260 pages
228 x 145mm
ISBN-10: 1 85856 047 0
ISBN-13: 978 1 85856 047 2

With sharp insight, analysis and humour, Robin Richardson elegantly fills the role of chronicler of education in the l990s and of the conscience of everyone concerned with the full development of all children. Making much use of story, fable and anecdote, Fortunes and Fables reaffirms the ideals, convictions and hopes which lead so many people into teaching and which inspire them still.

The author has many intriguing tales to tell. He recalls Brent's pioneering program for equality, praised by government reports but assassinated by the press as a conspiracy of 'race spies'. And the creation of Equality Assurance in Schools, a book to compensate for the National Curriculum Council's failure to issue guidelines for education in a multicultural society.

He reflects on education for spiritual development, on the importance of stories, on the issue of hybridity.

He pays moving tribute to a pioneer of antiracist education, David Ruddell, and addresses a much younger friend on her coming of age. And he satirises the government's educational 'reforms' and parodies quangocrats and 'quallispeak'.
A worthy successor to Daring to be a Teacher.