1st Edition
World Class Tackling the Ten Biggest Challenges Facing Schools Today
Every school is different, but all schools face very similar challenges. Drawing on their combined teaching experience of over fifty years in both independent and state schools, educationalists David James and Ian Warwick have chosen ten questions that tackle the most difficult challenges that face schools today, and invited leading education experts to address them in stimulating and accessible essays, which are each under a thousand words.
With contributions from John Hattie, David Blunkett, Doug Lemov, Anthony Seldon, Sandy Speicher, Tim Hawkes and many more, this insightful and engaging book features exclusive essays with some of the world’s most well-known and well-respected thinkers and speakers in education, business and politics, accompanied by thought-provoking introductions.
The contributors provide new perspectives on some of the issues that occupy educationalists today; they challenge conventional wisdom and, above all, put forward practical, workable, evidence-based solutions that can transform teaching and learning.
World Class is a powerful manifesto for change that nobody interested in education today can ignore.
Contents
Notes on Editors
Notes on Contributors
Foreword Carol Dweck
Introduction
Chapter 1 How can we improve teaching?
Introduction
Patrick Derham
Kevin Mattingly
Ramya Venkataraman
Brett Wigdorz
Haley Vlatch and Robert A Bjork
Chapter 2 How can teachers become specialists in their subjects?
Introduction
Robert Coe
Christine Counsell
Jonnie Noakes
Robert Peal
Ian Warwick
Chapter 3 What should we teach?
Introduction
Claire Fox
Heidi Hayes Jacobs
Ian Leslie
Pernille Ripp
Graham Watts and Steve Muthiitene
Sakena Yacoobi
Chapter 4 How can we improve professional standards?
Introduction
Nick Alchin
Barbara Blackburn
Lucy Crehan
John Hattie
David Weston
Chapter 5 How should we test our students?
Carolyn Adams and Matthew Glanville
Tim Oates
Andreas Schleicher
Bob Sornson
Dylan Wiliam
Chapter 6 How independent should schools be?
Introduction
David Blunkett
Karin Chenoweth
Justin Garrick
James Handscombe
Tony Little
Chapter 7 How can we improve student behaviour?
Introduction
Tom Bennett
Steve Biddulph
Paul Dix
Mary Anne Heng
Emma Louise Kemp-Gee and Iroise Dumontheil
Doug Lemov
Chapter 8 What technology should we use in the classroom?
Introduction
Abdul Chohan
Daisy Christodoulou
Beth Holland
Sandy Speicher
Liz Sproat
Chapter 9 How can progress be most effectively measured in schools?
Introduction
Carrie Huang Jia-Li
Tony McAleavey
Harmer Parr
Christine Ryan
Tom Sherrington
Chapter 10 What does outstanding school leadership look like?
Introduction
Tim Hawkes
Steven Jay Gross
Linda Massey
Dominic Randolph
Anthony Seldon
Conclusion
Biography
David James is a Deputy Head in a leading coeducational independent school in the UK.
Ian Warwick is Senior Director of London Gifted & Talented (www.londongt.org).
"A wonderful, provocative, enjoyable and original book." Carol Dweck, Lewis & Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology, Stanford University
"I'll declare and interest here as this treasure-trove of a book includes a short contribution from me. More importantly, however, James and Warwick have managed to assemble an astonishing array of thinkers to produce a book that will challenge, inspire and inform in equal measure." David Weston, author
"During the busy term time it can be impossible to find the space to stop and reflect on the wide range of issues impacting on schools and education. So if you look to the summer break as an opportunity to pause and think about the issues that really matter to you, then this book will give you plenty to think about. Each chapter invites contributors to share their thoughts on the various challenges in less than a thousand words.
With the challenges addressing topics such as teaching, testing, behaviour, the use technology and effective leadership, this book is ideal for starting a summer deck-chair debate." Paula Nagel, Principal Educational Psychologist for a national children's mental health charit and author
