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| Ideas to read and share - pass on to two poeople |
Education Readings
By Allan Alach
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come
across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz
10 Things That Happen When Students Engage in Design Thinking
‘Unfortunately, the system isn’t designed for innovation. For
years, schools have been stuck in a one-size-fits-all factory model, where
students passively consume content. Some people will point out that this model
is outdated. However, I would argue that factory education was a bad idea from
the start. Because here’s the thing: kids aren’t widgets. While
one-size-fits-all works great for socks, it’s not ideal for minds. Kids
need to dream and wonder and imagine. They need to design and build and tinker. This
is why I love design thinking. It’s a flexible framework that guides students
through specific phases in the creative process.’
What Neuroscience Can Tell Us About Making Fractions Stick
‘Fractions are a notoriously tricky part of elementary math
education for many children. Too often teachers struggle to ensure students are
grasping the conceptual underpinnings of this complicated
Critical Thinking in the 21st Century and Beyond
‘Many of the 21st Century skills that are emphasized today were
evident in the project that took place in 1988. It is not that this type
of learning is new. Heck, everything we see and hear for the most part is not
new. What has changed is how technology provides a new avenue to actively
integrate this type of learning in ways that many of us could never have imagined.
The key is to focus on project-based and authentic inquiry. Taking the
example I presented from my schooling consider the following elements and the
ubiquitous role technology should play…’
Gender gaps in math persist, with teachers underrating girls' math
skills
‘The study, published in AERA Open, a peer-reviewed journal of the
American Educational Research Association, also shows that teachers give lower
ratings to girls' math skills when girls and boys have similar achievement and
behavior. In addition, using two national datasets gathered more than a decade
apart, this study finds that teachers' lower ratings of girls are likely
contributing to the growth in the gender gap in math.’
School Autonomy in England Fails to ‘Unleash Greatness’
So much for the big claims that have been made.
Surprised?
‘The UK Government promised to ‘unleash greatness’ in English
schools with its radical school
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
An environmental study for New Zealand teachers:A chance to do some
real inquiry: Harakeke study and other ideas
Bruce’s latest article - great suggestions that
can easily be adapted for other countries.
‘An environmentally alert teacher always keep
an eye open for interesting things to introduce to his, or her students.
November/December is an ideal time for environmental or ecological studies. My
visits to schools this term indicates such awareness is a lost art.’
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| New Zealand Flax ( and Nikau Palm ) by Taranaki artist Caz NovaK |
Marion Brady: De-Legitimizing Public Education
Marion wrote this article about US education in
2010. How well was his crystal ball working, given Trump’s choice for Secretary
of Education?
‘The quality of American education is going to get worse. Count on
it. And contrary to the conventional wisdom, the main reason isn’t going to be
the loss of funding accompanying economic hard times.’
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| Joey Moncarz - teacher |
the Deep Green Bush-School
A new school opening in New Zealand:
‘The Deep Green Bush-School is a democratic nature-immersion
school for Years 1-13, based on thousands of years of indigenous wisdom and on
how humans actually evolved to learn - in freedom. Our highest priority is the
health and happiness of our children and future generations, and we will
nurture a new generation of young visionaries who will rise to the challenge
and help heal our world.’
Why Empathy Holds the Key to Transforming 21st Century Learning
‘Like other aspects of modern life, education can make the head
hurt. So many outcomes, so much important work to do, so many solutions and
strategies, so many variations on teaching, so many different kinds of students
with so many different needs, so many unknowns in preparing for 21st Century
life and the endless list of jobs that haven’t been invented.What if we
discovered one unifying factor that brought all of this confusion under one
roof and gave us a coherent sense of how to stimulate the intellect, teach
children to engage in collaborative problem solving and creative challenge, and
foster social-emotional balance and stability—one factor that, if we got right,
would change the equation for learning in the same way that confirming the
existence of a fundamental particle informs a grand theory of the universe?That
factor exists: It’s called empathy.’
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Henry Giroux - lessons for New Zealand educators. Revitalizing the
role of public education.
‘I was recently sent a rather long article written by Henry Giroux.
I struggled to read it but I believe it is important to share the ideas he
writes about if the true aims of education are to realised. Giroux sees
education as central to the development of a just and democratic society
currently under attack by neo –liberal thinking.’
Learning: from 'novice' to 'expert' from John Edwards
‘When anyone undertakes new learning ( including first appointment
as a principal or teacher)one starts in the 'novice' position. At this point
individuals need to know clearly what is expected of them and how to go about
it.As learning progresses the need for rule governed behaviour decreases. When
the 'expert' position is realised then people are able to use their experience
( having internalised rule governed behaviour). Such 'experts' are able to
'read' the context and make decisions intuitively.’
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| All learners fit on a novice expert line |
Transforming Secondary Education – the most difficult challenge of
all.Thoughts from a past age – ‘Young Lives at Stake’ by Charity James
‘So far the teaching profession has not offered creative
alternatives to parents. In contrast, school are becoming even more
conservative to cope with the political straitjacket of National Standards and
Ministry targets. Standardisation rather the personalisation is the current
political agenda. Time it seems for some courage from educators to provide
viable alternatives to parents. The field is open for change but any
alternative needs to be realistic, intrinsically interesting and relevant.’
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