The School I'd Like: Children and Young People's Reflections on an Education for the 21st Century by Catherine Burke (University of Cambridge, UK)
In 2001, The Guardian launched a competition called The School I'd Like, in which young people were asked to imagine their ideal school. This vibrant, groundbreaking book presents material drawn from that competition, offering a unique snapshot of perceptions of today's schools by those who matter most - the pupils.
The book is wonderfully illuminated by children's essays, stories, poems, pictures and plans. Placing their views in the centre of the debate, it provides an evaluation of the democratic processes involved in teaching and learning by:
- identifying consistencies in children's expressions of how they wish to learn
- highlighting particular sites of 'disease' in the education system today
- illustrating how the built environment is experienced by today's children
- posing questions about the reconstruction of teaching and learning for the twenty-first century.
This book offers a powerful new perspective on school reform and is essential reading for all those involved in education and childhood studies, including teachers, advisors, policy-makers, academics, and anyone who believes that children's voices should not be ignored.