Catch the Wave

Sometimes teachers point out to me the fads they’ve seen come and go during their teaching careers – like Process Writing, BSM, Wellington Maths and door-stopper curriculum documents. After teaching something that was celebrated as the latest and greatest, we watched it disappear without a trace after a year or two. Now, thirty years later, we look back, shake our heads and say ‘what were we thinking?’

Ashtrays were put out on staffroom coffee tables along with the cheese and crackers, the five minute afternoon break was just enough time for smokers to light up, students had to do ‘their own work’ and if they didn’t behave, we had ways to make them. What were we thinking?
Driving home from the pub was OK (as long as you went slow) and we did all sorts of risky activities with no thought about personal safety or protection. What were we thinking? Babies were put to sleep on their stomach (invariably snuggled into a sheepskin) and children rode their bikes to school and without helmets. What were we thinking? The TV variety show ‘The Black and White Minstrel Show’. was hugely popular and we laughed at jokes that made fun of another culture. What were we thinking?

In 2007 we have bird flu preparation, KCs, getting more exercise, Literacy (capital L), free fruit, eating less junk food, ICT, debate about the driving age (again), the drinking age (again), Numeracy (capital N), no fizzy drinks, Web 2.0, Inquiry Learning, the education conference pandemic, formative assessment and the preoccupation, agony, opinion, over-analysis about The All Blacks (yet again.)

In thirty years time what will have been worthwhile, lasted the distance and made a difference? And what will we look back on and say ‘what were we thinking?’

technorati tags:tradition, culture, education, teaching, fad, practice, New_Zealand, ICT

I like the cup stacking video. The girl is so fast and skilful. She must be really motivated to get that good. I hadn’t heard of student sport stacking before … much less world record attempts and national tournaments! American schools have a student culture quite different from ours in New Zealand. The spelling bee is another example. While big in the US, they are largely unknown here – I mean the big-event-with-an-audience sort of thing. I have to say that American schools could have more exciting things going on than NZ schools!

Back in the day, I remember padder tennis tournaments, target tournaments (hitting a tennis ball against a small wooden fame and catching it on the full), skipping and hoola-hoop competitions. The whole school would be seated around the netball court to watch the finals. The winner won sponsored prizes and a few days of fame. ‘Basic Facts Battle’ was another biggie which electrified the school. The final was held at the last senior syndicate assembly of the term. Parents attended and teachers hoped their student would win. Do exciting events like this still happen? Or have New Zealand schools got a bit dull and boring? Why not get sport stacking happening in your school – ‘Its a track meet for your hands … at warp speed!’

technorati tags:New_Zealand, America, school, teaching, learning, students, motivation, competition

Coach Calhoun: “First you have to change.
Danny: “I know, that’s why I’m here.”
Coach Calhoun: “No, I mean your clothes.”
From the movie ‘Grease’.

An interesting post titled ‘How to change others’ in Artichoke’s blog has forced me to think (arghh!) about Change (capital C!) And whether or not we can change people by talking about and teaching Change. OK, I admit that I have no recognised expertise in this subject. I have done no deep and/or meaningful study – I have no ChD, no sociology degree (Change major), or Heraclitus Diploma. But as I said, I’ve been thinking.

The thing is, I don’t understand the idea that attending a workshop on Change, can result in … well, change! If this was possible, would we still have problem teenagers, drink drivers, obese adults, smokers, or technophobe teachers? We would just run a few Change workshops – using ‘Who Moved My Cheese” as the main resource – hand out quotes to keep everyone on track – and in a blinding flash the process of Change would begin.

It’s true that learning about change increases our understanding of the process. We know that change can be difficult, is strange territory and is often resisted for a variety of reasons. The need to change has to be discussed, demonstrated, encouraged, assisted and supported. But you can’t force change on someone else and expect a successful outcome … can you?

It’s interesting, pertinent and inspirational to look at how things have changed during the last 10 years. To talk about the 21st Century, digital natives, digital immigrants, new technology, online environments, future change and what all these mean for education. However, does any of this make things change? And who and what really needs to change first?

More thinking! Aarghh!

technorati tags:Change, education, 21st_Century, technology, teaching