5 ms·

"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." I'd watch the blood pressure there (I've been teaching for 24 ye

"I literally fucking exploded like a WWII bomb at the clueless peon who made that accusation." I'd watch the blood pressure there (I've been teaching for 24 years). As you are now on the management: Is there (safe, filtered) Internet via wifi and BYOD for the older pupils? Cheap android tablets for shiny media but also hackable? Scratch (http://scratch.mit.edu/ http://scratch.mit.edu/) on the PCs? Basically what policy innovation/leadership have you contributed? Not challenging here, I'd really be interested to know. Having documented examples to point at really helps in situations where you have to be diplomatic with idiots.

meaty 14y ago
I calmed down pretty quickly :) Changes so far: stopped mass iPad purchase to use as cameras (!?), different acceptable use policy (which stops people being hung without good reason), open systems policy I.e. no single vendor, fired RM PLC, halfed expenditure on consultants, new smartboards which don't fall over every 3 months, got rid of LGFL Fronter, two new IT staff. All in 9 months.
- josephlord 14y ago
  What is your Fronter replacement recommendation? And can you suggest good Schools ISP or filtering solution?
  - meaty 14y ago
    Moodle+exchange (still cheaper than fronter which was £40k+. MS will bend over for educational contracts. Exchange supports the staff better as well. Smoothwall guardian filter
- pbhjpbhj 14y ago
  Would be interested to learn more about your involvement - the school, how you pushed for the changes, why these things are being managed at school level ...?
  - meaty 14y ago
    I'll write it all up and post it to HN shortly (will check with other members that they are happy to publicise it first). Its an academy school so they are more flexible and have 3rd party funding. Basically, the governers have a greater stake in the school.
    - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
      Do you have a financial stake in the company (ie school) then. Does it trouble you in any way that your volunteer effort is going to someone else's profit instead of entirely to the children of the school?
      - jiggy2011 14y ago
        Academy schools are non profits. They are not private schools in the normal sense and there are no tuition fees charged. They are basically an experiment to run a school with less dictates from local government so do not have to follow as many rules. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school)
        pbhjpbhj 14y ago
        I must have it wrong, whilst I understood the schools could be non-profits in a limited sense (though wages of course can be inflated to extract funds) I had it that 3rd party investors were capable of extract a profit from their lending and other involvement. If there are no profits to make, how do you convince companies to get involved; most companies don't appear to be so altruistic. I think perhaps I'm under a misapprehension on labelling, that Free Schools are a subset of Academies; see eg http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/may/25/free-schools-private-companies http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/may/25/free-schools....
      - meaty 14y ago
        I have no financial stake myself. The funders do not get lobbying power and it is entirely non profit.
- louthy 14y ago
  That's very impressive. Although this doesn't effect me directly, I'd like to say thank you for your efforts. I was personally let down by secondary school technology education in the UK. I ended up with a D for GCSE IT, even though I'd been programming on my BBC Micro at home from the age of 10. Luckily I had a decent teacher at tertiary college and ended up with an A at A level. So it's great to see somebody put their knowledge to use and to hopefully create a better environment for kids to learn and be inspired.
- keithpeter 14y ago
  Sounds good so far. Good luck with it all. I hope they get their (sensibly priced) cameras (and perhaps a few sound recorders). And Scratch (I teach Maths)

meaty 14y ago

I calmed down pretty quickly :) Changes so far: stopped mass iPad purchase to use as cameras (!?), different acceptable use policy (which stops people being hung without good reason), open systems policy I.e. no single vendor, fired RM PLC, halfed expenditure on consultants, new smartboards which don't fall over every 3 months, got rid of LGFL Fronter, two new IT staff. All in 9 months.

josephlord 14y ago
What is your Fronter replacement recommendation? And can you suggest good Schools ISP or filtering solution?
- meaty 14y ago
  Moodle+exchange (still cheaper than fronter which was £40k+. MS will bend over for educational contracts. Exchange supports the staff better as well. Smoothwall guardian filter
pbhjpbhj 14y ago
Would be interested to learn more about your involvement - the school, how you pushed for the changes, why these things are being managed at school level ...?
- meaty 14y ago
  I'll write it all up and post it to HN shortly (will check with other members that they are happy to publicise it first). Its an academy school so they are more flexible and have 3rd party funding. Basically, the governers have a greater stake in the school.
  - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
    Do you have a financial stake in the company (ie school) then. Does it trouble you in any way that your volunteer effort is going to someone else's profit instead of entirely to the children of the school?
    - jiggy2011 14y ago
      Academy schools are non profits. They are not private schools in the normal sense and there are no tuition fees charged. They are basically an experiment to run a school with less dictates from local government so do not have to follow as many rules. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_(English_school)
      - pbhjpbhj 14y ago
        I must have it wrong, whilst I understood the schools could be non-profits in a limited sense (though wages of course can be inflated to extract funds) I had it that 3rd party investors were capable of extract a profit from their lending and other involvement. If there are no profits to make, how do you convince companies to get involved; most companies don't appear to be so altruistic. I think perhaps I'm under a misapprehension on labelling, that Free Schools are a subset of Academies; see eg http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/may/25/free-schools-private-companies http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/may/25/free-schools....
    - meaty 14y ago
      I have no financial stake myself. The funders do not get lobbying power and it is entirely non profit.
louthy 14y ago
That's very impressive. Although this doesn't effect me directly, I'd like to say thank you for your efforts. I was personally let down by secondary school technology education in the UK. I ended up with a D for GCSE IT, even though I'd been programming on my BBC Micro at home from the age of 10. Luckily I had a decent teacher at tertiary college and ended up with an A at A level. So it's great to see somebody put their knowledge to use and to hopefully create a better environment for kids to learn and be inspired.
keithpeter 14y ago
Sounds good so far. Good luck with it all. I hope they get their (sensibly priced) cameras (and perhaps a few sound recorders). And Scratch (I teach Maths)