Times Educational Supplement: Education or schooling?

Below is part of the marketing blurb I was sent for the Times Educational Supplement’s new TESconnect site. Initially, my eyes lit up – perfectly peronalised with my name (the wonders of technology), promises to radically change the educational landscape (my kind of language). Sadly, rather like the schooling system itself its the ‘carry on as usual – customising, tailoring, connecting – yes. Radical I don’t think so. The day the TES truly speaks to and with the whole educational landscape I will sit up and be impressed. I’m afraid if the TES wants to get involved in transformation it needs to start to communicate with and draw upon ideas from a much wider educational constituency. I’d love to see the views of democratic and free schools, of learning communities and centres, of informal and community educators, of home-based educators and their learners given space. Let’s have a real dialogue and balanced exposure of alternative tried and tested perspectives. The reality is the TES is should actually be renamed the Times Schooling Supplement – it should only bring back the ‘Education’when it includes the wider educational world.

‘One giant cyber-leap for teachers everywhere, the new social network and resource sharing platform for teachers, TESconnect, is set to radically change the educational landscape. An impassioned source at TES said the following:
     “Hundreds of teachers and everyone here at TES have worked tirelessly to get TESconnect to where it is now, but more importantly, our efforts would all amount to nothing were it not for people like Peter and countless others. There are over 500,000 teachers being brought together in ways that were never before possible, until now. We’re connecting to each other and sharing tried-and-tested lesson plans between teachers who are hundreds of miles apart. Offering each other experience, inspiration and advice — all in an instant. The good that will come of this, for teachers, is potentially limitless.”
     Fellow TES members are particularly thrilled at the prospect of connecting to and hearing some of Peter’s own resources and ideas.
In an interview, one member told us:
     “Peter has been doing some really good things up to now, so I’m looking forward to comparing notes and sharing ideas and resources. Teaching can often feel extremely classroom-centric, so connecting with teachers like Peter and their ideas breathes new life into your own approach. In short, the more the merrier!”
     With the start of the new school year just around the corner, the launch couldn’t have come at a better time. And with the new platform already in place, Peter should take no time whatsoever settling in.
     No doubt there will be many more positive headlines to come.
     Be a part of something amazing. Click here for an introduction to TESconnect’ http://www.tes.co.uk/community.aspx  
 
On the positive side I guess there is nothing to stop those in the wider educational landscape from joing TESconnect and getting some different perspective over!! Now that would be heretical!