In some rather more enlightened countries, not so far from the UK, theyhave long-worked through the prejudices implicit in the comments of thegeneral secretary of NASUWT. Such countries have successfully developedand implemented training for children's care/education workers thatequips them with a common core of knowledge on which to build andspecialise.
Looking ahead 10 or 15 years, I would be worried if I were ateacher.
The "formal learning" component of education will, by then, be deliveredin such varied and individualised ways, that what will be required fromthose working with children are exactly the skills that childcareworkers already bring to their role: an intelligent, empatheticunderstanding of people; a belief in the value of listening and learningfrom children; and a play-based, imaginative way of working that isleagues away from what children currently experience in theclassroom.
The sooner we get to grips with the changes required in teachertraining, to bring it more in line with the needs of children in the21st century, the better for everyone. And the same goes for theundoubted gaps and inadequacies in the current basic training forchildcare workers. Parity in pay will then be much easier to deal withbecause the jobs will be recognisably "the same".
Rosemary Milne, chief executive, Smilechildcare.
