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July 2019

Rethinking “Best Practices”: Teaching Beyond Technique

Posted on 20 July 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

Have we mistaken good technique for good teaching? In this post, Dr Kevin Talbert challenges the “best practices” orthodoxy in education and argues for teacher preparation that cultivates wisdom, reflection and moral purpose. Drawing on Freire and Harris, he makes the case for re-centring teaching on values and vocation, not standardised methods.

Finding Purpose in Teaching

Finding Purpose in Teaching

Posted on 8 July 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

Are teachers guided by aphorisms or axioms? This post looks at what teachers say their top priorities are and questions whether phrases like “help pupils achieve their potential” offer genuine meaning or empty slogans. Drawing on Nietzsche, Frankl and Welsh education research, it invites reflection on how we find—and define—purpose in teaching.

A Pedagogy of Place

A Pedagogy of Place

Posted on 5 July 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What do pupils’ own words reveal about how they see the places they call home? This post looks at new research on young people’s “place images” in Wales and considers what it means for curriculum design. From Cwricwlwm Cymreig to Cynefin, it explores how a pedagogy of place can deepen understanding of belonging, identity and connection in classrooms across Wales.