tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post115948486500364566..comments2024-03-28T00:28:06.035+13:00Comments on leading and learning: Dysfunctional schools or dysfunctional studentsBruce Hammondshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07031065790535111400noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159840009800091752006-10-03T14:46:00.000+13:002006-10-03T14:46:00.000+13:00I fear you are right - only when it is so impossib...I fear you are right - only when it is so impossible to continue do organisations consider changing - when it is often too late.<BR/><BR/>And as you say the answers ain't brain surgery! It's accepting reality that is the hard work!Bruce Hammondshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07031065790535111400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159835445800004802006-10-03T13:30:00.000+13:002006-10-03T13:30:00.000+13:00I remember an article about an American Secondary ...I remember an article about an American Secondary school that had become almost completely disfuctional. They were spending as much on security and repairing damage as they were on curricculum matters. They had guards and scans. The grades were terrible and lots of crime and drugs. The State gave them an a warning improve or shut down. They had meetings with the parents and teachers and ended up with around 4 sperate schools with four lots of staff and seperate buildings. These schools had their own leaders and the teachers,parents and kids basically established an allignment of objectives. They also made each staff member, after training, mentor around 15 kids. The results were rather asounding with a much happier school and much improved results. The message seems to be change will not happen untill the school becomes unmanagable and the teachers are threatened with losing their jobs. The result of the change was amazing and really quite simple.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159819691750280452006-10-03T09:08:00.000+13:002006-10-03T09:08:00.000+13:00I removed comment above because I posted it twice!...I removed comment above because I posted it twice!Bruce Hammondshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07031065790535111400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159819133474317342006-10-03T08:58:00.000+13:002006-10-03T08:58:00.000+13:00I agree with the ' it takes two to tango' comment ...I agree with the ' it takes two to tango' comment but someone has to lead - schools could become centres of community revival with a different approach? With leadership such schools could develop positive attiudes in both teachers and students - but as teachers get paid to be there those who can't be bothered to upskill themselves along agreed lines should find new postions for themselves.Bruce Hammondshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07031065790535111400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159819070750090772006-10-03T08:57:00.000+13:002006-10-03T08:57:00.000+13:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Bruce Hammondshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07031065790535111400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159777341866726822006-10-02T21:22:00.000+13:002006-10-02T21:22:00.000+13:00The old saying 'It takes two to tango' springs to ...The old saying 'It takes two to tango' springs to mind when I read this article. Yes there are interesting children within our schools just as there are Teachers who have past their 'use by day'. My experiences todate indicate that these behaviours are a reflection of the wider community and the influence of new technologies... We need to find the 'On' switch for these children who are presenting an unacceptable behaviour/attitude and direct them in a positive manner rather than using the tried and true methods of the past. Therefore making the learning their learning. Yes a 'Learning Community'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159764550137747742006-10-02T17:49:00.000+13:002006-10-02T17:49:00.000+13:00Schools as learning communities - what a novel ide...Schools as learning communities - what a novel idea!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8438349.post-1159764480584846002006-10-02T17:48:00.000+13:002006-10-02T17:48:00.000+13:00It is all to easy for teachers to lay the blame fo...It is all to easy for teachers to lay the blame for dis-engaged students on everything but their own teaching or the antiquated structures they work in; 'deficit' theory as you mention. It would be an interesting task to 'shadow' a student around the school for a day. Better still if their brains could be monitored to see when they were 'turned on' or 'off' which is entirely possible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com