Off The Press
A LETTER FROM TODAY TO YESTERDAY, WITH A NOTE FOR TOMORROW.
LEARNING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL. TEACHING IN A ROOM NEXT TO AN EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL.
A PERSONAL POSTWAR POLITICAL TRAVELOGUE
The first of my many reasons for despising Michael Gove.
The PLOT - The Political Assassination Of Boris Johnson By NADINE Dorries - 2023
I'll Be There - Vignettes of an Intrepid Traveller - Caroline Kennedy
A WRITTEN CONSITUTION? LESSONS FROM THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM.
SOME ISSUES THAT I THINK MUST BE TACKLED BEFORE THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTION.
Creating a Constitution of Inclusion and Consent.
"YOUR GRANDMOTHER CAN KEEP HER KEYS, BUT I SHALL KEEP THE HOUSE."
TEACHING HISTORY. TEACHING ANYTHING REALLY.
MAKING POLICY AND TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK. - HAVE YOU GOT A SPADE?
Today in 1936 THE ABDICATION. No More Edward VIII.
THE ANATOMY OF NEOLIBERALISM AND EDUCATION
"I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE AND IT SMIRKS."
THINKING ABOUT A WRITTEN CONSTITUTION AND A REVIVAL OF POLITICAL EDUCATION: A PROJECT.
THREE BIG CHANGES CONVERGING FASTER THAN WE ARE READY FOR.
EXAMINERS AND THE EXAMINED CAN BOTH LEARN FROM EXAMS.
TEACHING SEVEN YEAR OLDS PARAGRAPHS.
THE RECESSION IN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
THEY ARE ALL THE SAME, POLITICIANS.
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE (NHS).
IS SOCIETY HOLDING TOGETHER OR SPLITTING APART?
I DON'T WANT A COVID INQUIRY. I WANT AN INQUIRY INTO GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS.
PATEL breaks the law concerning refugees. SO WHAT, WHO CARES?
EXIT NETANYAHU, perhaps. And now, THE TRIAL
FORTY SEVEN POINT SIX MILLION PEOPLE IN SEARCH OF A GOVERNMENT
A YEAR BOTH OF POLITICAL AND OF POWER FAILURE
GOVERNMENT WITHOUT POLITICS GENERATES EITHER APATHY OR UNRULY SUBJECTS
THE MINISTRY OF TRUTH SAYS SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND MUST NOT CRITICISE CAPITALISM
Who wants to be a COVID MARSHALL?
"IF WAY TO THE BETTER THERE BE, IT EXTRACTS A FULL LOOK AT THE WORST." Thomas Hardy.
CONSTRUCTING CONSENT FOR POLICY OR SIMPLY IMPOSING IT.
BATTLE OF DETTINGEN, 27th. JUNE 1743.
THIS SATURDAY MORNING AT THE FLICKS WE ARE ALL WATCHING LOCKDOWN CITY, A GREAT WESTERN.
POOR LIVES DON'T MATTER (except at election time)
THE TIME BY MY DIALECTICAL WRISTWATCH IS
MAKE SURE TO WEAR THE RIGHT LABEL AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM, LOGICAL POSITIVISM AND FOOTY
ANOTHER EXCERPT FROM MY DRAFT PEOFESSIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Critical Voices - Katerina Saiti
Critical Voices - Katharine O'Neill
AT LAST SOME SANITY - Unspeakable The Autobiography of John Bercow
A TOILET BREAK FOR EDUCATIONAL POLICY-MAKING
Critical Voices - Mandy Tsatsarou
Autobiography of a Professional Educator
A BRIEF RESPONSE TO CAMERON'S BOOK
A LETTER TO THE GODDESS DEMOKRATIA
A LETTER TO THE GODDESS DEMOKRATIA
THIRTEEN YEARS AND ALMOST FORTY VISITS - PART THREE
THIRTEEN YEARS AND ALMOST FORTY VISITS - PART TWO
THIRTEEN YEARS AND ALMOST FORTY VISITS
EXPLORING (A LITTLE) THE CONCEPTS OF INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION
EDUCATION IN EAST JERUSALEM, OCCUPATION, POLITICAL POWER AND STRUGGLE
SHOULD THE PERSON THAT SELLS YOU A CAR ENSURE THAT IT CAN BE SERVICED?
For 10 years, I was Director of CPD in Dept of Education, University of Liverpool. I am now Honorary Senior Fellow of the University
and a Fellow of the International Professional Development Association. To know more about me and my activities
please see my CV.
Contact me: cliffvj@btopenworld.com
Welcome to Critical Professional Learning
Statement of Purpose
I take the view that professional educators are critical to society. They help shape our society but for far too long, we have failed to question the approved shape of that society and our role in bringing it about. Surely, the interests, values, concerns, anxieties, experience and expertise of educators count for something?
I believe that the stimulation of professional conversation is critical both in recognition of the key role played by educators in shaping and bringing purpose to society and in terms of the different perspectives that can be brought to bear when making sense of professional life. Whilst we have plenty of official consultations surveys of what educators think they are almost always shackled to a governmental orthodoxy or 'given' as they tend to be called.
This website will gradually fill with comment, news and activities designed to stimulate critical professional discussion. It represents no-one’s views but my own unless specifically stated otherwise. In places I make clear that activities, for example, may be adopted as they are, adapted or used as the basis for something better.
Use of my material is free, although acknowledgement will be nice.
Why Critical Learning?
The term, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) causes me problems. Too frequently we are considered to be developing only when we try to fit into a model whose purpose has been defined by someone else.
Training is essential at times, but as a word that purports to encompass all that happens to people becoming and continuing as professional educators it falls far short. This is why I balk when I see or hear Initial Teacher Training (ITT) or In-service Training (INSET).
Professional Learning, however, allows us scope to explore and draw attention to matters beyond a received template. When we use the word ‘learning’ we remove the limits and the imposition of an officially approved kind of development.