All curricula involve the teaching of knowledge which is why some people baulk at the idea of a ‘knowledge-based curriculum’. ‘We all teach knowledge’ they point out, as if there is no difference between anyone teaching a progressive curriculum and those teaching a more traditional academic one. As soon as one gets into the argument … More The Progressive Curriculum. Curriculum Series Number Four.
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 … More Democratic Education is no Utopia
Dichotomy: A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different OED I keep seeing references from people, too numerous to mention, that traditional and progressive can happily co-exist as, in reality, it is a false dichotomy. There is a problem in this argument and that is tradition … More Tradition vs Progress: a True Dichotomy
In yesterday’s Daily Mail they ran the following headline: “The worst behaved pupils in the world? You’d better believe it: As a study says schools are even more anarchic than we thought, the shocking testimony of a once idealistic young teacher.” What followed was an article reflecting on a survey about how our pupils are rated … More It Was the Worst of Times; It was the Best of Times: Are Our Schools and Kids Awful?
