So his style is invigorating and opinionated. Maybe what we need to stir what seems to have turned to sludge in our minds; just my opinion, I may be wrong. (But I’m not.)
The Tudors simply is this – it is a most glorious and wonderful soap opera. It makes the House of Windsor look like a dolls house tea party, it really does. And so these huge personalities, you know, the whole future of countries turn on what one man feels like when he gets out of bed in the morning – just a wonderful, wonderful personalisation of politics. – David Starkey

On Brit education system:
The core of history is narrative and biography. And the way history has been presented in the curriculum for the last 25 years is very different. The importance of knowledge has been downgraded. Instead the argument has been that it’s all about skills. Supposedly, what you are trying to do with children is inculcate them with the analytical skills of the historian. Now this seems to me to be the most goddamn awful way to approach any subject, and also the most dangerous, and one, of course, that panders to all sorts of easy assumptions – ‘oh we’ve got the internet, we don’t need knowledge anymore because it’s so easy to look things up’. Oh no it isn’t. In order to think, you actually need the information in your mind.
— David Starkey

There need to be places where you can learn and concentrate on doing that whether by free discussion or more formal or individual study.  In discussions, there needs to be a time limit, there needs to be a period of discussion and then be stopped and the question asked as to what has been ascertained, what question remains, and what effect this matter has on other things.   So there needs to be parameters and the verbose restrained and taught to be concise, which is more likely to result in achieving wider knowledge with crisp understanding rather than floppy concepts, prejudices or hopes. After a set period, those who haven’t spoken need to be asked to say something about their silence – are they on a different track, or what do they consider is more important, and that can lead to the inter-connectedness of everything.  

Also everyone’s comments need to be respected pointing out that with wide enquiry the matter is better understood, and knowing that every person has their own interpretation of the matter.   And that the discussion and what is said is discussed, talked about only in discussion time, not brought up at other times or in other venues.   So rules of ‘combat’ of mind are established.   And everyone learns to think, and then later all get a chance to comment on how the discussion itself could be bettered, how it is run etc and why certain rules are necessary.

Meetings of any sort occupy a short space of time, as a rule, and getting people together to think about certain subjects is precious time and meetings I consider often do not achieve  even near the optimum, so fall short of being presented with a good coverage of possibilities and even outcomes, realising that intentions are not always achieved.

Have these methods been discussed, I forget:
Philosophy: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle (video)
Khan Academy https://www.khanacademy.org · 27 Mar 2017
Also, with Socrates being the teacher of Plato and Plato being the teacher of Aristotle, Aristotle was indirectly influenced by Socrates.
8 key moments in this video 10:57
People also ask
What is the Socrates method of teaching?
The Socratic Method involves a shared dialogue between teacher and students. The teacher leads by posing thought-provoking questions. Students actively engage by asking questions of their own.
The Socratic Method: Fostering Critical Thinking
The Institute for Learning and Teaching
https://tilt.colostate.edu › the-socratic-method
and
What was Aristotle’s methodology?
In generalizing, he used either the inductive approach, reasoning from many observed single instances to a universal proposition, or the syllogism, a means of deductive reasoning which he invented, and defined as “certain things being stated, something else follows of necessity without need of further testimony,” i.e., …
Aristotle’s Method and Place in Intellectual History – CliffsNotes
https://www.cliffsnotes.com › ethics › critical-essays › ar
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle

Students should be able to understand the language of Aristotle and Socrates by early teen years.   We have the ability today and need to lessen time in informative stuff to understanding methods of thinking of other scholars.  There is too much wasted time at present.   We have learned science, and know how to destroy things, how to play around with genes.   But this gives immense opportunity to destroy our best selves and indeed life of all sentient beings.   We need to work on our innate brain powers and the rich understandings of individual matters coming from the brains and perceptions, each slightly different, of all involved in considering the matter.

‘Compare and contrast.’ ‘Discussion and tutorials.’
As T/C students we were encouraged to arrange our classrooms in a semi-circle as much as possible. Failing that, to bring children to the mat, even as they got quite big.
It made classrooms look messy because desks got out of line but it was a good way to get discussion going. Children could see all other children without turning round most of the time and the children speaking were facing their audience most of the time. It was a good leveller.

Comparing and contrasting became a way of life for some classes, occasions arose often and a quick 5 minute discussion didn’t detract from the 3-Rs much.
Concepts were treated with as much importance as facts.

Children love discussions where their views are listened to. A teacher is there only to chair the proceedings and ensure quiet speakers were confident enough to join in.
Because their views were listened to, they made a huge effort to explain their opinions as well as they could and partake in as mature a way, as they could.
It’s very different from a family discussion where parents have the final say and young ones are shouted down.
Some people who comment here would have benefitted greatly from these impromptu sessions.
Children whose teachers allowed this level of ‘free’ discussion were the lucky ones.
It would be very beneficial now when children are being exposed to social media and global opinions and events with perhaps not much oversight to filter and explain troubling situations. As Greywarbler says, we are ‘dazzled by the highlights’ and do not understand what’s being done to our country in the background.
School children need those discussions and safe situations in which to refine their opinions.
A bit off topic perhaps but clear thinking is a bit too rare nowadays, for my liking.

Excellent, your observations are very valuable and I will draw on them for future articles.

I put up once again JM Barries The Admirable Crichton where actually knowing how things work, doing it and keeping things running trumped the effete upper classes on a deserted island.
The Admirable Crichton (1902), a play by J. M. Barrie, is a satirical comedy dealing with class and social structure, about a butler who rises to become the leader of his aristocratic employers after they are all stranded on a deserted island. Barrie, best known for Peter Pan, was a Scottish novelist and playwright.
The Admirable Crichton Summary –
https://www.supersummary.com › the-admirable-crichtoM/i>

Comparison: Discussing similarities with a production called Triangle of Sadness the importance of class behaviour and prejudices limiting the fullness of character and personal capability, this says:-
Except for Dolly’s, the characters are superficial caricatures and insofar as ‘originality’ is concerned the plot is directly lifted from The Admirable Crichton (1957), – a South Seas adventure/comedy about a British butler (Kenneth More) who takes charge after a shipwreck, – based on J.M. Barrie’s 1902 stage play.8 Feb 2023
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS – Review by Susan Granger
Alliance of Women Film Journalists
https://awfj.org › blog › 2023/02/08 › triangle-of-sadnes

Compare and contrast is used in university study. Discussion and tutorials. We have to start teaching our youngsters to wrap their minds around concepts that are now considered adult, by the age of 12, and be ready to start learning manual and living skills at 13, and begin part-time work and apprenticeships at 14. Times have changed and do the thinking people have to drag everybody else along with them as a burden. At present the unconcerned are like chains around other’s ankles or like firebrands burning them up because looking ‘practically’ at new ideas are as unpopular as Galileo’s and Aristotle’s.
Although Plato had been his teacher, Aristotle disagreed with much of Plato’s philosophy. Plato was an idealist, who believed that everything had an ideal form. Aristotle believed in looking at the real world and studying it. Aristotle spent many years teaching in Athens, which was under the control of Macedon.
BRIA 26 1 Plato and Aristotle on Tyranny and the Rule of Law
Constitutional Rights Foundation
https://teachdemocracy.org › bill-of-rights-in-action › bri

Idea – neoliberalism is an ideal without practicality in our old society. It’s a theory not much discussed to the extent needed because it was realised to be so bloody marvellous for getting hands on people’s wealth. The Nazis went to war against countries but also to purloin Jewish assets. Kiwis are facing a war by stealth to take everything those with power want, while we are dazzled by the headlights. Now there is an unacceptable idea!

Makes me think of DNA spiral, twisting, neck, strangulation. Uugh.

By all means keep universities, but kick the vocational stuff like medicine, teaching, law accountancy and nursings back to the polytechs where they belong.

Break up the cartel!