What can be achieved through education?

At a time when many have argued that our education systems are too centralised and controlling, Stenhouse continues to have much to teach us on the role of the teacher in a democracy. He strikes an important balance between professional and personal responsibilities. See:

• Stenhouse, L. (1982) Authority, Education and Emancipation, London: Heinemann

A text showing interesting continuities with Stenhouse’s vision is:

• Quicke, J. (1999) A Curriculum for Life: Schools for a Democratic Learning Society, Buckingham: Open University Press.

How do schools respond to these issues?

• Maguire, M., Ball, S. and Braun, A. (2011) How Schools Do Policy: Policy Enactments in Secondary Schools, Abingdon: Routledge.
• Youdell, D. (2010) School Trouble: Identity, Power and Politics in Education, Abingdon: Routledge.

A thoughtful book addressing the role of the teacher in relation to citizenship is:

• Beck, J. (1998) Morality and Citizenship in Education, London: Cassell.

The significance of processes of professional mediation between centralised policy and local needs and circumstances is rehearsed in Chapter 1, section 2.7, of the Reflective Teaching text. It is also described in more detail within Osborn, McNess and Broadfoot (2000) (see above). The work of Woods and his colleagues has also been striking in showing how such mediation operates. See, for example:

• Woods, P. and Jeffrey, B. (1996) Teachable Moments: the Art of Teaching in Primary Schools, Buckingham: Open University Press.

For child-focused accounts and guidance on human rights education see:

• Alderson, P. (2000) Young Children’s Rights, London: Jessica Kingsley.
• Starkey, H. (1991) The Challenge of Human Rights Education, London: Cassell. (see also Reading 17.6)   
• Steiner, M. (1994) Learning from Experience: World Studies in the Primary Curriculum, Stoke: Trentham Books
• Franklin, B. and Hammarberg, T. (1995) The Handbook of Children’s Rights: Comparative Legislation and Practice, London: Routledge

Action by reflective teachers within the democratic process calls for some knowledge of political structures and processes. For excellent introductions, see:

• Kingdom, J. (1991) Government and Politics in Britain, Oxford: Polity Press
• Coxall, B. and Robins, L. (1991) Contemporary British Politics, London: Macmillan
• Byrne, T. (1992) Local Government in Britain, London: Penguin

But how, more specifically, is education policy formed? Bowe, Ball and Gold (Reading 17.7) offer an analysis of three ‘contexts of policy making’ - macro-political influence, text construction by government agencies and actual practice in LEAs, schools and classroom. They show how policy-making is open to shaping and challenge at each stage.

• Bowe, R. and Ball, S. with Gold. A. (1992) Reforming Education and Changing Schools, London, Routledge

For a penetrating analysis of how education policy has been used to control teachers, see:

• Ball, S. J. (1994) Education Reform: A Critical and Post-Structural Approach, Buckingham: Open University Press

The development of New Labour education policy in England can be seen quite transparently within:

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

For analyses of changes in the relationships of local authority policy makers, advisers and school governors respectively, see:

• Heller, H. and Edwards, P. (1992) Policy and Power in Education: The Rise and Fall of the LEA, London: Routledge
• Ranson, S. (1992) The Role of Local Government in Education, London: Longman
• Beckett, C., Bell, L. and Rhodes, C. (1991) Working with Governors in Schools: Developing a Professional Partnership, Buckingham: Open University Press