Loading
Loading

Home > Reflective Teaching in Secondary Schools > 2. Creating conditions for learning > 5. Contexts > Further reading > Social context


  1. 1. Becoming a reflective professional
       1. Identity
       2. Learning
  2.    3. Reflection
  3.    4. Principles
  4.    Observing [supplementary chapter]
  5.    Enquiry [supplementary chapter]
  6.    Mentoring [supplementary chapter]
  7.    Techniques of enquiry
       [supplementary chapter]

  8. 2. Creating conditions for learning
  9.    5. Contexts
  10.    6. Relationships
  11.    7. Engagement
  12.    8. Spaces

  13. 3. Teaching for learning
  14.    9. Curriculum
  15.    10. Planning
  16.    11. Pedagogy
  17.    12. Communication
  18.    13. Assessment

  19. 4. Reflecting on consequences
  20.    14. Outcomes
  21.    15. Social justice
  22.    Judgement
       [supplementary chapter]

  23. 5. Deepening understanding
  24.    16. Teacher expertise
  25.    17. Professional learning
  26.    18. Professionalism
  27.    Starting out [supplementary
       chapter]
  28.    Improvement [supplementary
       chapter]

Social context

Whilst the following book has a specific focus on the intersection between gender and class it is also an excellent illustration of the interdependence between the individual and their social context:

  • Walkerdine, V., Lucey, H., and Melody, J. (2001) Growing Up Girl: Psychosocial Explorations of Gender and Class. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

For a readable analysis of modern British society, which illustrates aspects of this framework, see:

  • Halsey, A. H. (1986) Change in British Society, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Bentley, T. (1998) Learning Beyond the Classroom, London: Routledge.

The following books explore the complex and changing relationships between the state and the processes and practices of education. Coffey emphasises the importance of educational experiences for the production of collective and individual biographies, while Smyth et al examine teachers’ work within the global economy.

  • Coffey, A. (2001) Education and Social Change, Buckingham: Open University Press.
  • Smyth, J., Dow, A., Hattam, R., Reid, A. and Shacklock, G. (2000) Teachers’ Work in a Globalizing Economy, London: Falmer.

The next group of suggestions are concerned with educational ideologies and reforms. If you wish to follow up the concept of ideology the following reading will help. It provides a very general introduction to a variety of themes relating to Education intended for a professional and non-professional audience and it contains a section on ideology in education in the UK.

  • Matheson, D & Grosvenor I. (1999) An Introduction to the Study of Education, London: David Fulton.

Two new books present educational ideologies from an international perspective. The first is concerned with ideologies from a range of leading thinkers from around the world, particularly those that challenge current assumptions about school effectiveness. The second examines educational ideologies within intergovernmental organisations:

  • MacBeath, J. and Moos, L. (2003) Democratic Learning. The Challenge to School Effectiveness, London: RoutledgeFalmer.
  • Spring, J. (2004) How Educational Ideologies are Shaping Global Societies, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

A classic text on educational ideology and curriculum, now in its 4th edition, is:

  • Apple, M. (2019) Ideology and Curriculum, London: RoutledgeFalmer.

The best book to read to understand New Labour’s approach to education was written by Michael Barber, a close adviser to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair:

  • Barber, M. (1996) The Learning Game: Arguments for an Education Revolution, London: Gollancz.

Updated basic information is available from the annual review of Britain from the Office of National Statistics:

  • Office for National Statistics (annually) Britain: The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom, London: The Stationery Office.

Keeping abreast of new developments and policies is a considerable challenge. However, there are a number of useful newspapers, magazines, journals and web sites for the UK:

  • Times Educational Supplement (weekly)
  • Child Education (monthly)
  • Junior Education (monthly)

In keeping with our emphasis on school cultures, defined as ‘sets of shared perspectives’, we offer a number of related suggestions for exploring and illustrating how school cultures, and sub cultures exist and how they operate:

  • Prosser, J. (ed.) (1999) School Culture, London: Paul Chapman.
  • Smyth, J., McInerny, P., Hattam, R. & Lawson, M. (1999) School Culture: The Key to School Reform, Adelaide: Flinders Institute for the Study of Teaching.
  • Maehr, M. and Midgley, C. (1996) Transforming School Cultures, Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press.
  • Grace, G. (1978) Teachers, Ideology and Control, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Books on structural aspects of education are:

  • Cribb, A. and Gewirtz, S. (2009) Understanding Education: A Sociological Perspective. London: Polity Press.
  • Abbott, I. D., Rathbone, M. and Whitehead, P. (2012) Education Policy. London: SAGE.
  • Ball, S. and Junemann, C. (2012) Networks, New Governance and Education. Bristol: Policy Press.
  • Guile, D. (2010) The Learning Challenge of the Knowledge Economy. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
  • Elliott, G., Chahid, F and Issler, S. (2010) Education and Social Change: Connecting Local and Global Perspectives. London: Continuum.
  • Revell, L. (2012) Islam and Education: The Manipulation and Misrepresentation of A Religion. London: IOE Press.
  • Feintuck, M. and Stevens, R. (2013) School Admissions and Accountability: Planning, Choice Or Chance? Bristol: Policy Press.
  • Pring, R. A. (2012) The Life and Death of Secondary Education for All. Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Gorard, S. A. and See B. H. (2013) Overcoming Disadvantage in Education. Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Renowden, J. (2013) Educational Accountability: Creating Opportunities for Learning.

More in this chapter