Product reviews for Curriculum

-‹The main focus of this book is an in-depth reflection on the theme that while it is essential to provide a knowledge-rich curriculum, what really matters is the quality of knowledge centred around a pursuit of wisdom. The author develops a wide range of richly discussed ideas based on the philosophy of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, courage and inspiration. He contrasts and compares these ideas with the -˜Machine schools', which he considers as being obsessed with the collection and collation of data, and where the development of wisdom has been sidelined by the emphasis on a knowledge-rich approach.

Many readers will find the sections -˜The Iron Cage' and -˜Welcome to the Machine' extremely thought-provoking, in particular the discussions on teacher well-being, workload pressure, schools over-run with managerial systems focused on quantifiable administrative processes, and the teacher as a -˜robot'.

Martin Robinson addresses key issues facing education and the teaching profession, such as performance management, and states his case for -˜bringing the human back in' - based on Athena's philosophy about feelings, knowledge and understanding and what a school is for - lucidly. The basis of his interpretation of Athena's philosophy is that schools should pursue wisdom, beauty, truth and free exchange of ideas to bring individual minds together.

This excellently written book stimulates personal reflection and will be of benefit to educators at all levels of education.