Regional growth fund

[osymandus]

Genial Harry Grout in agrees with Osymandus shocker!! I never thought I would see the day but I agree with everything you say in the above quote. My daughter is number blind, she cannot grasp simple sums other than adding and fails poorly with subtraction, multiplication and division. I think it is partly the way she is being taught. Schools are forced to teach kids in the same way ( which I disagree with alot of the methods) and teachers will not deviate from the set ways. As you rightly say, we are all different and not all of us understand prefered methods and some need things simplified. I try to teach her differently so she understands but she goes back to the school ways because she doesn't want to get into trouble.

I also agree with instructing others in specific skills. I have been tasked with teaching several chaps with opporating a streetlifter crane, possibly the most dangerous bit of kit in the recovery industry. I have a calm and casual approach to training, I like to put people at ease, I don't stand too close as if I'm going to grab the controls and I normally have a fag in my hand to give the impression that I have faith and it's just a stroll in the park. In truth I am fully in control and no one is in any danger just as long as they do what I say. I test badly so secretly treat a pupil as if he is me. I have a 100% pass rate because I train people properly and safely. If I say stop then they stop. If they start to get flustered then we take a break, no fuss, no shouting, no tutting or raising eyebrows, just take a step back and start again. I could get anyone on this site though a streetlifter crane course in 2 hours without exception. It's only when they choose to cut corners that problems arise and in my game those problems can be deadly. I cut corners once and almost killed a police officer and myself, I didn't do it again. I normally tell that story as part of my training programme which seems to do the trick but the second someone decides my training isn't nessesary is the moment lifes are in danger.

So yes, Osy is spot on with this one.

Thanks GHG knew you were a top man ;-) . It sounds like your daughter has Dyscaluculia/dyslexia btw ;). But its a very good example , I've mentioned my own "difficulties" before , and its very difficult to explain to others who don;t have them , were not pretending were not shurcking here . Our brains really don;t appear work in an identical way . And never mind "normal" people, we appear to have skills we are more geared to learning , and a teachers responsibility is to draw these out (that of course is the skill those who become a teacher has ) , and GHG sounds like one of the good ones , building up the students confidence in themselves along with the skills . This is one of the biggest and best skills a good teacher can have . This teacher training course im looking at sounds good now.

 

[Neil_F]

its amazing how many would have told you months ago that the euro is dead in the water.

I've been saying it for more than a year. Everyone knew that Greece would have to default.

If the euro zone collapsed then greece, Italy, spain, Portugal and maybe even France will default on their debts.

They probably wouldn't default, but they would have to introduce new currencies. The initial break up, if it were uncontrolled, would be the real pain point.

The only feasible alternative would be to allow China to buy up their debt. This option would give China a disturbing level of influence of domestic and foreign policy in Europe.

Agreed. I think this is mad. The two items commonly reported as concessions to China are total silence on their human rights record and designating China as a "market economy". If the EU did that then it wouldn't be able to place tarrifs on Chinese imports.

If these countries do default then our banks will been massively exposed directly but also to debts owed to them by other banks who had lent money to these countries.

I think all UK banks currently state Greek debt at market value i.e. 50%. The problem will be on Greek default what happens in the CDS market. This is 2008 all over again.

We need to change the rules of the game whilst we're still important enough as a consumer to do so. I see nothing but oblivion and southern European levels of unemployment if we don't act.

I don't disagree with your diagnosis (I think you are spot on) but I do disagree with your prescription. Trade barriers, capital controls, public subsidy and a command economy has never worked and won't this time.

One of the main problems is that the banking sector was never fixed and isn't likely to be. We need to radically address this by breaking up some of the banking behemoths and allow new entrants quickly that don't have the legacy problems. If the Eurozone goes down (and it will) then the global economy will suffer a short to medium shock that is unavoidable.

Structural changes that will help when the worst is over is what is needed now.

 

[applelover]

I've been saying it for more than a year. Everyone knew that Greece would have to default.




They probably wouldn't default, but they would have to introduce new currencies. The initial break up, if it were uncontrolled, would be the real pain point.



Agreed. I think this is mad. The two items commonly reported as concessions to China are total silence on their human rights record and designating China as a "market economy". If the EU did that then it wouldn't be able to place tarrifs on Chinese imports.



I think all UK banks currently state Greek debt at market value i.e. 50%. The problem will be on Greek default what happens in the CDS market. This is 2008 all over again.



I don't disagree with your diagnosis (I think you are spot on) but I do disagree with your prescription. Trade barriers, capital controls, public subsidy and a command economy has never worked and won't this time.

One of the main problems is that the banking sector was never fixed and isn't likely to be. We need to radically address this by breaking up some of the banking behemoths and allow new entrants quickly that don't have the legacy problems. If the Eurozone goes down (and it will) then the global economy will suffer a short to medium shock that is unavoidable.

Structural changes that will help when the worst is over is what is needed now.

My worry is if countries default and we don't then we will find ourselves at a massive competitive disadvantage. Would our politicians have the courage to also default (I know its strange to equate choosing to not pay your debts with courage)? There was a really interesting peice at the end of newsnight last night comparing the situation with the euro to the decision to abandon the gold standard in the 30's. the UK was the first to leave the gold standard and our economy benefited massively in comparison to those who stuck to it.

I'm very pessimistic about this situation and believe that everybody is going to rush towards protectionism, just like the thirites it may be in our interests whilst we are still a powerful country to make the first move. Will this happen? There's no way our politicians would act so decisively. We wouldn't be ostracized partly because our balance of payments, when you look at our imports and exports all the major players make net gains against us, unlike greece we are still too important. This gives us room for radical action however our importance has been strinking consistantly since the 1880's. We may not be in this position for long.

I see trade barriers, currency controls and a semi managed (not command as money would be in the hands of the private sector not nationalised industry) economy an inevitable unavoidable consequence of a breakdown of the eurozone.

I'm seriously worried about this situation I can't see a positive end game without radical change.

 

[Perth Bambi]

Thanks GHG knew you were a top man ;-) . It sounds like your daughter has Dyscaluculia/dyslexia btw ;). But its a very good example , I've mentioned my own "difficulties" before , and its very difficult to explain to others who don;t have them , were not pretending were not shurcking here . Our brains really don;t appear work in an identical way . And never mind "normal" people, we appear to have skills we are more geared to learning , and a teachers responsibility is to draw these out (that of course is the skill those who become a teacher has ) , and GHG sounds like one of the good ones , building up the students confidence in themselves along with the skills . This is one of the biggest and best skills a good teacher can have . This teacher training course im looking at sounds good now.

But struggling with numbers is a bit different because presumably the little girl in question would like to be able to do the math's but because she struggles with numbers she can't. The child in my example mucked around, didn't do there homework and bunked off. What do you do with a child who doesn't want to learn. And don't tell me every child does want to learn because they quite clearly don't. In the point that GHG was making then yes the teacher should be finding a way to help her.

 

[osymandus]

But struggling with numbers is a bit different because presumably the little girl in question would like to be able to do the math's but because she struggles with numbers she can't. The child in my example mucked around, didn't do there homework and bunked off. What do you do with a child who doesn't want to learn. And don't tell me every child does want to learn because they quite clearly don't. In the point that GHG was making then yes the teacher should be finding a way to help her.

Research shows that those "messing" about normally have such conditions diagnosed. Because they can't learn in the normal way, frustration builds and resentment sets in as they feel inadequate, im not saying everyone is an underlying genuis and just needs teh support but its never as easy as the kid's mucking about lets leave them . There is always a reason why the child in this case doesn't want to learn that's why a generalised statement like this won't help and greater awareness of learning difficulties is needed . Once a person has assistance (and sometimes its as simple as changing the colour of the paper , and just even asking them ) they learn , you wouldnt denie someone with a leg injury a crutch till they can support themselves now would you ?

 

[steveo]

Research shows that those "messing" about normally have such conditions diagnosed. Because they can't learn in the normal way, frustration builds and resentment sets in as they feel inadequate, im not saying everyone is an underlying genuis and just needs teh support but its never as easy as the kid's mucking about lets leave them .

Why cant you just accept the fact that kids will muck about? They dont have to have "conditions" they are youngsters in a lot of cases just having a laugh and disrupting the class is all part of it. Were you ever young?

 

[OldBlueLady]

Genial Harry Grout in agrees with Osymandus shocker!! I never thought I would see the day but I agree with everything you say in the above quote. My daughter is number blind, she cannot grasp simple sums other than adding and fails poorly with subtraction, multiplication and division. I think it is partly the way she is being taught. Schools are forced to teach kids in the same way ( which I disagree with alot of the methods) and teachers will not deviate from the set ways. As you rightly say, we are all different and not all of us understand prefered methods and some need things simplified. I try to teach her differently so she understands but she goes back to the school ways because she doesn't want to get into trouble.

Just picking up on this, not sure how old your daughter is, or which education authority she falls under, but the general way of dealing with maths in primary schools is teaching them three or four ways of doing "sums" so that they may use whichever suits them best. We use number lines, chunking, rounding etc. We also identify groups of children who may be struggling with the same process and give them some dedicated time. I do agree with Osy though that it sounds as if she has discalculia, which, once it's identified, her school should be able to deal with. Talk to her teacher.

Why cant you just accept the fact that kids will muck about? They dont have to have "conditions" they are youngsters in a lot of cases just having a laugh and disrupting the class is all part of it. Were you ever young?

Of course they will, given the chance. It can be for a variety of reasons. Blimey, I once put itching powder down our science teacher(and form master)'s neck during a chemistry lesson, I've no idea why now, but certainly nothing to do with me having any "syndrome"!

 

[osymandus]

Why cant you just accept the fact that kids will muck about? They dont have to have "conditions" they are youngsters in a lot of cases just having a laugh and disrupting the class is all part of it. Were you ever young?

Becuase im not saying the don;t mess about im placing it in the context of being taught , as OBL says they all do it , but even then its part of experimenting and learning in their own ways . The issues we have is when the current education methods fail a student , learning disabilities can be a cause , being more advanced then your peers can also hold you back (you get bored ) as can social environment as can home environment or even all of them . Or even the kid is a just feels like being a sod (they cant jack up on caffeine and fall back on years of experience to pull them through the day) Just because a child can act like a little sod doesn't mean to say its not for a reason . The more these are carefully researched the easier it becomes to alter and help teh behaviour or issue .
Also it means far less incorrectly diagnosis of special needs , and more resource can go where needed (in the case of GHG's daughter the school can provide the assistance ). When people say they can't see numbers or word's etc It can literally mean their brain just doesn't process the information , so gentle encouragement or more discipline won;t help , only the method that allows them to see or process the information.

The reason behind all this is to make the student as educated as possible .