"There is more to human development than learning about subjects" Repod Season 6 launch!
Oct 18, 2025
In this reflective discussion, the hosts emphasize that human development goes beyond traditional subject learning. They argue for prioritizing personal growth and wellbeing in schools, warning against a knowledge-heavy curriculum. Their conversation touches on the significance of creativity in education, the impact of technology on attention spans, and the idea of an inclusive, holistic curriculum. They also highlight insights from recent conferences and advocate for teaching strategies that promote critical thinking and democratic participation.
01:14:22
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Laptop Left In Uber, Talk Delivered From Phone
David Cameron recovered a lost laptop after delivering training using only his phone for the first hour.
The experience left him shaken but reinforced adaptability under pressure.
question_answer ANECDOTE
A Powerful Fringe Review Experience
James Mannion reviewed Fringe theatre and praised Lost Lear as phenomenal and touring.
He described the emotional responsibility of reviewing and the integrity of Fringe Review.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Introduce Supervision For Staff Support
Introduce supervision for school staff to provide a held space for vulnerability and problem-sharing.
Use supervision to reduce burnout, improve achievement, and strengthen staff commitment in deprived contexts.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
We’re back for Season 6! In this reflective episode, James and David catch up after the summer and explore the “big idea” that’s been emerging across recent blogs and conversations: there is more to human development than learning about subjects.
They discuss the need for schools to make space for personal growth, wellbeing, and learner effectiveness alongside subject learning – and why our current focus on a purely knowledge-rich curriculum isn’t enough to prepare young people for life beyond school.
Along the way, they talk about theatre, conferences, politics, art, and the Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester.
⏱️ Highlights
Catching up after summer: Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Review, and the Lost Lear play at the Traverse Theatre (00:01:00)
James’s trip to the EARLI Conference in Austria and the international focus on learner effectiveness (00:07:00)
Hundertwasser’s art and architecture in Vienna (00:09:00)
Reflections on feedback from recent Rethinking Education episodes (00:11:00)
The Supervision in Education Conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (00:12:00)
The Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester (00:19:00)
Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese civic hacker and politician, and her ideas on digital democracy (Plurality, GovZero, Pol.is, and presidential hackathons) (00:24:00)
The Education Policy Alliance and “slice politics” – bridging the gap between grassroots innovation and executive power (00:28:00)
The “big idea”: more to human development than subjects – learner effectiveness, self-knowledge, wellbeing, and systems thinking (00:36:00)
Why subject knowledge alone isn’t working: phones, attention, and the post-literate world (00:44:00)
The Learning Skills Curriculum and Who Am I? project (00:47:00)
The Welsh Government’s Learner Effectiveness Programme (00:49:00)
The purpose of education: human development vs. transactional outcomes (00:57:00)
Future guests: Dave Whitaker and Rupert Wegerith (01:05:00)
DON'T BE A STRANGER
The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact.
SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST:
Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod
Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
Rethinking Education