……. with apologies to overseas avid readers.
There is a television series starting tonight on BBC2 at 9.00pm.
It’s called Gareth Malone’s Extraordinary School for Boys.
Gareth Malone, who really doesn’t look that much older than the kids,
is indeed an extraordinary man who believes in the power of communal singing to engage, enliven and unite communities.
He popped up on our screens in 2007 encouraging very ordinary people to form a choir. The results were extraordinary.
He appeared again in 2008 forming a choir in a very ordinary boys school. Again, the results are extraordinary.
And then there was the series following a similar theme with real grown-ups – the hunting ground being a deprived and forgotten satellite town – and the results were (extraordinary? Lo,TG Ed) the same.
He then challenged himself even more by training up some young teenagers, most of whom had sung only in front of their bedroom mirrors with a hairbrush for a mic, for a quite difficult new opera at Glyndebourne; he was himself inexperienced in this art form.
He’s now going to tackle the problem of boys underachieving in our educational system. The series starts tonight.
Please watch this as I’m convinced that before long you’ll be wanting his babies as much as I do. (You’ll be the one doing the night feeds, cos I’m not getting up. Lo,TG Ed)
He doesn’t disappear off the scene at the places where he’s been filming either – he continues to teach, help and encourage – I have no idea where he gets the energy from. There’s a bit more information about him here – it’s interesting to see how he was first discovered.
If Gareth Malone and Jamie Oliver were in charge of running the country I would be delighted – far too sensible to become politicians though. Oh well. And I speak as a bad cook and an even worsererer singer. (I’ll second that. And root for G.Malone & J.Oliver. Lo,TG Ed)
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Match of the Day
[a recycled and renamed M of the D thanks to Somnabulistic]
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Stumble It!
5 Comments
Oooh, my name in lights *preen*
Not heard of this chap before, but will give it a whirl on iplayer at the weekend…
I’m still annoyed that I didn’t think of that caption ….. I mean ‘well done’!
He’s a natural teacher ….. I’m always very impressed by him …… [and a tad jealous!]
It clashes with the new series of Law and Order UK… damn. I shall have to catch it on iplayer late.
I do agree with you about Jamie & Gareth … it’s all about encouragement, enthusiasm, commitment and common sense (I think!!)
['matchress'. hee hee]
I only hope that anyone involved in education watches and takes notes…. [it had better be good, otherwise I'm going to look like a silly old fool ...... oh well] …. and get yourself sorted out with Freesat and a Humax box!!
Oh surely you could never look like a silly old fool???? [*cough*...]
A bit chesty are we ….. ?
I beg your pardon???? :0
Oh, she can do posh then ……
……. anyhoo, talking about ferrets, …… it’s FRIDAY tomorrow!!!
‘SHE!!’
Yeah Friday!!! … I could so get used to a 3 day week [mmm maybe I will have to with the proposed 'austerity measures' but knowing my luck I will be working 5 days for an equivalent 3days pay!!]
Sorry about that – didn’t realise I’d said it out loud …… ho hum
I won’t be watching of course (but will check it out on that iPlayer gizmo if that means I can watch it on PC).
This guy was being interviewed on Radio4 the other day and I was trying to explain to someone about inspirational teachers.
It does indeed work, I had a teacher (only for 1 year at an Outward Bound-type school) who took us for History and Religious Ed. both subjects that as a 13 year old I had no interest in at all. He made those subjects interesting and I ended up doing very well in them and looked forward to the classes.
I always like the ‘hands on’ approach. I actually took the trouble to do a ‘Health and Safety Nonsense’ course so that I was allowed to take kids into the workshops to make things ….. whizzy machines, sharp chisels, 4″ nails, vacuum formers that got red hot, a first aid kit …… fantastic. Oooo …. I’ve just remembered I took some into the woods at the back of the school and we skinned and cooked rabbits – luckily one of them knew what he was doing, I didn’t have a clue. The girls were less squeamish than the boys of course.
You would’ve gone down a storm at Sheephatch School, I wonder what happened to that thermic lance I built in Dangerous Studies……
We also made those water powered rockets made out of plastic bottles. You never knew if they’d blow up when you pumped them full of air or exactly where they’d go if launched successfully.
A matchress is unrealized until it becomes entangled in illicity.
Oliver’s unappreciated. I’m waiting for him to head to Africa to dip ants in chocolate and locusts in honey.
Oh, a temptress matchress! …… very sexy.
I think Jamie is appreciated over here and wields quite a lot of clout as well as frying pans.
There are those that also dominate the splintered remains of the day.
I meant my ‘here’, not your ‘there’. In ‘89 I lived blocks from where his kitchen in Huntington, WV is now located. It’s unbelievable the community landed such an asset. Seeing his initial pre-opening engagements with the locals was just exasperating. If Jamie could do it there, he could do it anywhere in the States, no question.
Besides, he’s one of my heros. I’ve tried blogging like he cooks. *shrugs*
It’s funny – I used to find him extremely annoying – very laddish – but he’s developed his childishness very maturely – I just want to give him a great big cuddle now and congratulate him for what he’s achieved and achieving ……. [same with Gareth - I'm pleased to say the programme last night lived up to expectations]
I’m just wonderin’ about the roles regarding your baby makin’ with him.
Never said anything about you and I having children.
Obviously we’d have to adopt …. considering my age an’ all ……
Platonic gay is gayer than gay. Friends with the benefit of no benefits.
You’ve just got me out of a sticky situation young John ….. thank you
We are fortunate that Jamie Oliver appears in some shows on the cooking channel here. We absolutely love him, his cooking style, and HIS GARDEN! We love that he gives his gardener second billing on the credits of his show, right after the producer/author.
He’s a good lad …. and seemingly excellent priorities.