Gareth Davies on Phil Beadle
Dec 01
Gareth’s firm rebuttal of Phil Beadle’s article in the TES Guardian lays out the stark realities of not harnessing ICT in teaching. I would love to interview Phil Beadle, not least because of his inspirational teaching, but also to tease out for him how ICT would enhance what he does. After all we are never too good to learn 
Phil admits that ICT may be a fantastic tool, but like so many teachers he claims he does not have the time learn how to use it. Well Phil, perhaps you need to find that time, because pupils in your care deserve a 21st century education in which ICT has and will not replace books, pens and pencils, but is just as relevant in a literate society. To not be engaged in the forms of communication that this technology affords means, as an English teacher, you are unable to inform and educate students on how to become a constructive member of today’s society.
Peter,
Actually the article was the the Education Guardian rather than the TES, as you state. I do feel that teachers who are given a ‘national voice’ need to be talking sense and to be using that opportunity to promote a professional attitude that benefits students in our care rather than reinforces an attitude that ‘it’s not my responsibility’. Educators are not just ‘deliverers’ (we’ve had this conversation before!) of someone else’s agenda. If they want to be taken account of, you can’t just whinge!
Absolute sense my friend!