Trivium 21c ltd.

Grid of Posts 3×2

  • The Scapegoating of Teachers

    In his book, Why Knowledge Matters, ED Hirsch Jr. writes that: Teacher effectiveness is contextual At first sight this seems completely commonsensical and, indeed it is in theory. It is just in practice where too many involved in education undermine this simple adage. Hirsch goes on to say: We are blaming teachers because of our Read more

  • Why Knowledge Matters by E.D. Hirsch Jr.

    ED Hirsch Jr.’s new book ‘Why Knowledge Matters’ is a good read. It covers some old ground, focuses on areas in which his mind has changed and clarifies others in the light of experience and research. I am pleased to see, in his acknowledgements, that we share some similar philosophical interests, especially Husserl, Hegel and Read more

  • Get Kids Cultured

    To be cultured means to nail one’s colours to the mast, and those who fear what’s arbitrary in that (and run to theory for protection) fear culture itself. Howard Jacobson The importance of tradition, the great tradition, is not that it is the only possibility but it is the best one that we have. For Read more

  • Boris ‘Two Articles’ Johnson

    The Sunday Times has published an article by Boris Johnson arguing the case for remaining in the EU, that it was written a mere two days before he announced he would be campaigning for Brexit has led to a good number of people bemoaning Boris’s hypocrisy. First there was ‘two Jags’ Prescott, now there is Read more

  • Should White Men Get Awards?

    And should the curriculum be white? In today’s Guardian is a piece bemoaning the award of the Nobel Prize for literature to Bob Dylan; as an idea that is perfectly acceptable however, the piece argues that the reason for not awarding Mr Zimmerman the Nobel should be because of his whiteness and maleness. The Nobel Read more

  • The Future Fallacy

    Most people know nothing about learning; many despise it. Dummies reject as too hard whatever is not dumb.   Thomas More, Utopia The future fallacy occurs when someone makes a comment about what the future will be like and then says: ‘therefore we should be doing (insert something here)…’ The 21st century skills argument is exactly Read more