the road less travelled
Education is not simply a means of data transfer. It is not reducible to state-certified techniques. Education, when it succeeds, is the result of a child wanting to be like someone else. If you take away the drive train, can you really be surprised that the car won’t go? Fathers are essential to any successful … Read More
Christians in the West are gripped in a fearful idolatry. We, like the ancient Israelites, cannot decide who we worship. Elijah asked the Israelites, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” Today we could say, “How long will you go limping … Read More
It has long been my bitter experience that many Christians are ambivalent to Christian education. Sure it might be good for some children they say, but my children don’t need it. So today we are beginning a series highlighting the excuses Christian parents make for avoiding the responsibility of a Christian education. Excuse 1: I … Read More
Education is not simply a means of data transfer. It is not reducible to state-certified techniques. Education, when it succeeds, is the result of a child wanting to be like someone else. If you take away the drive train, can you really be surprised that the car won’t go? Fathers are essential to any successful … Read More
We’ve all heard the definition of insanity: doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. That’s where we are at with education in New Zealand right now. The latest TIMSS (Trends In International Mathematics And Science Study) results are in, and once again, Kiwi kids are tracking downwards. Look at the list … Read More
In New Zealand, the Ministry of Truth Education may be looking at introducing or amending 135 school enrolment zones in Auckland. The plan is designed to save the Ministry millions of dollars by forcing parents to send their children to undersubscribed schools rather than oversubscribed ones which would require expensive expansion projects to keep up … Read More
Over the last month or so we have been slowly reviewing Daisy Christodoulou’s Seven Myths About Education. A note that has sounded time and again is the importance of knowledge. We see this again today as we investigate the final myth she highlights: that teaching knowledge is indoctrination. Teaching Knowledge is Indoctrination? This myth seems … Read More
This is my penultimate post on Daisy Christodoulou’s book, Seven Myths About Education. In the previous post, we highlighted the myth that teachers should be teaching transferable skills. Today Christodoulou slaughters another sacred cow in myth 6. Myth 6: Projects and Activities are the Best Way to Learn There is a movement in education which … Read More
In recent posts we have been looking at Daisy Christodoulou’s book, Seven Myths About Education. In our previous post we looked at the myth that students can always just look up what they don’t know. Myth 5: We should teach transferable skills Today we are investigating the myth of transferable skills. So what are transferable … Read More
We have been working our way through Daisy Christodoulou’s Seven Myths About Education. The previous myth we investigated was that the 21st century fundamentally changes everything. Today we are investigating the fourth myth. Myth 4: You Can Always Just Look it Up Who hasn’t heard this one? Someone displays an unusual depth of knowledge and … Read More