As someone who was initially sceptical of the idea, let me reassure you: there is nothing inherently evil about ED Hirsch's "Core Knowledge". Go look at if for yourself. All it consists of is a year-by-year list of things it … Read More
Just read the marvellous 2011 essay from Mark Edmundson "Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?" about the purpose of education, especially a degree. There are many wonderful parts, in particular this on why we should read a … Read More
Also cross-posted at LKMCo Relevance has become a bit of a 'sneer' term of late. But what do people mean by it? There seem to be two meanings. One, is when you teach a whole topic simply because you think students … Read More
So I've finished re-reading Jonathan Haidt's The Righteous Mind and I still cannot recommend it enough. He writes in a style similar to Malcolm Gladwell and masterfully curates easy-read summaries of psychological and political research. Thankfully Haidt also summarises the main principles of … Read More
A morning Twitter discussion highlighted this curiosity: In order to count in the EBacc statistics a student needs to get an English Language GCSE or an English (combined) GCSE. English Literature, on its own, can't count. In order to count in the ABacc statistics a student … Read More
I wrote a blog for LKMCo today about the work of ED Hirsch and its current use in the UK debate about National Curriculum. One of Hirsch's principles is that there is a 'correct order' in which ideas should be … Read More
I note the Daily Mail has led on the story of the new National Curriculum with a triumphant gloat that Churchill is back on the agenda. I am also chuffed that Churchill is back, but not for the same reasons as … Read More
Dear Future Education Ministers, Here's an idea. Why not set up a committee called "The Curriculum Review Panel" [I know it sounds familiar but bear with me]. It would re-write sections of the curriculum each year, or in rolling blocks. For … Read More