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| Rather than following the wrong answers. |
By Allan Alach
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come
across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz
I Wonder" Questions: Harnessing the Power of Inquiry
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| What?Why? How? |
‘Students always have questions. When's the homework due? How does
Siri understand what I'm saying? Why is the sky blue? Student questions can be
funny, insightful, and at times wildly off-topic. Rather than fielding these
questions one-by-one when they come up, the teachers at Crellin Elementary
record student "I wonder" questions so that they can view them
holistically, and use what they find to develop lessons and projects that will
harness student curiosity.’
The Failure of Failure
Alfie Kohn:
‘A few years ago, two researchers in Singapore published a study
that compared the effect of traditional and progressive instruction in
middle-school math. The traditional approach consisted of having students listen
to lectures and individually solve practice problems with clearly defined right
answers. The progressive approach was defined by collaboration, discovery, and
open-ended questions. If you’re surprised to learn that the latter turned out
to be much more effective….’
Global Shift In Education
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| Consequences of mass education |
‘Education that trains people to be blind about the consequences of
their actions is downright dangerous. Even worse, untold millions have no real
clue, what their actions lead to, and lack the curiosity to develop it. It did
work within the old context and order of the world. Needs and context however
have changed so much, that we need to alter our course fast. The survival of
our species is at stake, wars may be prevented, scarcity avoided, madness and
maniacism overcome. It needs to step away from simple professional preparation
to fulfill a job within a company. To do so education needs to level up.’
If you have dyslexia, this website can show your friends what
reading is actually like.
This will test you…
‘The letters within each word on the site are scrambled and moving
around erratically, and although you might be able to read each sentence if you
slow down and focus, it's no walk in the park. It's a glimpse into what someone
who has dyslexia might have to deal with every day.’
Lessons from Star Trek: Forging a New Path in Our Schools
‘The Captain Kirks of education must stop doubling down on
traditional academic instructional time and test preparation and instead devote
instructional time to social-emotional and character development and its
integration throughout the school day. The highest obligation of educators is
to prepare students for the future life challenges they will face in college
and in their careers, and to prepare them for a life of civic responsibility
and participation.’
Hey, so-called Leaders. Ya want feedback or measurement?
‘Are our students also becoming good at "playing the game of
school", such as studying for the short-term or the next test, rather than
learning for deeper understanding and analysis, necessary
for higher level
cognitive work such as problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking? And guess what, when those students become
employees, managers included, they may be good at showing what the boss wants
to see and hear, rather than pursuing the path of real growth and excellence.’
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| Are schools paying this game as well? |
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
Envisioning Future Education: 6 Exciting Predictions
‘“Meet George Jetson!” My childhood Saturday mornings were spent
imagining what the world would be like many years from then. Cities in the sky,
automated rituals, robots working for us—it was the stuff of wonder. Countless
humans have tried to predict what the future will be like. Some predictions
have come true. Look at smartphones, web conferencing, and holograms, just to
scratch the surface. As we move forward, the “roads less traveled” will
become well traveled. Shortcuts will be discovered, and more efficient and comprehensive
“vehicles” will take us there.’
The Mindful Classroom: Building a True Learning Haven
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| An extremely boring environment? |
‘What is a mindful classroom? How does it work, and how does the
concept fit into teaching and learning? Teaching in a mindful classroom can
help students remain calm in stressful situations. It lets them think clearly
when confronted with academic challenges. Helping them develop mindfulness
early on will surely shape their demeanor in future situations, and may
positively affect their character.’
Learning from Creative Teachers
‘Creativity in learning is often highlighted as a skill essential
for success in the 21st century. Daniel Pink (2005) notes that creative
thinking is increasingly necessary to accomplish goals in our complex,
interconnected world.Despite this increased attention to creativity, we still
have little
understanding of how to nurture and support creativity in current
classroom contexts, particularly creative teaching. The U.S. climate of
high-stakes testing and scripted curriculums makes it difficult for education
stakeholders to infuse creativity into teaching practices (Giroux &
Schmidt, 2004). Teachers and administrators face the question of how to
successfully integrate creativity into teaching practice when teachers have
many pressures and little leeway.’
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| Hard to be creative in audit culture! |
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Fundamentals in education
The creation of the mind
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| A self creating organ - it feels as well as thinks |
‘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.’
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| Schools need Jesters |
Bring back the Jesters!
‘The idea is worth spreading throughout all organizations to combat
the blindness created by past success. It is one way to counteract the
conformity which pervades top down management. Telling the truth is difficult
in too many environments and as a result organizations fail to adapt to
changing environments. As Oscar Wilde wrote, ‘Telling the truth makes you
unpopular at the club’”
Tapping into the student's world
‘The stance taken about how children learn is vital. Those who think
they know more than the child work out prescribed curriculums and, as part of
this, develop elaborate systems to see thing as are being learnt - including
National testing. This is the 'jug and mug' theory of learning where the
teacher is the full jug and the teachers job is to pour knowledge from the full
jug to the empty mug
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| Explore the kids world - observe, inquire, express |
.For others the aim is to do everything to keep alive those
innate desire to learn - or to 'recover' it if it has been subverted by prior
experiences.’
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