This blogpost consists of a description of a range of novels by African writers and gives suggestions for how teachers … More
Tag: education
Treat English Teachers as Professionals: Give Them More Choice
When I started teaching the International Baccalaureate (IB) just over a year ago I was shocked and delighted by the … More
Should Teachers Express Political Beliefs?
Last week a student asked me who I voted for in the general election. I faltered. I couldn’t decide whether … More
Teaching the Truth
You know there’s something wrong with our education system when (according to an Ipsos Mori poll) only 9% of British … More
Can Civic Education Prevent the Death of Democracy?
In 2012, former Supreme Court Justice David Souter argued that if citizens understand their system of government and know who … More
Why Kids Believe Conspiracy Theories
Picture this: a lesson with a bottom set year 8 class. I’m teaching Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and we’re … More
I Will Work Harder: Knackered Teachers
Workload is pushing teachers out of UK schools. In a 2014 NUT survey 97% of teachers said that excessive workload … More
We are Jeopardising the Mental Health of Future Generations (Part 2)
The first part of this post addressed the growing crisis in the mental health of young people in the UK. This post … More
We are Jeopardising the Mental Health of Future Generations (Part 1)
Today is World Mental Health Day. As a teacher I am aware of some of the challenges that many young people … More
Educational Inequality: What Should We Be Talking About?
Grammar schools have dominated the education debate over the past few days. The argument goes that they improve social mobility … More