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| Time for teachers to fight back! |
By Allan Alach
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| How did it happen? |
Well, here we are at the start of another year,
which in New Zealand and Australia is also the start of the school year. I
wonder what 2017 will bring as far as education is concerned. I fear that
little that is good will happen, especially in the USA, given the suggested
Secretary of Education. The possible exception could be a change of government
in New Zealand when the elections are held later this year. Such a change
should mean the end of the current standards based nonsense, but we will have
to wait and see.
I welcome suggested articles, so if you come
across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz
Burnout's devastating impact on teachers who can't switch off
Burnout sneaks up on you, as I found to my cost.
Beware.
‘Defined as the process of collapse attributed to excessive and
continuous demands on energy, strength and other physical, psychological and
emotional resources, burnout develops across time and can be viewed through a
lens of ever reducing levels of passion and compassion, self-efficacy and
effectiveness.’
Sometimes Misbehavior Is Not What It Seems
‘The following are examples of seeing misbehavior from a new
perspective. In each of these cases, diagnosis is very difficult -- as are the
remedies. For chronic misbehaving students, pay close attention to their home
situations, the type of misbehavior, when it occurs, and whether they behave
differently with other adults. Be advised that the best responses to these
situations sound easier than they are to put into practice.’
To Encourage Creativity in Kids, Ask Them: ‘What if’?
‘I explained to them that these two words are a kind of secret
tunnel into the world of new ideas. In fact, I told them, I only came up with
the booger story after asking myself: What if a family picked their noses so
much that they create a monstrous booger? And what if the snot rocket rolled
out the window and gained so much steam it threatened to roll over the town?
And what if the whole story rhymed?’
21st Century Skills Don’t Exist. So Why Do We Need Them?
‘This is a very good point and even if you don’t agree at first, we
encourage you to chew, swallow, and then slowly digest it. Listen up
(confession: all examples here are stolen from Rotherham and Willingham). Do
you really think that in the ‘old days’ – whenever they were – we didn’t need
to think critically and solve problems? What about the development of tools,
agricultural advancements, discovery of vaccines, or land and sea explorations?
And don’t you think the lads and gals back in the old days would have to
communicate and collaborate to progress?’
How to Teach a Middle School Class in 49 Easy
Steps
Funny…
Why Schools Should NOT Be Run Like Businesses
‘It’s absurd. Not everything benefits from being sold for a profit.
Imagine if your spouse suggested running your marriage that way. It would turn
you both into prostitutes selling yourselves at ever cheaper rates while any
self respect, dignity and love disappeared.’
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
Why A More Creative School System Might Be The Solution We've Been
Looking For
Let’s start the 2017 year with Sir Ken Robinson:
‘If you think of it, children starting school this year will be
retiring in 2065," he tells an enrapt audience in a video captured at the
Monterey, California event. "Nobody has a clue, despite all the expertise
that's been on parade for the past four days, what the world will look like in
five years' time. And yet we're meant to be educating them for it. So the
unpredictability, I think, is
extraordinary."In his talk, Robinson describes
the unpredictability of the market and the jobs it creates as an opportunity.
But insofar as it is seen as a challenge, a problem, he says he's identified
the solution: build an educational system that celebrates and encourages
creative thinkers and out-of-the-box problem-solvers.Making our job a little
easier, he suggests, is that kids are ready-made to come up with weird and wonderful ideas. We're just currently teaching them not to.’
http://bit.ly/2jSTef0
http://bit.ly/2jSTef0
The Beauty and Chaos of Free Play
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| Your plan or kids interests |
Finnish-ing touches on education
New Zealand needs to learn from Finland.
‘Education is also a national priority, funded well, with more than
55 percent in federal dollars, and catering to working families. Free meals,
health care and outside-of-class child care are available to all students, who
start formal schooling at age 7 after state-sponsored compulsory kindergarten
that features outdoor play and exploration.School is mandatory through grade 9,
or age 16, with two tracks in high school—general academic and vocational.
Nearly 40 percent of students choose the vocational side, which is geared
toward what the country expects to need in the next decade in terms of skilled
workers, such as computer coding and engineering.’
3 Types of Unintentional Learning (And How to Make Them Intentional)
‘We are all aware of the teachable moment, and most of you reading
this have experienced it firsthand. We know that one of the best opportunities
for students to learn is when they are asking questions, so we make time for
this in each lesson. Some questions can be off topic, and just like unwanted
weeds, we pull them out and redirect the students’ attention to continue our
planned and deliberate teaching (gardening). But most questions bring forth
deeper clarity for the learners in the room, and sometimes there’s the ripe
question that elicits deeper questions and understanding. There’s nothing like
that moment when a revelation happens for multiple students in the room.’
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Creative Schools – an impossible dream?
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| Creativity or conformity |
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| 'To seek, use and create' |
Something to think about for the year ahead.
‘Is your classroom a quality learning environment where students are
able to 'seek, use and create their own knowledge' as it states in the 'new'
New Zealand Curriculum?
Here are some questions to focus on.’
http://bit.ly/2kupgRQ
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| NZ Education going down the standardized teaching road to failure |
National Standards destroying creative education in New Zealand
