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Editorial Team Patrick Adamson Technical Editor Ameera Khadeir Associate Editor Regan McLeod Head of Music Reporting Teillan Clarke Head of Fashion Reporting FORRESTER HIGH Lana Clarke Head of Fashion Reporting MAGAZINE Dave Taggart Head of Sport and Gaming Laura Croal Social Editor Ho, Ho, Ho! So it’s that time of the year again and whilst most have been spending those cold winter days finishing their Christmas shopping. We at FHM have been slaving over our articles and trying to publish our very first Forrester High School Magazine (FHM). A lot of work has gone into this issue, and despite instances of bickering and rather dismal weather, I’am very proud to say we done it! I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make this possible including our various writers, publishers and the teachers, who collaborated and conjugated to conceive the masterpiece that lies before you. As Students we have wanted to produce some- thing that communicates a pure and unedited student voice. I would like to thank Mr Curran for believing in this vision; we finally have the magazine we wanted. If you want to be part of this new and exciting team please don’t hesitate to speak to me, we are always looking for new talent. Well enough of the mutual back slapping, let’s get on with it. I suggest you put your feet up, make a nice wee cup of tea and I hope you enjoy, not only our first, but also very special Christmas edition of FHM. Enjoy. Denise Tierney - Editor in chief CURRICULUM FOR SPOCK by Denise Tierney Utter the words Curriculum of Excel- research and A LOT of reading, I can lence these days and you may re- safely say I don’t have the faintest ceive a raised eyebrow from a pass- idea, and would love to meet a living ing teacher, a red face and an anxious being on this green earth that does. stare from the school head or perhaps The ‘Shiny Green Holy Grail’ folder even being rugby tackled to the floor containing the new magic that is the by the secret teacher FBI. If the Scot- Curriculum of Excellence is literally tish Government hear you, you may just politician jargon. All it contains is disappear to be tortured, using a new complete goose chase full of circular technique called ‘active learning’. No- arguments and pedantic sugges- body knows exactly what this is, but it tions. Never once does anyone even sounds painful. attempt to explain what it is they are going to teach us. The truth is this propaganda forced on us by the intelligent folks in the Scot- In basic terms this new and innovative tish Government seems to have actu- idea is supposed to encourage chil- ally no decipherable meaning in any dren to feel good about themselves by classroom or language. As a result eliminating the idea of grades, exams of this confusion these three words or competition. This means students have become a taboo in the modern won’t sit one single exam or test till school, where being curious, or in any 4th year! And even then we still don’t way negative, about them leads to know exactly what the ‘literacy and decapitation. Possible side effects in- numeracy exams’ are. clude; lots of inward crying and teach- ers jumping around like the guy in the Now although this is supposed to help Emperor’s new clothes. I have even build confidence and help students heard about one Head teacher being become less stressed, care free in- involved in a high speed car chase dividuals, it is not a realistic way to with the police, because he dared to teach or even learn. The happy secu- ask what exams would come at the rity of equality will instantly evaporate end of this. when pupils realise that competition is real, when they enter the harsh world In all seriousness though, does any- of employment, or unemployment as one know what the curriculum of things stand now. Employers don’t excellence is? Well after extensive focus so much on how ‘happy’ you are, but surprisingly they are more system, the government still persists concerned about the qualifications and demands it will be brought into you hold. the classroom. There is nothing we can do, the new S1 are simply guinea From a personal point of view, I know pigs for those people who haven’t for one that even 2 year Highers stepped foot in a classroom since aren’t ideal. Without the threat of an they were our age. As any S1 or par- exam at the end of the year, we sim- ent what this new curriculum is and ply don’t work our hardest, no matter I guarantee you the answers will be how much we kid ourselves. We use diverse. the first year to do as little as pos- sible and relax throughout and then In no way am I suggesting a child’s we panic in the second year when we happiness isn’t as important as realise we know nothing about the grades and yes there is too much course. Although it pains every part stress at this age. It’s hard trying to of my being to say it, we simply need determine the rest of our lives in a few the fear factor to work to our fullest years, when in a matter of months our potential, and that’s coming from a appearance and opinions will catapult person who truly despises exams. from one extreme to the other. How- ever, the truth is that exams and com- The Quality of teaching will also suf- petition prepare us for a world outside fer at the feet of this new curriculum. school, where we won’t be molly Classes won’t be separated into dif- coddled; my current part time employ- ferent levels and abilities, so whilst ment plays testament to that. the more academic students become bored and frustrated, others will strug- This approach, in fact, is only going gle, give up and disrupt the learning to make our current social problems environment for all concerned. Most of worse; with no preparation or experi- the able pupils in S5/6 were relieved ence of an exam a student simply when the disruptive pupils left. Mix- can’t perform their best. By leaving ing abilities doesn’t give anyone a fair exams until S4 it is the equivalent of chance to reach their fullest potential. simply throwing us in at the deep end and expect us to swim for the first In addition to this teachers will strug- time. People need healthy competition gle immensely to teach courses they and drive. It’s a quality that separates don’t fully understand or have never the successful from the losers in life. used before, especially when there The Curriculum for Excellence threat- appears to be no real training. Teach- ens the good quality of education we ing comes from experience and the have now and I believe that students best grades usually come from teach- and teachers will suffer together, in a ing a course for years, knowing the time when there is no money to fund curriculum and being aware of the utopia. The fact is, no one can flourish demands of the end assessment. De- and grow in such a relaxed and liberal spite a majority vote against the new atmosphere. MUTED ENTHUSIASM by Patrick Adamson In essence student councils are student councils and they will tell designed to present pupils with a you about an “exciting opportunity” unique opportunity to experience for pupils to “have their say.” In democracy. This system is common reality the influence council repre- all over the world, but is it really the sentatives are promised is rarely most effective way of represent- put into practice. While pupils are ing pupil’s opinions? Are councils free to discuss their concerns, their becoming little more than a ‘ticked decisions don’t often travel beyond boxes’ on a long list of initiatives, or the meeting room. The final say on is the intention a real, measurable, decisions always lies with the ad- experience; that bolsters pupil mo- ministration and, as such, the coun- rale and gives them a sense of own- cil is more like a middleman than an ership? Are student councils really empowered body. If this assertion is representative of the entire school anything close to reality, you have to population, or are they a forum for question if school councils are actu- able and engaged pupils to vent ally worthwhile. Is there really any their frustrations about issues that need for a stage between sugges- cannot be otherwise overcome. tion and decision? At their best, student councils in- It could be stated that instead of spire pupils to take an interest in improving morale, engaging with a how their school is run. This would system that fails to deliver signifi- be a positive for both pupils and cant change causes the exact op- teachers. Action taken based on posite to occur. Pupils should be student opinions can create an en- able to identify how their opinions vironment that suits everyone. The and actions have made a difference student voice can be loud and rever- to their learning experience. Instead berating. pupils are often left with a feel- ing of futility. Staff representatives However, in some cases, councils should not shoulder the blame, as simply don’t work. quite simply the number of issues in which pupils can be heavily involved Ask any school administrator about is limited.

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