Archives

2012

May

• teacher student relationships
  A great one for teachers and a good one for students to consider the importance and difficulties of teacher student relationships in school. Read it here.
  

• the Queen’s speech
  essential reading for budding young sociologists.  Read here.
  

April

• Sociology Ferret - video clips
  Some great and fun videos created by a sociology teacher and her students to illustrate some of the key ideas in A level sociology. http://www.youtube.com/user/SociologyFerret
  

• Media and the law: privacy issues
  New legislation proposed by government would allow them to monitor all emails, calls and web use, without requiring permission from a magistrate.  A great debating point for any lesson, and am important issue. Read a brief article about it here.
  

March

• Teen gangs programme
  This looks like a potentially interesting programme, tonight at 9pm. teen gangs
  

• AQA AS and A2 revision handouts
  These form part of the revision pack I put together for students.  They include a checklist of topics (from the specification) and examples of all past questions up to the most recent summer exam (I hold back the January exams for mocks). The AS guide is for Unit 1: Families
  

• History of Marriage
  a neat little summary of the history of marriage.  10 key moments.
  

• Britishness
  The question of what it means to be ‘British’ is one that appears to have greatly vexed the Government.  They blame a lack of ‘Britishness’ for any failings in society and have a test specifically designed to weed out those not ‘British’ enough to own a British passport.  Teachers are
  

• privatising policing
  The recent news story about the privatisation of certain police services has already sparked some vibrant reactions on facebook and other social media.  I am using it as a starter in my next crime and deviance lesson to consider what impact it might have on policing and society in general. 
  

February

• GCSE sample answers - education
  An exercise looking at, and marking, sample 5 mark answers to help develop an understanding of the marking criteria at GCSE. Remember to take the marks out when giving to students! 5_mark_sample_answers_teacher_version.docx
  

• Interviews
  For those wanting a more humorous way into discussing the weaknesses of interviews as a method of research, this letter by Mark Twain might prove useful.
  

• Parenting the French way
  A fascinating article about cross-cultural differences in parenting.  It would make a great resource for discussing the question of ‘child-centred’ families.
  

• Population statistics
  I’ve seen a number of interesting stories and programmes exploring ideas relating to population levels.  The most recent was this morning on the BBC, asking if the number of people alive today (about 7 billion) outnumbers the number of people that have ever lived on earth.  Most of these debates
  

January

• Media and Image
  This is a fantastic commentary of the images of women portrayed by the media, commenting on how they project an impossibly flawless ideal.  Jean Kilbourne argues, not just that this image leads to increasing eating disorders and mental health issues among teenage girls, but that the objectification of women’s bodies
  

• right to die - suicide
  This story of a man’s campaign to the right to die, would make an interesting contemporary update for those studying suicide in Unit 4.  Read it here.
  

• TED - videoed talks
  TED is a fantastic resources of talks on a multitude of subjects.  Go and have a browse - you are sure to find something interesting / fun / challenging / useful / eye-opening…  I like this selection on ‘what makes us happy?’
  

• Methods: strengths and weaknesses
  Some card sorting activities on methods, for GCSE or A level. observation_sorting_activity.docx Official_Statistics_sorting_activity.doc questionnaires_sorting_activity.docx
  

• Wikipedia ‘blackout’
  Wikipedia’s decision to stage a 24hour ‘blackout’, in response to threatened US legislation, should make an interesting discussion starter for anyone studying media and / or crime and deviance.
  

• Feminism and Technology
  This year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) has caused some controversy, with companies employing ‘booth babes’ to help promote their products.  You can watch a news clip here, featuring interviews with attendees and ‘babes’.
  

• Evaluating Research methods
  A simple evaluation template for research methods. methods_evaluation.doc
  

• Single Sex education
  An article in the Guardian about the benefits of single sex education for girls.  Read it here.
  

• Routine and exam success
  Apologies for the radio silence, but I have been enjoying a well-earned holiday!  I plan to upload some new resources as soon as I can grab a chance between A level re-sit revision sessions, but in the meantime, take a look at this article on the link between daily routine
  

2011

December

• Policing the riots
  The Home Office report on policing the riots.  Essential reading for Crime and Deviance students.
  

• Violence and terror - Bauman
  Zygmunt Bauman: ‘No one is in control. That is the major source of contemporary fear’ – video.  For Zygmunt Bauman the world is marked by a division between power and politics. While politics is defined by nations, power no longer recognises national boundaries
  

• Health - animated lecture
  Great animated video about research into the benefits of exercise.  Watch it here.
  

• Mass Media: Facebook
  Facebook provides plenty of fodder for lessons on the mass media at A level or GCSE.  Try this story summarising what people are actually talking about on facebook the most.
  

• Traditional family?
  A survey by the Centre for the Modern Family suggests that few people feel part of a ‘traditional’ family.  Read about it here.
  

• Crime and Deviance - London riots
  The government published last week their interim report on the violence during the summer.  You can find it here. The LSE and the Guardian newspaper also carried out research, interviewing many of those involved.  The findings are summarised in an article here.
  

• Contraception
  Useful article about the impact of the introduction of the contraceptive pill.
  

November

• Press Ethics
  Any student studying Mass Media for Unit 3, should be aware of the Leveson inquiry - a goldmine of examples!  The BBC have been doing a rolling commentary on the witness statements, including that by Campbell here.
  

• Family incomes
  I’m having trouble uploading resources to the website currently, but there are plenty of stories in the news that provide a good basis for discussion.  One on the BBC today questions how easy it is to live on £40,000pa (the average combined income for two adults in the UK).  Read
  

• GCSE quizzes and games
  If anybody else is feeling like me at the moment, then it is a good time to (re)discover Chris Gardner’s excellent website: lots of quizzes, games and notes for GCSE Sociology, several of which I use profitably with AS level as well. Link.
  

• Research methods: questionnaires
  A great online exercise for evaluating questionnaires.  http://wads.le.ac.uk/gg/orm/timingform.htm
  

• Educational Attainment and reading
  OECD study shows the importance of reading to children in their first years at school.  Read it here.
  

October

• Growing populations
  The growing population of our planet is of great interest to sociologists, and of concern to many.  This neat app on the BBC lets you work out what ‘number’ you are - a great little starter for discussion.
  

• Suggar Daddies
  Sugar Daddy parties in the UK - is it a form of prostitution?  Is it sexist?  Or is it simply a rebirth of traditional relationships where the man is the provider?  You decide. Read the story here.
  

• Gender and educational achievement
  An interesting link I came across recently which explores the issue of boys underachievement at GCSE in more depth.  There is a chapter you can download, along with a presentation, both of which contain useful information that could be adapted for use with sixth-former, or potentially GCSE students.
  

• Politics and democracy
  An interesting discussion of recent changes to electoral procedure; useful as a starting point for discussions about democracy and the balance of power.  Read here.
  

• African-Caribbean underachievement
  Interesting and baldly stated article about reasons for underachievement by black boys.  A good starting point for a lesson.
  

• modern crimes and moral panics
  Nice story for a starter about a father in trouble for taking a photograph of his daughter in a shopping centre.  Read it here.
  

• Race and Identity
  Fascinating programme about race and identity on BBC2 tonight, that will be repeated Tuesday 11:20pm and Wednesday 12:20am.
  

• year 10 assessment
  Here is an assessment I put together for my year 10, based mainly on the studying society element of Unit 1.  It is accompanied by a detailed peer marking exercise with model answers to assist.
  

• 4 thought - mixed-race marriages
  4 Thought on channel 4 present short viewpoints on a wide variety of subjects that might be useful as starters for discussion points.  Yesterday’s was on mixed race marriages.  The BBC have also commented on the issue, here.
  

September

• Educating Essex
  Don’t be misled by the title or the pictures on the website, this series is a great fly-on-the-wall look at comprehensive education today.  There is bullying, dating, teaching and even some learning.  Take a look at the programmes here.
  

• sleep and learning
  A joint research carried out by UAB and Ramon Llull University, published in the journal Cultura y Educación, indicates that children sleeping less than nine hours and with bad sleeping habits - such as going to bed late - do worse academically. The study was carried out in several schools
  

• children as brand ambassadors
  The BBC discusses the ethical issues of using children as brand ambassadors to sell products.
  

• community sentencing or punishment?
  Interesting discussion of the point of jail and the merits of community sentencing.  Read it here.
  

• riots and statistics
  An excellent piece on the BBC looking at the statistics associated with the riots.  Good ‘methods in context’ material for A2 Crime and Deviance. Read it here.
  

• Plotting the riots
  Another map, this time linking the homes of those charged in relation to the riots in Manchester, to areas of deprivation.  A good stimulus for discussing causes of crime.
  

• Targeting crime ‘hotspots’
  A study led by University College London suggests that targeting crime ‘hotspots’ is a good way of cutting offending, because most criminals are too lazy to go elsewhere.  The study has been printed in the Jourmal of Experimental Criminology and you must be a subscriber to download the full report,
  

• Boys underperformance at GCSE
  This discussion thread on the TES website might prove a useful tool in discussing boys’ underachievement with sixth formers.
  

• Marxism
  For those of you introducing capitalism to AS students in the next few weeks, or trying to get A2 students to develop their understanding further, this article might make a good discussion point.  In particular, it could help students to apply the theory to contemporary issues and events.
  

• Social surveys
  A lovely article from the BBC about the ONS and some of the surveys it has carried out: from how many bras women owned in 1941, to sex and contraception in 2001.  Read it here. The ONS survey highlights would make a good starter for lessons on methods and /
  

August

• the London riots and poverty
  I’m not sure who put this together, but this map overlays locations of recent unrest with areas of deprivation.  A good starting point for discussion about the root causes…  (warning - it can be slow to load)
  

• Carrot or Stick - A Horizon Guide to Raising Kids
  BBC4 are screening a Horizon documentary this evening (Thursday 11th August, 8-9pm), looking at how parenting techniques have changed, and theory behind those changes.  Sure it will be worth a watch, and I shall be recording it for future A level lessons on childhood.
  

July

• Social climbing
  An interesting article about whether ‘social climbing’ is a good thing.  I wonder whether the assumption that it is still viewed as a negative aspect, remains true today anyway.  What do you think?
  

• Family types card game
  A card game for GCSE students studying the family, to help them identify types and definitions.  It’s a simple pairing exercise - instructions included. family_type_cards.doc
  

• The Happiness Index
  People in the UK believe their well-being should be measured in terms of health, friends and family and job satisfaction, according to a report by the Office of National Statistics.  Read the article here.  The report can be downloaded here.
  

• Children who don’t know their own name
  A snippet from Radio 4 highlighting the problem of children arriving at school who don’t even know their own names.  The blame is levelled at television and the internet and the failure of families to engage in discussion.  Listen to it here.
  

• children behaving badly
  The BBC screened a programme, Classroom Secrets, earlier this week, that showed footage of how children really behave in class.  You can see the programme on BBCiplayer, and there is a short clip along with brief details about the programme, here.
  

June

• Ben Goldacre - bad science
  For those that haven’t yet come across Ben Goldacre, he debunks examples of bad science.  His articles are insightful and make useful starting points for discussion at A2 (value-free research / the positivism debate) and AS (for those looking at health particularly).  His website can be found here.
  

• The end of gender?
  A neat article bringing together some of the most recent stories about challenging gender.  Read it here.
  

• Britain’s mysterious baby boom
  More discussion about fertility rates and the apparent ‘baby boom’ of the first part of this, the 21st century.  Is Tony Blair the ‘daddy’?  A good starting point for discussion.
  

• are children being forced to grow up too quickly?
  In case you missed it earlier in the year, following a great deal of debate around the subject of the commercialisation, and particularly the perceived sexualisation, of children, the Government have commissioned a review.  Reg Bailey, Chief Executive of the Mothers’ Union is leading the review which will focus on
  

• class division - the battle continues
  The BBC, in an article that not so subtly advertises a new book (Owen Jones - Chavs: the Demonization of the Working Class), discusses the controversy around the term ‘chav’ and the continued class division that exists in the UK.
  

May

• Crime and Deviance: Miami mega-jail
  The exam boards are generally looking for up-to-date examples wherever possible, so why not take a look at this article on the BBC about the Miami mega-jail. ‘Imagine a jail where dangerous inmates awaiting trial live 24 to a room and fight each other under a violent gladiatorial code. This
  

• Revision links
  If you haven’t found it already, go and look the website for Ken Browne’s Sociology books for A level.  There are lots of sample chapters and some useful quizzes and matching exercises that are great for revision.
  

• Gender Socialisation
  A last minute case study on Gender Socialisation for either Family topic on SCLY1 or Education on SCLY2; Researchers from Florida State University, have found kids’ books are likely to feature a male hero rather than a female heroine and could be reinforcing gender inequality. Adding that in recent years
  

• Research methods revision game
  A fun way to revise the strengths and limitations of various research methods based on the card game ‘happy families’.  Instructions included. methods_playing_cards.docx
  

• 2010 UK General Election Analysis
  A year on and some decent analysis from psephologists of the 2010 election are emerging. Dr Justin Greaves of Warwick University has made available an A’Level friendly Power Point on ‘Voting Behaviour at the 2010 General Election’. An excellent resource for any centre studying this minority topic on AQA SCLY3.
  

• Current issues and stories
  Examiners are looking for contemporary references from students and I often get asked where they can find them.  I usually start with stories in the news.  Here are some quick summaries of stories and studies from April. recent_issues_in_family_Apr2011.doc recent_issues_in_education_Apr2011.doc recent_issues_in_media_Apr2011.doc recent_issues_in_crime_Apr2011.doc
  

• AV Referendum
  Perhaps more political than sociological (and certainly historical), but a useful discussion of the merits of AV versus first past the post. AV vs FPTP
  

April

• Who giveth this woman to this man?
  Don’t seem to be able to embed this, so check it out here. In yesterday’s royal marriage ceremony there was a bit in the service which I’d forgotten about.  At one point (follow the link) the Archbishop of Canterbury (and when is someone going to tell him to get his
  

• nature vs nurture
  More fuel for the nurture versus nature argument.  This BBC article discusses how success is determined more by effort than talent, and the importance of a ‘growth mindset’ rather than a ‘fixed’ one.  Dweck’s experiment should prove fertile ground for discussion.
  

• Men Kissing
  This little story seems to be getting a lot of media coverage.  But for a simple bonus point, identify one public place in the UK where men are allowed to kiss?  It’s a good example of the relative nature of deviance - in terms of place that is.
  

• Material deprivation
  The ATL has produced a study of the impact of poverty of pupils’ learning, reported by the BBC.  There is perhaps nothing unusual or unexpected in the findings, but as it is a report of teachers’ perceptions, it could be a useful discussion point on subjectivity as well as material
  

• Ethnicity and higher education
  David Cameron has raised a stink about ethnic minorities going to Oxford University.  Much of the argument relates to how you read the statistics!  Read it here.
  

• Sociology, Post Modernism, Art and the Handbag?
  Time for a little light relief for the end of term? This new book from the French Sociologist Jean-Claude Kaufmann has been all over the British press this week; The Times, The Guardian and The Express. In it he collates 18 months of research looking at what a handbag says
  

• What happens to our census forms?
  Students who have been discussing the census may be interested in following up by looking at this clip.
  

• social mobility
  Nick Clegg has been talking about social mobility, as reported by the BBC.  Alongside the usual politican-speak, is a nice graph that should prove a good discussion point.
  

• boy or man?
  This story on the BBC struck me today, not just because of the events, but because of the question of the point at which we stop being children and start being adults.  Do we draw the line between boy, youth and man differently depending on the context?  Food for thought.
  

• Puzzle Maker
  I was going to write something about the royal wedding ring and there’s a nice clip on the BBC about what happens to the census form. However, time has flown, so I will direct you instead to this helpful site where you can make your own crosswords. In fact, I’m
  

• ‘feminism trumps egalitarianism’
  David Willets, the Universities Minister, claims that feminism has held back working class men.  Read the article - what do you think?
  

• Official statistics - census
  Nice article from the BBC about the census and the difficulties of counting people - useful evaluation points for students to use.
  

March

• The Changing Face of Motherhood
  Some interesting findings reported on the BBC this week looking at the complex range of pressures facing mothers today compared to their mums and grannies. The new research is from The Social Issues Research Centre (SIRC). Obviously this will be helpful for students as an up to date case study
  

• Useful Video on Newsworthiness
    I found this really useful clip on YouTube. It does about 5 mins on newsworthiness and is just right for GCSE although no reason why you couldn’t use it for AS either.  It’s American and you might not like the voice over or teach kids who think they must
  

• A Real Live Positivist
  Sometimes it’s hard to find a sociologist who is easily put into one of the rather artificial boxes or categories which are used at A level.  They are useful - up to a point, but if you are ambitious and fairly sophisticated, don’t be fooled into thinking all sociologists fit
  

• Census Day
  Having woken late or to find that the clocks should have moved forward many of us - or heads of household at least - may now also be dimly aware of another demand being made by the state - fill in your census form.  If you are a teacher -
  

• BBC survey of schoolchildren
  The BBC have carried out a survey of UK schoolchildren, looking at religion and technology, as well as hopes and aspirations.  It makes interesting reading and might be useful for AS students studying the family.  Read the story here and download the report here.
  

• the impact of technology
  The BBC ran an article recently on famous ‘firsts’ - email, telegram, telephone call…  I made this little worksheet for a bit of fun for GCSE classes. technology_worksheet.doc
  

• Postmodernism Clip
  Nice clip for explaining or getting into postmodernism here.
  

• AQA unit 3 and Unit 4 outlines
  I put these exam outlines together for my students to help them prepare for the summer exams.  Feel free to use and adapt. Unit 3: Mass Media AQA_SCLY3_outline.doc Unit 4: Crime and deviance with methods and theory AQA_SCLY4_outline.doc
  

• Marketisation of Education
  The BBC reported on the potential impact of the rise in tuition fees for university, with some calculations provided by Baker Tilly.  A good starting point for a debate on the impact of marketisation.  Read about it here.
  

• Love pie. Hate pie-charts
  I have just been given David McCandless’ great coffee table book ‘Information is Beautiful’. As a consequence I’ve been raiding some of his images for class as an alternative to ‘boring’ tables and charts. Try starting with these ‘Mountains Out of Molehills’ - timeline of global media scare stories, an
  

• Stuart Hall and Multiculturalism
  Don’t miss a special Thinking Allowed tomorrow, which will feature Laurie Taylor talking to Stuart Hall about multiculturalism. Should be fascinating.
  

• did you fail the English Bac?
  Some headteachers and deputies at the Annual Conference of the Association of Schools and College Leaders (ASCL) in Manchester are wearing badges that say ‘I failed the English bac’ in protest at the Government’s new measure of GCSE performance.  Old fashioned and contradictory to personalised learning, or driven by public
  

• AQA unit 1 and Unit 2 outlines
  I put these exam outlines together for my students to help them prepare for the summer exams.  Feel free to use and adapt. Unit 1: families and households AQA_SCLY1_outline.doc Unit 2: education with research methods AQA_SCLY2_outline.doc
  

• Which dads help out most?
  The BBC recently reported the release of a new study looking at unpaid domestic labour and gender roles.  The idea that the finding that ‘out-of-work fathers spend less time caring for their children than mothers who have a job’ reflects ‘startling new research’ would be a good starting point for
  

• Losing My Religion
  There’s a very useful clip from BBC Breakfast - an interview with Rory McGrath talking about losing his religious faith. Would be great for introducing lessons on either secularization or sociological perspectives on religion - Marxism or Functionalism - as McGrath touches on the issue of how Catholicism can be
  

• Parenting
  Neat little story from the BBC about the pressures of parenting - just to give you a flavour from the other side of the education debate.  Read it here.
  

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