For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Why are Christians so afraid of art and literature? I have worked in education all of my adult life, and if there is one thing I can guarantee, it is that if I prescribe a text with any hint of magic, sex, or swearing (funnily enough, violence is usually less of an issue)there will be... Continue Reading →
I have to give credit to my son’s school. I have a suspicion that I am not going to be the most compliant parent they have ever had to deal with. The “problem” is that I do not see education as something that I pay the school to impose upon my child; I see us... Continue Reading →
I think it is a very sad comment on the church that I suspect that my son has a better chance of developing a sound Christian theology if I take him out of a Christian school. And before anyone argues that if what I consider to be a “sound Christian theology” and what the school... Continue Reading →
I’ve tried, I really have, but I still cannot understand the appeal of long distance running. Most participants know from the outset that they have absolutely no chance of winning, and surely the declaration of a winner is the reason a race exists? And you cannot argue that the joy is to be found not... Continue Reading →
One of the most frustrating things about working in education is that everyone is an expert. Because most people have spent so many years of their lives in school, they believe that they have a sound understanding of what constitutes a quality education. The delusion is perfectly understandable. It would be justifiable to have experienced a... Continue Reading →
I know that Jane Austen’s novels have much literary merit. She confronts social injustice with a sensitivity and occasionally very subtle and sardonic humour that few can match. She is justifiably considered to be one of the pre-eminent minds of her time. Even 200 years later, in countries and cultures far removed from Victorian England,... Continue Reading →
I am concerned by the reluctance of governments and schools to encourage talk about morality in the classroom. They are happy to talk to business ethics, but not personal values. It seems that we are too afraid that by engaging in such discussions we might accidentally offend somebody. The result is that we are raising... Continue Reading →
This is turning out to be an emotional day for me. I have accepted a job offer that will take me out of the classroom, working at an assessment body. It was not an easy decision to make, but I have come to realise that in order to influence education more meaningfully, I have to... Continue Reading →
I am racist. It is not something a man likes to admit, but it is something that has to be acknowledged before it can be addressed. Now don’t get me wrong. It is not a question of hatred. I can love and embrace people of all different cultures and creeds. I respect people no matter... Continue Reading →
Despite all the resources and the wealth of information at our disposal through the internet, I do not believe that teachers will ever be replaced by computers. I don’t believe they ever should be. You see, teaching is about much more than merely conveying information. It is also about more than simply helping learners to... Continue Reading →
Vapors In The Wind 