The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement reveals how curiosity - once the heartbeat of vibrant schools - has been quietly squeezed out by compliance cultures, standardised testing, and the relentless pursuit of measurable outcomes. Dr Wayne Craig explores how this erosion has left educators feeling depleted, students disengaged, and school improvement efforts spinning without true transformation. Compounding the challenge, the persistent influence of school socioeconomic status (SES) continues to shape outcomes in ways that traditional reforms have failed to address. Yet curiosity isn't lost - it's simply waiting in the margins, ready to reignite the wonder that makes learning meaningful and sustainable change possible.

Through the metaphor of the Curious Cat, this book presents a compelling framework for renewal built on three pillars: curiosity as the spark for genuine learning, moral purpose as the ethical foundation of educational work, and school capital as the conditions that allow inquiry to flourish. Moving beyond surface-level reforms, it offers practical guidance for teachers, leaders, and systems ready to move from compliance to curiosity, from implementation to investigation.

This is not another improvement strategy - it's an invitation to remember what makes schools truly alive and to nurture the questions that lead to transformation from the inside out.

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The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement reveals how curiosity - once the heartbeat of vibrant schools - has been quietly squeezed out by compliance cultures, standardised testing, and the relentless pursuit of measurable outcomes. Dr Wayne Craig explores how this erosion has left educators feeling depleted, students disengaged, and school improvement efforts spinning without true transformation. Compounding the challenge, the persistent influence of school socioeconomic status (SES) continues to shape outcomes in ways that traditional reforms have failed to address. Yet curiosity isn't lost - it's simply waiting in the margins, ready to reignite the wonder that makes learning meaningful and sustainable change possible.

Through the metaphor of the Curious Cat, this book presents a compelling framework for renewal built on three pillars: curiosity as the spark for genuine learning, moral purpose as the ethical foundation of educational work, and school capital as the conditions that allow inquiry to flourish. Moving beyond surface-level reforms, it offers practical guidance for teachers, leaders, and systems ready to move from compliance to curiosity, from implementation to investigation.

This is not another improvement strategy - it's an invitation to remember what makes schools truly alive and to nurture the questions that lead to transformation from the inside out.

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The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

by Dr Wayne Craig
The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement: Reclaiming Wonder in Education

by Dr Wayne Craig

eBook

$22.99 

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Overview

The Curious Cat and the Quest for School Improvement reveals how curiosity - once the heartbeat of vibrant schools - has been quietly squeezed out by compliance cultures, standardised testing, and the relentless pursuit of measurable outcomes. Dr Wayne Craig explores how this erosion has left educators feeling depleted, students disengaged, and school improvement efforts spinning without true transformation. Compounding the challenge, the persistent influence of school socioeconomic status (SES) continues to shape outcomes in ways that traditional reforms have failed to address. Yet curiosity isn't lost - it's simply waiting in the margins, ready to reignite the wonder that makes learning meaningful and sustainable change possible.

Through the metaphor of the Curious Cat, this book presents a compelling framework for renewal built on three pillars: curiosity as the spark for genuine learning, moral purpose as the ethical foundation of educational work, and school capital as the conditions that allow inquiry to flourish. Moving beyond surface-level reforms, it offers practical guidance for teachers, leaders, and systems ready to move from compliance to curiosity, from implementation to investigation.

This is not another improvement strategy - it's an invitation to remember what makes schools truly alive and to nurture the questions that lead to transformation from the inside out.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781923403253
Publisher: Amba Press
Publication date: 09/10/2025
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 232
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

Dr Wayne Craig is an Australian educator, researcher and consultant whose career has been shaped by a deep belief: that meaningful change in education begins not with mandates but with purposeful questions, shared inquiry, and moral purpose. Over four decades, he has worked across the system - as a teacher, principal, regional director, and researcher - consistently championing student voice, high expectations, and curiosity-driven learning. His system-level leadership includes co-founding the Powerful Learning strategy with Professor David Hopkins and helping establish the Koorie Academy of Excellence. Wayne remains committed to the idea that the most profound shifts in education arise from within schools, not above them.

Table of Contents

About the Author

Acknowledgments

How to Read This Book: Terms and Tools That Matter

Prologue The Return of the Curious Cat

Chapter 1 A Known Unknown - Why Curiosity Matters

Chapter 2 School Improvement Has Stalled

Chapter 3 Moral Purpose and the Rhythm of Reform

Chapter 4 School Capital - The Conditions for Growth

Chapter 5 Reawakening Inquiry - Practices That Bring Curiosity to Life

Interlude Before the Shadow Falls

Chapter 6 The School Improvement Tree - Growth from the Inside Out

Chapter 7 Through the Socioeconomic Shadow - Curiosity and Equity

Chapter 8 Leading for Inquiry, Equity, and Change

Chapter 9 Unleashing the Curious System - Scaling Inquiry with Integrity

Chapter 10 The Cat's Next Step - Sustaining a Movement Over Time

Epilogue In the Company of Questions

Appendix A Research Summary and Methodology

Appendix B Implementation Guides

Appendix C Self-Reflection Tools

Appendix D Self-Assessment Tools

Appendix E Literary and Cultural Touchstones

References

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