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!
Secret Teacher: if you want teachers to be happy in the job, show
them respect
“Valuing
and supporting students is a fundamental part of teaching. So why don't we show
the same concern for our colleagues? asks Secret Teacher”
The Learning Curve for Boys: Is it Different?
I linked to this article on Twitter and received
a fairly terse response that we shouldn’t be differentiating for boys. What do you think?
“In
summary, boys follow a unique learning curve, one that can be significantly
enhanced in an environment that appreciates the differences between genders. A setting that recognizes the cognitive, emotional and social
processes which motivate boys to reach their full potential is the optimal
learning environment for boys.”
Why free market will not fix problems with teachers and teaching
“Related
beliefs include the "fact" that
teacher education is ineffective and needs reform, that the value of a teaching
qualification is questionable and even unnecessary, and that there are benefits
that will accrue from appointing non-educators as principals and running
schools as businesses.”
A Passionate, Unapologetic Plea for Creative Writing
in Schools (thanks to Michael Fawcett)
“Human
beings yearn to share, reflect, and understand one another, and they use these
reflections to improve the state of things, both personal and public. If we
want our students to have this kind of impact, we have to teach them to express
themselves with both precision and passion.”
‘We
trust our own instincts more than we trust Pisa’
‘Singapore
came third in science and second in maths and reading, and also topped a recent
problem-solving exercise. But Pak Tee Ng, associate professor at Singapore’s National Institute of Education, said: “So
what if we are near the top of Pisa? What may be the ticket for success in the
past may be a ticket to doom in the future. I think we trust our own instincts
more than we trust the Pisa results.”’
The Poverty Scam
An article written about New Zealand and which
is applicable all over.
In part it is because the ideology is easily sold to the electorate.
Who, after all, would oppose a simple silver bullet that would provide better
schools to help poor children succeed? What's more it enables right-wing
Governments to paint themselves as caring, while pursuing economic policies
that are are ultimately unfriendly to children.”
Give childhood back to children:
A lengthy article by Peter Gray - recommended.
“The most important skills that children
everywhere must learn in order to live happy, productive, moral lives are
skills that cannot be taught in school. Such skills cannot be taught at all.
They are learned and practised by children in play. These include the abilities
to think creatively, to get along with other people and cooperate effectively,
and to control their own impulses and emotions.”
Sustainability in schools: give young eco-warriors space to grow
An encouraging article from the UK, with no
standards or tests in sight.
This week’s contributions from Bruce Hammonds:
Seymour Papert
: The obsolete 'Three Rs' - blocking real change in education
Another one from
Bruce’s extensive oldies file:
 |
| Seymour |
Quality
teaching and learning.
 |
| Elwyn |
“What I have
observed in all the creative teachers I have worked with over the decades is that they are always in motion,
working with students, singly, in small groups; briefly addressing the class as
a whole, inviting , explaining, explaining, gently correcting, and sincerely
affirming. As Elwyn Richardson has written ‘I learnt as
much from my students as they learnt from me’”
Contributed by Phil Cullen:
'Why are they trying to sell me something
during the test?' (thanks to Mary Mackay,
Amsterdam)
Corporate capitalism lacks morality …
“Grade-school students baffled as brands including Nike, iPods and
Barbies appear in exam papers
• Brand names appeared in a New York Common Core standardized test
• Exam was taken by more than a million students in grades three to
eight
• Many complained about the use of specific branding in the test
• New York education officials insist there were no paid product
placements”
3 comments:
I'm not surprised you got a terse response on the link to boys and learning. After reading the blog post I was horrified. it is based on the shonky "research" of Pax and Gurian who seem more interested in selling books than engaging in actual research. It perpetuates dangerous gender steroetypes and suggests learning strategies based on structure and worksheets. The thinking is just as flawed a that on learning styles. Let's base learning on the needs of the individual and forget the sweeping generalisations.
Thanks Darren. If the research is suggesting formal structures and worksheets then I am with you. Active engaging programmes for all!
And I am with you about learning styles - a lot of mumbo jumbo - every learner has his or her own unique approach to learning but obviously all learners have a lot in common.
do not know what to say when you read all the information thoogn, you have provided very useful information for me, today's education is so much attention and interest in changing teaching methods and effective highest, to not enforce.
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