Julian Barrell
Jul 24, 2017 · 1 min read

I am fairly certain that I could use the same scientific rigour, applied to justify many recent educational reforms, to prove that my class learn better whilst standing on their heads.

The increased blood flow to the brain would provide an obvious explanation, and if I had the passion to make it part of a regime I could easily provide statistically credible proof.

I guess the last ingredient to make it stick would be a link to a ‘Head Pillow’ provider with dodgy financial backing.

There is just so much nonsense going on at the moment. In an article written earlier this year I stated that:

‘If Gordon Ramsey’s ability to run a kitchen was based on similar analysis [used to justify good teaching] it would be impossible to tell if he was creating food at The Savoy or McDonald’s.’

There is certainly room for a scientific approach to teaching and learning but it lies at a more fundamental level, where raw building blocks of learning are created and begin to interact.

Julian Barrell

Written by

A teacher who tried to do things differently and change the way all learning is valued... Reflecting on creative teaching to inform innovation in education.

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