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
The hidden dangers of caring about your career too much
‘This is one of the most important social justice and economic
issues of our time. Until teachers feel valued and supported in their pursuit
of their calling, they will continue to leave the classroom—and our most
vulnerable children will suffer as a result.’
Why School Makes Us Stupid
‘If you've ever thought school sucks, is a waste of time, or the
education system is stupid, then this video is for you.’
A Look at 6 Digital Citizenship Myths That
Must Be Dispelled‘When digital citizenship cemented itself into the public consciousness only a few years ago, it definitely had its critics. That remains true even today as we strive to understand what it means and how to practice it in our homes and classrooms. Many digital citizenship myths still have some of us doubting the intrinsic need for its practices.’
7 Suggestions For How To Treat Wilful Digital Illiteracy In
Education
‘A teacher I know asked me last week if I could create a Word
document for him so that he could type a list of dates. He has been teaching, I
believe, for over 20 years, and is in a senior position in her school. Why has he
been allowed to get away with such a basic lack of knowledge for so long?
In this particular instance it doesn't have any direct effect on the
children he teaches, or the staff he manages. Or does it? I am a firm believer
in what has been called the "hidden curriculum", in which what you
teach and what the kids learn may be rather different. What are his children
and staff learning from his behaviour? ‘
Why Kids Shouldn’t Sit Still in Class
‘Sit still. It’s the mantra of every classroom.
But that is changing as evidence builds that taking brief activity
breaks during the day helps children learn and be more attentive in class, and
a growing number of programs designed to promote movement are being adopted in
schools.’
What Student Test-Takers Share with Ejected Airline Passengers
 |
| Alfie Kohn |
By Alfie Kohn
‘Consider the sport of ranking the U.S. against other nations on
standardized exams. Even if these tests were meaningful indicators of
intellectual proficiency, which is doubtful, specifying how well one country’s
students perform relative to those elsewhere tells us nothing of interest. If
all countries did reasonably well in absolute terms, there would be no shame in
(and, perhaps, no statistical significance to) being at the bottom. If
all countries did poorly, there would be no glory in being at the top.’
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
Why Giving Effective Feedback Is Trickier
Than It Seems
‘But giving effective feedback in the
classroom can be trickier than it seems. It’s more of an art than a simple
practice and requires the teacher to be disciplined and thoughtful about what
is worthy of feedback, as well as when to give it.’
More to good schools than ranked pass
results
 |
| Welby Ings |
‘When choosing schools we need to
prioritise much more than ranked test results. Choosing a school is infinitely
more serious than scanning ranked examination percentages. We need to know the
human heart of a school because design for learning is a complex thing.’
Computers in class ‘a scandalous waste’:
Sydney Grammar head
Is there some truth in this?
‘A top Australian school has banned
laptops in class, warning that technology “distracts’’ from old-school quality
teaching.The headmaster of Sydney Grammar School, John Vallance, yesterday
described the billions of dollars spent on computers in Australian schools over
the past seven years as a “scandalous waste of money’’.’
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Learning to be 'creatively rebellious'. The importance of the Three
Ds: being Different, Disruptive and Deviant.
‘Organisations (and this includes schools if they are to be true
"learning organisations") need to become 'courageous' and adopt
a 'rebellious instinct' and to discard old habits and safety nets to remake
themselves as 21st C adaptive organisations. Unfortunately all this is
beyond the timid leadership of most primary schools or the industrial aged
straightjackets secondary schools operate under.’
Fundamentals in education
The real fundamentals in education – the
creation of a creative mind
‘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.’
The corporate takeover of society and education.
‘Since the early 90s society has been reshaped by a neo liberal
corporate ideology. An emphasis on private enterprise and self-centred
individualism has replaced an earlier concern for collective good of all members
of society. As a result of this ideological shift a wider gap has been
created between the rich and poor causing a number of social concerns. Schools
as part of this shift have been transformed from a community orientation to
being part of a competitive cut throat ideology.’
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