WORLD-renowned education speaker Sir John Jones visited Warrington to deliver a public lecture at the University of Chester this week.
The author of best-selling publication “The Magic-Weaving Business” delivered a talk focused on the powerful impact which teachers have on young people.
Knighted in 2003 for his services to education, Sir John worked most of his professional life in challenging schools across the North West of England.
He believes education to be about social change, not just ticking boxes or meeting targets. Indeed, his down to earth approach to education can also be transferred to those skills which impact on leadership, inclusion and organizational development.
Sir John spoke about the changing world and its associated implications for the education of young people; the need for a paradigm shift from left (logical) to right (creative) brain thinking, in order to meet a child’s need for empathy, meaning and symphony of thought.
He challenged the delivery of a “just-in-case education”, stating that children need to be prepared for life, not prepared for tests; to receive a real education, not an artificial one; to be gate-openers, not gate-keepers; to have multiple abilities, not just cognitive ability and to desire, not to fear.
Sir John referred to education as “the people business” and said that teachers need to have creativity, ingenuity, portability and flexibility; not to answer questions but to ask brilliant ones.
He said that demographics play a part in destiny but don’t have to rule the overall outcome of a child’s education.
He said that teachers should be “possibility thinkers” and should be the reason why young people believe that they can achieve and that they have the same opportunities as their classmates.
Guests included University staff and students, education professionals from local schools, colleges and the local authority, as well as members of the community.
Guests found Sir John’s talk to be “inspirational”, “awe-inducing” and “highly motivational”.
Sir John has a reputation for being one of the most entertaining, inspiring and sought-after speakers on the global educational stage and tonight’s guests could certainly attest to that.
To read more about Sir John Jones, please visit www.sirjohnjones.com.
For details of upcoming public lectures at Warrington Campus, please visit http://www.chester.ac.uk/at-chester/events.
