Today we had an open day for year 8s at school. I found it an interesting experience all round. The concept of promoting what sort of learning is on offer is not new to me, I used to do it quite often for the university I studied for, yet the experience of promoting a college seemed all together different. It makes me consider the difference between offering a opportunity to experience college life versus the commodification of education. This, I feel is particularly acute as so often these days, adolescents and their parents are playing the comparison game. They ask directly or indirectly why this school and not the one down the road. Our purpose seems to therefore change into selling the experience - promoting that learning here will be better than learning elsewhere.
I feel somewhat conflicted about this, yet resolved about it at the same time. When I went to college 15 years ago, the process was fairly similar yet I did not have the feeling that I was being bargained with. So I therefore think about what else such an experience may do for a young person.
1. It demystifies the college experience, the environment and the people - therefore making someone feel safer about the next step in the education
2. I can't think of a second as the first seems to cover it all.
Yes id e ally we have more people through our door than other schools - but more importantly I would like to keep a focus on the learning experience. Through my subjects and my passion uncover a new world for individual learners. Hopefully the big sell will therefore take care of itself.
