Education Readings
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
The Difference Between Being Busy and Being Productive
‘When I was a new teacher, I believed I had to give 110% in
everything I did. I thought that the best teachers were the ones who arrived first
and left last. I was a busy teacher, taking on all kinds of committee work and
saying yes to every project. But then I had a moment when I decided to “break
up with busy.”’
In the Classroom: Let Students’ Minds Wander (But Not Too Far)
‘How long can you stay focused? According to researchers, nobody is
immune to the occasional
100 Things Students Can Create To Demonstrate What They Know
‘Below is a diverse list adapted from resources found at
fortheteachers.org of potential student products or activities learners
can use to demonstrate their mastery of lesson content. The list also offers
several digital tools for students to consider using in a technology-enriched
learning environment.’
The Teacher-Powered Schools Movement: Transforming Teachers From
Industrial Workers To Professionals
‘In contrast, educators at teacher-powered schools take on
truly professional roles, controlling the decisions that directly affect school
operations and student learning. These schools are modeled after the
partnerships common among most white-collar professions—where a group of
professionals own and operate a firm or practice and are accountable for its
success or failure.’
E-learning will not revolutionise the education sector
‘It is becoming increasingly obvious that online education is not
likely to revolutionise the
When math teachers change mindset, student grades go up
‘Student achievement increased when teachers changed their mindset
from believing only some
students could learn math well to believing that all
students could succeed, says coauthor Jo Boaler, a professor at the Stanford
University Graduate School of Education. The increase was particularly
significant for girls, English language learners, and students from
economically disadvantaged backgrounds.'
 |
| Jo Boaler |
Four Inquiry Qualities At The Heart of Student-Centered Teaching
‘Whether it be project-based learning, design thinking or
genius hour, it's easy to get confused by the many education buzzwords floating
about. But at their heart these pedagogies are all student-centered and there
are commonalities across them that are the key to their success and far more
critical than keeping the jargon straight.’
Even When Research Supports Changing Traditional Teaching, Parents
Make It Hard
A familiar story…
 |
| Ghana teacher |
‘And at first the experimental training program was remarkably
effective. But then the effort ran into a wall. The very people who are most
desperate for Ghana's kids to succeed — the moms and the dads — started getting
in the way.’
The Tech Industry’s War on Kids: How psychology is
being used as a weapon against children
A bit of a long read but a speed read through is enough to get the
scary message.
‘These parents have no idea that lurking behind their kids’ screens
and phones are a multitude of psychologists, neuroscientists, and social
science experts who use their knowledge of psychological vulnerabilities to
devise products that capture kids’ attention for the sake of industry profit.
What these parents and most of the world have yet to grasp is that
psychology — a discipline that we associate with healing — is now being used as
a weapon against children.’
How Social Studies Can Help Young Kids Make Sense of the World
‘Experts say that requires regular and high-quality social studies
lessons, starting in kindergarten, to teach kids to be critical thinkers and
communicators who know how to take meaningful action. Yet, as teachers scramble
to meet math and reading standards, social studies lessons have been pushed far
back on the list of academic priorities, especially in the early grades.’
From Bruce’s ‘goldie oldies’ file:
Five Minds for the Future- Howard Gardner
 |
| Howard Gardner |
‘Based on the premise that students are entering an accelerating
world of change in every area of life Gardner believes that such changes call
for new ways of learning and thinking in schools if students are to thrive in
the world during the eras to come. The directions our society is taking and the
future of our planet demands such 'new minds' able to explore creative
alternatives for problems that cannot be anticipated.’
The killing of creativity by the technocrats - Kelvin Smythe reflects on John Hattie
“As I visit classrooms I have become increasingly concerned about
the use
of a number of strategies as defined by John Hattie and promulgated by
the contracted advisers spreading the word about his 'best practices’. Somehow,
just because Hattie has amalgamated every piece of 'school effectiveness'
research available ( mainly it seems from the USA) his findings, it seems,
ought to be taken for read. The opposite ought to be the case - we need to be
very wary of such so called 'meta research.’”
 |
| John Hattie |
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