This book chronicles the history of the struggle to promote a self-governing body for the teaching profession from its early problems at the start of the twentieth century right through to the establishment of the General Teaching Council of England in 2000. It also explores the interest groups and policy makers who impeded its achievement and the attitude of teacher unions and the teachers themselves to the establishment of such a body. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and historians, as well as postgraduate students.
This book chronicles the history of the struggle to promote a self-governing body for the teaching profession from its early problems at the start of the twentieth century right through to the establishment of the General Teaching Council of England in 2000. It also explores the interest groups and policy makers who impeded its achievement and the attitude of teacher unions and the teachers themselves to the establishment of such a body. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and historians, as well as postgraduate students.
For 50 years, educator and sociologist Geoff Whitty resolutely pursued social justice through education, first as a classroom teacher and ultimately as the Director of the Institute of Education in London. The essays in this volume - written by some of the most influential authors in the sociology of education and critical policy studies - take Whitty’s work as the starting point from which to examine key contemporary issues in education and the challenges to social justice that they present. Set within three themes of knowledge, policy and practice in education, the chapters tackle the issues of defining and accessing ‘legitimate’ knowledge, the changing nature of education policy under neoliberalism and globalization, and the reshaping of teacher workplaces and professionalism – as well as attempts to realize more emancipatory practice. Whitty’s scholarship on what constitutes quality and impact in educational research is also explored. Together, the essays open a window on a life in the sociology of education, the scholarly community of which it was part, and the facets of education policy, practice and research that they continue to reveal and challenge in pursuit of social justice. They celebrate Whitty as one of the foremost sociologists of education of his generation, but also as a friend and colleague. And they highlight the continued relevance of his contribution to those seeking to promote fairer and more inclusive education systems.
Born in South London in the late 1950s, I enjoyed a happy upbringing. My childhood showed few signs that as an adult I would experience severe mental illness. I considered university as the only true home for me, so I enrolled on a number of undergraduate and post-graduate courses, only to suffer even worse symptoms. I battled through, and despite enduring schizophrenia and depression, I not only gained the academic equivalent of five degrees, including a Ph.D., but also secured engaging employment as a freelance journalist, a published author of five books, and a historian.
This book engagingly presents an intriguing account of many of the principles of UK government politics and how these have an important bearing on everyday office life as experienced by the working population. Here is a fascinating account of the findings of two former Cabinet ministers Lords Blunkett and Baker who were interviewed by the author. Oral testimony allows the reader to learn about the perspectives of political power brokers and provides data and insight not always apparent or revealed from historical records and archive material. The overriding aim is to analyse the nature of politicking in central government and to apply the techniques and lessons of national politics to everyday office life. The book offers a political framework, giving behavioural pointers to assist those who face challenging circumstances that could impinge on their well-being and business efficiency in the workplace. A back to basics methodology is advised, touching on a range of techniques, including, for example, that gossip is an effective way of getting back at someone. This touches upon Blunketts assertion that Michael Gove MP is a zealot and a politician having an ideological obsession. Applying the Lessons refers moreover to cases calling for bargaining and negotiation, also a part of the life of the whips in Parliament, and an essential tool for office business. As a seasoned historian and political analyst, Richard Willis revealingly unravels the nature of political power and control, and shows how Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair initially supposedly gave Baker and Blunkett considerable scope in introducing reform. He goes on to explain how the two peers give their critique on policy-making against a background which is of definite benefit to office managers and supervisors, executive assistants, PAs, administrators, and administrative/administration assistants.
This book examines the significance of teacher expertise in the drive to improve quality and effectiveness. Scrutinising both key conceptual issues and current policy developments and approaches, the authors analyse educational systems from around the world and question how different cultural contexts and systems can implement measures to improve teacher effectiveness. The book analyses factors such as policy change and teacher evaluation as well as the regulation of the teaching profession to determine how these aspects can influence the expertise of individual teachers. As numerous policy interventions have tried to define and enhance teacher quality to raise pupil achievement, this book calls for an interrogation of this stance and signals a need to consider an alternative approach. This book will appeal to students and scholars of teacher effectiveness and professional learning, as well as researchers and policymakers.
This book focuses on the delivery of public examinations offered by the main examining boards in England since Victorian England. The investigation reveals that the provision of examinations was as controversial in the nineteenth century as it is today, particularly since the government is now determined to bring in reform. The issues of grade inflation, the place of coursework in marking, and the introduction of technological change all feature in this book. Educational policy is primarily examined as well as some reference to the global scene. The study analyses archival material from a wide range of sources, including those records stored at the National Archives and the London Metropolitan Archives. An emphasis is placed upon the various institutions that contributed to the process, including the Royal Society of Arts, the London Chamber of Commerce, the City of Guilds of London Institute and the University of London. Attention is given to the findings of the Taunton Commission and the Bryce Commission and shorter reports such as the Northcote-Trevelyn Report which served to radicalise entry and recruitment to the Civil Service. The modern GCSE and the plans for I-levels are considered and key observations are made about the efficacy of those examinations offered by Oxford and Cambridge universities and O-levels, A-levels and NVQs, The reader is given every opportunity to benefit enthusiastically in this account of examinations, and those engaged in education, whether teachers, examiners, students or administrators, will be able to gain useful insights into the workings of the examination system.
The portrayal of Scotland as a particularly patriarchal society has traditionally had the effect of marginalizing Scottish women, both teachers and students, in both Scottish and British history. The Schooling of Working-Class Girls in Victorian Scotland examines and challenges this assumption and analyzes in detail the course of events which has led to a more enlightened system. Education was, and is, seen as integral to Scottish distinctiveness, but the Victorian period saw anxious debate about the impact of outside influences at a time when Scottish society seemed to be fracturing. This book examines the gender-blindness of the educational tradition, with its notion of the 'democratic intellect', testing the claim of superiority for the Scottish system, and questioning the assumption that Scottish women were either passive victims or willing dupes of a peculiarly patriarchal ideal. Considering the influences of the related ideologies of patriarchy and domesticity, and the crucial importance of the local and regional economic context, in focusing on female education, this book provides a much wider comparative study of Scottish society during a period of tremendous upheaval and a perceived crisis in national identity, in which women, as well as men, participated.
A comprehensive guide to all the main labour market initiatives and agencies combining education and employment in the UK, this encyclopaedia presents an historical progression from the Guilds and Statute of Artifices in 1563 through to present day initiatives and changes. Fully cross-referenced throughout, with a full list of acronyms, bibliographic and internet resources, the encyclopaedia includes: Detailed descriptions of all major government initiatives connecting education, training and employment Documentation covering England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and initiatives in Ireland up to Irish independence A brief history of education and employment in the UK Chronological history of Government Departments Outlines of all major public agencies and qualifications An extensive glossary of acronyms Information on rarely recorded and inaccessible historical documents With over 1500 entries, this encyclopaedia crosses knowledge boundaries providing for the first time an integrated map of national human capital development. It addresses: preschool initiatives, primary, secondary, further and higher education; vocational education and training; labour market interventions including those designed to return people to employment; and, government strategies designed to enhance economic and technological competitiveness. The cross-referenced structure provides connections to associated items and a chronological tracing of agencies and initiatives. This encyclopaedia will appeal to those involved in all aspects of education, training, employment, careers information, advice and guidance; and policy making.
Women have been consistently excluded from all manner of clubs and associations over the years, whether as the direct result of an anti-woman policy or indirectly through prohibitive entry requirements, social constraints, or conflict of interests and tastes. Retaliation from women has taken two directions: some women have set up their own exclusive clubs that reflect their own interests and aims, while others have taken on the men and striven to break down resistance to their joining ‘men’s’ clubs on an equal footing. This book traces the development of the current situation, drawing from a wide range of sources, some of which have never been published before. Looking at the different types of clubs and associations that include women and girls from the WI to the Girl Guides, this book is a rich social history full of fascinating observations and stories, and will be absorbing reading for anyone interested in sociology, women’s history or the transformation of Britain’s social life.
