Our school has employed Sir John Jones, a British educational specialist to work with the senior management team over the next 2 days. Sir John spoke with the whole school yesterday afternoon, as an opening to his time here. He's an entertaining speaker, similar to Ken Robinson, and he weaves personal anecdotes, well anecdotes anyway onto his message. There wasn't a lot of new stuff in what he had to say, but a timely reminder to take stock and think of why we are teachers and the influence we can have on those little faces and minds that sit before us.
Of course there was new learning, or reflection on thinking about doing things better:
When I explain the procedure for the time / lesson I often follow it with, "do you understand?" Who in their right mind is going to say no! Who wants to put their hand up and admit amongst their friends, they are not too bright they didn't get it.
So now I follow the procedure with " Did I explain that correctly?" A real face saver for the not so clever children, and a shift of responsibility from them to me. It's my role to explain it so they do understand.
He also talked about perceptions of children. Those often eccentric kids, the behavioural kids who are bight but labelled.
And he talked about personalising the learning, not in an academic way but touching base with the kids on a social and emotional level. Really great timely reminders.
Now I warmed even more to the man when he quotes bits from Thomas Friedmann's book "The world is flat". I've been banging on about that book and gave my copy to my deputy head to read. AND he also quoted bits from John Hatties research. Now any man that does that definitely has my vote.
Did you know in our whole auditorium of approx 200 staff, when Sir John flicks up the slide with John Hattie's name and research on it, you can hear the clap of one person over the silence. hmmm a lone Kiwi has a presence.
There are other You Tube clips. Here is one. Enjoy
Enjoy.Of course there was new learning, or reflection on thinking about doing things better:
When I explain the procedure for the time / lesson I often follow it with, "do you understand?" Who in their right mind is going to say no! Who wants to put their hand up and admit amongst their friends, they are not too bright they didn't get it.
So now I follow the procedure with " Did I explain that correctly?" A real face saver for the not so clever children, and a shift of responsibility from them to me. It's my role to explain it so they do understand.
He also talked about perceptions of children. Those often eccentric kids, the behavioural kids who are bight but labelled.
And he talked about personalising the learning, not in an academic way but touching base with the kids on a social and emotional level. Really great timely reminders.
Now I warmed even more to the man when he quotes bits from Thomas Friedmann's book "The world is flat". I've been banging on about that book and gave my copy to my deputy head to read. AND he also quoted bits from John Hatties research. Now any man that does that definitely has my vote.
Did you know in our whole auditorium of approx 200 staff, when Sir John flicks up the slide with John Hattie's name and research on it, you can hear the clap of one person over the silence. hmmm a lone Kiwi has a presence.
There are other You Tube clips. Here is one. Enjoy
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing the clip, I did enjoy it. He certainly is an entertaining speaker. Don't we all wish we could have a Wayne or two about?
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