Which educational issues caught your eye? The most popular School Gate posts...

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and Seasons Greetings to everyone! I hope you have a wonderful festive season, and a terrific 2009.

I am very grateful to everyone who has dropped by School Gate - and especially to those who have commented - since it launched in July. Since then, I have posted on topics from headlice to embarrassing honorary degrees, sex education to school uniform.

With the end of year nigh, it seemed a good time to check what educational issues mattered to you. Here are School Gate's top 10 most popular posts this year....

1) Which A levels are too soft to take?

Far and away the most visited topic and with well over 100 comments.
I am proud that this has been so successful as I think it's an issue which really matters. Too many teenagers aren't being given good enough advice when it comes to the A levels they choose, the government is being disingenuous when it says it doesn't recognise any "soft" subjects, and universities need to be more transparent. Post GSCE qualifications really matter, and this issue is not going to go away. I think this kind of post is when the internet really comes into its own - we could publish the lists issued by Cambridge and LSE (at least they are both being open and transparent), and the quite emotional comments received.

2) The top 20 most popular places to study

Posted at the perfect time - while UCAS forms were being filled in, clearing was still going on, and teenagers were trying to make decisions which may have a huge impact on their lives. This is a good one because it tells you where students like to be, and that's something any self-respecting person needs to know.

3) How to maximise your chances of getting into Cambridge

A fabulous success from my point of view. I thought this was a fascinating topic, and was pleased that it gave information which many people might otherwise not have seen. Oh, and by the way, I do realise that it might not be sensible to apply to a particular college you don't want to go to, to study a subject you are not interested in...

4) The 25 worst exam blunders

Pure fun. And they still make me laugh. Who can resist?
Geography
Question: What do we call a person forced to leave their home perhaps by a natural disaster or war, without having another home to go to.
Answer: Homeless

5) The 15 worst teachers in the movies

This was the companion piece to my 15 most inspiring teachers in film, but, after a slow start, it took off thanks to the appearance of Harry Potter's dreadful teacher Dolores Umbridge at number one. As a film lover, I really enjoy writing these kind of pieces, and hope that they give some food for thought.

6) Sarah Palin, the creationist debate and what children should be taught about the big bang

With almost 400 comments, this is the most commented piece on the site. It was inspired by vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her views. She thought that creationism should be taught alongside evolution. Many of you agreed, many didn't, and the arguments at times became vitriolic. Strangely, just after I posted this, Michael Reiss, then director of education at the Royal Society, appeared to agree with Palin. The topic simply grew and grew. 

7) Why today's Strictly Come Dancing decision is a bad lesson for kids

Sometimes posts capture the zeitgeist. This was one of those. It may not age well, but at the time, everyone was talking about John Sergeant and Strictly Come Dancing.

8) Would you rather be a poem or a novel? Oxbridge interview questions and how to answer them

I posted this because I thought a) it would be fun and b) it might actually help people (I wanted to be sure to give hints on possible answers, rather than just throw a whole load of scary questions at people).
Strangely, it seemed to get a lot of people's backs up - and there was a motley combination of tutors and ex-students who claimed both that these kinds of questions were never asked, and that School Gate was being unfair. Well, sorry, but those people are wrong - and all the questions are genuine. In any case, I never claimed that these were the only questions asked in Oxbridge interviews. Instead, they are often a part of the interview process. I wonder why so many people took umbrage at seeing them?
PS Read the comments on this piece, especially the recent ones from this year's applicants.

9) The easier way to get into Oxford

See Cambridge comments!

10) Darth Vader explains the Pythagorean theory

I loved this video by John Pearson, who edits the Mister Teacher/Learn Me Good blog in Texas (he's also author of the terrific Learn Me Good book, which I mention in my Xmas gifts post). Many of you clearly agreed. Others seemed to think that it was beneath the Times to mention such a thing! Obviously I don't - I have no problem at all with teachers being innovative.

(picture by Skye820 on flickr.com)

Comments

[Custom Essays]

I have really found your post to be informative and this has compelled me to visit your blog over and over again. For the sake of relevance I'd like to thank you for your efforts in spreading academic information. Regards.

[pamela harman]

Re comment by HOL. 30 plus years ago one of my law professors in Chicago used a Bugs Bunny cartoon strip as the basis of a secured transaction examination . I haven't used the information since, but I remember the concept...and the professor. This is followed quite closely by the bowl of fettucini alfredo in the evidence class.... I remember that prof' as well and I use the concept . Also make the dish, but that's another blog

[sarah]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com

[Glen Thomas]

A great blog!

It's always nice to see that so many people have an interest in education issues - perhaps Ministers of State could be encouraged to also take an interest in what knowledgeable people have to say?

(I note that our Minister for Higher Education embarrassed himself in Mastermind last weekend - is it too much to ask for government ministers to be selected for their intellect?)

[Hol]

I've never had Darth Vader explain Pythagoras (though quite frankly my maths teacher at the time was far scarier), but I did have an equity lecturer at uni who liked to use Annie and Indiana Jones clips to demonstrate various types of trusts. People may scoff, but it makes the stuff memorable and much easier to revise because it's so memorable!

[Snuffy]

Merry Christmas to you too!