Monthly Archive for February, 2008

Maths savant

Published
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on 21/02/2008
in global comment and inspiration
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Not sure if you’d call Arthur Benjamin a savant. However, he can’t be too far off being in that category.

Just like most other people involved in education, I’ve always been fascinated by those who have extraordinary talents. There’s something about them that intrigues and outright excites me. Probably because I would like to believe that it’s lying dormant in students (of all ages) everywhere. And maybe it is…!

If you’re teaching a class of switched-on students, they’re going to love this guy. His ability with squared numbers is worth the price of admission alone. And for you, right here, right now, it’s free. Have a look…..

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/M4vqr3_ROIk" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

Inspiring Communities

Published
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on 13/02/2008
in global comment, inspiration and social justice
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I love ideas that WORK. And especially when those ideas make such an inspiring difference in local communities. Here’s one that’s worth a very close look.

Have you ever heard of the Invercargill Licensing Trust? I presented at a conference at Invercargill on the South Island of NZ in October 2007, and just loved the concept of this Trust. Apparently, there are about 20 all around NZ (and probably lots more around the world). Essentially, money that has been spent in the community, stays in the community.

Here’s how it works (and apologies to the Trust if I misrepresent some of these points).

The Trust owns all licensing (ie alcohol) venues in the city…. and some restaurants and motels as well. All profits from these venues are then spent in the community itself. So, rather than some multi-national directing the profits back to New York or Abu Dhabi, the money directly benefits the local people.

And wow! Don’t they benefit. For a population of 50 000, Invercargill has some of the most outstanding sporting facilities I’ve ever seen outside a major capital city… and even within them as well. Amongst other things, they include an astonishing swimming venue (which includes a wave pool), rugby fields, and even a world-class cycling velodrome. The indoor basketball / netball courts are something else, I assure you. There is even a huge rock-climbing wall built into that complex.

And then you come to education. Their conference (the one I attended) is superbly organised, and includes a high class conference dinner. All FREE for the attendees. To attend, they just need to teach in the local community. And the funding spreads further. As far as I know, most (all?…) classrooms have received interactive whiteboards.

Why am I telling you all of this?? Well, I’m just wondering why it doesn’t happen more often. In a world that is sometimes driven by the profit motive, it’s just so inspiring to see that this concept can and does work.

Teaching Is A Mirror

Published
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on 07/02/2008
in global comment, inspiration, learning and narrative
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A wise old man was once sitting beside the road. He was asked for advice by two travellers at different times. The first traveller said: “Old man, in the town up ahead, what are the people like?”

The old man said: “What did you think of the people in the last town?”

“I found them to be rude and ignorant.”

“Then you will find those in the next town to be the same.”

Some time later, the second traveller happened upon the same spot and asked: “Old man, in the town up ahead, what are the people like?”

And the old man said: “What did you think of the people in the last town?”

“I found them to be friendly and positive.”

“Then you will find those in the next town to be the same.”

_______________________________________________________________

How easy it is to assume that some (many) other people around us are rude and ignorant. Perhaps it also has something to do with the way that we interpret the situation when we are with them.

I ask you: When someone is helping you in some way (selling you a TV; arranging a dental appointment; pouring you a coffee), and they are vibrant / inspiring / supportive, don’t you invariably respond in the same way?

On the other hand, when that person is rude / disinterested / sloppy with his or her efforts, don’t you end up feeling less than inspired by the interaction?

Now think about this with teaching. I occasionally hear a teacher complaining about the disinterest or even poor manners of particular classes. Now don’t get me wrong here. You’ll sometimes end up with a group of students who can have horrendous manners (I know, because I’ve been there, done that). That’s not always your fault.

However, be aware that many classes will reflect back to you, the very way that you respond to them. When I see an inspiring teacher who energetically relates to a class, I notice that they often have fewer ‘motivation’ issues with the students.

So here’s an experiment for you. Just for one day (or for the rest of your life if you wish), make a very specific effort to look for the best in everyone you meet. It’s truly not that difficult to do. And watch the way that most people will respond in kind.

This does not mean that you gush with sentimentalities, and tell everyone how wonderful they are (read some of Alfie Kohn’s material if you’re not sure what I’m talking about). I’m simply indicating that you choose to be optimistic and genuinely inspiring with whatever you do.

A word of caution. Be authentic with every engagement. Children have the best CDs in the world (ie Crap Detectors), and will make a judgement accordingly.

Thinkers Keys: Matrix Key

Published
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on 07/02/2008
in thinking
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Here’s one for all of those who are obsessed with teaching children to think at the highest intellectual levels.

As part of my blog contributions, I’ll occasionally include some of my Thinkers Keys. Feel free to download and use them to your heart’s content. So here’s the first offering: the Matrix Key. It has always been one of my favourites. In the earlier version of the Thinkers Keys (a free download is available here), I called it the Combination Key. However, here’s the update on it. Called the Matrix Key (you’ll need to download this, in order to make sense of the rest of this). Comes from the new Thinkers Keys CD-Rom.

For a variety of reasons, I find that kids all over the world love to use this process. Clear elegant process, with a direct visual framework. It can trigger the most innovative ideas. I’ve often used it in my own lessons. In its simplest version, it challenges you (or them) to combine two different items / concepts / products into a single new form. Here’re some of the ideas I’ve been offered from children:

A combination of surfboards and iceblocks (paddlepops). People who hire surfboards often bring them back too late, and ignore the calls coming from the beach. So, we need to make the surfboards out of a large piece of ice, and it would then just melt at the end of the period of time.

Some 8 year olds were asked how they could get some chocolates down from the top of a high refrigerator, using a wristwatch. Their response: They would throw the watch up in the air, and this would make time fly. They then would grow up really quickly, and they could reach up and grab the chocolates by themselves.

Presenting With Teachers

Published
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on 05/02/2008
in learning
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“There are three things to aim at in public speaking: first, to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get your subject into the heart of your audience.” (Alexander Gregg)

Uh Oh. Break out the calm pills. You’ve just been asked (hassled? begged? cajoled?…..) to offer a presentation to a group of teachers at a staff meeting / conference / retreat. If you’re still breathing… and you’re keen on presenting the best possible facilitation, then here are a few suggestions that may help you to retain your sanity, and to even look as though you know what you’re talking about. In no order of priority:

LESSON ONE. Prepare your session properly. You might get away with average or poor prep with 8- or 14-year-olds. It won’t wash with teachers. If you’re caught for planning time, at the very least, plan the start and the end. As well, depending upon what it is you need to present, plan for them to do as much as possible during the session. For example, rather than handing out an article and then talking to it yourself, ask them to skim-read it, and to then comment on its key points to a neighbour. This takes a bit more time; however, you’ll have more people engaged, and they’ll retain more of it anyway. To wrap up this point, here’s a key hint: Do two types of planning:

1. The content of your session (ie the specific info you’ll offer). Write this up in black pen.

2. The way that you intend to facilitate it (ie the processes you’ll use to engage them in their learning, eg paired discussions; group activities; self-analysis / reflection with some guided questions; the use of videos / music / images). Write this out with a different colour eg purple.

LESSON TWO. B funny. But B careful. Especially in the late afternoon, most people appreciate some light relief. Just watch out for the smutty, the disparaging, the outright disrespect. It may turn some people off. In quite a few different ways. The humour also has to be natural. Make sure that it flows into what you’re going to offer. There are lots of ways of providing it. A brief joke. An anecdote about a recent event. A cartoon up on the screen. A brief video (the operative word is brief).

LESSON THREE. Pay respect to the time of day. If you’re facilitating a conference session, you’ll be fine (unless it’s really late in the afternoon). Teachers are usually feeling much more energetic in the early stages of the day, and / or when they’re not teaching that day. However, presentations at school are another matter. Invariably, the session is in the late afternoon after their favourite pupil has given them grief for some / all of the day. So don’t expect their undivided and miraculous attention. Remember that you’re the only thing standing between some of them and their first drink. Tell them what time you’re going to finish, and categorically finish just before that time. Keep the verbal barrage to a minimum. Tell the material with visuals and aids, rather than solely with words. Be punchy and direct. Last thought: Food. Give out lollies, and more importantly, water. At the very least, have some food waiting for people when they arrive. Always a good start.

LESSON FOUR. Carefully plan the first 5 minutes. Participants form most of their opinion of the session in that first few minutes. Be very clear about what you’re doing in that 5 mins. Have your joke for a few seconds (see above), then tell them what will be offered during the session. It’s also a great idea to give everyone an activity very early on eg ask everyone to form into pairs, and debrief on your day with two questions (What went well? What could I have done differently?) I often plan that intro to the nth degree.

LESSON FIVE. Most people (but admittedly, not all) do not enjoy a long-winded diatribe. Intersperse your words of wisdom with some specific activities. At the very least, ask people to occasionally form into small groups (never larger than 4 people), and encourage them to discuss some of your previous comments. It’s a lot like a classroom of students. You will need to offer a variety of activities. So, start with your talking for 3 mins, then have a brief interactivity for 3 mins, then you can talk for longer (maybe 10 mins), and then into another activity. I guarantee that, the more you directly engage participants, the more they’ll enjoy your session.

LESSON SIX. If your session is shorter than an hour, be careful about just how much you offer to everyone. What’s the use of swamping them if they won’t remember it anyway, and they won’t ever put it into practice? Keep Winston Churchill’s public speaking suggestion in mind:

1. Begin firmly.

2. Give a maximum of 3 clear ideas

3. End with emotion.

Good luck!!!