Last week it was the turn of the Year 12 to pose questions to staff for the second lunchtime Question Time of the term. Host Mr Player introduced the super panel which included Ms Hearn who ‘usually teaches poems and books but today here to deliver a few verbal right hooks’; Mr Woolner who ‘solved Descartes dilemma in one minute-flat and does know what happened to Schrodinger’s Cat’; Miss James who ‘prefers to teach rivers and lakes but today is here to raise the stakes’, and Mrs Rapple Moore who ‘is here to discuss the big issues and can anyone stop her or should she have accepted that unconditional offer’.
In light of COP26, can humanity solve the climate change crisis? Is there any hope for the future?
Mr Woolner opened the debate by stating he felt there was a lot of hope. Whilst the advent of technology since the industrial revolution has caused the rise of the burning of fossil fuels we are looking to the youngsters to find a solution from science, such as carbon capture or use of coral and plankton. He has faith they will be able to crack it.
Ms Hearn added that there has to be hope as we have no other choice. COP helped raise awareness and politicians have their work cut out. She feels that the onus is on the individual at the moment and that we need to start looking at the big businesses and the way things are manufactured. The younger generation are the ones to see the effects and they are the ones that need to change to make an impact.
Miss James feels that the whole point of COP was to see if we can make a difference yet there are some countries not willing to try. Change needs to be done as a team and so the bigger leaders and countries must commit and make changes sooner and not just set a target of 2070.
Mrs Rapple Moore felt more sceptical and isn’t sure that we can do it, adding “We have to do it but it might be too late already”. But she knows we won’t go down without a fight and it’s important that we can’t have the view of ‘why are we bothering’. She agreed that it is down to the big businesses and governments but there is a place for the individuals as well. She feels we need to be more open about the steps we all take to help the environment will help and actively discuss and share ideas, for example she will only fly once a year. Collectively we can if everyone does their part.
The question was closed with a discussion on ‘green washing’ and how companies are portraying themselves as eco when they are not and the negative impact this has which makes people cynical and angry.
I have a phone and WiFi connection, do I still really need a teacher?
Mrs Rapple Moore replied first by admitting that you can probably learn a great deal from the internet without a teacher but the main question is would you? You need the motivation, you need the deadlines, and you need to be kept on the right track, all things that teachers help with.
Miss James was passionate about her views on this question. Education and teaching and learning is not just about the grades. It's social interaction and discussion. Teachers aren’t just to give the information but it’s to make sense of it. It’s about the connection with other people and learning from peers as well as teachers. Making lessons fun and engaging is needed for the recall.
Ms Hearn reflected on how lockdown and online learning taught us all how much we value face to face. She said that they are not just teachers of subjects but they are teachers of people and you can’t do that via the internet on a phone. The role of a teacher is also about showing how to behave and interact. She added that phones are a hindrance and it is the best thing ever that Shiplake has a phone ban here and that the pupils are becoming better people because of it.
Mr Woolner asked how without a teacher we would have learned to read and write and be able to ask questions on the internet in the first place? A teacher’s role is to make sense of the information and you want to do more than just ‘get by’ because you can Google it.
Mr Player then asked the staff about the challenge of remote teaching and all agreed that whilst at first it was enjoyable it soon changed as people stopped interacting and it was difficult just to get pupils to have cameras on and mics not on mute.
You have just been given £10 million, what does the rest of your week look like?
Miss James would wait before splurging but would definitely give some to her mum to look after and also as a thank you for what she had spent on her schooling and university.
Mrs Rapple Moore also stated that in the first week not much would change. She would be in work as she wouldn’t leave people in the lurch as she has integrity. She would book some things for the future like a holiday and she would give to charity and family. She would definitely be smilier than ever before though!
Ms Hearn wouldn’t tell a soul and referred to how statistics about the happiness of lottery winners before and after is sad. She feels that £10m might not go as far as you think and she knows her husband would want to invest in stocks and shares.
Mr Woolner started his answer by saying he would buy Shiplake College and turn it into a trampoline park to which the audience applauded! Adding that knowing he could pay off his mortgage and own a house and be safe and secure financially would mean the world.
Mr Player asked the panel if they would all be in work on the Monday to which there was an unanimous yes!
Mr Player commented: “I thought the discussion was interesting and there was a nice exchange of ideas. Thanks to the panelists for volunteering and to Year 12 for being such a fantastic audience.”
