The Shiplake Question Time series has continued to run, with year groups convening in the Lecture Theatre once a month to hear what a panel of staff have to say about various topics such as whether teachers are pointless, the climate crisis, if Australia was right to deport Novak Djokovic, and who the staff would invite for dinner and what they would do if they won 10 million pounds.
Year 11
In December, Mrs Emma Farrell, Revd Chris Briggs, Mrs Mairi Pomeroy and Mr Paul McCraw were the panel for the Year 11 Question Time. First they discussed if there was any hope for humanity given the current climate crisis. The staff were all unanimous that there has to be hope but we’re not doing enough to address the issue. They referred to the individual choices and actions that we can all make but also pointed to the large nations and companies that should be leading the way in reducing their carbon emissions and in turn helping us reduce our own.
Second they discussed whether Shiplake going fully coeducational will change the College. The staff all agreed that they are looking forward to the change, that it will reflect life after school, bring more diversity and be a positive move. Mrs Pomeroy noted how girls bring different ideas and sharing in a classroom setting and have a different outlook. Mrs Farrell added that a wider range of people with different views and experiences is a positive thing and that they can learn from one another more and engage with them. She also noted that we already have girls at Shiplake and it doesn’t change the essence of what the school is like.
Finally, the staff were asked what three wishes they would ask for from a genie and the answers included ending the Covid pandemic, food poverty and finding the cure for all cancers, speaking and understanding every language, reading something once and remembering it forever and making their dogs be able to talk!
Year 10
In January the panel for the Year 10 Question Time was made up of Mrs Kate Magee, Miss Jess Pye, Miss Nicola Jones and Mr Sam Shaw. They first discussed whether Australia was right to deport tennis player Novak Djokovic ahead of the Australian Open. Mr Shaw who is Head of Tennis and a big Roger Federer fan, said that whilst he didn’t agree with Novak’s stance on vaccinations, he had been told by Tennie Australia that he could play if he had had Covid within 15 days, which he had. He had been given a rule which he followed and then the rule was changed. The other staff all noted how he had knowingly broken guidance in Serbia though and that he has a big enough team around him to ensure the rules (and visa applications) were followed correctly. Sports people, celebrities and politicians are not exempt from the rules and they are also saying things about the vaccine or other issues to people who are impressionable. He is a role model and if he was desperate to play in the tournament he could have arrived earlier and quarantined accordingly.
The second question raised was “I have a phone and a Wifi connection, do I need a teacher”? The staff all argued that what teachers do is very different to a search engine. They help evaluate what pupils are doing, understand larger concepts, provide a schedule and focus. Remote learning during lockdown also demonstrated the important social interaction that teachers provide in their classrooms.
The third question asked what the staff would do if they had just won 10 million pounds. Three of the staff said they would still come to work, saying they would invest in being more eco-friendly such as an electric car and solar panels, invest in property, fulfil a dream of having a paddock and owning two Shetland ponies, buy more dogs and go on holiday. Mr Shaw would spend a lot on bespoke tailored clothes!
Year 9
In February the Year 9 Question Time panel was made up of Mr Charlie Littledale, Mr Marcus Milburn, Mr Jack Cooper and Mr Paul Jones. The first question put forward was whether it is morally acceptable for the World Cup to be hosted in Qatar. A contentious issue which found the staff questioning whether it was Fifa’s job to decide as a sporting body, albeit under a cloud of corruption, bribes and back-handers themselves. The staff posed whether positives could come out of it by highlighting the role of women in society such as using female refs and lineswomen. They all agreed that the country was not deserving of the world cup and it remains to be seen how it goes.
Secondly the staff discussed whether with the use of modern technology if teachers are pointless. In a similar theme to the Year 10 question the teachers said that they use technology to teach but teachers show pupils how to use that information, absorb it and understand the world. Whilst we can learn from technology and games, is the depth of learning enough? Nothing replaces the interaction in the classroom and while technology is a brilliant tool and the resources provide enrichment, teaching and learning is all about human interaction. One staff member demonstrated that only that morning a pupil had needed a teacher to explain a topic despite the video tutorial and worksheet available to them.
The final question was about who the staff would invite to dinner. This resulted in dinner parties with Nelson Mandela, Lee Harvey Oswald and David Blaine (to break up any awkward pauses); Tierry Henry, Ian McEwan and Kim Jong In (would be interesting to hear what they said); Winston Churchill, Jessie Owens and Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin; and Kevin Smith (film director), and the musicians Billy Eilish and Dave (would be interesting to speak to these young people and understand more about that how that generation has been successful in that industry).
Thank you to Mr Player for organising each Question Time, to the pupils for submitting the questions and listening with interest and to the staff who volunteered to be part of the panels.
