I think this "experience" is in the "right" place. Does it matter? After all, it's the way you teach it, right?
Stop-motion animations.
Thursday 20 December 2007
Monday 17 December 2007
How is this going to work?
I'm not entirely sure of the best format for this, though I suppose I'll learn as I go along and amend procedures accordingly, in line with the very best principles of formative assessment and A Curriculum for Excellence, I'm sure you'll agree.
What I think I'd like to do is to put up postings which share the learning intentions and success criteria of a "learning experience" and to accompany this with photos/videos/podcasts showcasing what the children have been doing and how they've interacted with the experience.
This will allow me to make evaluative, formative statements or comments and this will - hopefully - enable me to inform my future practice.
Well, it sounds good...
What I think I'd like to do is to put up postings which share the learning intentions and success criteria of a "learning experience" and to accompany this with photos/videos/podcasts showcasing what the children have been doing and how they've interacted with the experience.
This will allow me to make evaluative, formative statements or comments and this will - hopefully - enable me to inform my future practice.
Well, it sounds good...
Monday 10 December 2007
"Call for major education shake up..."
What, another one?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7135889.stm
This really is depressing stuff...surely ACfE is attempting to address some of these issues or perhaps I've completely misinterpreted it? It's late and I'm tired - lots of panto practice at school at the moment! - so I'll not spend long on this for the moment, suffice to say that whilst I appreciate (notice I didn't say "think it's right") that people will always look for results and some level of accountability as a measure of teaching and learning, I'd have to question the need for yet more "shake ups" and "initiatives."
When does one get the chance to interact and learn with one's class if one is spending time 'firefighting' paperwork? Just a thought...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7135889.stm
This really is depressing stuff...surely ACfE is attempting to address some of these issues or perhaps I've completely misinterpreted it? It's late and I'm tired - lots of panto practice at school at the moment! - so I'll not spend long on this for the moment, suffice to say that whilst I appreciate (notice I didn't say "think it's right") that people will always look for results and some level of accountability as a measure of teaching and learning, I'd have to question the need for yet more "shake ups" and "initiatives."
When does one get the chance to interact and learn with one's class if one is spending time 'firefighting' paperwork? Just a thought...
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Ah, but is it really schoolwork?
That seems to be one of the main questions asked about the new Curriculum for Excellence when parents and the like find out about some of the "non-traditional" things their children are doing in - and out of - class.
Without waffling on about the Four Capacities of ACfE, I think it's fair to say that it presents some challenges for teachers in terms of how we can assess the learning that's taking place. Indeed, it's also fair to say that it presents challenges - and opportunities - in terms of thinking about what we need to assess.
The idea of assessing what we value and valuing what we assess must surely be one of the guiding principles in designing so-called "experiences" for learners in school.
The new curriculum challenges many preconceived ideas about what is taught and how it is taught. Debates rage around "style over content" and questions will be heard in many a staffroom about whether or not any of this is actually teaching the children anything.
I would argue that this is surely the very point of the exercise - are we really trying to teach them "things" (facts, processess, procedures, etc) or are we trying to empower them to think for themselves and take control of their own learning?
This could easily be dismissed by saying "of course it's about empowerment...give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day but show him how to fish..." etc, etc. However, there will always be those who will - rightly - contend that the basics (whatever they may be deemed to be depending on the school/local authority/political climate) must be in place before you can do anything else.
Quite. But who says that once the foundations are in you have to build all the houses in the same way? To stretch a building analogy, I think that ACfE should have Grand Designs for all learners; I hope to look in this blog at some of the ways in which I try to challenge the children in my class, to empower them, to value each and every individual contribution on its own merits and to give my take on some of the ways I think we can gather evidence of what's useful or not.
Without waffling on about the Four Capacities of ACfE, I think it's fair to say that it presents some challenges for teachers in terms of how we can assess the learning that's taking place. Indeed, it's also fair to say that it presents challenges - and opportunities - in terms of thinking about what we need to assess.
The idea of assessing what we value and valuing what we assess must surely be one of the guiding principles in designing so-called "experiences" for learners in school.
The new curriculum challenges many preconceived ideas about what is taught and how it is taught. Debates rage around "style over content" and questions will be heard in many a staffroom about whether or not any of this is actually teaching the children anything.
I would argue that this is surely the very point of the exercise - are we really trying to teach them "things" (facts, processess, procedures, etc) or are we trying to empower them to think for themselves and take control of their own learning?
This could easily be dismissed by saying "of course it's about empowerment...give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day but show him how to fish..." etc, etc. However, there will always be those who will - rightly - contend that the basics (whatever they may be deemed to be depending on the school/local authority/political climate) must be in place before you can do anything else.
Quite. But who says that once the foundations are in you have to build all the houses in the same way? To stretch a building analogy, I think that ACfE should have Grand Designs for all learners; I hope to look in this blog at some of the ways in which I try to challenge the children in my class, to empower them, to value each and every individual contribution on its own merits and to give my take on some of the ways I think we can gather evidence of what's useful or not.
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