Inbox-The21stCenturyLearningInitiative.doc

Master and Apprentice: Reuniting Thinking with Doing John Abbott  Dedication: To my three sons, Peter, David and Tom, and others of their generation, as they seek to build a more responsible, more sensitive and more self-sustaining world.  Tell me, and I forget Show me, and I remember Let me do, and I understand After Confucius, China, 5th century BC The National Curriculum sets the standards… all schools set targets and measure their performance. They can easily access best practice information. They have increasing opportunities for professional development. They are held to account through inspections and published performance tables. Department of Education and Employment Schools building on Success: raising standards, promoting diversity, achieving results. London 2001 “(Apprenticeship) was a system of education and job training by which important practical information was passed from one generation to the next; it was a mechanism by which youths could model themselves on socially approved adults… it provided safe passage from childhood to adulthood in psychological, social and economic ways.” The Craft Apprentice W.J. Rorabaugh, 1988 Acknowledgements Firstly, and most importantly, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my wife, Anne, who has good-naturedly tolerated my preoccupation with this writing over the past three years, and endured much disruption to our home at the same time. Without her this book could never have been written. Alongside I must thank my sons; Peter for his careful review of various books and general editorial assistance, David for further reviews and his work on the supportive website, and Tom for constantly reminding me that life is about more than writing books! To my trustees, especially David Peake, Tom Griffin and Chris Wysock-Wright, whose enthusiasm for the book, and constant encouragement have reassured me even in the most difficult times. Special thanks are due to my personal assistant, Doreen Smith, who with materna