A Live, Educational Forum
for Classroom Practitioners and Student Improvement
Schools and education around the world seem to be able to deliver only some of the desired outcomes, in either personal, community or employment terms (see our objective). Why? We invite questions and contributions of real experience, to understand and improve the value of education and training: –
1. Help teachers / educators to develop, and become authorities of their own practice; and
2. Suggest & test ideas by looking at real classroom and work-place situations.
Posts are split into 4 subject areas, below.
The need for change. The premise of most education systems is to mould individuals to one definition of what society needs, broadly based on what worked in the past, driving “one-size-fits-all” decisions. Here, we consider why this may not help individual learners or their teachers now. In fact, how it can cause harm. A different focus might better prepare individuals to contribute creatively and willingly to society.
Focus on Learning rather than narrow measures of outcome.
The focus on outcomes has clearly led to the ranking of schools within and between countries, pitting them against each other in a counter-productive and meaningless battle, without regard for any purpose of education beyond the achievement of these outcomes. A focus on learning will achieve both learning and results.
Focus on Emergent Practice rather than imposed – often without the backing of evidence.
This is critical: when subject to questionable decisions about what is best for all children, we stifle creativity and learning. When teachers pay attention to the practice that emerges within our learning environments, we better understand what has been learnt or not, and naturally adapt our teaching to suit.
Focus on the Individual Learner.
We should find out how the child is intelligent, rather than how intelligent the child is.
Encouraging and developing individual interests enables learners to buy in to the learning, increasing its value and purpose. Education must not cause disaffection, but be part of the solution to it. All participants should feel purpose from their participation.
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