This is the first time I’ve addressed a letter to ‘the people who have access to my shed’.
You are made up of the people I love, live with and work with, alongside strangers who thought the book’s premise sounded interesting. All of you took a chance and paid money for a book that did not yet exist, and for that I am very grateful.
I’ve been a bit quiet, I know. But there has been a lot of work going on behind the scenes. The book now exists in its entirety, has been edited, rejiggled and formatted, and has been turned into beautiful printed books – real books! – that are sitting on my sitting room table, waiting for me to pick up and hold in my own hands when I return from my work trip. Publication date is December 1st – less than a week away – so you too will receive your beautiful orange copy very soon.
It’s an emotional time. I’m thrilled to have got to this point. I’m confident that it’s a good book – I’ve had some excellent feedback from those who have reviewed it so far, which makes me feel slightly giddy. But I’m also scared. Those that know me or follow me on twitter will know that I rarely go public with my opinions. Few issues are black and white, and which shade of grey I think is the right one in any given debate will shift as new evidence comes in and new points are made. But this book isn’t grey – this book is orange! I am taking a stand on a few things, and so I will be joining the fray.
Wish me luck. Tell me what you think. Tell your friends what you think. Get on twitter and defend me, or otherwise! But most importantly, enjoy the book.
Best wishes,
Lucy
To whet your appetite…
"Lucy Crehan's book is a major breakthrough. For the first time we have the human stories and classroom interactions behind the international comparisons of school systems. As an itinerant teacher she has been able to reach deeper than any academic researcher could." Sir Michael Barber
“Her carefully contextualised discoveries about how other countries go about motivating children, training their teachers, dealing with different levels of ability, and much more are completely fascinating, and from all that she has observed and learned, she formulates five principles for high-performing, equitable education systems. As a serving primary school governor, I read it avidly, and it made me dream of an education system that is designed by thoughtful, experienced and caring teachers.” Caroline Sanders, The Bookseller
“Lucy's text gives far more than colour - it penetrates deeply into the way which education works in different national settings. This yields extraordinary insights, of value to those looking with curiosity at other cultures, and those wishing to reflect on their own practices. This is a book which should be read cover-to-cover by teachers, parents and policy-makers.” Tim Oates, CBE
“What impressed me most was Lucy’s ability to bring to life the sometimes meaningless data, by interactions with real-life characters with whom she immersed herself. This is a must read, not only for teachers, but anyone involved in the education or coaching of young people today.” Sir Clive Woodward
“Lucy Crehan has written a remarkable and original book. Part travel memoir, part research review, she describes her experiences of visiting a number of the highest performing educational systems in the world. Her conversations with parents and teachers bring these, often very different, cultures to life, and she shows how key features of education systems—more than is often realised—are profoundly influenced by cultural assumptions about the purpose of education, and the nature of human potential.” Professor Dylan Wiliam