> Martina Addiscott wrote:
Whether the children have actually 'learned' anything (or even properly understood the concept), is largely irrelevant - just so long as we can demonstrate (to "OFSTED" inspectors) that the curriculum is implemented. No doubt it is this underlying bureaucracy which has led to a reduction in educational standards, over the years - as the children do not really get the time (or opportunity) to learn anything "from first principles". We are therefore turning-out a generation of people who might know WHAT, but not WHY, things work - even though the level of 'what' they know is debatable, and they may not actually be able to "think for themselves".
I'm not a teacher so I'm not really qualified to respond to this silliness but I may be the closest thing that this list has to a student.
Personally I am more interested in the 'why' of things and trying to figure them out myself leads to a greater understanding. Sure, I could look everything up on Google and make short order of this subject by just reading. But I have absolutely no interest in that and I suspect I am not alone. Apologies to all my sundial friends here but sundial facts and figures are as boring as you get.
If I was a teacher I would say, okay class we are going to make a sundial together. We will figure out how to make one, then we will make one, then we will figure out why it works.
The process of choosing what to use for a gnomon, where is the best location for the sundial, what angle should the gnomon be directed... are all important lessons in themselves and lead to a complete understanding of how a sundial works and why.
It seems simple enough to me and you don't even need to buy anything. Use the 500 pounds to take the class on a field trip to see existing sundials around your area. Then stop at McDonalds and buy them all lunch and make a sundial with your bag of fries. They will remember that forever.
brent --------------------------------------------------- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
