We move through the world in a narrow groove, preoccupied with the petty things we see and hear...Steve Hagen, Buddhism Plain and Simple If there is a difference between the expert and he who is merely experienced, that difference is what is remembered as each passes through the world. Those destined to be an eternal … Continue reading Expert memories
Category: School improvement
To wish impossible things
I have been enjoying #classicblogsweek on Twitter over this half term break. The democratic free-for-all selection process has resulted in an eclectic mix of pivotal polemics, personal favourites, and anti-orthodox rhetoric. What is noticeable is that so many either critique existing school practices or set out how things should be. They are of the critical … Continue reading To wish impossible things
Change one thing, change everything
At this time of year, there is no shortage of advice about making resolutions. The New Year is sold to us as a moment of renewal - a chance to become a slightly better version of ourselves. Most of these resolutions don't stick because habits, particularly bad ones like not exercising, are hard to break. … Continue reading Change one thing, change everything
Could do better: raising the bar for school improvement
If I were to write a report on our efforts over the years to master the subject of school improvement, I might choose similar words to those (above) once levelled against me. Our thinking on the matter is generally lacking in substance and untidy. And given the high stakes accountability framework we have created, an … Continue reading Could do better: raising the bar for school improvement
From description to prescription
It is inevitable that waves will rise and fall. What is not known is the form each will take, at least until they begin to take shape. There is an emerging narrative that a switch from teacher evaluation to teacher development is required. The backlash against teacher evaluation began some years ago with calls to … Continue reading From description to prescription
Getting the measure of a school
In a humble cafe, at the corner of a street, sat a young man and his young lady. In front of the young man sat a pile of papers which contained year's of carefully collected data. The young man's task was to determine the best restaurant in the country. He had set about this task … Continue reading Getting the measure of a school
Curating the canon
What should we consider to be legitimate professional knowledge, and who gets to decide? These are the questions raised by a stimulating paper released by the Confederation of School Trusts this week titled 'Communities of Improvement: School Trusts as fields of practice'. To my mind, the paper is a must read for anyone interested in … Continue reading Curating the canon
Fitter, happier, more productive…
As we lurch into a half term break, many of us a little shell shocked and depleted, we contemplate the use of our precious time. For many, the priority will be to recharge. For a while we need to just 'be'; to avoid structure, goals, and requirement. The unwinding of body and mind is necessary … Continue reading Fitter, happier, more productive…
Everyday mechanisms
People feel they understand complex phenomena with far greater precision, coherence, and depth than they really do; they are subject to an illusion - an illusion of explanatory depth.Rozenblit and Keil, 2002 How does a toilet work? I am confident that I have a fairly good idea. If asked, I would rate my confidence at … Continue reading Everyday mechanisms
The searing memories of the curriculum era
For the last 18 months, I have been co-authoring a book with Becky Allen and Ben White. It is called The Next Big Thing in School Improvement. The book is about the perpetual novelty that we experience in education. In the run up to publication, we will be publishing a series of blog posts which … Continue reading The searing memories of the curriculum era
Matthew Evans 