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| From Elwyn Richardson - Rooster and hens . |
Education
Readings
By Allan Alach
By Allan Alach
Every week Bruce Hammonds and I collect articles to share with
teachers to encourage a creative approach to teaching and learning. I welcome
suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz
Time
again to focus on teacher creativity - the legacy of Elwyn S Richardson
Bruce’s latest article – a must read.
‘There
was a time when New Zealand primary education was internationally recognised
for placing the learner at the centre of learning. When education was driven by
a belief in the creative power of the learners themselves; when learning was
based on the internal and external lives of the children.’
How
is philosophy of education useful to education?
‘Philosophy
of education is sometimes assumed to be a rather abstract discipline that is
somehow
Why
Mean Girls Are Younger, and Meaner, Than Ever Before
‘These
days, we hear of girls at younger ages exhibiting similar “mean girl” behaviors
—
Ignore
the hype over big tech. Its products are mostly useless
This isn’t about education; however it’s something to to reflect
on when the
edtech salesperson arrives with the ‘next big thing’ in education
that will solve problems you didn’t know you had (interactive whiteboards for
example?)
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| The latest 'silver bullet' |
‘If
we do not want to live in a world in which “assistants” trick us into flimsy
conversations, and human contact is a chore left to the bottom of the labour
market, we do not have to. There is a basic fact about the future the
figureheads of big tech too often forget: that what it will look like is
actually up to us, not them.’
We
should be teaching kids public speaking in school
‘For
the sake of social equality, all schools should teach children the public
speaking skills they need for educational progress, for work and for full
participation in democracy. Our research is beginning to show that children who
are taught these skills, perform better in maths, science and reasoning tests.’
Contributed by Bruce Hammonds:
Who
Needs Computers in the Classroom? Not Students
The money is better spent on sincere and hardworking teachers.
‘If
you begin to research computers in the classroom, the search tends to bring up
"the benefits of…" and article after article extols these benefits,
all written on behalf of people selling computers. When you look at real
research such as the OECD report on Students, Computers and Learning, the
usefulness is quite sketchy and may even have a negative influence.’
Smaller Class Sizes and REAL Personalized Learning are Needed
for Safer Schools
‘There’s
another solution for schools. One that few education reformers entertain.
Smaller class sizes and providing students with real personalized learning. Not
sitting kids in front of screens for all of their schooling but ensuring that
they are better connected to teachers and their classmates. Providing small
enough classes so teachers and students can help each other adjust to life when
they experience problems.’
Connecting
with Gen Z
‘“If
we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” American
Kids do better when teachers know them well.
‘It
seems that the ostensible benefits of specialization were outweighed by the
fact teachers had fewer interactions with each student. No one was minding the
whole student throughout the whole day or providing continuous emotional
support, keeping an eye on a kid who had an argument in the morning or whose
mouth was achy from a loose tooth.’
The
problem with our schools? There’s not enough playtime.
More wisdom from Sir Ken:
‘By
real play, I mean unstructured, physical play, mostly outdoors, where children
follow their curiosity, and invent and enjoy spontaneous games. This has been
shown to have profound physical, emotional and social benefits. Real play also
develops the neural pathways upon which other forms of learning depend. Play
facilitates critical life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and
creativity. Active play is the natural and primary way that children learn.’
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Children
as scientists
‘That
children are scientists is a truth worth repeating with emphasis. That they are
also artists,
Self
managing learners
‘If
students are to become 'active seekers, users and creators of their own
knowledge' then self-managing skills need to be 'taught' deliberately as an
important goal of any classroom. The best way to see if students are
self-managing is when the teacher leaves the room what intelligent behaviours
would you hope to see on return?’
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