Valuing students' 'voice'.

Entering this classroom a visitor cannot but be impressed by the celebration of students 'voice' or ideas. The young teacher, in a low decile school, has created an environment based on aesthetics and creativity. Her shadow study, a small thing in itself, has been made the most of.'Children and scientists have much in common. Both are interested in a wide range of things and both are interested in, and attempt to, to make sense of, how and why things behave as they do'.'Unless we know what children think and why they think the way they do we have little chance of making any impact with our teaching' write the authors of 'Learning In Science' ( Osborne and Freyberg).Student centred classroom ought to reflect students questions, theories, 'prior...

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Posted in: Creative teaching,inquiry learning,Integrated Learning,Personalized Learning,teaching and learning

Interactive teaching- the Learning in Science Project (LISP)

If we really believe students 'construct' their own 'meanings' from any experience then teachers need to value the 'prior ideas' , questions and theories their students have. Only then can they set about to challenge and help students clarify what they know and can do. Some of the best research in this process was completed in NZ in the 80s by researchers at Waikato University but has been, more or less, ignored by those in authority since.In the 80s, as a science adviser, I was involved in the development of the Learning in Science Project (LISP). It had evolved when a university physics professor became worried that the knowledge he thought his students ought to have been taught seemed to be missing in his classes. He found that it had been...

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Posted in: Creative teaching,inquiry learning,project based learning,teaching and learning

Notes for developing a creative school

As we escape from the conformity of the previous curriculum teachers, and schools, have the opportunity to develop some new thinking and to create school more suited to the demands of a new creative era? Or will they?I have the task next week to outline some ideas to a school staff about how to develop a creative school where all the gifts and talents of all students are valued. A school where all students leave 'confident, connected, life long learner - all able to 'seek, use and create their own knowledge'.I thought I would share my 'emerging' thoughts; a work in progress.The last big change in education happened in the period between the 1950s and 1970s. During this time straight rows, with the teacher all powerful at the front, was replaced...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Creative Schools,inquiry learning,Integrated Learning,Ministry NZCurric,Personalized Learning,Rants and Raves,Talent Development,teaching and learning

Teaching for thinking

Students exploring electricity. To make fullest use of such a 'rich' learning situation teachers need to find out what students 'prior ideas' might be, what questions they have, teach how to record what they are doing, how to discuss what is happening and why, how to write up their findings, provide opportunities to use their 'new' knowledge, and, finally, to reflect how much they have changed their minds. If this is not done learning will be lost. This is learning in depth - or doing 'fewer things well'.There is a lot of talk about teaching thinking in schools and all sorts of thinking processes are often seen on classroom walls. The trouble is that more than talk and processes are required - there ought to be some real evidence of students...

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Posted in: Creative teaching,inquiry learning,project based learning,teaching and learning

Creative teaching

I saw this wonderfully creative piece of art while visiting Hillcrest School. All students had used the same media ( cutting out coloured paper) but every piece was so different but Amy's (age 7) work stood out. The aesthetic feeling gained from achieving such a piece is the best 'evidence' of learning. And of course it is a representation of an important idea to the young artist. A real change from the 'formulaic' art I so often s...

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Posted in: Creative teaching

Great art

A piece of art from Hillcrest Normal School illustrating the right amount of teacher guidance and plenty of individual creativi...

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Posted in: Creative teaching

Beyond rationality into creativity?

Schools need to escape from the bounded rationality of a failing era and move into more flexible style of learning for a new creative age.Have we gone too f...

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Posted in: Creative Schools

Discovery Time

Discovery Time is a most valuable book written by two New Zealand educators Brenda Martin and Gay Hay. To acquire this book visit their website. Discovery Time, an activity based programme held once a week, provides an exciting environment in which to strengthen the key competencies and bring fun into children's learning.Highly recommended.I have visited a number of schools that have introduced 'Discovery Time' but until now have not taken the time to discover what it was all about. All I knew was that the teachers in the schools involved were highly enthusiastic.Last week, by chance, I became more informed about Discovery time and now have no hesitation in providing my wholehearted support. I was presenting creative teaching and learning ideas...

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Posted in: Creative teaching,Early Education,inquiry learning,Personalized Learning,teaching and learning