S1E4: Ian Cunningham on why schools shouldn't exist

Dr Ian Cunningham has published seven books and over 120 articles and papers on topics relating to education, learning, leadership and organisational change. His latest book is ‘Self Managed Learning and the New Educational Paradigm’ (2020, Routledge). Ian is the founder, and chair of governors, of the Self Managed Learning College in Brighton, a democratic educational community for young people aged 9 to 16. His most recent academic post has been as Visiting Professor in Organisational Learning at Kodolányi János University of Applied Science, Székesfehérvár, Hungary. Other previous academic posts have included visiting professorships in education at the University of Utah, Middlesex University and the Technical Teacher Training Institute, Bhopal. Ian was also Chief Executive of the Roffey Park Management Institute from 1987 to 1993. Ian chairs Strategic Developments International Ltd. In this capacity, he has acted as a learning consultant to most of the world’s largest international companies as well as to the National Health Service, government departments, local authorities and the BBC. Most recently, Ian’s work has involved developing senior coaches at Tottenham Hotspur Football, and developing senior leaders at St George’s, University of London. Ian is a dancer with the Three Score Dance Company in Brighton. His last educational qualification (2011) was to qualify as an oxy-acetylene welder. Links to interesting stuff mentioned in the podcast: SMLC on Meridian news: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ4e6uorNSo SML in schools – part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZgq0WbeqnY SML at Uckfield – part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2OaLsfc3t0 TEDx talk - Sam Watling on 'Our antique education': www.dailymotion.com/video/x2s1dnx The best thing about SML College: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkHcPEPUlBk Life at SML college: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZUi6Kxriqw The research Ian mentioned showing that adult literacy rates are better than younger students - www.jrf.org.uk/press/5-million-a…d-numeracy-skills. Social: Why our brains are wired to connect – the book by Matthew Lieberman Ian mentions toward the end of Episode 4: www.amazon.co.uk/Social-Why-brain…ct/dp/0199645043 The Rethinking Education podcast is hosted and produced by Dr James Mannion. You can contact him at rethinking-ed.org/contact, or via @RethinkingJames on Twitter.