KIDS SHOULD HAVE MORE FUN

Maurice Smith, the current chief inspector of schools, has told the TES that children and parents must realise hard work is the only way to get good grades (http://www.tes.co.uk/2216235).
Schools, he said, are not "fun palaces".
Indeed not. Too often they're not even fun places.
Teachers are under too much pressure to deliver creative lessons while pupils are being drilled to pass tests rather than given a chance to enjoy school life.
The NUT will be debating the demise of play and how this harms children's emotional development at next week's annual conference in Torquay (general secretary Steve Sinnott has promised to bring his bucket and spade).
But if they think it's bad in schools, they should take a look at what's happening to nurseries.
The Government is introducing a new "national curriculum for babies", with nurseries and childminders being forced to monitor toddlers' progress against a set of standardised criteria.
From the birth to the age of five the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) will be compulsory from 2008.
But later this year childminders will be able to monitor toddlers for their progress in literacy and numeracy. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4878942.stm)
The Government said the EYFS will see young children "learning through planned, purposeful play".
Sound like fun?