Real Education
In the controversial BBC interview with Dr David Starkey regarding the riots of last week, one of the co-presenters pointed how how she was using rap to teach kids literacy and language, or something along those lines.

This makes one thing very clear: real substantive learning is off the menu. Children are being separated from genuine learning, a mile at a time. In fact, the solution to the problem is consistently to dispense more of the problem and in larger doses. All in the name of progress.

The Old Oaks Academy (http://www.theoaksacademy.org/) has just the right picture of what is required (above). A stack of interesting books, ones that have been enthralling, challenging and engaging to a multitude of generations of all races and classes and backgrounds.