Friday, March 18, 2016

Education Readings; the future of education: /being/creative/smart technology/revolution from the ground up/ here's to the crazy ones



By Allan Alach


I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz

This Is the Future of Education
Heather McQuillan, who provided this, commented that she saw this video by John Spencer, and it really resonated. She advises that John has a great website at  http://www.spencerideas.org/ and he's one of the brains behind https:www.writeabout.com/
“You are planting the seeds for a future you could have never imagined on your own. And that right there is the beauty of creative classrooms. That’s the power of innovative teachers. And the truth is, that is why the future of education is you.”

We’re Trying To Do The Wrong Thing Right” in Schools
Another Will Richardson article:
“Whenever I think about the way most schools are structured today, I always come back to the same question: Do we do the things we do because they’re better for kids or because they are easier for us? For instance: separating kids by age in school. Is that something we do because kids learn better that way? Or do we do it because it’s just an easier way organizing our work? I think all of us know the answer to that.”

Learning Is Creative
I haven't included a Steve Wheeler article for a while.
Steve Jobs once said: 'Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something.It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they'd had and synthesise new things.’"

How Einstein Thought: Why Combinatory Play” Is the Secret of Genius
“But taken from a psychological viewpoint, this combinatory play seems to be the essential feature
in productive thought — before there is any connection with logical construction in words or other kinds of signs which can be communicated to others.”

The Overselling of Ed Tech
Alfie Kohn’s latest - a must read.
“There’s a jump-on-the-bandwagon feel to how districts are pouring money into computers and software programs – money that’s badly needed for, say, hiring teachers. But even if ed tech were adopted as thoughtfully as its proponents claim, we’re still left with deep reasons to be concerned about the outmoded model of teaching that it helps to preserve — or at least fails to help us move beyond. To be committed to meaningful learning requires us to view testimonials for technology with a terabyte’s worth of skepticism.”

Smart Technology
In a similar vein, here’s Jamie McKenzie.
“Discerning teachers and students use new technologies when they enhance learning, but they will turn to classical tools when they better serve learning goals. Unfortunately, in some schools, there is pressure from above to make frequent use of new tools whether they advance learning or dilute it. "Doing technology" becomes a goal apart from learning itself.”

Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:

Do we really use what we learn in school?
“If you are older and feel that you don’t understand the world, if you feel powerless and cheated out of life, it just may be because you didn’t study Shakespeare or geometry when you were younger, or because you just got through them instead of getting into them.”

Time to return to creative teachers for inspiration - revolution from the ground up
Bruce’s latest article.
“The point of this blog is to remind teachers that the best way to get great ideas about teaching is
from fellow teachers in your own  own and other schools. Visiting such teachers is the most powerful professional development of all.”

The Power of Great Teaching and High Expectations
“In my mind, the common thread here is that the heart of great teaching, and of great learning, is the bond between teacher and student. Great teachers are passionate about their practice. And it’s from that passion that they are able to able to push students and ignite in them a passion for learning. This was certainly true for me.”

From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:

Here's to the crazy ones.
“The crazy teachers know this, developing personalized curriculum for every one of their students, r
ather than fitting them into preplanned curriculum boxes.

Time for a rebirth of the creative spirit.
“The time is right for a true educational revolution!We need to listen to lost voices and rediscover our own.
Who wants to join the fight to return to creative education?”
My most creative teacher Bill Guild
http://bit.ly/1Vh3awH

Trust yourself - be a creative teacher
So it is important to clarify what you believe about teaching and learning. This is best done by, reflecting on each teaching moment, by talking with and observing others, and reading whatever you can. From such experiences we build up a comprehensive approach, to which is added, the courage absorbed informally from others you respect who believe in similar things.”

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