A Slow Circle

I have started a blog over of substack where I am collecting all of the education content posted here. If you read this blog for and aren't interested in gaming, RPGs, worldbuilding or sundry book reviews you would probably be better off subscribing to that blog:  https://aslowcircle.substack.com/ . Currently, I plan to continue posting everything I write here, so if you're happy to filter according to your own interests then by all means carry on reading.

What is the role of imagination in education and learning? Certainly imagination is desirable for educators who would like their young students to grow into creative, interesting adults. Imagination is probably also desirable for students who have a great wish not to be bored to death. But could it be more than just an antidote to classroom doldrums and later-life ennui? I have a friend and colleague currently doing a teacher training course in which he was given an assignment to write on the topic, "What is reflection? How can reflection help teachers?". The question was enraging. Indeed, reflection seems like it might be a useful practice for teachers. How might thinking  help teachers? How might breathing help teachers? This is the kind of pablum that passes for teacher training.¹ If gaining a license to teach is school is simply intended as a costly signal then perhaps this kind of generic busywork is fine, but what if teacher training could be more effective? Allow me t