Since he was a primary school teacher prior to his breakout writing career, David Almond expresses his educational philosophy through many of books. He constantly juxtaposes imagination/creativity with public schooling/standardized testing. With topics like homeschooling, alternative education, truancy, and Catholic school corporal punishment, his books become commentaries on learning and education. In Skellig, homeschooled Mina criticizes Michael's science worksheets that he brings home for homework from his public school, favoring the hands-on, tree-climbing, bird-watching, clay-molding setup of her flessons. Additionally, Paul (The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon), Ailsa (The Fire-Eaters), and Lizzie (My Dad's a Birdman) all skip school in order to engage in more meaningful activities, like testing a science hypothesis, helping with the family's sea coal-mining business, or supporting a grief-stricken father. In My Name is Mina - the prequel to Skellig - Mina's creativity and imagination comes head-to-head with the rigid ways of traditional public schooling. After Mina submits the final copy of a creative writing assignment that differs from the outline she designed before and scribbles nonsense on the high-stakes standardized test, her teacher - Mrs. Sculley - sets up a meeting with her mother and the principal to discuss schooling options for Mina. Consequently, Mina spends a trial-run day at Corinthian Avenue - an alternative education school - where the style is more open but still not quite the right fit. It is decided that Mina will be homeschooled, and Skellig picks up with that in its contrast of Mina's learning experiences with Michael's at public school.