The Book that Changed My Life: 'Revolution 1989' and 'Curriculum Research and Development'

Alex Casillas-Cross

I think it is hard to chose only one book that has changed my world as books are so incredibly important. I have therefore chosen a Non-Fiction and Fiction choice.

Revolution 1989 by Victor Sebestyen

In terms of a Non Fiction book that changed my life I would have to claim Victor Sebestyen’s Revolution 1989 which allowed me to immerse in the revolutionary moment of 1989 and ignited my interest in this crucial stage in Cold War history. In fact in my first History teacher interview I was asked was which do I see as the most important year in History and this book helped me to craft a thoughtful reply, well enough to get the job at least! 

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

In terms of Fiction however I would claim Mitch Albom’s book The Five People You Meet in Heaven as this is a thoughtful story about who really holds influence over your actions in life without you really realising and recognises the power of life and the importance of human kindness. 

Carol Webb

Curriculum Research and Development by Lawrence Stenhouse

Autonomy is without doubt a value, that is fundamentally important to me, both in my personal and professional life.  I came across the work of Lawrence Stenhouse when studying for an MA in Education and found his philosophical outlook inspiring.  There is a chapter in An Introduction to Curriculum Research and Development published in 1975 which sets out the case for the teacher as researcher. Over the decades (centuries?) there have been innumerable critiques of the teaching profession made by successive governments and political organisations and Stenhouse's message recognises that it is during these onslaughts on teacher identity, over which one has no control, that asserting a professional autonomy in one's classroom is crucial to survival. He promoted an approach to one's work through the lens of evaluation, to personally follow an action research cycle, to reflect on practice in this way as a pathway to professional autonomy and developing teacher identity. 

Stenhouse was hugely influential in education research in the Sixties and Seventies; sadly, he died all too soon in 1982 just before the conclusion of a major research project that collected data on collaborative work between teachers and librarians from a large number and range of schools to look at its impact on pupil learning. I was granted access to the raw data in the archives of CARE (Centre for Action Research in Education at UAE) to draw on for my doctoral research. His dedication to great project design, the training of others and ethical approaches shone through the work.  

His vision and writings have greatly influenced my professional thinking.