5- and 6-year-olds can solve problems our syllabuses assume they cannot. This evidence of abstract thought and mathematical problem solving strategies should encourage everyone to aim high.
In Northern Ireland they used to assume that boys would catch up to girls at school. But the courts said there was discrimination and treating them differently must stop. Where does that leave us?
We can count all the shootings and violence on the TV we let our children watch. But what about the good things they see? More counting reveals interesting facts.
A Planning Council economist sees market forces, plus education, as the only route to well paid, sustainable, full employment. Professor Snook says the figures don't back up the dogma.
At what point is a school big enough? Some small schools provide a better range of subjects than big ones, but tiny schools will always be expensive to run.
This 100 item questionnaire is for you to photo-copy and use. It quickly shows which parts of your school's life you can change for the better, and checks when you have done so.
What gives your school its personality, its spirit, its own culture? How can you assess school climate, and improve it? With details and case studies this item introduces the next.
Dutch children do 20% better than their parents on IQ Tests, and Japanese in the USA seem to do better than Americans. But schools don't report a flood of geniuses, exam scores fall. These and other puzzles are addressed.
Australia had the idea first, New Zealand has seen it take off: child sized equipment and modified rules develop skills and give great fun.
Methods of assessment are themselves assessed: norm based, mastery based and interview techniques have been researched. Problems with each are faced and alternatives discussed.
