Raphael Wilkins

In the English countryside, in the 1970s, a shy young man becomes caught up in a relationship with an older married woman. John loves art, music and trees, and meets Miranda through his involvement in a woodland development project. When passion sparks between them, it takes him by surprise. He is torn between desire and decency. He can’t discern what Miranda wants from their relationship, and fears the consequences when her husband finds out about it. Their meetings take place in the woods which have been John’s special place since childhood. His enigmatic friend Geoffrey helps him to understand his dilemma and to prepare for its inevitably dramatic resolution. A story exploring the complexities of emotions, the interplay of love and friendship, passion and duty, and the lasting impact of experiences in formative years. It will appeal to readers who enjoy romantic literary fiction in rural settings.

A story of loss and discovery which is part memoir and part travelogue. In the wake of losing his wife Mary the author accepted an unexpected invitation to travel to Colombia. This became both a journey through the Colombian Andes and also one through the stages of bereavement. How does a person mourn when their leading emotion is relief? After being trapped by circumstances into caring for, in isolation, a complex and reclusive partner, the author was released by her death but only into disorientation. The chance offer from an old acquaintance led to an exotic travel experience, and a culture and landscape so stunning that everything had to be brought into a different perspective. This frank and poignant memoir will appeal to people who enjoy reflective travel literature, to those who have had ‘complex’ bereavements, people interested in the reflections and choices of later life, It is for those who are drawn to lose and find themselves through travel to exotic locations. Within the travel book genre, it is the first book of reflective travel writing about Colombia in the round: previous books have concentrated on narco-crime in the region.

Education expert Raphael Wilkins, author of Accidental Traveller, recounts his travels around the world as a visiting expert, where he set up and advised on several educational projects, all very different from each other, and all providing challenges in working across languages and cultures. He battles with unenthusiastic school principals in Dammam, a volatile project manager in Mexico and awkward hosts in Lucknow. Among other adventures, he visits a navy school in Karachi, completes a fulfilling project in Jeddah, secures a valuable contract with the Colombian government in Bogota, and enjoys a tender reunion in Cyprus. Combining informative and thought-provoking insights on education with personal reflections from a lifetime of travel, An Educational Journey is an inspirational book about the importance of broadening horizons, both physical and personal.

Travel memoir by educationist Raphael Wilkins, frankly and humorously describing his unexpected introduction to work-related international travel. Highlights include sightseeing in Delhi, meeting a Crown Prince in Riyadh, the sunset call to prayer in Jeddah old town, walking on the Great Wall of China, dining in Raffles, a tour of Yemen, and flying on a light plane up-country in South Sudan. As well as places, the account features people, food, illnesses, miscommunications and surprises.

Improving education through policy learning is an important notion for countries in need of educational reform. However, identifying a successful set of practices and transferring them from one national setting to another is a complex exercise. Drawing from their extensive experience, the authors explore a single case study of policy transfer in India, demonstrating how and under what conditions educational reforms can be put into practice successfully and sustainably. Coverage includes: · Policy Learning · Inclusive Practices · School Autonomy and School Leadership · India and its system of education This book offers a unique, international perspective on educational reform and is a useful resource for teachers, policy makers and postgraduate level students.

Improving education through policy learning is an important notion for countries in need of educational reform. However, identifying a successful set of practices and transferring them from one national setting to another is a complex exercise. Drawing from their extensive experience, the authors explore a single case study of policy transfer in India, demonstrating how and under what conditions educational reforms can be put into practice successfully and sustainably. Coverage includes: · Policy Learning · Inclusive Practices · School Autonomy and School Leadership · India and its system of education This book offers a unique, international perspective on educational reform and is a useful resource for teachers, policy makers and postgraduate level students.

Education in the Balance explores the significant choices and opportunities worldwide that are opening up to school leaders of the future for the development of schools and school systems. It argues that the judgments of individuals in leadership positions in a wide range of settings, including ministries of education, schools, private companies and NGOs may, cumulatively, have unintended implications for schools and school systems. In failing to give sufficient consideration to alternative approaches, opportunities to achieve greater or more widespread educational benefits may be missed. The future of school education depends on the quality of its leaders and on the readiness of leadership to act for the long term and with a sense of global responsibility. What knowledge, skills and attributes will new leaders of schools need, and how can they be developed? Raphael Wilkins maps out these issues, drawing on his first-hand experience as an international consultant in education leadership. This book supports the strategic leadership of schools and school systems, by mapping global issues and developments, helping leaders to reflect on their chosen pathways and options, and to identify their own professional development needs.

Education in the Balance explores the significant choices and opportunities for the future development of schools and school systems internationally, including case studies in Pakistan and India, Colombia, Saudi Arabia and China. It draws attention to the increasing reliance on the judgements of leaders in a wide range of settings: schools, private companies and NGOs to choose options which, cumulatively, will have profound implications for the future of education. What knowledge, skills and attributes will these new leaders of education need, and how can they be developed? Raphael Wilkins maps out these issues, drawing on his extensive first had experience as an international consultant in education leadership.