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Curriculum

I, Me, and Curriculum: Reflecting on Self and Educational Reform in Wales

Posted on 11 April 2024 by Dr Kevin Smith

What does curriculum mean to me? Drawing on Mead’s theory of self and Pinar’s reconceptualist method of Currere, this post explores how Welsh educators can reclaim their professional voice and rethink curriculum as a living, reflective practice.

Currere Cymru: The Future of Educational Research in Wales

Posted on 27 February 2024 by Dr Kevin Smith

How can teachers in Wales reimagine curriculum as something lived, felt and continually made? In this post, I introduce Currere Cymru—a new research collaboration exploring how curriculum theorising can support transformative educational practice across Wales.

Coddling White Ignorance: Pedagogical Grace and Racial Justice in Teacher Education

Posted on 4 February 2021 by Dr Kevin Smith

How can educators confront white ignorance without abandoning grace? In this powerful reflection, Dr Kevin Talbert considers how teacher education must move beyond comforting white innocence toward a practice of truth-telling, accountability and love that fosters genuine transformation.

Beyond “Knowledge Rich”: Rethinking What Curriculum Richness Means

Posted on 18 December 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

“Knowledge rich” sounds appealing—but what are we really saying when we use it? In this post, I take a closer look at how the term shapes our thinking about curriculum, teaching and value, and why we might need richer language—and richer ideas—to describe what education is for.

From “Not Racist” to Anti-Racist: Building Curricula for Justice

From “Not Racist” to Anti-Racist: Building Curricula for Justice

Posted on 3 June 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Being “not racist” isn’t enough. This post explores what it means to be anti-racist in education—how teachers can move from awareness to action, and from intention to transformation. Drawing on critical pedagogy and first-hand experience, it highlights why anti-racist teaching is essential to dismantling systems of inequality and cultivating critical hope.

Cymraeg in the Classroom: Rethinking How We Teach Welsh

Posted on 12 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

If most pupils believe Welsh is vital to Wales’s identity, why do so many dislike learning it? This post examines what pupils and teachers say about Welsh lessons today and explores how schools might rebuild enthusiasm and fluency by aligning classroom aims with the living language beyond the school gates.

Dysgu Cymraeg: Llais y Disgyblion

Posted on 1 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Pam mae cymaint o ddisgyblion yn teimlo’n anfodlon gyda’u gwersi Cymraeg? Yn y cofnod hwn, mae Dr Mirain Rhys yn archwilio beth mae dysgwyr eu hunain yn ei ddweud am ddysgu’r Gymraeg — o’r diffyg cyfleoedd i siarad i’r pwyslais gormodol ar arholiadau. Mae’r canfyddiadau’n cynnig cipolwg gonest ar y dyfodol i’n hiaith fyw genedlaethol.

Learning Welsh: What Pupils Really Think

Posted on 1 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Why do so many pupils say they dislike Welsh lessons? In this post, Dr Mirain Rhys examines what learners themselves think about studying Cymraeg—and what needs to change. From calls for more authentic speaking opportunities to concerns about exam-focused teaching, the findings offer powerful insights for anyone committed to the future of Wales’s living language.

Curriculum Theory and Theorising: Why Wales Needs Both

Posted on 17 April 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Curriculum reform demands more than compliance—it requires thought. This post explores what curriculum theory and theorising mean, why they matter for teachers in Wales, and how engaging with them can deepen both practice and understanding. It’s an invitation to think critically, question confidently, and join the broader conversation shaping education’s future.

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Posted on 16 December 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What does it really mean to “be Welsh” in today’s curriculum? This post explores how official discourses shape our understanding of Wales and Welshness, revealing the tensions between tradition, diversity and identity. It calls for a critical pedagogy of place—one that helps pupils think deeply about culture, belonging and the world beyond their doorstep.