have political guile, but if we don't see anything new come into play, then leaders they are not. Leaders survive change, leaders may see change on its way and shift, to ensure survival. So, if you a leader you are, so do you think?