Michael Answers Questions About Schooling and Democracy as Conclusion to 'To Sir With Love...and the East End' Event

The short Question and Answer session after my talk, with the other panellists, Prof Michael Fielding, Prof Jane Martin,  joining in. Alfred Gardner (ex-pupil of St Georges-in-the-East) and James Porter (ex-Teacher at St Georges-in-the-East), chaired by Burt Caesar.

St Georges-in-the-East was the most democratic, co-operative state school, admired by A.S.Neill, founder of Summerhill, and was, according to the HMI school inspectors, 'the vision of the future of Modern Secondary Schools' and 'what the 1944 Education Act intended'.

The headmaster, Alexander Bloom, reflected all the values expressed since 1914 by the New Ideals in Education community.

Video of Presentation on the Democratic, Co-operative State School in 'To Sir With Love' by Michael Newman

Presentation by Michael Newman on why Alexander Bloom's work, and other pioneers in co-operative, democratic schools, are relevant today to teachers and, most importantly, children.
It starts with Robert Owen's school in New Lanark, 1817- linking this to the values and ideas of Alexander Bloom, whose state school was based on lack of fear, and on co-operation and active democratic citizenship, as well as learning through research and children teaching each other...
It ends with how relevant this is to state schools now, and projects that are being run by Michael Newman with Tower Hamlets schools that use and reflect the values expressed by Bloom and his school, St Georges-in-the-East.
Details of the event:
"To Sir With Love... and the East End' East End study day as part of the Mayor's EAST Festival 2009, Saturday 7th March, 10:30am-5pm at Museum of Docklands, in partnership with Institute of Education. 'The Pioneering Work of Alex Bloom, Headteacher, St George-in-the-East, Cable Street, Stepney, London 1945-55. Chaired by Burt Ceasar, actor, director & broadcaster; other speakers included: Michael Fielding, Prof of Education at Insitute of Education; Alfred Gardner, ex-pupil of St Georges-in-the-East; Jane Martin, Prof of Social History of Education at Institute of Education; and James Porter, ex-teacher at St Georges-in-the-East.