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| Enjoy the short break |
By Allan Alach
I’ll
be out of action next week, so you can have some time off….
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!
If a student learns….
Recommended.
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| Help students dig deeper |
Stop The False Generalizations About Personalized Learning
“Today’s factory-model education system, which was built to standardize the
way we teach, falls short in educating successfully each child for the simple
reason that just because two children are the same age, it does not mean they
learn at the same pace or should follow the same pathway. Each child has
different learning needs at different times. Although academics, including
cognitive
scientists, neuroscientists, and education researchers, have waged
fierce debates about what these different needs are—some
talk about multiple intelligences and learning styles whereas others point to
research that undermines these notions—what no one
disputes is that each student learns at a different pace.”
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| One test fits all -yeah right! |
Latest research shows class size DOES make a difference
An article written for an Australian readership,
but its applicable all over (John Hattie take note)
“I
found that reducing class size in the first four years of school can have an
important and lasting affect on student achievement. The more years students
spend in small classes during grades K-3, the longer the benefits for
achievement last during grades 4-8.
Smaller class sizes are especially important for children who come
from disadvantaged families. I need not point out these children are
overwhelming the responsibility of public schools in Australia.”
How can teachers introduce forest school principles to their
curriculum?
“Forest
schools help students develop confidence and creativity by teaching practical,
outdoor skills – and teachers don't need a woodland on
their doorstep to incorporate the ideas.”
This week’s contributions from Bruce Hammonds:
Ellen Langer
explains the concept of mindful learning.
Bruce comments: ‘Good
advice for teaching or just living.’
I agree - this is
well worth watching, mindfully of course.
‘Harvard psychology professor Ellen
Langer is the author of "The Power of Mindful Learning". Langer says
mindful learning is more than just paying attention; it is making a conscious
effort to be "in the moment.”’
Numbers never
tell the whole story.
An article by
Bill Ferriter (always worth reading) discussing lessons from baseball that can
be related to education.
“The lesson to be learned: Professions
that celebrate numbers above all are inadvertently incentivizing the wrong behaviors.”
The handcuffs
holding us back
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“But the simple
truth is that practitioners are all-too-often handcuffed by the #edpolicy
choices made by legislators working a thousand miles from the classroom. Until that reality changes, I’m hesitant to lay the blame for a stagnant system at the feet of
principals and teachers.”
Cultivating
Passionate Learners in Common Core Classrooms
An article that
suggests ways to work around the deadening effects of standards based
education.
“Some may feel
that the standards or curriculum being cast upon us and our students stifle any
form of creativity. I don’t agree. While these
things certainly establish limits, I believe we have to find our own freedom
and creativity within them.”
Passionate Learners by Pernille Ripp
Bruce comments: A review of an interesting book
“Passionate
Learners asks incredibly important questions of teachers. One of the most
difficult pieces of the profession today is keeping up with the pace of change
and adjusting classroom methods to reflect the tools and resources available
now. Early on, the reader is challenged to consider one of the most important
questions any teacher can be asked: Would you like being a student in your
own classroom?”
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