Letters: Lessons for Boris from the classroom

Lessons for the government

Sir: James Forsyth suggests that the Prime Minister wishes to avoid sounding as if he is blaming voters for the rise in coronavirus infections (‘Lockdown breakdown’, 26 September). Mr Johnson appears to have already crossed that line.

In education we recognise that a teacher has lost control of their class and of their own good judgment when they become exasperated with their pupils for not learning anything. Fortunately, we know a great deal about how to help someone stuck in this negative cycle.

Good teachers are predictable and consistent; they know that it is futile to claim that a rule is vitally important if it comes with a list of options and exemptions. They recognise that when strategies don’t work they need new strategies, not new children. They understand that the unfairness of punishing the whole class for the misbehaviour of a few always results in poorer behaviour in the long run. And they know that the best lessons are those that equip learners with skills that enable them to make independent judgments, not merely pass tests at the end of the week. Might there be lessons in any of this for our political leaders in these very strange times?

Global allies

Sir: I agree with Christopher Meyer, in his review of The Churchill Complex (Books, 19 September), that the United Kingdom has never been seen by the United States as having a privileged status that is not available to other countries. But I was surprised that he did not acknowledge that most of the time the UK has been a more important ally to Washington than any other. The US has very close ties with, and commitments to, Israel Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. But these all relate specifically to the security of these countries.