Product reviews for Whole School Progress the LAZY Way

Any writer who uses the phrase “whole school progress” in the same place as the word, “lazy” has a lot to live up to; it seems like a contradiction in terms. For most of us the mention of the topic leads to thoughts of spreadsheets, data, meetings and policies, lots of policies. What Jim Smith does in this book is to set out a vision for education that has the potential to liberate both teachers and learners. More than anything it is about real progress in learning and the changes that lead to this goal. With the accountability stakes so high in education it will be a difficult thing for some teachers to let go of the learning in their classrooms in the way that this book advocates but for the sake of our children that is what we have to do. Teachers should learn to do less so that children can do more.

The book is an easy read, though you will probably find yourself stopping quite suddenly as the force of an argument takes effect on your thinking. It contains a fund of ideas for every aspect of school life, from classroom tips to lesson observation, from performance management to how to run meetings, from professional development to pupil progress. In each case the underlying principle is that we should be doing less to achieve more; hence the “Lazy “part of the title. What Jim Smith does not sacrifice is the demand for professionalism and rigour in the classroom; he simply offers a better focus for our endeavours.

This of course is where the challenge lies and where I believe the book will be of lasting value. Reading this book will make you feel that you have to change what happens in your classroom and in your school. However it won't just make you want to change, it will give you a host of ideas about how to start the learning revolution. This is a book that will get you excited again about teaching, about trying out some of the strategies, about doing teaching and learning in a different way.

Best of all, this book holds out the promise of a engaging and fulfilling school experience for adults and children alike. At its heart is a vision for education where the pleasure and excitement of learning and the joy of leading children in their learning triumph over the deadening hand of standards and inspections. Most of all, this book gives committed professionals the validation they need to take back the initiative in the teaching and learning debate. This is a book that should be in every school.