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| Developing new minds fora new millennium. |
By Allan Alach
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come
across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz
What happens when we interfere with the learning relationship?
“This graphic is my way of showing how the responsibility for
learning should, over time, pass
Technology makes a difference
Steve Wheeler:
“I have often heard the argument that there is no evidence that
technology improves learning. This is a vacuous claim that is either a) based
on ignorance of the available research literature, or b) possibly the result of
a deep seated fear, mistrust or dislike of technology in general.”
Formal Schooling and the Death of Literacy
How to kill literacy and the enjoyment of
reading:
‘From the first years of K-3 until the last years of high school,
students have their experiences of literacy murdered by a blind faith in and
complete abdication to labeling text by grade levels and narrow approaches to
literary analysis grounded in New Criticism and what I call the “literary
technique hunt.”’
Everyone Learns to Read from Direct Instruction
Here’s the follow on to the previous article.
“That is the beauty and calling of whole language—not to banish or
idealize any approaches to
The purpose of education
Well worth reading.
“Education for utility and purposeful application towards the
betterment of society should not occur
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
Myths in
Education, or How Bad Teaching Is Encouraged
I think most of
us have been sucked in by one or more of these over the years.
“I thought I
would not have to blog about these fads again but it seems they have the
strange ability
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| David Perkins |
The Global
Search for Education: What’s Really Worth Learning?
“Our world is
getting increasingly complex; so how do we know what is worth teaching and
learning? I watched David Perkins’ presentation on this timely topic. David is
interested in how we ought to adapt our curriculums in light of an
ever-changing world. He asserts that what is conventionally taught in our
schools is not necessarily meant to produce the kinds of community members we
want and need. Perkins believes that only by reimagining what we teach our
children can we lead students down the road to learning that results in a
flourishing life.”
Making it up
as you go along: how your brain improvises
“In recent
years, several neuroscience studies have examined what is happening in the
brain while jazz musicians and freestyle rappers are improvising. These studies
provide a window into what is going on, more generally, in the brains of people
while they are being creative.”
How the Power
of Interest Drives Learning
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| Anne Murphy - so good! |
“In recent
years researchers have begun to build a science of interest, investigating what
interest is, how interest develops, what makes things interesting, and how we
can cultivate interest in ourselves and others. They are finding that interest
can help us think more clearly, understand more deeply, and remember more
accurately. Interest has the power to transform struggling performers, and to
lift high achievers to a new plane.”
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Two great books for modern learning environments
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| Must have books for all schools |
“'Teaching the Best Practice Way' by Harvey Daniels and Marilyn
Bizar is a very practical book and it's approach very much in line with the New
Zealand Curriculum. The authors present seven basic teaching structures that
make classrooms more active, experiential, collaborative, democratic , and
cognitive.Each chapter begins by describing one key method and follows up with
practical classroom examples from early childhood to high school.The second
book 'Powerful Learning' by Linda Darling Hammond and others explores the research about what we know
about teaching for understanding. It covers much the same territory as the book
above ( project based learning, interdisciplinary learning, performance based
assessment and co-operative learning) but focuses on the importance of an
inquiry approach in three major subject areas - reading and literacy, mathematics,
and science.”
Fundamentals in education
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| An active meaning making organ |
“In recent years education has become more and more cognitive or
rational; learning that can be seen and measured so as to prove evidence of
growth.In the process real fundamentals have been overlooked.The creation
of the mind is more than simply cognitive. The mind is a unified, active,
constructive, self creating, and symbol making organ; it feels as well as
thinks- feelings and emotions are a kind of thought. Attitudes are created from
feelings and emotions.”
Contributed by Phil Cullen:
This is why Finland has the best schools
I particularly like their attitude to
politicians!
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| Could've been Oz or NZ! |
‘"Our mission as adults is to protect our children from
politicians," one Finnish childhood education professor told me. "We
also have an ethical and moral responsibility to tell businesspeople to stay
out of our building." In fact, any Finnish citizen is free to visit any
school whenever they like, but her message was clear: Educators are the
ultimate authorities on education, not bureaucrats, and not technology
vendors.’
OECD education
chief Andreas Schleicher blasts Australia's education system
As has been the case elsewhere, the lesson is - the more the focus switches to testing, the worse the results get.
As has been the case elsewhere, the lesson is - the more the focus switches to testing, the worse the results get.
‘"We treat teachers as interchangeable widgets on the frontline
- they are just there to implement prefabricated knowledge.” He said many
countries were struggling to keep the best teachers in the profession because
of curriculums that restrict creativity.’
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| Enough of this standardized teaching.!!!!!!! |
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