By Allan Alach
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come
across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.
This week’s homework!
‘When
learning is seen as a product, the emphasis of the learning-teaching
interaction is in instruction – and the thinking behind comes from the
idea of students only
learning when the teacher is instructing them, and only
what they have been taught. The reality is different, as any
curriculum leader can tell you.’
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| What are they learning? |
Here is what Education Hell looks like (from
Canadian teacher Joe Bower.)
Watch the video - WARNING - you will need a
strong stomach.
Teaching Students Not Standards
‘Taking
action: The politics are dancing and we need to call attention to this (be
brave!) Begin by encouraging your school team to create a definition together
on what it really means to learn and the true purpose of having an education.
This hopefully will begin to guide the discussion back to what matters most:
the students.’
How Do We Create Rich Learning Opportunities for All Students?
New Zealand teachers - does this seem familiar?
‘So
what defines deeper learning? This group has identified six competencies:
mastering content, critical thinking, effective written and oral communication,
collaboration, learning how to learn, and developing academic mindsets.’
The UK needs a revolution in the way maths is taught. Here's why…. (via Michael Fawcett)
‘Learning
by rote is not the answer – unlocking the creative power of
problem-solving is what will enthuse British schoolchildren and make them world-class,
argues mathematician Conrad Wolfram’
Weekly Reflection: Being someone’s worst teacher
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Education is such a personalised process. Each learner brings with
them their own personality and so do our teachers. The things that make a
teacher great in the eyes of one student are often part of their personality.’
The Maker Movement and the Rebirth of Constructionism
‘Terms
such as collaborative learning, project-based learning, metacognition,
inquiry-based learning, and so on, might be new to some audiences, but they
have a relatively long and well-documented history for many educators. The most
widely-known and promising pedagogical approach is constructivism grounded on
the work of Piaget,
Vygotsky, and Bruner. Given how it has transformed my own
understanding of pedagogy, teaching, and learning, constructionism seems ripe
for a similar resurgence — like a phoenix rising from the ashes of
Taylorization and standardized testing. Constructionism brings creativity,
tinkering, exploring, building, and presentation to the forefront of the
learning process.’
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| Vygotsky |
The Things That Linger After They’ve Forgotten
Everything You Taught
‘Learning has nothing to do with content. If we’re talking about learning as a personal manifestation of some kind–the flow of referential schema in and out in a coming and going of recognition, sense-making, and entirely symbolic regurgitation–then learning is something that happens completely inside the mind,,and is, by definition then, a kind of illusion.’
‘Learning has nothing to do with content. If we’re talking about learning as a personal manifestation of some kind–the flow of referential schema in and out in a coming and going of recognition, sense-making, and entirely symbolic regurgitation–then learning is something that happens completely inside the mind,,and is, by definition then, a kind of illusion.’
This week’s contributions from Bruce Hammonds:
5-Year-Olds Can Learn Calculus
‘Why
playing with algebraic and calculus concepts—rather than
doing arithmetic drills—may be a better way to introduce children
to math.’
Give Students Time to Play
‘It
seems counterintuitive to think that less classroom time and more outdoor play
would lead to a better education for kids. After all, what many in our country,
including most recently New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, have prescribed are
longer days in the
classroom. But longer days on task don't equate to better
results. Instead, they translate into more burnout, lower test scores, and more
of the same. All work and no play really does make dull boys and girls.’
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| Time to learn |
Contributed by Phil Cullen
Teacher Shreds Common Core
‘This brilliant
'youtuber' came from Mary E Mackay of Amsterdam.
While the focus is on 'common core', it's
also a statement about the professional judgement
of teachers in dealing with
top-down miseducated control of things like Standards, NAPLAN, No Child Left
Behind and all other forms of testucation.’
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| A must watch!!! |
A “self-fulfilling, rolling disaster”?
‘A
new narrative for Australian schooling would accept diversity and competition – but
competition for achievement rather than for students or money.
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