I wrote an article for LKMCo today about Gove’s Daily Mail outburst and his misunderstandings about education research. At the end I suggested that instead of drawing dividing lines in education we should draw all-encompassing circles that take in all practitioners who want to become more thoughtful about our practice.

The inspiration for this idea came from a poem I repeated often when working in the classroom and which I keep coming back to even now in the throes of academic debate and journal article writing.  The poem was Outwitted by Edwin Markham, and it’s really rather brilliant.

Outwitted by Edwin Markham

“He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic , rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In !”

Happy Easter to those of you who are off onto your half-term break. You deserve this chance to step off-stage.