Product reviews for Inspirational Teachers Inspirational Learners

Someone urgently needs to give Michael Gove a copy of this book, or better still, just make Will Ryan the new Education Minister. He presents a clear vision for education in the twenty first century that is creative, enterprising, and yes, inspirational.

Despite including some rather depressing examples of everything that is wrong with this country's education system, this is overwhelmingly a hopeful book, with a finely drawn vision of everything that teaching and learning should be. In this age of increasing accountability, over-prescription and emphasis on testing, it is easy to see how creativity, originality and critical thinking have been stifled in our schools. Will Ryan strikes a careful balance between exploring what went wrong with education and putting forth his agenda for change. This agenda includes broad sweeping philosophical ideas that will inspire a cognitive shift in mindset, along with concrete examples of creativity and inspiration in action. I defy anyone to read this book and not feel energised by its contents. Most of the ideas and examples come from primary schools, but the message is equally relevant for secondary teachers.

Provocative quotes are used throughout the book to inspire argument and debate. One that Will uses to close the book sums it up perfectly: Teachers do what they believe in extraordinarily well, but what they are told to do merely to a mediocre standard (John Abbott). Will Ryan's inspirational book will remind teachers to do what they believe in and believe in what they do.