The emotion of learning

I’m breaking a self imposed rule with this post. I’m writing it while on holiday. The reason is simple,  I’ve achieved a boyhood ambition - decades after the seed was planted.

Today I created fire.

Not with a match.

Not with a lighter.

With a magnifying glass. 

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to do it.  Memories of summer delights as a boy have resurfaced – as a boy / teenager I used to use a magnifying glass to burn my initials into my summer thongs with a magnifying glass.  My public explanation was that it made it easier to find my thongs when “the gang” came over and all our thongs were piled up by the back door.  True enough – but the other truth was that I enjoyed doing it. I enjoyed seeing the snail trail of my initials “magically” appear as a result of nothing more complicated than the sun and some curved glass.  However, given the long, tinder-dry grass in the paddocks that surrounded my boyhood home,  I never attempted to  light a true fire – despite a burning desire to do so (pardon the pun).

Today, decades after my teenage years faded into the fog of time, I finally tried to light a fire using nothing  more than the material I wanted to burn and a magnifying glass.  In theory there was no doubt that it would work and I knew that it would take marginally more effort than using a match. But I wanted to do it – simply because I wanted more than intellectual knowledge that it would work. I wanted to actually do it.   So I did.

It occurred to me while I was holding the magnifying glass that there were broader lessons in the action.  I needed to maintain focus – my own and that of the magnifying glass. The pin point of concentrated solar energy had to be held over the same spot and I had to concentrate to ensure that this happened. It is probably dignifying the action a little to say that I needed to employ a technique but in a sense it was true.  If I didn’t hold the glass in the correct way nothing would happen.    I also needed to clarify my own definition of success.  Was singeing the paper the same as creating fire?  I decided “no” - but it was probably acceptable as an encouraging sign.  Was creating smoke (after mere seconds) creating fire?  Again I decided “no” – but it was probably proof of concept.  What did I mean by fire? I decided that it was flame that consumed the material that I wanted burned and that only that could be considered success.  After passing through the first stages towards success I needed to adjust my approach by  getting some smaller twigs from the garden – which, in academic terms could be considered refining my practice in the face of observable results.

So I was learning.  But the feeling of success and achievement when the flame burst into life was out of all proportion to the lack of effort required to achieve it.  It turns out the lighting a fire with a magnifying glass is as easy as it is reported to be.  But the key aspect for me is that now I know it, I’ve done it myself.  Second hand knowledge has been replaced by experience. 

The other aspect is that this was a fiercely personal objective. I doubt any of my family or friends share this desire to “achieve” this goal.  In world terms it is insignificant. But in personal terms it brought a glow to my face that was not simply a reflection of the fire. 

It occurs to me that this is true of all personal learning.  Is this why musicians try to reproduce the sound of their favourite guitarist when the mp3 player can do it effortlessly for them?  Is this why painters use pigment to capture the landscape when a camera can do a more accurate job in an instant?  Is this the feeling of truly significant personal learning?  If it is, then surely we as teachers owe it to our students to let them experience this success in Iearning or achieving something of personal significance?   I wonder how many discipline problems would fade away and how the motivation levels of our students would increase if this feeling was a regular part of our classrooms? 

 

Easily the most popular post on this site is one I wrote dealing with PBL.  If I may say so my-self it provides a good summary of the concept and links to a host of  very useful resources.    My experiences today re-affirm my reasons for writing that post; we need to meet the personal interests of our students in our programs.  Adding the emotion of learning to our classrooms may be a key ingredient in a truly motivated learning environment.

Truly personal learning is significant; it produces emotion in the part of the learner – not just intellectual advancement.  If it doesn’t then maybe it isn’t as significant to the learner as it is to the teacher.

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Credits:

Image via google images:  http://www.clker.com/clipart-2285.html

The WISE model - A quick and nasty guide to evaluating classroom ICT use.

I’m fortunate to be able to visit every classroom in our school. Like most schools, we have invested heavily in ICT. Are we getting value for money? Is the investment really improving educational outcomes? In some classrooms I could answer “Yes” - but in some the answer would have to be a disappointing “No”.

It is not necessary to have an in-depth formal instrument or formal testing to get a sense of how well ICT is being used in classrooms.     

The first “rule of thumb” indicator I have is a simple one - are the students CREATING product ...or CONSUMING product... or both?  If the students are simply consuming product, i.e. using “drill and practice” programs or merely absorbing content from the ‘net, then ICT use in the classroom is likely to be making only a limited contribution to student learning. However, if students are CREATING product then there is a good chance that ICT is being put to good use.

If students are creating learning artefacts then a simple acronym provides another lens through which I can quickly evaluate the significance of the classroom program. That acronym is  WISE.

WISE stands for...

W hy? (or WHAT). Why is ICT being used? Could similar artifacts be produced via traditional means? A hand drawn poster is as valid as a Publisher document for example.   What are the teacher’s  SPECIFIC objectives, what are the SPECIFIC curriculum links? What can students achieve  using computers in this context that could not be achieved otherwise?   

I mportant (or interesting) Is the project / experience both IMPORTANT and INTERESTING to the student? (Tasks need to be important or interesting to the student - not just ”fun”.)  If not, then the chances are that the task is electronic “busy work”.

S haring.   How are the students sharing both their end product and the process of creation?  How are they sharing their artifact with the educational community beyond the classroom? If they are not sharing the artifact...why are they producing it in the first place?  If it only has worth inside the context of the classroom then why would students value it? If it has wider significance why is it not being shared?

E valuation.  How do the students demonstrate their learning? Is the artifact itself significant outside of the classroom environment?  What skills need students display / include? Do they know this? How can a development of skills be demonstrated?

This acronym is hardly cutting edge. (I could dignify it beyond it’s worth and call it “The WISE model”.) However, it does provide me with a lens through which to quickly get a sense of how well ICT is being used in a classroom.   As with all technology, classroom ICT is neutral - it is how well it is being used that is important. And to assist with that we all need to be a little WISE when it comes to classroom use of ICT.

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Credits:
Image = Google images
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/tel/blog/Computers-TwoKdgStudents.jpg

They don't build monuments to teachers

Ozymandias

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Percy Bysshe Shelley


They don’t build monuments to good teachers.  They don’t need to.  Their legacy is reflected in every successful person.  Every person who is able to achieve their dreams can thank, in some part at least, their teachers.  And the wonderful thing is, unlike fame and power, that legacy continues on and on...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Credits:
Image: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/F4OIO5c8AYKvVy4SleAkQ_0usUgdFMmpKdnsnzydBX2TMNleklL2mQiVydkvTQ5vj_GopbPRlvikrWpkXt4zJAdVYlK3SPT9S1XBES33ZQEDk2GZ8iE
Poem = Ozymandias, Percy Bysshe Shelley

Educational reform; like building a plane - in flight!

I love this clip. To me it is a wonderful metaphor for educational reform.

One of the major issues with educational reform is that schools have to be operational while education is transformed. We can’t simply shut down the schools and learn new and more effective educational techniques. We need to test and trial our learning when and where it matters - in the classroom with our students. We need to learn new skills while we teach via established methods. There are those who suggest that teachers can learn new approaches when students are on vacation - and to some extent this is true. However, the important aspects of classroom teaching can only be learnt through implementation in the real world - and that means while the students are present. There is a time when a trainee pilot needs to land a plane in real life and not in a simulator.

There are obvious issues with this. Our students are not guinea pigs or lab rats. We should not experiment with them. On the other hand, we need to continually improve our practice - and that means we need to be constantly trialling new approaches or trying to refine and enhance established ones. This balance can be difficult to achieve - perhaps this explains the almost glacial pace of school reform.

Clearly there are risks involved in any educational reform - if any innovation is ineffective then students suffer in comparison to what they may have achieved with another approach. However, there are more risks involved in educational stagnation and ignoring new possibilities and potentials.

So how do we build an educational plane in flight? We start by being clear about what we want to do and why. We acknowledge that established techniques may not be appropriate in this operational environment. We try to anticipate any likely issues and develop responses in advance - or at least be observant and flexible to respond to issues as they arise. We clarify our roles - who does what, when and to what standard? Who checks and assists? How do we know when we have succeeded? We accept that the task may be difficult - but, if we are clear about our objectives, it should be worthwhile.


And then we take a deep breath and build our plane.

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Credits: EDS commercial via youtube @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zqTYgcpfg

Original idea to link to education: Thanks to a long forgotten presenter at a SPERA conference in Darwin who used this clip in his session.

Herding cats in the classroom?

Teaching is a challenging activity.  Keeping track of a class of students who are operating at a range of different ability levels, often from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds, catering for a range of learning needs, dealing with any individual health issues class members may have, managing the administrative requirements of your school or system, attempting to match curriculum requirements to the needs of students in the class, dealing with “helicopter parents” or, even worse, parents who are as insubstantial as the abominable snowman, acting as a part of a team when your specific class requires focused and immediate attention, trying to make your lessons as interesting and engaging as possible...it takes a special type of person to do it well.
It is not unlike herding cats.



One thing we know about cats is that is easier to get them to come to you than to make them go somewhere that they don’t want to go.  With cats this is easy - entice them with food.  Although we do not bribe students via their taste buds we can learn from this approach - efforts put into developing student motivation is an important aspect of effective teaching. Structuring the educational environment to get students interested and wanting to learn through engaging and challenging activities where they value the outcomes of their efforts and feel secure as they explore their boundaries changes the educational process from that of herding cats to managing learning.
If teachers feel as if they are herding cats in the classroom it might be worth looking at what is on offer. Motivated people, even young ones, don’t need to be herded; they drive themselves.  The challenge for teachers is to guide student interest in ways that reflect the outcome requirements of the curriculum. And that is far from easy.  There are many sites and blogs offering advice or guidance in this area - a brief but worthy offering can be found here.
One important aspect of effective education is often overlooked however. Teacher reflection is an important part of becoming an expert practitioner.  Teachers need to find the time to think about what is going on in their classrooms and their educational practice - this is as important as thinking about the response of students to lessons. How else can areas for improvement be identified? Reflection is not a luxury, it is an essential part of personal professional development and adaptation.
For some personal reflection needs to be done alone - perhaps over a coffee whilst appearing to stare out the window. Others need guidance and stimulation.  Technology may come to the rescue for those in this category. Apple’s Itunes “university” section has FREE lectures on a variety of educational issues and subject areas while Harvard also offers free podcasts on educational issues.  Podcasts can be thought provoking ways to stimulate reflection - and can be absorbed during the daily commute.

To paraphrase Margaret J. Wheatley, reflection “...is not just a nice thing to do if you have the time. It is the only way you can survive.”

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Credits:
video = commercial from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8
Embedded link via Larry Ferlazzo at Education Week.
Harvard and Itunes links go to original sources.
Margaret Wheatley link goes to source.

What I learnt teaching teachers

My time in this role is coming to an end - soon I leave the university environment and return to that alternate reality known as the school.  

There are some things I will miss and some things I will not.

I will not miss the endless stream of marking.
I will not miss the countless hours of sitting in front of a computer dealing with online students.
I will not miss the politics, nor the relentless desire for growth.

But I will miss working with adult learners.
I will miss the conversations with like minded individuals - and the chance to learn from their expertise.

The thing  I will miss the most I find strangely disturbing to acknowledge as this is the only workplace in which I can honestly say I have felt this.  I will miss the respect for learning and knowledge which fills this place.  After three decades in education I find it truly disturbing that I have never had this sense in any school in which I have taught.  Do we as teachers really value learning...or do we merely value mastery of skill sets?  Do we value exploring ideas or merely understanding test items? I’ll miss the conversations about why we do certain things rather than how we do them.
I’ve learnt a lot in my time here – much of it shared on the pages of this blog.  But perhaps my biggest learning is something so obvious as to be often over looked.  We don’t really create teachers here.
We introduce students to learning theories, we examine classroom practices, we analyse curriculum content and practise delivery methods.  We discuss objectives and assessment and what takes place in-between.  We discuss behaviour management and student motivation. We talk about issues to do with student differentiation and human development. We teach how to plan and deliver effective units of work. We show student-teachers how to write grammatically correct essays and follow academic conventions and referencing techniques.  But, despite our best efforts, we simply cannot create teachers.
To be a teacher you need to have at least one student.   It is the student that transforms an educator into a teacher.  The crucial part about being a teacher is that you must care about your students – not in a mushy, overly emotional sort of way, but with a genuine regard for their well being, learning and personal development.   We can’t really “teach” relationships here.  We can discuss concepts such as respect, fairness, confidentiality, compassion, consistency, equality and differentiation.  But that is like confusing a list of ingredients with the act of cooking – it is how those ingredients are blended together in reality that is important.  
Although we can introduce students to a raft of important concepts during their training it is in the school where they learn to apply these concepts and skills.

Dr. James Comer  said that “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship”. 

He was right.

Image credits:  http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01485/students_1485569c.jpg

Educational reform? Start with the right questions....

Educational reform is a complex area - not only are individual aspects complicated in themselves but the various aspects often interact and entwine and become jumbled in our thought processes.
So where do we start?  How do we know where to direct our energies?  One answer is to ask the right questions before we dilute our energies on activities that may not result in improved student outcomes - irrespective of how they are measured.   A recent post at the The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning may have recently done just that by identifying what the authors call “...the Seven Definitive Questions” of learning.

So what are these questions?

1. How does learning occur?
2. Which factors influence learning?
3. What is the role of memory?
4. How does transfer of knowledge occur?
5. What types of learning are best explained? (If we can understand it better we can provide for it more.)
6. What is the relevance of instructional design? Five assumptions are made about learning here:

1. Learning is multidimensional
2. Learning occurs in various planes simultaneously
3. Learning consists of potentialities which exist infinitely
4. Learning is holistic
5. Learning environments are living systems.

     7.  How should instruction be structured to facilitate learning?

So what does it all mean?
The authors identify several implications, including;

• Online learners have the capacity for a breadth and depth of knowledge that in the past was reserved for the minority with geographical access to educational institutions.
• Courses can be designed that have less reliance on set texts and readings. “Instead learners can be provided with topics and themes and encouraged to seek out information sources and resources to inform themselves.”
• The “isolation” of online learners may actually be a blessing in disguise as it allows “undistracted thinking and reflection”.  “Further, online learners have the freedom to learn at a time and place that is right for them. That is, they have more control over their learning environments. Learning can be engaged in comfortable, personally motivating spaces and places that become their individualized classroom.”

A question that occurs to me after reading this piece is why is it that our classrooms are perceived to be uncomfortable and disengaging places? Certainly they can be - but surely not all should be classified this way? There is a sense though in which the answers provided by the authors may not be as important as the responses their questions might prompt at the school level.  If teachers can confidently explain their understanding of these “definitive” questions they are likely to have a sound understanding of the educational process.  If not...perhaps some professional discussions around these questions would be of benefit. Or perhaps this list is not as “definitive” as the authors suggest?  Schools could do worse than trying to identify what they think are the really important core questions to do with education. Some of my own questions would include;

• “What do we think we know about how students learn?”
• “What are some of the ways in which we teach?”
• “Does our method of teaching align with the way our students learn?”   
• If not, what will we do about it? *

Of course, coming up with “the answers” is the easy part. The real reform begins when our teaching practice reflects our beliefs, not just convention.


Post Script:
I have to admit that I found some aspects of the original article cited here rather dense and wordy. Whilst it  appears to be talking about learning theory in general it then leans towards adult learning, particularly in the online environment (which I suppose is hardly surprising given the focus of the e-journal).
There is also some significant content that I have not presented here but which would reward examination. The source article is certainly worthy of both reading and reflection. Read the source article by Janzen, Perry and Edwards here.

* I have asked myself these and similar questions many times and have come up with the TARGETS mnemonic to guide my educational practice. It is the result of my own reflection and research into effective education and may be of interest.



Credits; graphic http://www.radiowroclove.pl/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/question-mark.jpg

What can QWERTY teach us about education?

 History has virtually forgotten Frank E. McGurrin – which is perhaps a pity given his  unintended but very real impact upon virtually every  person living in the developed world.   It could be argued that it was McGurrin, as winner of the first ever typing contest, that cemented the place of the QWERTY keyboard as the dominant key board layout for typewriters – which evolved (or perhaps mutated) into the computer keyboard.

The survival of the QWERTY keyboard is worth contemplating as it is truly a bizarre story.  The layout of keys with which we are so familiar was actually designed to make typists less efficient – or at least slower.  Early typewriters were mechanically cumbersome and the mechanisms jammed if typists struck the keys too quickly. So,  keys were arranged in such a way as them harder to press quickly – letters that are used more often were moved so that weaker fingers were used to type them or to places where fingers would need to be moved more in order to press them – in other words to slow down the user.  There was considerable experimentation to find the right balance and produce a keyboard that was efficient enough to be better than writing by hand but not so easy as to result in jammed machines.    It is possible to write 70% of all English words using the letters   D H I A T E N S O R  - yet few of them are in favoured positions on the keyboard.   Amazingly, salesmen also apparently had input into the QWERTY design – they wanted to be able to create the word TYPEWRITER  using letters on one line of the keyboard to demonstrate the ease of use of the new machine – and they got their wish.

McGurrin, was employed by a Ms. Longley, also largely forgotten by history despite being the founder of the Shorthand and Typewriter Institute in Cincinnati.  A rival company, using a different configuration of letters on their machine, challenged Longley to a contest to see which company was producing the best typists – McGurrin was nominated to represent his employer and duly won the contest.  This was seen as endorsement of the superiority of QWERTY over other layouts and helped propel the configuration to undisputed domination of the market. (An interesting footnote to this anecdote is that McGurrin was apparently the first typist to memorise the keyboard – and it may well have been the simple fact that he may have been the first touch typist in history rather than any design feature of the keyboard that enabled him to win the competition.)

Over the years typewriters improved, non-jamming machines were created and more efficient keyboard layouts were devised. However, they were not widely adopted – despite being demonstrably more efficient. Even in the electronic age of computers QWERTY continues to rule supreme – despite there being absolutely no phsycial reason for it to do so. I’m writing this on a QWERTY keyboard, every computer in this building have one, all the  keyboards in my house are of that configuration, even my smart phone uses the layout. The  DVORAK keyboard, generally considered to be much more efficient than QWERTY, lies overlooked  in obscurity simply because we have become accustomed to QWERTY . In short, QWERTY is a survivor , it continues on and on and on – despite there being no compelling reason for it anymore. 

There are aspects of the education system that have a striking similarity to QWERTY  in that they continue long after their  usefulness has past. Examples include:

·         Starting and managing student progress through the layers of school according to the calendar rather than on progress, demonstrated learning or readiness.

·         “Streaming” students despite both social-constructivist theory and formal testing programs suggesting this does not enhance students.

·         Confusing factual recall with understanding.

·         Teaching “subjects” in silo-like isolation.

·         Clinging  to paper based practices when the world outside of the school ground  is essentially  digital.

·         Pretending that the school is still the primary source of information available to students.

·         Teaching all students more or less the same thing at more or less the same time in more or less the same way – regardless of interest, ability or appropriateness.

·         Spouting social-constructivist learning theories but practicing behaviourist techniques (seen a “star chart” lately?).

·         Providing A-E type feedback to students and parents.

·         Using formal testing data to evaluate school performance – regardless of the various social and economic factors known to impact on education.

·         The standard school day itself  is fixed and based upon the needs of a bygone era. (Why do some schools offer “before school”  and “after school” care? Why not just change the hours of operation of schools to reflect social needs?)

This list is of course far from complete...and is obviously open to addition, agreement or disagreement. In a sense agreement is not necessary here, it is discussion that is important. We as educators should question the fundamentals of our practice.  We need to examine our basic assumptions about what makes a good school, how we can best serve our students, what are we trying to achieve and how we are trying to achieve it. Then we need the courage and energy to act upon our reflections.

 If we don’t we are essentially engraving QWERTY on our educational practice.

Image:

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/exhibitions/boland/images/memorabilia/images/typewriter_jpg.jpg

Historical information about the surprisingly interesting history of the typewriter is sourced from Stephen Jay Gould’s book “Bully for Brontosaurus”, published by Penguin.  

When is a school a school?

I was privileged to be given a tour of a new school recently.  It was, without exception, the most exciting school building I have ever been into.

The design of the buildings was thoughtful and, dare I say it, “modern”.  ICT was present everywhere (but not always obvious), major walls were sound “proof” but flexible in that they could be opened (in effect removed) to increase teaching space and allow for co-operative learning, or inter-class interactions.  The school had avoided the trap of creating computer labs - instead each area had access to a half dozen or so desk top machines which were supplemented by a generous supply of lap tops via a booking system.  Wireless technology with fast connection speeds was ubiquitous and covered every area in the facility (or so we were told). Teachers had pleasant individual office space.  Each section of the school, or “pods” as they were called on site, contained significant art installations.  Large windows dominated the wall spaces filling the  facility with light and enhancing the impression of spaciousness. Classrooms seemed to have adequate resources. One of my fellow visitors commented that the staff room had the feel of an upmarket hotel rather than a school staff room.

Outside it was just as impressive - attractive from all angles, functional yet not overly institutional.  Play areas were clearly well used and functional.  It was, quite simply,  a wonderful building - but it wasn’t a school.

Then the siren went.

The empty rooms quickly filled with chatter, children moved to desks, teachers started explaining tasks, students started asking questions, books were opened, computer screens burst into life, the sounds of productive work became the back-ground audio-track for the visit.  Parent helpers slid quietly into a classroom to be greeted with smiles and accepting nods of “hello” from the students. A class of children walked past in an orderly but not overly regimented group. Seeing their teacher smiles burst onto the faces of the first few students as they entered the room.

Then it was a school.

Credits:
Image: http://www.wes3rdgrade.com/uploads/7/8/3/3/7833021/8576233.jpg?252

Talking of teachers

Teaching is one of the oldest professions on Earth. (Well, one of the oldest legal professions.)  Western education can trace its origins back to such notables as Aristotle, Socrates and Plato. Although in those days the curriculum was less crowded, less rigidly defined and not subject to national testing these men were teachers,  albeit non-accredited ones.

In the years since then education has gradually become a universal experience, at least in developed countries, and “schooling” has become synonymous with “education”.  The difference, according to George Savile, is clear. “Education is what remains when we have forgotten all that we have been taught.”

Is he dead... or teaching school?
Since everyone receives an education of some kind or other, everyone has an opinion about education in general, and about their own teachers in particular.  Often these opinions are far from flattering. But then, holding teaching in low esteem has a long history.  A hundred years before Christ, Zenobius dismissed an inquiry about a colleague with the words, “He is either dead or teaching school.”

More recently, Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw used his literary prowess to the full when he coined the expression, “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.”  (Those who can’t think for themselves now quote George Bernard Shaw.)

I’m sure Shaw taught himself to read and write, as did the people who read his workd. Showing similar disdain for teachers, Author J. D. Salinger said “You don’t have to think too hard when you talk to a teacher.” (It is unlikely he meant that teachers are articulate, make their meaning clear and are therefore easy to understand.)

Perhaps the most sobering observation about teachers was made by Henry Adams, one of the framers of the Constitution of the USA: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”  Whether you think this thought is valid or not will probably depend on whether a future Mother Teresa or a Charles Manson passes through your class.

Not all political leaders have held education so highly. When former US President Ronald Reagan was desperate to find funds to support his pet Star Wars project he suggested taking funds from other areas, such as education, asking “Why should we subsidise intellectual curiosity?”  Another former governor of California, Jerry Brown,  wondered about the priorities of educational leaders: “I question whether we can afford to teach mother macrame when Johnny still can’t read.” But Brown would have won a few friends in the educational fraternity with this observation: “Why in the world are salaries higher for administrators when the basic mission is teaching?”


Just the facts?
The debate over what to teach in schools comes a close second to scandals in the House of Windsor for tabloid newspaper copy. There is seemingly endless criticism of current teaching methods and curriculum. Schools are expected to teach everything from sign language to cosines.  This debate also has a long history.

Charles Dickens, expressing an opinion not necessarily his own, had one of his characters - the odious Gragrind, in Hard Times, say, “Now, what I want is facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else...This is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to facts, sir!” Samuel Crothers highlighted the flaw in this approach when he said, “The trouble with facts is that there are so many of them.”

This begs the question - which facts do we teach? And that is where the debate branches. Russell Green summed up well the choice between the process versus product, personal growth versus utilitarian function argument: “The advantage of a classical education is that it enables you to despise the wealth which it prevents you from achieving.”

Perhaps the best thing for primary teachers to do is treat knowledge like grass seed - spread appropriately, cover a wide area, and be prepared to do a lot of follow-up work.

A little learning may be a dangerous thing - but a lot of ignorance is far worse.  Teachers try to reduce this ignorance a little - which is not always and easy task. Fortunately, there is no shortage of advice from past pupils on how to improve our teaching.

Albert Einstein, who is often portrayed as a “struggling student” despite report comments to the contrary, thought that “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” This is sound advice, but relatively lacking in detail. William Ward went a little further, and told teachers how to do it: “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”    Unfortunately, Ward stopped short of telling teachers precisely how to be be inspirational. This literary observation contrasted with the homespun advice of Austin O’Malley: “When you are dealing with a child, keep all your wits about you, and sit on the floor.”

A Japanese proverb, true to the Japanese tradition of stylistic simplicity, said “To teach is to learn”.  No doubt this is a worthy sentiment, but it is also rather vague on how to go about the actual task of teaching.  However, an ancient Chinese adage gives clear advice on how to do it. This maxim is probably the earliest known reference to hands-on, child-centred teaching: “What I hear I forget, what I see I remember, what I do I understand.”

These words of wisdom take the emphasis off the teacher and place it where it belongs - on the student. What teachers teach is not the central aspect of education. The truly significant aspect is what students learn.

The human factor
How do teachers know when their students have learnt? There is a bewildering array of tests, check lists and performance criteria by which we assess our students. Usually the instruction manuals are thicker than War and Peace, and read as if they were written by the same person who writes the handbooks for electrical appliances.

Sir Richard Livingstone had a more humanistic method: “If the school sends out children with a desire for knowledge and some idea of how to acquire and use it, it will have done its work.”

When people talk of education systems they forget that schools are people places. A school building has exactly the same material and equipment in it over a holiday period as it does during a term. Yet a school without students is a barren place, devoid of life. It takes people to  make a school - or, for that matter, an education system.

Sidney Hook high-lighted the significance of teachers in the system: “Everyone who remembers his own educational experiences remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the kingpin of the educational situation. He makes and breaks programs.”

And that just about says it all.


This piece first appeared in Classroom - the magazine for teachers, vol. 8, 1993.

The story behind the story...

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and never really had serious thoughts of becoming anything else. Hence, at the tender age of 17, I began my training and have been involved with education ever since. Yet, I was aware that, for many people, school was not the generally happy place that it was for me.  For some people schools, and by extension,  teachers, were not held in high esteem.  Others felt the job itself was distasteful - a pretend profession with a modest pay cheque but major work requirements.   This attitude was incomprehensible to me.  True, the pay was (and remains) modest - but the privilege of working with developing minds and seeing the smile on a face of a student as a concept is mastered is priceless - literally beyond price.

Hence this piece.

Credits:
Best teacher graphic::
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3580553044_eeef147d56.jpg