Thursday Jan 02, 2025

Mike Fairclough: The Education Debate: Building Character in a Time of Crisis and Digitalisation

Join us in this compelling episode of Hearts of Oak as we revisit with Mike Fairclough, a seasoned educator with over 25 years of experience, who shares his critical views on the current state of UK education. From his innovative approaches to teaching, like integrating local history and outdoor learning, to his staunch opposition to government policies during the COVID-19 era, Fairclough paints a vivid picture of an education system at a pivotal moment.

0:31 Introduction to Mike Fairclough

1:42 The State of Education in the UK

7:59 Character Education and Resilience

8:37 The Rise of Identity Politics

12:52 Pandemic Impact on Education

16:28 The Victim Mentality in Schools

22:44 Creativity and Authoritarianism

25:52 The Role of Technology in Learning

28:57 Experiential Learning and Its Benefits

30:12 The Need for Critical Thinking

36:47 The Future of Homeschooling

42:32 The Political Agenda Behind Education