Parents and the Eleven Plus

Our world continues to change very quickly. One of the reasons for change is the ability that we have to be able to automate production. Automation is used for a wide variety of processes – from filling bottles of wine to making pairs of shoes. Automation in education seems to imply that the teacher is going to produce lesson after lesson – all of the same standard. Automation also seems to suggest that lots of little robots unable to think – but able to produce results.

At first glance automation appears to imply there will be more uniformity, less flexibility and less choice. But automation on a small scale allows small concerns to be able to supply goods and services that the large companies can not afford to produce in a cost effective manner.

A parent working with a child from a range of eleven plus papers is doing far more than simply automating the act of examination preparation. As parents they are employing a wide range of skills as they try to motivate their child and provide the best possible preparation.

This blog, therefore, is a tribute to all those mums and dads who work with their children towards an examination. They know that are not part of a big production line. They know that they not providing automatic responses. They know that their responses will be genuine. We wish them well.