News in brief
Experts have suggested that the film Interstellar should be shown in physics lessons. Scientific papers on the topic were published in the American Journal of Physics and in the Classical and Quantum Gravity journal. Dr David Jackson, who printed one of the papers, said his publication would “encourage physics teachers to show the film in their classes to get across ideas about general relativity.”
The exam season is having a negative effect on summer sports, according to former England cricket captain Mike Gatting, who said that exams cause “a lot of problems for sport” – particularly if activities clash with exam preparation.
The former chief inspector of schools in England, Chris Woodhead, has died aged 68. The high-profile Ofsted chief was diagnosed with motor neurone disease nine years ago. Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “Chris Woodhead started a crucial debate on school standards and reform. Meetings with him were never dull.”
French students sitting an exam about Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement were stumped by a question including the word “coping”. Almost 12,000 students have complained, signing a petition arguing that they didn’t know the word, and that the question was impossible to answer.
Research of the week
New research has revealed that almost one in four children consider playing video games as exercise.
The report conducted by the Youth Sport Trust, a charitable organisation that co-ordinates school sport, goes on to conclude that school sport is at a “critical crossroads” and that children risk becoming “hostages to handheld devices.”
Ali Oliver, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said that the research showed action is needed “to modernise the approach to PE and school sport and in doing so guarantee the best possible future for generations to come.”
In the study, three-quarters of young people also said that they enjoy PE in school, and 40% would like to do more exercise. The report’s publication coincides with the anniversary of the Olympic legacy claim that the Games would “inspire a generation”.
Read more about the research here.
Snapshot of the week
This comes from our very own Guardian Teacher Network team-member Lisa Spiller – wise words indeed.
Saw this and thought of all our lovely teachers @GuardianTeach pic.twitter.com/sovKZT17Xt
— Spillsy (@lisaspiller) June 24, 2015
The week in numbers
The London mayor, Boris Johnson, has called for every young person in the capital to have at least 100 hours of careers advice by the time they reach the age of 16.
A new report from the British Academy has found that schools in the UK are not putting enough focus on data handling, leading to the country lagging behind in the “data revolution”. According to findings, the demand for people to understand big data is creating around 58,000 new jobs a year.
Dates to remember
It seems incomprehensible in today’s society that 100 years ago women were not allowed suffrage (a woman’s right to vote). On 2 July 1918, the 1918 Representation of the People Act was passed by an overwhelming majority in the House of Commons, allowing women (of property) over 30 the right to vote. Women received full equality regarding suffrage in 1928.
It is Independence Day on 4 July for our US colleagues. Thomas Jefferson drafted the historic Declaration of Independence that led to the 13 colonies that fought in the American Revolution to declare independence from Great Britain.
If cycling is your sport, the 21st Tour de France begins its journey on 4 July from the Dutch city of Utrecht. It ends a whopping 3,360km later on the Champs Elysées in Paris.
Teaching resources
-
Women’s suffrage timeline – research when each country gave women the vote and sort them into chronological order.
- How much do your students know about the US? Find out with this general knowledge quiz.
- If you are hosting a sponsored bike ride to celebrate the Tour de France why not reward everyone who took part with a certificate.
- Online safety – what do the Ofsted changes mean?
Latest blogs and comment
- How can teachers maintain a healthy professional-personal balance?
- How to get primary school children into science?
- Bad education: what films shouldn’t be shown in schools?
- Headhunters for headteachers: schools pay firms up to £50,000 to find leaders
