Do Education Reforms Fail? A Historian’s Response

Abstract

This article attempts to address the question of failure or relative failure of the majority of education reforms from a historical perspective. After some initial clarifications of the terms “reform” and “failure,” recent contributions on the subject from the notions of “school culture” or “grammar of schooling” are set out as well as the possibilities, limitations and dangers in the use of these concepts. Finally, the main traits of the various cultures: those of the reformers and managers, scientists and experts and those of the teachers are analysed with the aim of integrating their differing conceptions and experience of education in the issue of the failure of education reforms and the wider question of change and innovation in education.