Global Citizenship - reflection

My main reflection as I was reading this chapter was 'what if it was written now, rather than 2009?'
Much of what is written makes sense to me and seems important, however I wonder how much it would be at odds against the pressures being brought to bear on education through politics. How would teaching children in Lancaster about the environment work when the government are pushing fracking through for example? Teaching about diversity and so on when immigration seems to be something politicians use to scare people into voting for them? These make it more important that children should be taught moral values inspired by a global dimension yet tricky if they oppose where we seem to be heading.

Edward De Bono thinking hat activity.

Each colour hat denotes a different kind of thinking, eg Red is feeling

Blue - process

White - facts

Red feelings

Green - creativity

Yellow benefits

Black - cautious

There's info on the hat activity - influenced by sue Hadrian?
 

The hat activity seems a useful group one, but also a good way to consider something as an individual, especially for myself as I struggle to formalise my thoughts.

During the last placement I looked at some of the school policies, but the school had such a focus on behaviour management that it dominated my focus. However I'm not sure I really engaged with it, rather I just tried to remember it – something I find hard if I'm not actively involved in carrying it out or creating it. I briefly looked through other areas of school policy, but again, there was a lack or real engagemnt weith them – it is a short space of time to internlise these documents, and as it's not the start of a school year as a new teacher it does feel like there is some pressure to 'get' everything quicky, which is doomed to failure, but this means I make less effort rahter than more, feeling it's a bit of a lost cause. The hat activity could be a good way for me to break down my thinking and focus it.

Session 6

Another session asking us to reflect on our experiences as primary school children, meaning I find it hard to participate being twice the age of the other students who are much better able to recall school. It's hard for me to recall much of secondary school, or 6^th form either. Ultimately I fall back upon a handful of memories and recognise that they are unreliable being biased and based more upon feelings. I wish I was able to remember actual lessons, what I was learning during them or experiences, but ultimately it's friendships, personalities, unpleasant instances and some happy ones. Does this mean my memory is poor, is it the time between, or was the teaching poor? I know I did not enjoy school, and did not particularly care for many of the lessons, and some of the teachers, but right now, I do not know if the lack of clarity is my fault or school's.

Education debate chapter 5 - reflections

I must admit the writing of this chapter was a little impenetrable - academic prose sometimes put me off things that eventually seem interesting.

What did make me try and wrap my head around the academic prose was the use of gardener/gamekeeper metaphor of teaching; it helped me understand a little more what I was reading.

Because I struggled reading this chapter it's hard to comment as I'm not sure I'm drawing the right conclusions, nevertheless I did find the part about 'selection and segregation' (p195) worry, especially as I accept that it's probably accurate. I'm not sure I like the idea of learning for a vocation anyway, which makes it more worrying a trend for me.

Schools as damaging organisations - Reflection on reading.

I do have sympathy for the argument that schools are a 'vehicle for oppression', and think the brick in wall lyric from Pink Floyd might be appropriate but doesn't hit the nail on the head as forcefully as a John Lydon quote -

“They take your soul away. They take your brains away. They don't let you have an opinion that's different from theirs. You've got to think what they tell you to think. So when you leave school, your only future is getting married. And by the time you're about 29 you got two kids, and you just wanna commit suicide”

The article mentions Schooling as Violence and how the treatment of children harms society and I find this fits with my feelings of my Pratt results that I care more about nurturing than I do about society.

I'd also say the Lydon quote fits in with the notion of schools reflecting the inequality of schools.

I had bought into such things as letting boys pick a focus for a topic as they are less likely to do what girls want whereas girls don't mind if it's a 'boys' or 'girls' thing. This same argument seems to turn up regarding getting boys to read. I wonder if this is not utter rubbish? Is this just reinforcing the gender bias in our that woman are forced to put up with at an early age? Are we telling boys they are entitled to preferential treatment over girls who just have to be polite and deal with it? It does seem like yes, we do this because that's our society created and reflected in schools.

The observation that delineating 'success' means referencing 'failure' and therefore identifying and even demonising 'those who fail is brilliant. The idea that this may be at the heart of a continuing inequality does seem to ring true. There always seems to be an 'other'.

I can't believe I never considered the degree of economics effecting the ratio of pupil to teacher! How this dictates structures of hierarchy and discipline is also very telling.

The bit about teachers being bullied by the school system is interesting, and I can't help but think that despite my claims (and Pratt score) to be nurturing, I internalise a lot of annoyance at children I think misbehave, or don't pay attention, etc and this can surface through unhelpful shouting, or eventually lead to throwing out punishments more than rewards. I have been told that my manner does fit the more patient, or nurturing, persona, but I'm aware of my frustrations and have had a few instances where I've felt guilty for repremanding a pupil. Usually my frustrations come as much from feeling a lesson has been poorly planned/delivered/etc as much as they come from the pupil's behaviour.

Session 6 - Memories of school task

ESTC6017: Reflection on your own education

This task is for you to consider your own educational journey and to reflect upon the successes and failures, the triumphs and challenges that this journey has encountered.

 

Point in your educational journey	Ways in which you were enabled to succeed	Ways in which your learning journey was hampered	Meanings that can be derived for you as a professional
HND in Graphic design	Very little!	Minimal support from tutors. Contradictory directions, such as 'be creative' and then 'you can't do that, it's not commercial'. Lack of personalised teaching – IE tutors pushed their ideas, rather than looking for my own strengths and weaknesses from which to build on.	Make yourself available. Consider feedback, guidance and your expectation of outcomes. Consider the individuals in your class and their needs/abilities/personality/etc. Look for positive points in learners.
Foundation in Art and Design	Encouraged to try different approaches.	Not always given time to fully explore approaches/media/etc. Easy to go unnoticed and then later be held responsible for what tutor failed to notice.	Try and be aware of all pupils in a class, even the quiet one – or those who you feel can just get on with things and will do ok. Plan for ahead to get as much use of time on topics etc as possible.

Session 5

Session 5

Work in group to consider presentation subject.

I don't want to work as hard.

The importance of play. 'Play' not 'Lessons'.

Overcoming lack of creativity - the teacher's not the kids!

Performance of teaching - persona.

10 minute presentation with additional question time, you can structure the questioning ie at points through the presentation ask group to consider something for questions at end.

Use the reflection to be as personal as possible - what do I think about something..... this can still be supported by refs and evidence

The format of the presentation should allow everyone to speak and to share their opinions - we might not all have the same opinion.