Scientific illiteracy (via other blogs of note)

As it's now the Easter holidays I have time to mess around with my Blog template. Be not alarmed if it changes over the next few days.

It's also time to catch up with posts on my other favourite blogs, which in no particular order include

'The Teacher' for wit and misery from the chalkface

'Cornescast' for M's rants (which increasingly rival those of the rant-master himself, Dr Mark Kermode)- Cornes's tend to start out as hardcore computing and end up as tirades against life itself.

'The Dormitory Boys' because nothing sums up the banality and brilliance of the WWW like web cam footage of teenaged Chinese boys lipsynching while their dormitory mates get on with life in the background. (I pretend I'm trying to get inside the minds of my students but really... just watch 'Bu de bu ai')

Anyway, Mr Cornes has a very interesting entry about scientific illiteracy. I think the solution to the problem is teaching school kids the philosophy and sociology of science at school, along with how to deconstruct TV documentaries.

And the solution to getting more and better maths teachers is the same as the solution to many educational problems - make teaching a more enjoyable job by reducing beaurocracy, improving respect and sharing some of the blame for low standards around - it's not always our fault, it's also the fault of government, the media, parents and students themselves; so please step up and take some responsibility...