Ever heard of the Theory of Loose Connections?

Also known as the Strength of Weak Ties after a seminal paper by Mark Granovetter, it is the idea that you will meet, work with and benefit from people and then move simply on. (From a world of work point of view think about the way a film crew come together for a movie for a limited period, as opposed to a company or a school that tries to stay together for as long as possible).

We at Independent Thinking meet and work with many great educationalists who are making a genuine difference in schools but who are not Independent Thinking Associates. Here are some who you may find useful along with a brief description of what they do and how to get hold of them.

Just make sure you tell them who sent you...

John Abbott

Inspiring speaker on how we've managed got the education system so wrong

Contact: mail@21learn.org

Website: www.21learn.org

We recommend: The Unfinshed Revolution

Tom Barwood

Really useful INSET on application of learning ideas from a former teacher

Contact: info@likemindslearning.co.uk

Website: www.likemindslearning.co.uk

We recommend: Learning To Learn Pocketbook

John Birchall

Top international school headteacher offering consultancy on school re-structuring, setting up new schools, management training, performance management and implementing the IB Diploma programme - anywhere in the world

Contact: johnbirchall@impacteducation.org

Website: www.impacteducation.org/

Steve Bowkett

Wonderful books and INSET on creativity, thinking and literacy from this teacher and author

Contact: steve@sbowkett.freeserve.co.uk

Website: www.sbowkett.freeserve.co.uk

We recommend: Imagine That!

Nigel Cutts

For coaching and mentoring

Contact: nigel@cuttsandcons.com

Website: www.cuttsandcons.com and www.loveatwork.co.uk

We recommend: Love at Work 

Robert Fisher

Leading figure on developing effective thinking skills in children

Contact: robert.fisher@brunel.ac.uk

Website: www.teachingthinking.net

We recommend: Teaching Children to Think

Tim Foot

Motivational and useful learning skills worshops for students

Contact: timjfoot@aol.com

Paul Ginnis

Much in demand speaker on effective thinking and learning in the classroom

Contact:

Website:

We recommend: The Teacher's Toolkit

Trevor Hawes 

Great speaker and practitioner for many years on the learning classroom

Contact: denisestonestreet@hotmail.com

Website:www.optimal-learning.net

We recommend: Effective Teaching and Learning in the Primary

Mike Hughes

Practical application of all those learning ideas for the classroom

Contact:

We recommend: Lessons Are for Learning

Eva Hoffman

Wonderul work on visual learning and mind mapping for young children along with some fascinating new material on 'Motivating the Teenage Mind'

Contact: evajhof@hotmail.com

Website: www.inspiredlearning.info

We recommend: Introducing Children to Mind Mapping

Barry Hymer

Have only ever heard good things about Barry's work on thinking skills and with the G&T agenda

Contact: Stillthinkinguk@aol.com

Website: www.barryhymer.co.uk

We recommend: Routledge-Falmer International Companion to Gifted Education

Alistair Smith

Mr Accelerated Learning himself

Contact:

Website: www.alite.co.uk

We recommend: Accelerated Learning in the Classroom

(And if you want more information about The Strength of Weak Ties  click here to see Mark Granovetter's Wikipedia entry or here to plunge right in and check out his original paper from Stanford University, referred to as 'one of the most influential sociology papers ever written')

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