The Lesson is in Life Itself

August 2020. A Month like no other in a year like no other, a 'mutant algorithm' became the centre of attention across this great land of ours. Scotland went first and suffered from obvious Ostrich syndrome, England, Northern Ireland and Wales were next. Fingers crossed, horseshoes at the ready a field of four leaf clover being curated somewhere in this green and pleasant land? No. There would be no 'luck' for the Class' of 2020. The plan must have been something like the following...

We are superior to our predecessors and we will control everything in this the twenty first century with our very clever technology. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will ensure, no sorry, guarantee that fairness and equity will be applied to our future leaders, our future doctors, our future carers. We will use our computing power to make sure that there are no devious games played by those maniacal league table focused teachers who we do not trust.

The only problem with the plan was that it was conceived from a position of mistrust, a presumption of lack of honesty on the part of teachers and a fundamental arrogance that computers can answer any question fairly.

Rubbish In, Rubbish Out.

We are dealing with people here, humans, blood, guts and brains, each unique from the other, no two exactly the same. We are dealing with the heart and the head, the emotion, the drive, the aspiration for a better future. It was not the place of any central entity to take so much unfounded, uneducated and untrustworthy positions on the future of our country and world. Predicted Grades from the people who know the children best was always the fair and square way to go but as usual the arrogance of age stopped the simple from happening.

To the children of today and the adults of tomorrow do not make the same mistake with your future generations.

To those of you who might not have got the Grades your dreams had held so dear for so long do not despair. Time is a great healer and opportunity knocks, when the bell rings answer it, step forward, be brave. Your past does not define your future, never has and never will.

If I had been waiting for my A'Level results in August 2020 I would have been in trouble. Hoarding is an age thing, you keep stuff, you box it up and cart it around year after year and at some point you make the step to clear it out. That happened to me in August 2020 and out popped my school report after my A'Level mock's, here it is in all it's glory, I would have been in trouble....

Luckily I was able to take the exams, just as well really as my Music teacher couldn't even be bothered to remember my name! The results did improve, they took me to Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education where I learned more from life itself than any textbook.

To those of you moving on in your live's make and take your opportunities, this world is a blank canvas, it is there for you to write your story. Do not think you have to conform, do not become victims of singular Group Think dogma. As Steve Jobs said..

"Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

JB