This US summer, Idaho’s legislature voted to allow teachers to bring firearms into classrooms in an attempt to dissuade school shootings. It was less than a week into this school year and an Idaho professor already accidentally shot himself in the foot in front of his students. The law doesn’t appear to be making things safer.
According to police, students at Idaho State University got a terrifying surprise when their professor, who was legally allowed to carry a concealed weapon as per the new law, accidentally discharged his weapon while it was in his pocket. Thankfully, no students were injured. Unfortunately for the professor, the bullet traveled straight into his foot. He was taken to the hospital and later released.
The State of play.
An interesting story in the Age about outside play at school.In the story this claim is made:
There is another significant development affecting our school playgrounds that is, perhaps, uniquely Australian. In 2007, the federal government introduced a policy known as Building the Education Revolution (BER), a large-scale infrastructure initiative whereby primary schools across the nation received a new hall, library or classrooms on their school grounds.Without any consideration given to the play spaces being affected, the BER buildings were often constructed over key spaces that children had occupied and felt a significant connection to through their play. The old tree where hide-and-seek had been played for generations was bulldozed; "Tiggy" could no longer be played where the big new hall now stands.
In some inner-urban schools, up to a third of the playground was reclaimed for the BER buildings, with inadequate provision for play made in the smaller, remaining space. Many of our school playgrounds are not faring well in a post-BER climate, where the large-scale destruction of play spaces has taken place across the nation.
I Don't agree with that at all. Play spaces are more important but not as important as modern classrooms.The new BER building was the best thing to happen to Glen Park in 40 years ( when the school got its second hand demountable)
They also sited dangerous and unacceptable student behaviour in the playground and litigation problems for some schools adopted shorter play times outside and earlier finishes. My students play inside and outside although I prefer them outside when we have great weather like this week. But being in a one teacher school and being on duty ALL day I can see the appeal in shorter play times. ( I have done it before but I needed all parents to support it. We have half an hour for lunch and finished at 3:00 pm.It might be worth looking at again?)
The biggest problem with play time I believe is what happens in high school. Right now I have 3 of my 4 grade 6 kids playing in the sandpit.( This weekend I'll buy more toys for them for next week- buckets, spades, trucks etc) Next year ( in four months time) they'll be in high school and there is NO PLAYING at high school!
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/the-sad-state-of-play-in-australian-schools-20140827-1084kb.html#ixzz3CZtrwMl2
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