Category Archives: Technology

PERPLEXITY – Key learning from day 3 – MYSA Conference 2013

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CAPTURE PERPLEXITY – do we?

SHARE PERPLEXITY – do we?

RESOLVE PERPLEXITY – do we?

If you are looking for some inspiration and ideas to capture the imaginations and attention of your students, look no further than to Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer, blog.mrmeyer.com).  Oh, you say, but he is a maths specialist.  I beg to differ!  He is a student specialist who happens to teach maths (or math as they say in the US).  I am actually NOT a maths teacher, but the highlight of Saturday’s sessions for me was the fact that I got to spend most of it with Dan.  (Ha, first name basis now).  Listening, engaging and learning – and I would have to say – from one of the best practioners I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. 

What Dan focused on was the fact that what we need to do as educators – teaching middle school or other – is to capture curiosity in our students.  To do that, we need to be capturing perplexity, constantly.  See something that needs solving – take a photo of it, record it.  Need to teach something, anything; then find some visual (or similar) that will capture the perplexity of the students, that will peak their curiosity, that will make them want to SOLVE that problem, or EXPLORE it further.  We talk about wanting inquiring minds, then we need to offer the opportunity for our students to inquire.  Let them “work out” what it is they need to solve that rather perplexing question, let them RESOLVE PERPLEXITY.

The two hour workshop with Dan led us through a typical maths lesson – Dan Style – one that I totally engaged with.  No textbook in sight; constant collaboration, discussion and challenge, and hands on and relevant.  Who would have known at the beginning of the lesson, that in actual fact we were learning about the volume of cylinders?  No objective on the board to begin, but once completed, a question to us – What do you think the focus of this lesson has been?  That strategy, (one which I will certainly use) really provokes some thinking, and provides the feedback needed to reinforce the effectiveness of the lesson.  Of course, being intelligent thinking adults, we could definitely answer that question, and I would fathom that most students would have been able to as well.

We did not have to navigate some wordy, irrelevant problem in a maths text book that students have no connection with – you know, “A farmer in Arizona is growing grain, and every year he stores his grain in silos.  This particular year, he had a bumper crop, so had to invest in another silo.  So he installed a slightly narrower one, that was shorter, and positioned it right next to the other one. At the end of the season, they are both half filled , etc, etc” Oh, and then there is a black and white diagram with dimensions on each figure and really just looks like two cylinders, etc, etc……

Hey, I don’t live in the country, so what the? What is this about grain?  Who cares if he had a bumper crop, and where he lived, and so on.

We were simply shown two different shaped glasses of coke, and the statement – that I have to share with my sister.  Which one would I give her?  End of story!  Well, appealing to our sense of greed, we clearly need to take the fullest one – but wait, which one would that be?  And so the lesson continued.  Firslty we had to guess, you know, gut reaction, but then the lesson progressed.

We weren’t on our own, there was a clear process, and Dan took us through it step by step, modelling, then deconstructing the process.  What can I say?  This was excellent.  There were no “losers” in the class, only success stories.  I guess that with maths lessons like this, we could certainly change many a student perception of what maths is.  Unfortunately for many, the experience of maths is a text book, and sadly, many of those books are quite flawed.

So through a Maths lesson, I was inspired to think about my own approaches and to consider what perplexity I could capture. I will certainly be ensuring that my Perplexity Fairy stays firmly on my shoulder, so that I continue to seek those moments, both in school and more importantly, out of school that could well become a lesson starter for my next class – you never really know when something you see or hear will present itself.

Dan’s link for MYSA Conference to resources and ideas.

Abridged version of Dan Meyer's lesson plans.

 

  

 

The Bottom Line, focus on the relationships, not just the change.

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“Change – What is now proved was once only imagined.” – William Blake

But, even though much has been proven, there is still a deal of reluctance by some to embrace the changes and the learning directions of this decade. I am no longer going to discuss this as “21st century learning”, because, as I read recently (via twitter) and totally endorse, it should be  just  “learning”. We are a long way into this century, after all.

Yes, the only certainty in education is that there is and will continue to be change. But there are some things in teaching and learning that do not change.  The need to connect (with your students and colleagues)  is one of those!  So,I will not simply discuss web 2.0 tools, iPads or laptops. They are necessary, yes, but not the key to learning.  I incorporate them into the process of learning, of course, that to me is a no-brainer.  As a classroom teacher, as well as a leader in a school (Coordinator of teaching and learning), it is essential that I lead by example.  I do, as I expect others will do too.  I can’t imagine leading without actually being in the classroom.  For me, that is the way I need to do things.  (I do not want to be just an administrator).

So, I like to connect and I am a learner too …

As such, I have begun to develop a PLN;  for me a very new online presence, and I openly discuss this with my class.  I explain to them what I have learnt of late, and how I collaborate.  I share with them a great deal about myself, and explicitly point out that we are in this together. That to me is the key to learning.

In my core teaching class – which is a year 8 Integrated Studies class – (English, SOSE and Religious Education), the relationship that I have with my girls is first and foremost.  I come to that classroom every day with enthusiasm, excitement and optimism. As a middle years “expert” (and I use that term loosely), I know that relationships are key to success for all students.  We (my students and I) have a mutual respect, and I know that they are learning (most of the time anyway). I see the spark in their eyes and I know what is important.

Recently, I began to share with them my collaborating and learning through my Personal/Professional Learning Network. We discussed this, and how our knowledge and expertise may be expanded through such a medium as Twitter.  I constantly incorporate ideas and strategies that I have learnt and discovered via twitter, in my classroom now. (once those ideas only came from Workshops and books!)

One great example of something I incorporated recently into our  Inquiry Based Processes, was the concept of exploring the  “googleable” and “non-googleable” questions. This has been invaluable.  (A tip I picked up early on through my twitter community). They love the idea of questioning, and now understand how the questions that cannot be answered simply through Google, are the ones where the most indepth learning occurs.

My students are benefiting from the myriad of tutorials, innovative ideas, resources and learning experiences that are shared by educators across the globe. The point though, is that we discuss openly in the classroom where many of these ideas and resources come from, and they know now when there is something new happening!

Not only in the classroom, but also in my role with staff,  it is paramount to lead by example.  I try to embrace change, I encourage and share new strategies that can assist in the learning process.  I share my experiences with my colleagues and again, try to create relationships that are based on professionalism and respect.  It’s the connection that allows for true collaboration and learning. (And it is very clear when working with teachers when those connections have not been made.)

We all have to be willing to move forward; to change (or modify) the way we do things.  And it is interesting, because what I have learnt is that by connecting with other educators (globally), I now feel I am actually becoming a leader.  I also know that I am becoming a better teacher by connecting more closely with my students.  So much so, that now, more than ever, I want to be IN the classroom, as well as leading the teaching and learning process. I want to continue focusing on the relationships that I have built and see how these benefit the learning. The bottom line really!

 

 

 

 

 

My first public comments out here – into this connected new world!

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What is it that I really want to say?  What is it that I really believe in? Having been in education for a long time, I have had to reinvent myself so many times – as a teacher! I would certianly say that those reinventions have really put me in good stead to be able to say, “I really have and do focus on the learning.”  I graduated as a Commerce teacher (and Geography teacher) quite a number of years ago – Yes, shorthand, typing, Business Principles, and ….  well, need I say more?

Now, I teach kids, not subjects! But of course, I do this through English, Study of Society, Religious Education, Business and Technology  ….. You could say, that my whole career has been one of adapting, upskilling, staying abreast of the changes and changing! Now, even my current role as an educator (Coordinator of Teaching and Learning), is simply all about learning.

How can we best do this for the students that we serve? 

Middle Years of schooling principles and philosophies have been my driving force – and now, as we continue through this century and time of connectedness, these principles and philosophies have taken on new meaning, or a more advanced meaning. In a sense, they have been reinforced and validated, if you like. When I read the various tweets by many leaders in our field and listen to the greats, like Sir Ken Robinson, it is clear that we need to engage our learners in design, in creativity, in problem solving; using the tools that we have available to us in this digital age. We must provide them with real life journeys for today’s world. We are not preparing them for the 21st century- we are in it! Our kids are living it and we must be responsible and accountable for that.  This IS what middle schooling philosophies have always been about! About ensuring that what we do with our kids (and for them) is relevant, appropriate, challenging, motivating and that all are able to feel a sense of achievement.  That it is student centered, not test driven; that it might be flipped; that it is inquiry based and project based; that we use the appropriate tools for the appropriate task and allow for creativity…..

And so, I continue the learning curve that is education (that is life really), and I take on this challenge of connectedness – I  tweet, I facebook, I own an iPad, a smart phone and I connect with those of you who are also out there.  Our learning community is growing, and it excites me.

So, as my first blog, I probably haven’t really said anything too awe-inspiring, but I think that the point is – the learning. To be able to connect with people on a global scale is so valuable. To have it all at our finger tips is and must be capitalised on in all of our schools, everywhere.

I am so priveleged to have what I do, and be where I am today. I want to stay connected and continue to offer my students and my learning community all that I can as I continue on this journey…..

Debra

Find me on twitter: @debraway