ABSTRACT
It is schooling that has reduced knowledge to ‘subjects’ and teaching to mere telling. (Alexander 2008, p. 141)
Chapter 1 introduced three key principles for teaching: first, that there is no curriculum development without teacher development; second, that subjectivity is like a garment that cannot be removed; and, finally, that skilful teachers embody a skilful pedagogy. Chapter 1 took up the challenge of addressing the first key principle in relation to this book’s theme. It demonstrated how previously pieces of curriculum reform or innovation failed to build on the right educational foundation. Unfortunately,
top-loaded initiatives and a lack of curriculum integrity failed to motivate teachers and inspire them to move outside their traditional subject boundaries. We discussed how a similar sense of ‘initiative overload’ is in danger of taking grip of schools as a new National Curriculum is implemented and significant pieces of curriculum reform at Key Stage 4 are gradually introduced.
