Trivium 21c ltd.

Grid of Posts 3×2

  • The Problems With Traditional Education.

    Traditional education is problematic. If it was perfect then there would be no cogent arguments against it. As Dewey made clear, what he termed as progressive education was a reaction due to “discontent with traditional education.”  This discontent is based on important ideas. Dewey described traditional education being, “…in essence, one of imposition from above and from Read more

  • Going on Holiday During Term-time Can be a Good Thing

    Parents who have children at independent school must wonder what the fuss is about, what with their two week half term break in October, their three week holiday at Easter and eight week summer break, they are used to being able to get good deals from holiday companies. Children at independent schools have more time on holiday, Read more

  • Proper Acting for Proper Teachers

    Here are the slides from my talk at the ResearchEd English and MFL conference on Saturday 1st April, at the University Examination Schools: Proper Acting for Proper Teachers PDF A jaunt through some essential drama teaching I presented a session on the ‘rules’ needed to make a play work in the classroom or on the stage. These ‘rules’ Read more

  • Stop Fetishising Failure and Success

    Famous ‘failures’ is a slightly ridiculous concept when tied to the idea of ‘success’. The cases above are famous people who have succeeded and have experienced some sort of failure in their lives. I’m not sure it is helpful to fetishise failure in this way. And yet many schools use posters like this one to ‘motivate’ Read more

  • Democratic Education is no Utopia

    Don’t say goodbye to Mr Chips!!! Maybe its because I’ve read Lord of the Flies but I’m not sure putting children in charge of education is the best thing for them, our schools, or, indeed, all of our futures. In her ‘Utopian Thinking’ piece in the Guardian, Rachel Roberts argues: There are a few things Read more

  • Ofsted and the Development of a Rich Curriculum

    In her first major speech as the new HMCI Amanda Spielman said: And that is why I’m announcing today that I have chosen the curriculum to be the focus of the first big thematic Ofsted review of my tenure. From early years, through to primary, secondary, sixth form and FE colleges, this will explore the Read more