Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
Years of Service Don’t Equal Expertise: Why I Support TransformED trib.al/DOEWgRM
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
Evidence-informed teaching: What it is and what it isn’t paulkirschner173727.substack.com/p/evidence-inf…
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It will be interesting to hear if Baker kr Sheehan can respond, in substance, to this reality.
They don't often do substantial arguments...
They don't often do substantial arguments...
A short thread on the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill debate last night.
Money spent on one thing can’t be spent on something else. The debate shouldn’t just have been about what you wanted to see provided, but what you were prepared to cut to fund that provision.
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Funny how Robin never catches on to SF exploiting the Assembly at every waking moment.
Because the SF exploitation has the ultimate aim of achieving a United Ireland, Robin just switches his spider senses off for them.
Because the SF exploitation has the ultimate aim of achieving a United Ireland, Robin just switches his spider senses off for them.
I don’t think @JonBurrowsMLA signed that PoC because he’s anti-Irish language. I think he did it out of fear of the DUP exploiting a refusal. The man who said he was going to do politics differently is rolling in the mud with the best of them. Hence today’s Talkback disaster.
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A fantastic article, again.
Years of Service Don’t Equal Expertise: Why I Support TransformED trib.al/DOEWgRM
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
No money to feed kids but of course there is money for a behaviour tsar and this conference 🙃
⏲️ONE WEEK TO GO | The Behaviour of Success Conference 2026
Next Wednesday 18 November, we will welcome over 600 school leaders to explore what works in creating positive, purposeful learning environments where every child and young person can thrive.
Delegates will hear from iour and school culture, including Tom Bennett OBE, discover effective practice from Northern Ireland and beyond, and take away practical strategies back to their school.
#BehaviourOfSuccess
@tombennett71 @ProfDanielMuijs @StuartLock @BruceNextLevel
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RT @adamboxer1: I think lots of people are confused about this Alpha business. When you see someone who has advocated for a specific set of…
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
Whatever else it is, Alpha School is extremely bad for the global traditionalist education cause. Those who dislike explicit teaching and a knowledge-rich curriculum can point to the people joining Alpha and make all the obvious points. We stand diminished.
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
Knowing about learning doesn't make you a learning scientist, any more than knowing about medicine makes you a medical scientist. If saying this makes me a grumpy old man, so be it; I can provide ample empirical evidence to support that title. kirschnered.nl/2026/11/12/eve…
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
Irish nationalism culture war.
1. Demand additional resources or preferential treatment for Irish language / Casement.
2. If refused claim unionists hate everything Irish because they are all bigots.
3. Invite Alliance politicians facing SF election threat to repeat point 2.
1. Demand additional resources or preferential treatment for Irish language / Casement.
2. If refused claim unionists hate everything Irish because they are all bigots.
3. Invite Alliance politicians facing SF election threat to repeat point 2.
Michelle O'Neill has branded the DUP's petition of concern over an Irish-medium education bill as 'sectarianism'
Other unionist parties have indicated they will support the petition.
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If you hold any other view than SF, you're a "bigot".
Everything their way, or they attack.
Everything their way, or they attack.
Sinn Féin’s Sheehan accuses UUP leader of ‘stupidity’ and ‘anti-Irish bigotry’ as committee clashes over Irish education bill belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/…
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
It's known that Alpha have big pockets and pay, for ed, huge salaries.
So it jars a little bit when people say they work for them out of a sense of 'responsibility'.
Do they think we're all that naive?
So it jars a little bit when people say they work for them out of a sense of 'responsibility'.
Do they think we're all that naive?
It’s now pretty clear that AI is going to become wildly powerful, and many orgs are starting to explore how it might improve the lives of kids and families.
(Quite rightly: it would be remiss of us not to)
Imo one of the most important responsibilities for educators right now is to BE IN ON THE ACTION, steering these developments.
For me, Alpha is the best place to be doing that work.
What exactly is Alpha?
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The Irish Language movement doesn't like facts.
When presented with them, and when the myths are unpacked, they believe a "victory" can be found through misdirection.
When presented with them, and when the myths are unpacked, they believe a "victory" can be found through misdirection.
William Kitchen making an absolute show of himself on Talkback today.
Eoin Tennyson mentioned that he was previously a TUV candidate and he completely lost it!
Well worth a listen to.
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This is what we call "buying credibility".
So many powerful educational communicators, lost to the Alpha fad.
So many powerful educational communicators, lost to the Alpha fad.
I'm not particularly exercised about Alpha School one way or the other, and I don't know the work of all of them, but there are very few on this team that I'd feel comfortable as an advocate for the effective use of inquiry. But there are several who actively advocate against it.
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
As I argued in one of my News Letter articles, our curriculum has operated too much from the top down, beginning with broad, complex statements rather than building knowledge from the bottom up, with clear foundations, expectations, sequencing and progression.
We wouldn’t expect a medical student to perform surgery without first mastering anatomy and physiology. Or perhaps Ian would happily let one operate on him, experimenting as they go? I suspect not!
The 2007 NI Curriculum lacked specificity at KS3, arguably allowing GCSE specifications to dictate earlier learning.
And TransformED is not a copy of England’s 2014 curriculum. A closer examination reveals clear differences in content, structure and progression. Perhaps we should examine the actual proposals before making such comparisons!
Surely curriculum reform should be judged on educational merit rather than political allegiance or personal affiliations.
Evidence over ideology! Evidence-informed practice, always.
We wouldn’t expect a medical student to perform surgery without first mastering anatomy and physiology. Or perhaps Ian would happily let one operate on him, experimenting as they go? I suspect not!
The 2007 NI Curriculum lacked specificity at KS3, arguably allowing GCSE specifications to dictate earlier learning.
And TransformED is not a copy of England’s 2014 curriculum. A closer examination reveals clear differences in content, structure and progression. Perhaps we should examine the actual proposals before making such comparisons!
Surely curriculum reform should be judged on educational merit rather than political allegiance or personal affiliations.
Evidence over ideology! Evidence-informed practice, always.
Oh the irony! Just as @Education_NI is trying to implement the England reforms of 2014
gov.uk/government/new…
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
It would appear those either working directly for Alpha School or 'on their roster' is creeping higher than those who aren't - amongst the group of cog-sci education ppl who you would have bet wouldn't have gone anywhere near them. Which I find interesting!
Pick one of the names of those supporting it/working with them on the learning team and imagine what they'd have said to someone saying: "We are starting an AI school that believes in personalised learning, use of apps instead of teachers and is 75K a year" = I can't imagine many would have been keen. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've seen a lot of them come out against similar ideas and projects in the past. My question is "why"? I think many out there would argue its only because of the eye watering sums of money and opportunity on offer. But I know those involved are unlikely to say that.
I think i've said before, I am fundamentally a 'general' fan of edtech and its possibilities, so this isn't necessarily a comment on some of the ideas themselves. Its more a comment on the purposeful strategy of Alpha which I think is a very smart strategy from their perspective as you are recruiting powerful voices who may have come out batting against them pretty strong.
Its certainly an interesting story and thing to observe!
Pick one of the names of those supporting it/working with them on the learning team and imagine what they'd have said to someone saying: "We are starting an AI school that believes in personalised learning, use of apps instead of teachers and is 75K a year" = I can't imagine many would have been keen. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've seen a lot of them come out against similar ideas and projects in the past. My question is "why"? I think many out there would argue its only because of the eye watering sums of money and opportunity on offer. But I know those involved are unlikely to say that.
I think i've said before, I am fundamentally a 'general' fan of edtech and its possibilities, so this isn't necessarily a comment on some of the ideas themselves. Its more a comment on the purposeful strategy of Alpha which I think is a very smart strategy from their perspective as you are recruiting powerful voices who may have come out batting against them pretty strong.
Its certainly an interesting story and thing to observe!
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Dr William H Kitchen retweeted
For decades, the forces of educational progressivism have been trying - consciously or subconsciously - to destroy our education system.
Finally, in the advent of AI, they have the power to actually do so.
Finally, in the advent of AI, they have the power to actually do so.
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"It's not about the money..."
*But the pay is exceptional...*
*But the pay is exceptional...*
🚨 Some personal news:
I’ve joined @Alphaschool to help lead their Learning Science team.
A thread on why, the team, open roles, and your questions...
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No one has to "pull my mask off" to reveal my past TUV affiliation.
I was a candidate many years ago.
I'm no longer a member.
It's as if we have to be ashamed to call ourselves Unionists.
Well I'm not. Nothing about my Unionism is hidden.
I was a candidate many years ago.
I'm no longer a member.
It's as if we have to be ashamed to call ourselves Unionists.
Well I'm not. Nothing about my Unionism is hidden.
William once @EoinTennyson pulled your mask off to reveal your TUV ‘pedigree’ you completely lost it ? Why? Regardless of the facts you presented.
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