The future is not what it used to be. The effects of globalization become increasingly more pervasive, and we must prepare our boys for a world whose perspective is at the same time both global and local. They need to be familiar with the main arguments and facts of environmental issues, global warming, depletion of resources, the carbon footprint of their lives, the stresses of population figures, the structural inequalities of societies across the globe, and the resultant disparities of wealth and poverty. How do we introduce sustainable practice into the curriculum of the school, and into the operations of the school (solar panel heating, water-efficient taps etc)? What would the school be like if it was run with full sensitivity to both the ecological and social constraints of the world we are moving into? Someone has to pioneer the school of the future – could it be us?

Sustainability Presentation.ppt (4.67 mb)
In-session Feedback.doc (35.50 kb)

Outcome of mini summit - Visions and Strategies.ppt (1.93 mb)

Increasingly, South Africa is being faced with a crisis in the quality of teaching in the country and in the provision of teachers. We at Bishops are not immune to the effects of these, but we must engage in and address three main areas. How do we ensure that we recruit and then retain staff of the highest calibre? Secondly, how are we developing the skills and attitudes of current teachers to practise the art and craft of teaching in ways appropriate to the world we live in now as well as the world our boys (part of the so-called Millennium generation) will be living in? Thirdly, how should we use our strength of resources to be a part of the process of teacher training and resource development which the country needs?

Teachers and Teaching Presentation.ppt (911.00 kb)
Teachers and teaching 2nd Presentation.ppt (3.14 mb)

Outcome of mini summit - Vision and Strategies.ppt (854.00 kb)

Some Thoughts from presenter, Mike Russell

We see a widening gap between technological development and human development.

The world has changed, but have classrooms? Is education really being a priority, in the sense that the need for it to develop with (rather than behind) the times is recognised and addressed?

Educators have the potential to be among the most powerful agents of change.

Every day we see an emphasis on maths, science and technology – is this going to help us react to and solve problems, or does it really just reinforce and reward compliance? Are we working towards answers when we do not even really know what the questions are?

But if we don’t know what the answers are, how much more difficult must it be to be a good teacher?

What about the creative arts? These are the first casualty whenever there is an economic crunch, whether nationally or more locally, but perhaps that is where problem-solving is really learned, and where adaptability is developed.

In South Africa there are currently about 380 000 teachers, of whom perhaps half are not fully qualified. Between 15 000 and 20 000 teachers leave the profession each year, but only about 5 000 new ones qualify. Teacher shortage is already acute, and going to become more so.

68% of current teachers are female, which means there are twice as many women as men. Of course women teach just as well as men – but adolescent boys need good male role models. And yet a teacher’s salary is not a bread-winner’s salary, so how can we expect the proportion of men in the profession to increase?

Given the demands the curriculum makes, the increasing administrative burdens and the low salary, as well as all the other problems that teachers face, how can we expect the numbers of teachers to grow? And could we begin to hope for creativity as well?

And what about values and ethics? How can we build that into teaching?

Technology continues its ubiquitous advance into more and more facets of contemporary life. How do we keep abreast of the implications for education and society of the developing technologies? How do we help boys to get all the benefits, to be aware of the potential difficulties, and also maintain mastery of their own lives? How do we ensure that we retain what we regard as the best features of a more traditional world without missing opportunities that the new world offers?

Please download the presentation below to view the content that was presented in this mini-summit.

Technology & Education Presentation.ppt (299.50 kb)

Mini summit outcome - vision and strategies.ppt (1.61 mb)

Mindmap outlining what we value about technology at Bishops.




Technology in Education mini summit.

 

The Bishops family is a large and complicated organism, acted on from all sides, yet steadily growing and developing in complexity. It encompasses such diverse constituencies as prospective, present and past parents, boys, the OD union, partnering corporates and donors, staff and the church. What are the main drivers for successful relationships and communication within this Bishops family? How do we achieve the sort of inter-dependence which allows us all to grow without becoming over dependent on one another? How do we achieve the right balance between being totally committed to the school’s good, and yet not being totally consumed by such commitment? What is the best practice to ensure that we can all work together for development and funding for the common good and yet each part still preserve its own practices and priorities? And what is our plan such that we make a significant contribution to the local and global communities we serve?

Bishops Family Day 1 presentation.ppt (447.50 kb)
Bishops Family Day 2 presentation.ppt (2.99 mb)
Point summary of discussions.doc (24.50 kb)

Outcome of mini summit - visions and strategies.ppt (359.00 kb)

 

The pace and pressure of daily living often results in less than optimal domestic practices in homes, and a wide range of complications result from single-parent families, absentee parents, over-busy lives, and a set of parental attitudes resulting from the social experiences of the baby boomers who grew up during the sixties and seventies. Children today often have to confront much harder situations than their parents had to – with drugs, diseases, security, life styles and breakdowns of communities, and today’s parents have to deal with these without the benefit of extended families, the passing down of parenting skills or even suitable role models. As parents, how do we develop life-long enriching relationships with our children, from which both we and they can learn? How do we strengthen our emotional capacity to engage and connect with our children that nourish them and us? How can the school assist us to parent more strongly and more sensibly, to give our children both the security to grow straight and the freedom to grow tall?

Parents and Parenting Discussion.doc (33.00 kb)

Outcome of mini summit - visions and strategies.ppt (381.00 kb)

The school views global citizenship and globally responsible leadership as a lifelong and expanding journey. What are the questions around developing an understanding of the dynamic nature of global citizenship? How can the school engage with these questions? How do we offer opportunities for our boys to develop their own ‘internal compass’ and what skills and knowledge do they need to be globally responsible leaders? How do we create an awareness of self and the world, that will ensure each boy is able to provide their own unique form of leadership that is less about being successful in the world and more about being successful for the world?

Global Citizenship & Leadership Presentation.ppt (2.05 mb)

Outcome of mini summit - visions and strategies.ppt (751.00 kb)