D24 - Educational Trends

Educational trends or initiatives come and go all the time.  As educators we like to keep up these as we all know education is forever changing.

Today's post from the 30 Day Reflective Blogging Challenge is what educational trends captures your attention and why?  I know for me it is anything where I can teach more meaningful for the students such as the work from Jeff Anderson or personalising learning with a strong link to LwDT.

However, I think the bigger question isn't about what educational trends that capture you, is how much of it do you get to try out and use authentically to make it your own before moving onto another trend?

For me and my experiences I have seen a lot of trends come and go quickly through our school.  For the trends that have stuck with me, has been the PLP (personal learning plan) which the children have all their individual targets to work on and how Jeff Anderson delivers his lessons with a strong reading/writing link.

It is up to the schools to take a good look at these trends, see how it fits them, and give their staff enough time to experiement, get it wrong, play around further, discuss it, make it their own, keep the parts that fits, then move onto the next.  The saying that springs to mind is: quality not quantity!

 

Day 19 - The Power of Reflection

Reflection is a powerful tools we use as teachers to ensure we are doing the best job we can.  Teaching kids to reflect and see the value behind it at times can be very hard, especially when they have either done it before but ineffectively or haven't experienced it at all.

Some of the tools I use for reflection in my class is:

• Checklists and TimelineWhen undertaking a longer unit of work such as an inquiry topic, I like to use checklists paired with a timeline.  This helps teach the children to:
  - make sure they've fulfilled all the criteria
  - map out a long term project, meeting milestones
  
  I always begin with very structured to model to the children how to do this then as the year goes on they take more and more responsibility for their own checklists and timelines.
  
  At each milestone, we discuss what they should have achieved and where they should be now - usually this is just small reflection by looking at their checklist and timeline, marking off where they are.
  
• Mid and End of Term ReflectionsThis is common practice in our school.  Some teachers do it weekly where others do it at the mid and end of the term.  I prefer to do mid and end, this is in the form of questions which stay the same throughout the year for them to reflect upon their learning as a whole.  I encourage the children to re-read their last reflection to see if they achieved what they set out to or what they need to continue to work on.
  
• It feels like Punishment!  I feel Successful!Some of the children "coast" through the term, where others put their heads down and work hard.  I work with a level where they are about to be much more responsible for their learning so giving them the tools is necessary. 
  
  I believe a part of that is feeling the "punishment" or disappointment of not doing as well as they could have and the kids who did not "coast" their success is in their work - this is where I feel you get the most powerful reflection and motivation for the next.

As an educator I want the children I work with to think critically about what they're doing, why they're doing it, and how they can do more.

Day 18 - Metaphors f Teaching

I often struggle to think of metaphors, most probably why this post is so late, when teaching or thinking about them.  After a hunt around I came across the following quote from Socrates.  

Image sourced from moco-choco

This links back to Paulo Freire's empty vessel idea.  This rings true with me as an educator I can only give a little spark it is up to the learner to continue to add the fuel to make it grow as big as they want it, then I can help them nurture it.  On the other side, it is also my responsibility to restart the flame for those who have gone out - some learners need more help than others.

Day 17 - Challenging issues in education today

Education is forever changing and since graduating in 2006 the following issues have always been the same for me.  My biggest issues in education today are:

• Paper work: many questions spring to mind...
  Who is this for?
  When am I supposed to have time for this?
  Why do we all have to have the same format?
  Can't I personalise this to suit me?
  Why does this feel like no one trusts me?
• Class size:  there is a lot going around about class size and I sit on the side that it does matter because of the following reasons:
  Getting more 1:1
  Making stronger connections with students
  Ability to personalise every student
  The time need for: paper work size, report writing, assessments, moderation, etc.
  
  I know that if you're a good teacher it doesn't matter what size class you have however it does beg the question of if you have 30+ students in your class how much authentic time do you spend with each of them over the period of a day, whether it is 1:1 or in small groups?  For me my answer would be not enough.
• Demand on teachers to do more and more is too much - something has to give.  As educators we are expected to not only do a great job at teaching students but we're also expected to be a coach, nurse, councilor, mentor, teacher of values and manners, keep up with the latest trends in education, and the list goes on. 
  
  My question is:  When is there time to do all this?
  
  We are all human, we too have a family of our own, and too want to have a balanced life where we can go and exercise, have hobbies, and so on.  So, when is enough, enough? 
  
  Don't get me wrong, we do love our jobs and going the extra mile for the right reasons is always necessary, my issue is balance for teachers are way out!  How can we get this balanced restored?

There is so much more that is out there that is working against us but I'm reminded of we can only do what we can do, but make sure what we do is the best that we can do.

Day 16 - Super Powers in the Classroom

My son is a huge Marvel and DC fan, along with many of the students in my class.  I had used this interest to do a Super Hero activity through Maths Shed where the children learnt about multiplying/dividing/rounding/subtracting decimals and mode/median/mean.

When I read this yesterday I started to think about the different super powers I'd like such as invisibility, super speed, etc.  I decided to have a real think about it and had a look around the internet where I came across this website - IGN's Top 100 Coolest Super Powers.  Going through the list to find a "cool" super power there were the usual ones you know of however there were other powers like self confidence, empathy - isn't it interesting that these are considered super powers.

Back to which one I would like and how it would help, it would have to be...

PHYSICAL DUPLICATION

It doesn't seem so exciting but being able to duplicate myself so that I can work with all the groups in my class.  The ability to personalise everything in the class would benefit all the learners as I would be able to workshop for them, give 1:1 help, the list of what I could do was would endless!  

It would be slightly scary for the children to have so many of me but I think they would get used to it!

Day 11 - Favouriate Part of the Day

I struggle to put my finger on my favouriate part of the day.  I suppose you can look at it being when:

• A child is jumping out of their seat to answer a question because they finally got it
• There is a great discussion happening amongst the kids whether it is directed by me or happening in a group
• A child who surprised me with what they produce
• Engaging in conversation about anything they wish
• Playing a game of cards or board game, laughing with them, enjoying their company
• Everything falls into place
• They experience success after much effort of trying

So looking at my favourite time of the day, is where the children have some sort of success, where learning is happening.