Tag Archives: teaching

My NewVIc story: Kabir Jagwani.

Posted on May 6, 2017 by Eddie Playfair

My journey at NewVIc started in 1998 after I achieved 10 GCSE’s at secondary school and went on to do A-Levels in maths, physics and performing arts at NewVIc. A mixed combination because I wanted to balance my options with … Continue reading →

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Thinking students and student research.

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Eddie Playfair

In his excellent book Think Again (2012), John Taylor makes a strong case for putting philosophy at the centre of our teaching in order to develop students’ ability to think. As he says in his introduction: “Education should be all about … Continue reading →

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The outstanding lesson

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

We were lucky enough to have Harriet Harper deliver a NewVIc lecture at Newham Sixth Form College on 14th October. Harriet is a former HMI and now helps to train teachers for the post-compulsory sector. We were delighted to be … Continue reading →

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No austerity of the imagination

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

What’s the mood in sixth form and further education 10 weeks after the election? Following the May general election there’s no question that post-16 education wherever it takes place faces greater austerity than any other phase of education. 16-18 year olds are funded … Continue reading →

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Listening to our post-16 conscience.

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Eddie Playfair

Frank Coffield is the conscience of the post-16 sector. When faddishness or instrumentalism threaten, he is there to remind us of our values and our purpose. A decade ago, Coffield was one of the first to question ‘learning styles’ and … Continue reading →

Posted in Education policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Progs and trads: is a synthesis possible?

Posted on March 22, 2014 by Eddie Playfair

Dialectical pairings like “radical traditionalism” or “revolutionary reformism” may seem paradoxical but instead of cancelling each other out, the contradictions they contain can make us think about each idea in relation to the other. This is not just an attempt … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments