Professional Experience

Philosophical Counsellor for Light on Thinking “Self Agency” - specialising in university experience (www.lightonthinking.com)

Freelance journalist: 2010 to present - education, therapy worlds, philosophical counselling. (National Union of Journalists full member)

Illustrator - 2018 to present, editorial and publishing

English language teacher: June 2019 to present (private lessons, IFS informed)

Associate lecturer in academic writing, Student Development Department, University of Warwick, UK (part-time): Sept 2018 – May 2019

Reader in Alternative Education Studies (full time), (Aug 2017-May 2018); Senior Lecturer in Education Studies, (Aug 2016-July 2017); Lecturer in Education Studies (Sept 2014-July 2016), Newman University, UK

Educational consultant - alternative education, international clients, 2018 onwards

Managing Director, Other Business Limited: Nov 2013 - ongoing

Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Stirling (full time): Nov 2010-Oct 2013

Co-ordinator of education provision for out-of-school children, Warwickshire Local Authority, UK (part-time): Sept 2006-July 2007

Secondary school teacher (English and Citizenship, full time), St George’s School, Birmingham, UK:  Sept 2005-July 2006

Previous to this I worked in a wide variety of part time, temporary teaching jobs in schools, prisons, hospitals, residential centers. Prior to this I had low responsibility jobs whilst pursuing a career as a visual artist, poet and freelance journalist. In 1995, I had a short term contract with BBC Radio 4 as a researcher on a programme about philosophy.

Education

PhD in Education (Alternative Education Philosophy), University of Birmingham

Certificate in Higher Education Teaching, University of Birmingham: 2010    

Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Research, University of Birmingham: 2006

Qualified Teacher Status, Anglia Ruskin University (Citizenship and English): 2004

BA Hons Philosophy, 2:2, University of Durham: 1992-95

Memberships

Full member of National Union of Journalists, UK (NUJ)

Member of Society of Authors (London) 

Editing and Reviewing

Editor-in-chief and founder of the online journal Other Education- the journal of educational alternatives (from 2012- two issues per year -ceased publication in 2023) See this site for info.

Co-editor with Professor Michael Reiss (UCL IoE) of the book series Palgrave Studies in Alternative Education from 2017 - eight books already published; more in production.

Peer reviewer for European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults (RELA), Cambridge Journal of Education, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Journal of Scandinavian Educational Research, International Journal of Research & Method in Education, BERA Philosophy of Education SIG, Learning and Individual Differences Journal, Pastoral Care in Education, Childhood, Journal of Child and Family Studies, British Journal of Educational Studies, European Journal of Psychology of Education, Routledge, Palgrave MacMillan.

Publications

Monographs

Lees, H. E. (August, 2022). How to play the university game: The art of university-based self-education. London: Bloomsbury.

Lees, H. E. (2014). Education without schools: Discovering alternatives. Bristol: Policy Press.

Lees, H. E. (2012). Silence in schools. Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books. (Now part of IoE Press, London)

Co-edited books

Trotman, D, Lees, H. E & Willoughby, R. (2017). Key concepts in educational studies. Abingdon: Routledge.

Lees, H. E. & Noddings, N. (Eds.). (2016). The Palgrave international handbook of alternative education. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Peer reviewed articles

Lees, H. E. (2016). Choosing silence for equality in and through schooling. FORUM, 58(3), 399-406.

Lees, H. E. (2016). Hanging around, pottering about, chilling out: Lessons on silence and well-being from Summerhill School. International special issue on Summerhill.  Revista Hipotese, (Sao Paolo, Brasil), 3(2), pp. 192-210.​

Lees, H. E. (2012). Is R. S. Peters’ way of mentioning women in his texts detrimental to philosophy of education? Some considerations and questions. Ethics and Education, 7(3), 291-304.

Book chapters

Lees, H. E. (2021). Solitude and schooling. In J. Stern (Ed.) Solitude: A Handbook. London: Bloomsbury.

Lees, H. E. (2018). Adoption and loneliness. In O. Sagan (Ed.) Loneliness: New perspectives. London: Routledge.

Lees, H. E., (2016). Educational mutuality. In H. E. Lees & N. Noddings (Eds.). Palgrave international handbook of alternative education. London: Palgrave MacMillan

Lees, H. E. & Nicholson, F. (2016). Home education in the United Kingdom. In Gaither, M. (Ed.) The handbook of home education. Wiley, US.

Lees, H. E. (2013). Alternative education in Scotland. In W. Humes & T. Bryce (Eds.), Scottish education (4th Volume). Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh Press.

Lees, H.E. (2013). Is the idea of compulsory schooling ridiculous? In M. Phaspastonou (Ed.). Philosophical perspectives on compulsory education. Dortrecht: Springer.

Journal invited papers

Lees, H. E. (2012). A politics of the other in education. Other Education – The journal of educational alternatives, 1(1), 130-140.

Encyclopaedia Entries

Lees, H. E. (2015). School violence. In Encyclopaedia of public administration and public policy, (Eds. M. Dubnick & D. Bearfield). New York: Taylor & Francis.

Book reviews

Lees, H. E. (2018). Postformal Education, Jennifer Gidley, Other Education,7(1), 65-67.

Lees, Helen E. (2015). A conversation about happiness: The story of a lost childhood. Mikey Cuddihy. Other Education, 4(1), 64-66.

Lees, Helen E. (2014). Addressing tensions and dilemmas in inclusive education. Brahm Norwich. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 29(2), pp. 257- 259.

Lees, Helen E. (2014). Low-fee private schooling—Aggravating equity or mitigating disadvantage? Prachi Srivastava (Ed.). Scottish Educational Review. 46(1), 100-110.

Lees, Helen E. (2013). Education, democracy and development—Does education contribute to democratisation in developing countries? Clive Harber & Vusi Mncube, Scottish Educational Review, 45(2), 91-96.

Lees, Helen E. (2012). Disciplines of education: Their role in the future of education research. John Furlong and Martin Lawn (Eds.). British Journal of Educational Studies, 60(1), p. 109-110.

Broadcast media work (on home education and silence)

TV: The Wright Stuff, C5

Radio: Bringing up Britain, ITV News, Woman’s Hour, Today Programme, ABC Australia, BBC5 Live, LBC, BBC World Service (Newsday programme)

Film: In Pursuit of Silence, Transcendental Media http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64c_1MtQUlM

Languages

·       English (native), Italian (very good), German (good), French (good)