Barefoot teacher educators?
I wrote a paper reflecting on the phenomenon of experienced teachers taking on a role that had previously been the preserve of university staff. The title included the term ‘barefoot tutors’, which I had picked up when reading about China at the time of Mao Zedong.
Being human, being a learner, being mortal: my MACOS story
Works by Stenhouse and Bruner first introduced me to the MACOS programme. Now, 40 years later, I discovered that the University of London’s library has an archive of MACOS materials, prompting me to reflect on my transformative experiences in the 1980s.
Schooling reimagined
My title for this post is taken from the latest book by David Hargreaves: Schooling Reimagined: Educating for a More Ethical Society. It provides a brilliant analysis of post-war policy which has led us to a damaged education system based on the ideology of meritocracy.
Teachers and everyday social justice
The title of our new book is 'Teachers and the practice of leadership: enabling change for transformation and social justice'. I wonder what the term social justice conjures up for you.
Valuing teacher voice on World Teachers’ Day
I am putting out this piece on World Teachers Day which is celebrated on 5th October every year. This year, the theme is: "Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education".
Open classroom; open society
It is perhaps not surprising that I was shocked when a school principal recently told me that it was not possible for him to go into classrooms in his school. Apparently, a visit from the principal would precipitate a union dispute.
School-University partnership exemplified: Dear Michael….
Dear Michael, It has been many years since we last spoke, but I found myself talking about you recently. I had been asked to give a lecture at the Kazakh National Women’s Pedagogical University in Almaty.
Critical scholarship for teachers
Another reminder of the impermanence of life was the recent news that Henry Kissinger died. Forgive me if I don’t dwell on his dubious achievements in foreign policy which, in the 1970s, included supporting the bombing of Cambodia and Pinochet’s military coup against the elected President of Chile, SalvadorREAD MORE
Who are the change agents?
I decided long ago to avoid commenting on party political matters. Like many students in the late 1960s and early 70s, I got caught up in all the obvious protests – we stopped the traffic when the Bloody Sunday killings took place in Belfast, we stormed the American EmbassyREAD MORE