Gareth played a blinder!

Gareth Malone's 'extraordinary' eight week experimental teaching and learning methods employed with some junior age schoolboys in Essex paid off handsomely on the evidence of the last night's final instalment of the three television programmes about it. The play, written by the boys themselves, accompanied by music, performed in a local theatre and including girls in the cast too, was very clearly enjoyed and admired by all - proud parents and staff, and children with a clutch of happy memories of success, co-operative endeavour and self-esteem to look back on and build upon. Almost needless to say, the purpose of the experiment was vindicated: the boys' speaking, reading, and writing skills had improved by far more than in eight weeks would normally have been expected. - Well done, Gareth! - Well done, everybody! (See also my previous post about Gareth's Extraordinary School for Boys.)

Gareth Malone's Extraordinary School for Boys

I've really enjoyed watching Gareth Malone's non-standard efforts to improve the speaking, reading and writing skills of some 11 year old boy pupils in an Essex primary school. See for yourself on BBC iPlayer. To achieve his aims he employs 'unbridled competition, risk and adventure,' in the belief and expectation that these will engage the boys' interest - as indeed they do. Two out of the three parts of this series have so far been screened, and the last will be shown on BBC2 from 9pm to 10pm this coming Thursday 23 September.

Surely the equally important arrows in his quiver are Gareth's own warmth and understanding, love and respect for the children in his care, tireless enthusiasm and general likeableness. - What child would not want to work to please that teacher? See Gareth Malone's Extraordinary School for Boys

But as with good teachers everywhere, seeking to gain the approval of the teacher by improving performance leads on to the children finding pleasure themselves in their own improved skills. It was a delight last Thursday to see the pride of the boys in being able to read with greater fluency and with pleasure, and to see and hear the pride and pleasure of the parents of the boys too, the fathers having helped a great deal by reading to and with the boys.

Also see Update.