Category Archives: 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities

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The Internet is my Teacher

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This morning my brain is buzzing with a thousand thoughts. Through a connection on Twitter (did I mention that I love social media?) I was advised to listen to a wonderful show on BBC iPlayer entitled ‘My Teacher is an App‘.

This is a fascinating piece about the ever increasing role of technology in education. Much of it is centred around America’s ‘Silicon Valley’, but the points made are equally valid in a UK context.

On the show, various professionals discussed their opinion of where education is headed. At the beginning of the show, it was mentioned that we are moving towards a society of one to one computing in an educational situation. Some of the proposed advantages of this include:

  • high levels of engagement
  • Personalised learning
  • Up to date information and resources (as opposed to textbooks which quickly date and become obsolete)

The radio program introduced us to Salman Khan; the creator of Khan Academy. Khan Academy is a non-profit organisation which provides short instructional videos/ lectures in the form of Youtube videos. This means that they are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Khan proposes that our current models of teaching (involving grouping students and standardised testing) are vastly outdated and suggests that the Khan Academy model is more suited to the learners of today.

Below is a ‘Ted Talks’ video of Salman Khan discussing the use of his videos in learning:

As Sarah Montague (the radio presenter) points out; one of the huge benefits of teaching in this way is that pupils can learn at their own pace. A video can be paused, rewound or re-watched as many times as a learner requires in order for them to grasp the concept. There is also no fear of ridicule from peers, as no-one needs to know how quickly or slowly you are learning.

Click here to see some of the Khan Academy Videos

Within his talk, Khan mentions the idea of the ‘flipped classroom’. This is a model where traditional teaching and learning methods are reversed. Students are required to watch short educational videos at home before the lesson, and in class time they undertake tasks which are more like traditional homework activities. It is suggested that this method will allow teachers to spend more time addressing children’s individual needs, whether that be support for specific problems, or challenge for the more able.

The BBC radio show also discusses the use of video gaming in learning. Nolan Bushnell, the “father of modern video gaming” and founder of Atari, discusses his online resource: Brain Rush. This is a website full of short, educational games, designed to allow learners to develop skills quickly. Bushnell speaks about making learning fun and addictive, claiming that children can learn almost anything through gaming. It is also suggested that gaming can help pupils to review and memorise information, although these claims cannot yet be substantiated.

One group of schools in America which have embraced the use of technology is Rocketship Education. In these schools, children spend around a quarter of their school day online.  Results in these schools are said to be very high and Rocketship suppose that this model of teaching will help to close the attainment gap. One of the issues of this model of teaching and learning is that the use of technology means that fewer teachers are employed. On the other hand, those teachers who are employed, are paid very competitive rates compared to standard teachers.

Taking digital learning even further, is the idea of ‘Virtual Schools’. In this situation, students do not attend school in the traditional sense, rather, they are responsible for undertaking their own learning via the internet and technology.

I find the idea of technology gradually replacing teachers rather unsettling. While I am completely on board with personalised learning and tapping in to the tools which engage children, I do not feel that the social and emotional aspects of development can be met without building the strong and important relationships with teachers and significant adults. In my opinion, technology and digital tools should be used alongside teachers and lessons, in ways that extend and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

Image from morguefile.com

When discussing Virtual Schools on the radio show, Sarah Montague raised the same issue that immediately popped into my head – what is keeping the children from becoming distracted and going off to do something else? While pupils may be motivated to learn about subjects that interest them, I cannot imagine them maintaining the self discipline to persevere at more challenging subjects, when temptations such as video games or TV are close by.

Never the less, virtual schools are a concept which may be appearing within the UK. In 2014, the Telegraph posted THIS ARTICLE proposing plans for a state funded ‘virtual school’.

Towards the end of ‘My Teacher is an App’, listeners were presented with a theory of learning and education which contrasts completely with the previous, highly technology based models.

The Waldorf approach places focus on child development through free play and expression through art, music and nature. These schools emphasise playing and exploring through natural and organic experiences. In this type of education, the use of technology is discouraged until children are older (around 13 years) and it is even suggested that technology could impact negatively on children’s ability to form relationships and express themselves creatively. Find out more about the Waldorf approach HERE.

Image from morguefile.com

Shields and Behrman (2000) also believe that excessive use of technology may have numerous dangerous effects on children, including access to unsuitable content, and reducing physical activity which may lead to obesity. In THIS JOURNAL, they discuss the need to limits and strict controls on the use of technology with children.

I am fascinated by the idea of the Khan Academy, Brain Rush, and the flipped classroom, and would love to see it in action within a real class. Despite this, I have to wonder whether it could actually work in our schools. While many pupils do have access to computers, tablets, phones or other devices to access the internet, there are those who do not. How does this model of teaching and learning support those who cannot access the videos before the class? Maybe a school which uses this model would provide access to ICT facilities before/ after school so that all pupils have the opportunity to access the resources?

Another issue of using technology in education is that many schools do not have the budget to provide computers/ devices for all pupils to use. Or, some schools do have computers, but they are old, slow, outdated machines which take an age to load and are perhaps cannot run the software that you want to use. I wonder if the rise of technology in education will create further inequality between schools, where some can access resources which others cannot.

Image from morguefile.com

I find it interesting that there appears to be a divide between the big push for outdoor learning and learning through nature (such as Forest Schools), and the growing role of technology in education. My opinion is that, like everything in life, there needs to be a balance. I firmly believe in the value of free play and natural play, but can also see that technology has an important and increasing role to play in children’s learning. It is the role of the teacher to provide opportunities for both.

Listening to the radio show has opened my eyes to some of the wonderful digital tools and resources which exist, and ways in which technology may start to change the way in which our education system works. Whether or not Virtual Schools take off, or the ‘flipped classroom’ begins to appear in more schools; I can see how teachers and educational professionals must continue to be flexible and reflective as discover the best ways to teach their pupils.

References and Links:

BBC Radio 4: My Teacher is an App

Khan Academy Website

Brain Rush Website

Rocketship Education Website

Paton, G. (2014) New Plan for Britain’s first state-funded ‘Virtual School. The Telegraph

Shields, M. and Behrman, R. (2000) ‘Children and Computer Technology: Analysis and Recommendations’ in Children and Computer Technology, 10(2).

Driscoll, A. and Nagel, N. Waldorf Approach. Education.com.

 

 

 

1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, 2.3 Pedagogical Theories & Practice, 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment, edushare, My educational philosophy, Professional Studies

Upstart Scotland and the power of play

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Earlier this week, I attended the launch of the Upstart Scotland campaign. This is a campaign aimed at raising the starting age of children into schools to 7 years; following the example of many high achieving countries such as Poland, Estonia and Finland.

Image from morguefile.com

Currently, children in Scotland start school at age 4-5. It is suggested that this early starting age could be having negative impacts on our children, not only academically, but also in their overall wellbeing. In answer to this, Upstart Scotland proposes that a kindergarten stage should be introduced, delaying formal education and extending the amount of time that children can spend just being children.

If you would like to read some of the research and evidence that the Upstart campaign is based on, please visit Upstart Scotland – The Evidence.

The Upstart launch consisted of talks by 2, fascinating and very knowledgeable women. Sue Palmer is the founder of the movement. She is also a literacy specialist and focuses on early education and play. Dr Suzanne Zeedyk is a developmental psychology specialist from within the University of Dundee.

Both speakers placed great emphasis on the importance of play. Now, I am a big advocate of play of all kinds and I always get excited when people recognise its value and worth. Throughout the evening, it was mentioned that we should not have to JUSTIFY play, as if it were an indulgence. Here here! Following this, a point was made that at first I agreed with, but on further reflection I just can’t get my head around:

Why does it always have to be LEARNING THROUGH play?

(Please don’t quote me on the exact wording, but this was the idea.) The suggestion was that play should just be allowed to be play, without the learning emphasis.

The reason for my initial agreement is that, yes, I do feel that children should be given the time, space and freedom to play without adults intervening or guiding in order to meet outcomes.

However, when I was thinking it over at home, I realised that:

Play IS Learning!

In my opinion, there simply is no such thing as playing without learning. As hard as I tried, I could not think of an example of play where no learning was taking place.

Take splashing in puddles for example, on first glance this might appear to be pure play, without any purpose or learning. Then take a minute to think. The child is learning to control their body so that they can land in the puddle. They are learning that if they jump or stamp then the water will splash. They are perhaps learning to take turns, if someone else is splashing in the same puddle. They are learning that if they splash in a puddle wearing their trainers, then they get wet feet, however if they wear their wellies then they can stay dry… You may not be able to map all of these against the curriculum, but learning is certainly taking place.

Image from morguefile.com

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m sure that Sue and Suzanne would agree with me, and that the point was aimed at ‘play based learning’, which is a very different thing. Play based learning is usually planned experiences with a planned outcome. It is adult lead and has the clear goal of learning a skill or consolidating knowledge. This is the type of play which appears more often within schools rather than free play which is intrinsically led and spontaneous with no obvious goal.

 

Personally, I cannot see a problem with the phrase ‘Learning through play’ because that is what children are doing all of the time. In fact, I believe that this is what the Upstart campaign is all about! By raising the starting age of formal school, we are giving children more time to investigate their world, explore and establish relationships, develop innate motivation and wonder. We are giving them more time to learn through play.

 

Image from morguefile.com

 

For more information about the Upstart Scotland Campaign please visit:

Upstart.scot

A few of my fellow students have blogged about the launch and the campaign:

Hannah Wilson

Laura

Kim Rennie

The BBC also posted an article in response to the movement:

Should the school starting age be raised to seven?

1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment, 2 Prof. Knowledge & Understanding, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, 3. Prof. Skills & Abilities, 3.1 Teaching & Learning, 3.2 Classroom Organisation & Management, 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment, edushare

Shhh! Stop talking!

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There’s no denying that there have been many changes between the classrooms of the past, and the ones of today. One really important change is the increased recognition of the importance of TALK. The didactic methods of teacher speaking and children listening are being challenged to make room for investigation, enquiry, discussion and descovery.

Individual desks. Morguefile.com

One of my fellow students recently published a post about classroom set up. Her post highlights the idea that we are now creating environments which aim to enable talk. This is a long way from the individual desks and solitary study of the past. (See the above mentioned post here)

This approach to teaching and learning has many benefits. Discussions, whether they are whole class, small group or within pairs can help to engage students by allowing the to feel involved in their own learning. Classroom talk and discussion can also allow the teacher to notice and address mistakes and misunderstandings.

There are also challenges that may arise while encouraging talk in the classroom. It is possible that a few students dominate the discussion, while others sit back and do not take part. It may also be the case that students do not listen to one another, rather, they are keen to have their say even if it is not relevant to the previous points being made.

If a teacher is to use talk and discussion effectively within their class, it is vital that rules and boundaries are put in place. In order for these rules to work, the children should be involved in creating them. Rules should be discussed and should be expressed in language which the children can understand. In this way, the rules will be more meaningful and children will be more likely to follow them.

Classroom set up for group talk. Morguefile.com

Rules should also be displayed around the classroom and the children should be reminded of them regularly.

Below is a lovely video from Education Scotland, where children are thinking together about how to contribute to a discussion.

Some rules that I will encourage in my classroom are:

Wait for your turn – If children struggle with this then I may use a visual clue. An example of this which I have used with pre-school children is a ‘talking stick’. The person holding the stick is the only person that may talk. Once they have finished then the stick is passed to another.

Respect others – this means actively listening to the speaker and not talking while someone else is.

Think – When contributing; children should ask themselves: is it helpful? Is it relevant?

Talking and learning. Morguefile.com

Further rules may be added, according to the needs of the class, however I would try to avoid having any more than 5 rules, as a big list is daunting and not accessible for children.

 

 

 

Following my placement block, I would like to revisit this issue. I will observe any ‘class rules’ that are in place within my class and how the teacher reinforces these. I will also observe how class discussion is used and the amount of group talk, pair talk, whole class talk and individual work that takes place.

 

1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment, 1.4 Prof. Commitment, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, 3.1 Teaching & Learning, 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment, Contemporary issues, edushare, My educational philosophy

Fat Letters

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I was shocked to stumble across this article on the TES website. It applies to English Primary Schools but I feel that it is typical of the blame and shame attitude of today’s society.

Image from morguefile.com

The article describes how some teachers have been sending home ‘fat letters’ to inform the parents that their child is overweight. However (surprise surprise) this has not been found to be effective and health officials are now calling for it to be stopped.

Now, I’m not arguing that obesity is not an issue within the UK, the statistics clearly show that a large percentage of our children are overweight and this is a real concern for their health. My issue is that, of all the letters that were sent out;

Half (51 per cent) understood its purpose, while 20 per cent had received information as a result of the programme that had been useful in helping their child lose weight. (TES reporter, ‘Fat Letters’, Nov 2015)

This means that half of the families who received this letter did not even know why they were being contacted and even less were prompted to take action from it. In a way, this relates to my earlier post about feedback. It seems to me that these letters are likely to cause feelings of embarrassment, shame and guilt however, the statistics above suggest that they fail to provide the necessary information or guidance to allow the parents and child to tackle the problem.

Image from morguefile.com

The article also makes suggestions about more effective ways to approach the obesity issue, including healthy food vouchers and more access to after school clubs.

I feel that although steps have been taken including a focus on ‘Health and Wellbeing’ in Scotland, it is still vital that we as educators place higher importance on teaching children and families about healthy lifestyles and providing opportunities for children to be involved in healthy, active activities. In my opinion, the development out outdoor learning experiences is an extremely valuable tool in fostering a love and enjoyment out exercise. This is embraced within many early years settings however opportunities are less within primary schools. This may be due to time restraints of lack of outdoor environments that are considered suitable.

I hope to be able to encourage and promote this style of learning as I begin my teaching. I have been reading a wonderful book entitled ‘Dirty Teaching’ which is a practical guide to taking your school lessons outside – packed full of really useful advice as well as ways to approach challenges that may arise. I hope that my passion and enthusiasm for outdoor learning will be a positive influence to the children as well as with the teachers and staff that I will be working with.

1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment, 1.4 Prof. Commitment, 2 Prof. Knowledge & Understanding, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, 3. Prof. Skills & Abilities, 3.1 Teaching & Learning, 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment, Contemporary issues, edushare, Professional Studies

Professionalism

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One of the key messages that I took from this video is that an exceptional teacher is one who is truly passionate about what they do. A passionate individual who takes pride in their job will not be satisfied just doing the bare minimum. They will be dedicated and motivated to continually grow within their own skills and knowledge so that they, in turn, can support others.

Another point which I found interesting was that this video makes comparisons between doctors and teachers. It isn’t common to think of teaching as being as vital as medical care but without a sound education, an individual’s life chances may be severely damaged. In the same way as with doctors; teachers cannot work half-heartedly or even have an ‘off day’ as this could have a potentially irreversible impact on the pupils.

Teamwork is highlighted as an essential element within both professions. I think that a professional needs to be willing to seek and accept help from others as well as providing help and support where needed. It is only through this teamwork and interdisciplinary working that pupils can be given the greatest opportunities throughout their education. A professional teacher cannot be selfish. There is a lovely example of this on the above video where a teacher learns of new methods about teaching maths. Instead of keeping this to herself, perhaps seeing the benefit within her pupils and receiving praise for herself; she shares the information with others. This leads to a team of teachers who are all able to provide superior lessons and teaching to their pupils.

Finally, a professional teacher must strive to keep up to date. The GTC standard for career-long professional learning says that a teacher is:

Committing to lifelong enquiry, learning, professional development and leadership as core aspects of professionalism and collaborative practice

There is continual research and new findings which impact education, however if a teacher does no embrace new ideas then they cannot provide the highest quality of education to their pupils. While working within nurseries, I witnessed a changed from Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL). This emphasises to me the fact that a teacher can never stop their personal learning and development.

 

This video shows that the idea of being ‘professional’ involves a wide variety of issues.

Miss Catherine Long mentions the teacher’s role within a society. She points out that benchmarking and statistics which are available to anyone who wishes to see them causes added pressures on teachers as they are being compared and valued by their ability to make their pupils pass tests.

Mrs. Nursen Chemmi reinforces the importance of professional, appropriate behavior. Teachers act as role models for their pupils and displaying desirable traits within themselves will reinforce these behaviours within the children. I believe that this does not refer to the classroom only, rather that teachers should conduct themselves in a professional manner in any situation where they are in public. (This connects with my previous post about social media.)

Mrs Colleen Walsh adds that teachers must be non-judgmental. It is not appropriate to treat a child differently according to their home situation. This does not mean that the teacher should be ignorant of the situation or even ignore it; they should instead aim to support every individual child while being mindful of any issues or potential challenges.

Mrs Erin Smith talks about the importance of communication. This is connected with teamwork and interdisciplinary working. She also makes the link between effective communication and relationships, saying that this professional manner will allow teachers to help parents, families and pupils.

 

 

 

1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment, Contemporary issues, Digital skills, edushare

Professional and personal social media

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Following a really important albeit slightly terrifying input from Derek yesterday, I have been reflecting on the use of social media both within a professional and personal context.

I can see why some teachers may choose to have separate accounts for their personal and professional lives. Using just one account for both could be seen to be risky; if privacy settings are not carefully monitored, you could be allowing others into areas which you may not want on display. This was the case for some unfortunate primary school teachers recently, who enjoyed a night out and, as many of us do, decided to post the photos onto facebook. Sadly, these photos were seen by a student who proceeded to distribute them. Such photos can call into question a teacher’s ‘fitness to teach’ and can also destroy their good reputation among pupils, parents and colleagues; a reputation which may have taken years to build up.

Another aspect that must be considered when using social media is casual comments. When posting a status update intended for friends, it may be easy to speak in a way which could be taken completely differently by an outsider. The GTC Scotland have identified this risk and therefore suggest: “Teachers (therefore) need to be alert to the risk that actions which might, on the face of it, seem quite innocent can be misunderstood and misconstrued by others.”

This article reinforces the idea that professionals should think carefully before posting anything online. The phrase that struck me is “Once it’s out there, it doesn’t come back.” 

After reading these articles, I decided to check my own social media pages. I currently use 2 social networking websites: Facebook and Twitter.

When checking my Facebook profile I felt reasonably confident, as I take care in the way that I portray myself and what I post online. I have decided that I do not want pupils or other people to be able to find me and therefore have changed the name on my account. I also used the Privacy Check-up option to ensure that all of my posts are private and that I cannot be tagged in any other posts without my knowledge. I was surprised to find how many aspects of my profile are automatically made to be public unless I specifically go to change them. I found this site to be a useful resource because it points out any aspects that you may not have considered and gives instructions as to how the audience for such posts can be altered.

My Twitter account (@EarlyYearsIdeas) is purely for professional purposes. I started using it while I was working within nurseries as a way to share ideas and good practice with other early years workers. I enjoy using twitter as it has allowed me to become a part of various communities, follow relevant ‘hashtags’ and even host some evening chats. I feel that this is a brilliant way to share, encourage and support others who are working within the education sector and I have been truly inspired by the passionate individuals who I have connected with from around the world. Here is a wonderful blog post about connecting on twitter and one of the discussion evenings that I am regularly involved in.

 

Image from facebook.com
Twitter logo www.twitter.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The media often portrays social media in a very negative way, highlighting the dangers and minimising the benefits. I do believe that children, as well as their families, must be made aware of the potential dangers of online communication however I do not feel that these dangers should cause us to shy away from a potentially engaging and inspiring resource.

I have seen many positive uses of social networking in a professional sense. Numerous classes, schools and youth groups now have their own websites, blogs, facebook pages or twitter feeds in order to communicate with members and share information. Within a school this can be used to inform parents about what the children are learning, allowing an insight where before only a snapshot would have been available at parents evenings or on report cards.

It is clear that schools are beginning to recognise the importance of teaching children about online threats. This article from Herald Scotland introduces the idea of a formal award taught to older children. While I think that this is a step in the right direction, I strongly believe that safe habits and an awareness of dangers should be taught to children from the moment that they begin accessing the internet independently. Younger and younger children are now possessing their own devices meaning that cyber safety is an area which primary teachers must be able to address with confidence.

While conducting my reading, I came across this page with links to social networks for younger children. I think that directing children towards other sites such as these, away from the widely used ones such as facebook and snapchat could help to avoid some of the dangers young people face however the threats will never be completely eradicated.

I believe that, in order to be effective teachers, we cannot keep our heads in the sand when it comes to social networking and the internet. If a pupil is experiencing an issue or is looking for some advice, it is our responsibility to help them and this is only possible if we have a good understanding of what they are going through.

1.1 Social Justice, 2.2 Education Systems & Prof. Responsibilities, Contemporary issues, edushare

School Uniforms

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After a recent Sociology lecture, I have found myself considering the value of school uniforms. Previously I had seen that there are some benefits; children feeling a sense of community, looking smart while having an attitude of learning and a sort of equality that comes from looking the same. But now I have begun to wonder; is it really equality? Even when the school requires everyone to wear black trousers, isn’t it still obvious which children’s parents took them straight out to M&S and which children received their siblings’ old hand-me-downs?

So if not equality, then are the uniforms for the sake of affiliation and pupil pride in their school? If that’s the case then wouldn’t it be better for the children to feel connected by shared school values and a strong sense of community? In my opinion the only way to make the children feel pride is to give them a school that they are actively involved in. A uniform cannot ensure that pupils take responsibility and action. It is more likely to demotivate as children may not feel appreciated as the unique person that they are.

Kolk, Melinda. 20150824_122159.jpg. August 2015. Pics4Learning. 21 Oct 2015 <http://pics.tech4learning.com>

I can see how some sociological theorists have connected the school uniform to later working life. When the children become part of ‘the system’, they may need to make compromises; to look in a way that others deem acceptable. But even within these constraints, we as adults are able to show some individuality and personality through our appearance. An example of this is in a formal interview situation. There are clear ideas of what clothing and presentation is expected, however if there were 3 female applicants; one may wear a dress, one may wear a skirt and one may wear trousers.

How a person dresses can have a large impact on how they feel about themselves. It can also affect their physical comfort. While in senior school, I was expected to wear a shirt and tie which I found to be incredibly uncomfortable. I remember in certain classes, if I had to turn my head for long periods of time (maybe to see the board), then the collar of the shirt would dig into my neck. I can’t help but wonder if I could have absorbed the information a bit more effectively if I was feeling comfortable within the classroom.

Education Secretary Angela Constance is suggesting a re-think about school uniforms following concerns raised by those who run Back to School banks, providing uniforms to pupils who may not otherwise be able to afford them. There has been a suggestion that a standardised Scottish school uniform should be introduced. This could be a simple black and white uniforms with the option of sew on badges or coloured ties in way of identification. Personally, I feel it would be better for the schools to consider the true reasons for their uniforms. Many of these reasons will be about tradition, but in a society where we are continually changing and developing; perhaps it’s time to scrap these old traditions and try something new, for the benefit of the children’s learning.

Instead of creating a whole new uniform; allowing pupils to wear their own clothing may help those families who are suffering poverty as it could mean that they can avoid the extra expense of buying additional clothing such as expensive blazers and ties.

Find the article about standardised Scottish school uniforms here.