Teaching creative writing
teaching english

Big Day At The Beeb

Natasha Kaplinski, my interviewer on BBC News 24

I had a long day of interviews at the Beeb. All of them were about the new law that gives the right for teachers to search pupils for weapons. I was supportive of the law, having searched quite a few bags in my time. First up was Kate Silverton at BBC Breakfast, then Nicky Campbell on Radio 5 Live, followed by BBC News 24, and then two interviews on different programmes on BBC World Service. The most interesting interview was with a German teacher who had turned around a rough school in Berlin by introducing student councils and ‘trusting’ the pupils. I had a go at him, subtly hinting that he was wishy-washy, and we had a row. Radio 5 Live were the sharpest, firing questions at me left, right and centre, Nicky Campbell at one side and his host at the other.

The Times also commissioned a piece on the same subject.

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