School Ties And Lessons Learned

School Ties and Lessons Learned

After 50 years in the education system, in both England and Scotland, as pupil and teacher, Seån McPartlin looks back and reflects on the importance of pastoral guidance, the elements needed for a successful school, and the joy of working with pupils, families, and colleagues during a career he considered a vocation. From nervous first day pupil in suburban Edinburgh, through teaching in city centre comprehensive, a youth strategy support centre in the inner city, and finally as a Depute Head in West Lothian, he writes with authority and enthusiasm about education, its place in society and how we develop our views of the system. Most of all he seeks to answer the question: What was all that about?

Going to School in East Asia

Education in east Asia varies widely, due to the cultural and political histories of each country. The communist governments of China, North Korea, and Vietnam mandate schooling differently from the limited democracy of Hong Kong and the parliamentary government of Japan. The history of the educational philosophies, systems, and curricula of seventeen East Asian countries are described here, with a timeline highlighting educational developments, and a special day in the life feature, a personal account of what it is like for a student to attend school in that country.

Taking Stock