I had hope to put up some more presentations from the World Music Forum, but I came back from Tunis with an unwanted souvenir  - the dreaded Swine Flu. So, I'll take to my bed for a few days and hope that's it's gone in time for me to present at the World Arts Education Alliance next weekend. More later when I strat to feel human again!

I gave a presentation today on how innovation can spread in music education, as part of  the International Music Council's Forum in Tunisia. The main thrust of my argument was that music education is one of the most resistant-to-change areas of education - which itself has changed little compared with the rapid changes in young people's lives. I look at what unites successful innovation and describe the success factors behind Musical Futures, as a case study in advocacy for change (not status quo)

On 25th September, I gave a talk to the Harris Federation newly qualified teachers. I've posted the slides in the archive section here. But it was one of those where you really had to be there. I'd like to thank the teachers present for such thoughtful, and positive, questioning. It was really inspiring to see  such great new recruits into the teaching profession. And it gives one hope for the prospect of the kind of radical changes which are need to transform schooling in the 21st Century.

I've been doing quite a bit of thinking around student engagement. Most conventional definitions have constrained our ambitions to 'compliance' (are you doing what we ask of you?), rather than 'commitment' - which is what I think we should be aspiring to. I'm working on a presentation,  which suggests a more holistic concept of engagement: one which places the responsibility for engagement as much on the school as the student. How can we expect students to be passionately engaged in learning, if so much of what goes on in school is disengaged from the family, community and commercial world outside?

I'm heading down under again early in 2010 to to support a national project to establish the Musical Futures approach to music education in a number of Australian states (mainly, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales). But in recent weeks it's become clear that the interest in adopting/adapting these strategies isn't confined to music or to what remains of the empire. I've been advising on a bid to the Obama administration to apply MF practices to Science in a range of pilot schools (probably in Illinois) and I've also been made aware of schools in Thailand, New Zealand,Egypt, Cyprus, Canada and the US who are all finding success in these radical approaches. More power to the teacher's elbows - it takes a lot of courage to throw out almost everything you've been trained to believe in and put your trust in your students.

....are now available from the archive area. It seemed to go very well - about 450 teachers in the audience and I was hoping the broad range of it (areas covered included the changing face of Knowledge and its implications for education and the  economy; Knowledge Process Outsorurcing; Emotional Capital)  would still have relevance for them. Thankfully, judging by comments afterwards, it did - although you never know till you get the evaluations! You sort of had to be there, but the event was filmed so I hope to be posting extracts up here soon.

I'm about to give my first speech of the new academic year, at a conference in sun-kissed Blackpool, England (forecast is wet, windy and cold - we're having an Indian summer here). I'll be discussing the way the knowledge has become commoditised, bought and sold globally, across the internet and the implications for our education system. I'll also be looking at the growth of Emotional Capital in businesses (think iPhone & Innocent smoothies) and how that is affecting lives. You couldn't pick a better example than Lauren Luke, school drop-out, teenage single-parent turned cosmetics guru, and entrepreneur. And all without the help of school, just the 'cloud'.

Should be interesting to see what connections people working in schools will make. It's being filmed and I hope to put extracts up here, along with slides.

I'm just about to wind up for the summer, but as soon as I get back we're into the conference season, and I've got a busy September and October. I'll be doing a keynote speech at a regional music conference in Blackpool, UK, another keynote at a conference for newly qualified teachers, running some seminars on creativity in education, going over to Tunisia to speak at the World Forum on Music event, and then, finally, taking part in the World Alliance for Arts Education Summit to be held in..... Gateshead.

So, I'm currently working up some ideas and presentations about how we can make the case for more progressive approaches to education (and the arts) without coming across as 70's throwbacks. Although it's interesting to note that the re-invented conservative party in the UK can present their education plans, should they win the next election (as seems increasingly likely), as a return to the 'academic' learning last seen in the 1950s without a hint of embarrassment...... watch here, for a synopsis of their driving vision.

I've been watching the recent discussion on the links (if any) between schooling and social mobility. We seem to be expecting schools to do an awful lot when we look for them to transform aspirations, but it's clear that the arts can manage to blend both the formal and non-formal experiences and aspirations of young people, in a way other parts of the curriculum often struggle to achieve.

On June 12th I was proud as punch to compere an event, as part of the London International Music Show, which took the Musical Futures project on to another level. First up, was Estelle Morris, who has always been a great advocate for what the programme has tried to achieve: more kids enjoying their music in school, and remaining active participants, for longer.She was able to chart the progression, from less than 60 schools adopting the approaches in its first in 2006, to around 1000 schools currently.

Next up, I was able to announce that Sting had become the global patron for Musical Futures. It's a great choice, I think - as a former teacher, he's got a pretty good insight into the challenges facing practitioners.

But the main event was the publication of the 2nd edition of the free Teacher Pack. This has been put together by Abigail D'Amore, the Musical Futures National Co-ordinator, and what a fantastic job she's done. The initial response from teachers has been highly positive, and it's a tribute to Abi.

At his point we had some live music from some young musicians from Harrogate Grammar School, who were great.

Finally, I was able to accept a cheque from Joe Lamond, CEO of NAMM, in Carlsbad California, on behalf of the Australian Music Association. NAMM's generous support will enable Musical Futures to be piloted in Australia next year. I'll probably be going out there in February 2010 to advise them on setting it up.

As Project Leader, I've been involved in the design and development of the project. Now, as advisor, I get to see all the good stuff that's happening as a result of Abigail's efforts. This event was one of the most enjoyable days in my professional career, and it certainly doesn't constitute work.

On June 12th I gave a keynote presentation to the senior leadership teams of the 9  Academies which make up the Harris Federation.The academies are concentrated in areas of South-East London which are challenging to say the least. So, having turned around struggling schools through an emphasis upon discipline, high aspirations and improving exam results, it's laudable that staff are not opting simply to consolidate in their next phase of development (see  the post on the Student Commission).

I spoke on the subject of 'Learning to Unlearn' - challenging ourselves to think differently in the way we organise businesses - and schooling. I tried to get delegates to reflect on how their future plans - which are about making the academies more democratic and more engaging places to work and study - match with what we know students define as 'engaging learning'. When asked students invariably highlight a number of factors:
•    Solve real problems
•    Engage with knowledge that matters
•    Make a difference in the world
•    Be respected
•    See how subjects are interconnected
•    Learn from and with each other and people in the community
•    Connect with experts and expertise
•    Have more opportunities for dialogue and conversation
Strangely enough, that's what most teachers want too.

I've attached the presentation slides below.