Month: October 2009

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School drop outs – to learn in school, students need to learn out of school

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A significant number of students leave school every year without doing year 11 or 12, mostly because of academic problems, disinterest, behavior, and family issues. So, how do schools have to change to reduce dropouts?

One of the most significant changes actually runs counter to a growing trend in education. In order to keep students in school, schools must provide experiences where students learn out of school. Students don’t have enough opportunities in the daily school routine to pursue significant and enduring learning where they are treated like adults by the adults they will soon become.

Many students — even those with good grades — are bored and disconnected from what goes on in schools. They do not see schools as the place where they can do the learning they want and need to do when and where it makes sense to them. (Elliot Washor – Big Picture Learning USA)

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USA – Aussie gifts

vegemite copy

 

 

I have been thinking about some little gifts I could take with me as thank-yous for people I get to know. I wanted to give them something unique that is typically Aussie.

I decided to make up little bags that would include: Minties (with some instructions on the ‘tearing game’ to make the longest strip you can), a Caramello Koala and a single serve of Vegemite.

I am also taking some cool Shepparton brochures, some Aussie greeting cards depicting birds, koalas and my favourite green tree frogs with Aussie slang.
Also packed in my suitcase will be some neat Aussie calendars that beautifully depict our wonderful country in all its splendour.

Just two more sleeps!!

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What fond memories do you have of school/teachers?

Geoff in hospitalWhat I remember fondly is a teacher in grade 4 who took us out for games and helped me to be included.

At that time I had a bone disease in my hip that put me in a body cast of plaster for 6 weeks and then about a year in a leg caliper.

I can recall the joy of playing cricket and football with this teacher organising the games so I could be involved.

(Photo of me taken with my parents and an important person from the Sun newspaper at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne).

Here are some great stories from people about their favourite teachers and inspirational learning.

http://rethinklearningnow.com/stories/

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USA here I come

It is only about a week until I fly to the USA to be part of a Big Picture study tour in Sacramento, San Francisco, New Orleans and Los Angeles.

This will be my first ever trip overseas and really looking forward to so many things:

  • Visiting schools who use Big Picture – to see how it really works
  • Seeing the sights and meeting the people
  • Sharing the trip with other passionate educators
  • Sharing the second part of my trip with my wife and 2 youngest sons

I will add a USA page to this blog which will feature the trip details with photos and video.

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Specialist schools – choose a school for your passion

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“For a student such as Emad Zarghami, passionate about chemistry and biology, the arrival of a specialist science school means he is just that bit closer to his chosen career as a research scientist.” See more here.

More choice of schools for students is a good thing.

For those who can’t afford it or unable to relocate, we need local schools who can offer this personalised approach. The ‘poor’ student who has a recognised passion should also have this opportunity.

The change is coming…

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Changing Channels – a learning alternative

“Consumer behavior is one of the hardest things to change,” Kilar says. “The gap between the existing and the new has to be so materially better that it shocks you into a behavior change.” (Jason Kilar from Hulu who bringing TV to the Internet)

This quote provoked my thinking in relation to traditional education and the formal schooling model that has been with us for centuries. During all that time it has been based on the imparting of knowledge. With the introduction of the media and now the www the imparting of knowledge is not restricted to schools.

Schools are slowly making the transition yet many students are stuck in the void or relying on the school/teacher to coerce them to learn…because that is the “system”.

I think that there needs to be alternative learning systems for those who don’t “fit” school…a system that will shock the student/community/school into a behaviour change.

Stay tuned to this channel.

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The Universtity Enter – time to Exit

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AMEN…..

If this was to change then it would enable so many more students to go to Uni who have the skills and learning potential but don’t suit the academic testing and exam regime required to get a “score”.

Enter to Exit

Click here to see the whole article.

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Travel = Learning Opportunities

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Is there a place for student travel at TAFE to further engange students and foster their learning?

I had a robust discussion with one of my managers the other day about this topic.

The difficulties of student safety, legal issues and equity were all raised.

All were good points and need to be addressed if a student is to be given the opportunity to travel.

The Big Picture approach to learning factors in a travel project for each student each year. There is also a focus to try and include students to travel with the teacher on trips.

One of my earlier posts features one of my students’ thoughts on the benefits he experienced when he travelled with me to Perth. See here.

For me, the opportunity to travel, is worth the risk, because it makes their learning real and opens their eyes to further to what the world can offer.

It could be just the springboard they need to fire up their desire to learn.

This year my students have travelled in the following ways:

  • Shannon travelled with me to Perth to visit a Big Picture school
  • Ethan caught the train (on his own) to Melbourne and then on to Williamstown to be in a Big Picture board meeting
  • Nathan went with his mentor to Torquay for a trade expo and next week to set up a BCF store in Geelong
  • Zak and Maxine travelled with me to GippsTafe to check out their Youth Development Unit
  • Shannon and Tamina have the opportunity later in the year to travel to Tassie to visit a Big Picture girl’s school

In Dennis Littky’s book about Big Picture Learning:
“I have always thought it’s hysterical that inside the school building we work really hard to make lessons that look and feel real, when all the while, the real world is going on outside – and it’s filled with history, social issues, work issues, scientific exploration, math, writing, technology, and everything else,” Littky writes in his book, The Big Picture: Education Is Everybody’s Business. “Why don’t we just step back outside?”

Here is an inspiring trip that a group of Big Picture students in the USA planned.

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Personalisation in Learning – the lego challenge

I love Lego. My boys all enjoyed playing and learning with it. My eldest and youngest sons especially. The eldest is now an electrician. The younger is in year 10 and still uses it at times to build battlefields for his army men.

The other day I visited a group of students at GippsTafe to see the work they were doing with their youth in a building that they were able to personalise with murals and the students’ work. Something I have not been able to do this year when my students have had to share their room with others.

I had the opportunity to speak to the students about the Big Picture approach and how each of my students was able to follow their interests and passion. I asked them if they had this opportunity, what would they choose? One young man quick as a flash had his hand up and his passion was Lego. Others said guitar/music, cars, and art, from what I can recall.

Most of the others could not give an answer or were reluctant for some reason. This is common. I think it may have something to do with a school system that does not really care about the student’s interest as the main agenda is giving the student the ‘curriculum enforced from on high’.

During the day it was great to see the guitarists with their guitars get opportunities to play “their music”…even if it was the heavy kind! The girl who loved art also had opportunity to draw.

The “lego boy” during lunch had his box of lego and made models to show me. He was so engrossed in what he was doing. He loved talking about it and was very articulate. During class you could tell he just wanted to make lego and did so whenever he had the opportunity.

It got me thinking about how I would personalise his learning opportnities and how I could structure his day. Would it be responsible of me to let him make models all day? He would be happy. What are is learning needs? No doubt he loves working with his hands. What are his plans for a career? How could he be stretched to learn other things essential for his growth. What would he need to become a lifelong learner?

This student’s obvious passion challenged my thinking.

How would I use the Big Picture approach for this student?

Making things with Lego is his passion.
Does he have other interests he would also like to explore?
What would be his adult world immersion? Where could he be placed with a mentor?
How could I integrate literacy, numeracy, communication, scientific and social reasoning?
How would I include his family and community in his learning based around Lego?
Could we, or should we give him an opportunity to travel to Legoland in Denmark?

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This would be a very interesting and exciting opportunity.