With their emphasis on regurgitated knowledge and stressful exams, today’s schools actually do more harm than good. Guiding readers past the sterile debates about City Academies and dumbed-down exams, Claxton proves that education’s key responsibility should be to create enthusiastic learners who will go on to thrive as adults in a swiftly-changing, dynamic world. Students must be encouraged to sharpen their wits, ask questions, and think for themselves – all without chucking out Shakespeare or the Periodic Table.
Blending down-to-earth examples with the latest advances in brain science, and written with passion, wit, and authority, this brilliant book will inspire teachers, parents, and readers of all backgrounds to join a practical revolution and foster in the next generation a natural curiosity and the spirit of adventure.
Guy Claxton is one of the UK’s foremost thinkers on creativity, learning, and the brain. He is Director of the Centre for Real-World Learning at the University of Winchester, and the author and editor of over twenty books on learning and creativity, including the best-selling Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less.
“With a focus on the demands of a new century, the information revolution, and the need to help young people find their own learning powers and passions, Guy Claxton reveals the true essence of education. Enjoy the book – and remember the point of school: to open hearts and unlock minds.”
Mick Waters, Director of Curriculum, UK Qualification and Curriculum Authority
“Why is our current school system failing so many children? How can we best educate the next generation to face the challenges of the 21st century? Professor Claxton provides a masterly analysis of what’s wrong with education and how we can put it right. Every parent, teacher, and politician should read this book.”
Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood