Thank You for your Kind Reviews – A passion for Education – The story of a Headteacher

Posted on by Opher

You all humble me.

I did not go into teaching to change the world. I stumbled into it. But once there I set about putting right the terrible, mind-numbing experience that I had suffered throughout my own education experience. I was bullied, threatened, belittled, beaten and demotivated by teachers. The teaching I received was appalling. I was determined to make teaching the enjoyable, mind-expanding partnership I knew it could be.

This book tells that journey.

I thank all your reviews. I cherish them. Thank you!

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading for every parent, school governor, teacher and Headteacher

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 November 2017

‘Passion for Education – the story of a headteacher’ was I thought the most
inspiring book on education since I read A.S. Neill’s Summerhill when I was 15
(over 50 years ago). It ought to be top of the search results when looking for a book on Headteachers.
In fact I could only find it here by entering both ‘Headteacher’ and ‘Goodwin’.
Never mind, an excellent and uplifting read – every PARENT should read it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Crusade for True Education

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 April 2016

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As an retired teacher and Head of Department I found this book a joy to read. It is many things – personal biography, passionate polemic, practical handbook, education history, inspirational text, you name it – woven together in a natural, organic way which really gives you the feel of school life. The author knows whereof he speaks and in friendly fashion takes you, the reader, by the hand on a headlong and often exciting journey through the maze of modern education. His vision is clear and compelling, he knows what works and what doesn’t, he wants you to share his profound sense of the human potential which we can unlock if only we get our schools right. He articulates a philosophy which puts the whole child at its centre and explores the relationships underlying the magic of educational development. The book is written in a direct, heartfelt, jargon-free style and is packed with amusing anecdotes which illuminate his principles, unlike many dry books on the subject. Passionate and humorous and unafraid of controversy, it certainly gets you thinking. I found it a real page-turner and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone interested in good education, whether outside or inside the teaching profession. For anyone connected with school management, in any capacity, it is essential reading. A unique and valuable voice.

5.0 out of 5 stars A former pupil of his, a fantastic headteacher, respected and extremely competent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 January 2025

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Mr Goodwin was a fantastic headteacher at Beverley Grammar School. He was respected by even the most troublesome of students, would not tolerate bullying or intimidation, which was quite rare as future ones sadly did, and he instilled in myself and others a passion for learning and reading that led me to read law and go into business.

He had a profound influence on myself and others, looking back, knew so many of us by first name, and was a warm and kind hearted guy, as his son was too. Great characters, which cannot be bought or learned.

This is also a great book that I am very much enjoying reading.

I have great respect for the family, and thank you for all that you have given to us, Sir.

A passion for Education – The story of a Headteacher eBook : Goodwin BSc (Hons) NPQH, Christopher: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

A passion for Education – The story of a Headteacher – Blowing the school to pieces.

Posted on by Opher

When I finished teaching, after thirty-six years, I decided to write a book to encapsulate my philosophy, garnished with anecdotes. This is it.

Excerpt – A passion for Education – The story of a Headteacher

It was early on in my second year of teaching and Friday afternoon with my favourite group. I was teaching A Level Biology with the Upper Sixth. They were intelligent, friendly and engaging. It was a good way to end the week. I could relax.

That was the day my week nearly ended for ever.

We were in the biology lab for a practical session doing some standard food tests – all predictable and fairly boring.

I was drawing the results table on the old chalk board and turned round to instruct the class on how and when to fill in their results when I found the room almost empty. There was just one boy standing in the centre of the lab with a boiling tube full of liquid that was bubbling away. That would not have been too strange if it had not been for the fact that he wasn’t heating it at the time.

‘What are you doing Mr Johnson?’ I asked puzzled by what I was seeing.

‘Nothing sir,’ he replied innocently.

I noticed a head peering round the door and another peeping over the back bench.

‘He’s making nitro-glycerine,’ the half visible face informed me.

I felt a bit of a shiver run through me and squinted at the bubbling boiling tube.

‘What have you got in there?’ I asked sternly, striding over to the lad with the bubbling boiling tube.

‘Nothing sir,’ he replied again.

‘He’s put glycerine in with conc. sulphuric and conc. nitric,’ my informant offered before ducking back down.

I weighed this up as I headed for that boiling tube.

The lab was lined with reagent bottles. The boy had mixed a big boiling tube of glycerine, concentrated sulphuric and concentrated nitric acid. Now I was no chemist but I knew that the concentrated sulphuric acid removed hydroxyl groups that could be replaced by nitrate groups from the nitric acid. From the extent of bubbling that was going on in the boiling tube a reaction was definitely occurring. It seemed quite probable to me that nitro-glycerine was a distinct possibility. If nitro-glycerine was formed it was highly unstable. Indeed the heat of reaction was quite certain to trigger an explosion. A boiling tube of nitro was quite likely to take out the whole lab. I did not think hiding behind a bench or round a doorway was going to afford much protection.

I walked briskly over and poured the contents of the test tube down the sink washing it away with copious amounts of water and rinsing the test tube out.

It probably wouldn’t have made nitro-glycerine but I wasn’t taking any chances.

The rest of the class started coming out of hiding.

What punishment do you give to a boy who could have blasted your lab to bits and killed everyone? – Perhaps a detention?

I settled for a lengthy discussion and an apology. He was a pleasant, enthusiastic lad with a good inquisitive mind, if a little silly. He’d been showing off and being daft. The fact that it could have been catastrophic was not really understood.

It was fully understood by the end of my conversation. What might have occurred was explained very graphically.

What should, and could, have happened to him as a result of doing this was also explained. It probably would have resulted in his expulsion if I had followed procedure.

What good would that have done? His A levels, his university, his career, my relationship with the class? The repercussions were enormous.

By the end of our discussion he had learnt a lesson. I was confident nothing of similar ilk would happen ever again. What more was to be gained?

A passion for Education – The story of a Headteacher eBook : Goodwin BSc (Hons) NPQH, Christopher: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store