Readings for creative teachers
Saturday 11th May 2019
Bruce
and I have long left the ‘chalkface’ but we still have a passion for an
education system that is based on democratic classrooms that focus on
developing the gifts and talents of all students.
So
maybe our views are irrelevant but we take heart that we know there are still
creative teachers out their battling for views that align with the holistic,
creative and integrated learning that we hold.
For us
we see the book In the Early World written by Elwyn Richardson as
central to the provision of a creative education. Thankfully it has been reprinted by the NZCER and the new foreword itself is worth a read. Elwyn saw his class as a community of artists and scientists exploring their environment and personal concerns and he believed they were his teachers as much as he was their teacher. There was nothing formulaic or standardised in his classroom.
We are
not sure of who current teachers hold as important in their educational
philosophies but we think we are in good company. John Dewey who wrote about
progressive democratic education early last century wrote ‘children grow in to
tomorrow as they live today’ and although he believed in experiential learning
he also wrote that it’s not just experience it reflecting on experience that is
vital to learning.
There
are a number of other educationalists that back up our own beliefs. Jerome
Bruner
who wrote that ‘teaching is the canny
art of intellectual temptation’ giving
teachers the challenge of creating learning environments that challenge
students by providing ‘tempting’ displays
from all learning areas; displays that as students become involved sees their
research, language and art added.
We see classrooms as a mini Te Papa – an
amalgam of an artist’s studio, a science technology laboratory, a media centre
andexhibitions to celebrate, challenge and inform. An important thing, we
believe, is to do fewer things well and judge success by students achieving
their personal best in any area of learning.
 |
| An MLE !! |
These
are aspects the vision that we hold to. We believe, as Frank Smith (our
reading guru) writes, we learn from the company
we keep; we learn to read if we want to not just because someone thinks we
should. Smith’s book
“Reading” is a must read for any open minded
teacher. Look online for this. Also check the link below for a pdf version of
another Smith book.
We
learn anything if we see the point - the title of Guy Claxton’s book ‘What’s
the point of School'.
In our
ideal classroom students enter the classroom to pick up work they have previously committed to. When teachers see a need to provide assistance with missing
skills they come alongside the learners (or work with a small groups) to
provide the help needed so students can return to’ the game of learning’ (the
advice of David Perkins). No need for ability groups in maths and
literacy to get in the way taking up valuable learning time. 
 |
| Elwyn Richardson |
l lifelong learners, confident in their own unique talents. We both believe we do
not have an achievement gap but rather an opportunity gap.
With
current discussions about play based and place based learning, about students’ agency,
environmental awareness, the need to trust learners, the valuing of cultural
differences, inquiry learning integrating a sensible use of new technology, and
the new flexible learning environments,
maybe the revolution is beginning?
We
hope so. This is why we take the time to collect and share reading that
emphasize creative teaching.
Allan
Alach and Bruce Hammonds
Today's Readings
Today's Readings
Creative
Teaching And Teaching Creativity: How To Foster Creativity In The Classroom
‘Creativity is often paid
lip service, but in reality, most schools are currently experiencing a “creativity
gap”—with significantly more creative activity occurring outside of school.
Numerous psychologists argue that creativity is not just an enrichment or
add-on in the classroom: It is a set of psychological skills that enhance
learning and will be necessary in the 21st-century workforce.’
Treating
Reflection as a Habit, Not an Event
‘Regular reflection helps
students learn, and some simple strategies can make it a regular and meaningful
routine.’
Six
Key Takeaways from A Day with Professor Jo Boaler
‘Claudelands Event Centre
was buzzing on April 24th, with 520 motivated mathematics educators who were
eagerly awaiting Professor Jo Boaler and youcubed co-director Cathy Williams to
deliver their new workshop Limitless: The 6 keys that unlock potential and
transform pathways.’
 |
| Jo Boaler |
‘We must also ask why. What
are the tests for? So we can measure and monitor students’ progress? So we can
pigeon hole who they are and who they will become early on? So we can fiddle
the books and make our school brochure statistics look even glossier in the
competitive culture that is devouring our national education system?'
Dalai
Lama: We need an education of the heart
‘My wish is that, one day,
formal education will pay attention to the education of the heart, teaching
love, compassion, justice, forgiveness, mindfulness, tolerance and peace. This
education is necessary, from kindergarten to secondary schools and
universities. I mean social, emotional and ethical learning. We need a
worldwide initiative for educating heart and mind in this modern age.’
Dave
Armstrong: Don't stop the music at school
What
is a truly creative education?
( An earlier blog that relate to today’s theme)
( An earlier blog that relate to today’s theme)
‘Links to New Zealand creative teachesr, early
influences and the writings of John
Dewey, Sir Ken Robinson, John Holt, Guy Claxton, et al.’
Can
reading problems affect mental health?
“Slow
reading acquisition has cognitive, behavioral, and motivational consequences
that slow the development of other cognitive skills and inhibit performance on
many academic tasks. . . . The
longer this developmental sequence is allowed to
continue, the more generalized the deficits will become, seeping into more and
more areas of cognition and behavior. Or . . . ‘reading affects everything you
do.’”
Teaching
Students to Read Metacognitively
‘A
mini-lesson and anchor chart for showing early elementary students
how to monitor their comprehension as they read.’
Comprehension
And Learning by Frank Smith
‘This
is primarily a book about children. It is addressed to teachers and written
from the point of view of a cognitive psychologist. In this book I attempt to
analyze those mysterious and complex
facets of human thought that are labelled “comprehension”
and ‘learning”, by drawing on insights from a number of specialized disciplines
while endeavoring to maintain a coherence that will be both comprehensible and
useful to practising or prospective teachers.’
National
Writing Project:Digested
reads: Frank Smith.
"As
long as writing remains a natural and purposeful activity, made available
without threat, then children will be willing to practice it and consequently
will learn.”
3quotes
from Freire
‘Freire
is critical of the transmission method found in schools, in which what he calls
the 'banking concept', is consistently applied. This is where teachers play the
role of the 'knowledgable', and students adopt the role of the 'ignorant'. It's
a prevalent technique that teachers everywhere can fall into the trap of
perpetrating on their students.’
No comments:
Post a Comment