Narrow Minded Teaching

For quite some time now the notion of teaching to specific outcomes as opposed to teaching to the individual needs of a person has been on my mind. Not one to have totally agreed with my own learning at school, I find it hard to comprehend how we can as a profession deem it necessary to teach students to the test as it might be. Yes it looks good for a teacher and a school when they have outstanding results but does it paint the full picture. My thoughts are that it certainly does not. Sure a student may be able to regurgitate information that has been spoon fed to them for the purposes of improving test results but is this really a true measure of growth of an individual?

My thoughts were reignited this morning when I read and article in the Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/naplanstyle-testing-has-failed-us-schools-20110501-1e395.html) stating how NAPLAN style testing had failed in the United States. The basic premise behind this was that some students were being excluded from schools when it was thought they might bring down results, as well as "good" teachers leaving disadvantaged schools to avoid the stain of poor marks. It would appear then that our reliance on measurable results could potentially be leaving disadvantaged students behind, not an ideal situation in a country that encourages the education of all.

Instead of teaching straight out facts shouldn't we be teaching the individual? What good is a person who can recite facts and yet not comprehend, analyse and think for themselves? Wouldn't we be much better off teaching skills and not just facts? Personally my own goal is to teach students to be critical thinkers and to question everything that comes across them. Sadly I see to many influences on teachers to simply teach facts and get results. This is further highlighted by another article which coincidentally appeared in the Herald today (http://www.smh.com.au/national/top-teachers-to-get-more-pay-)20110502-1e3rh.html. The measurements of this success are certainly not going to look at how you have impacted upon a student in terms of their personal development as a person, instead you could almost assure they will be based around marks and results. For an extra $5000 how will you teach?

One Term Down

So the school holidays are here and I have survived my first term as a full time teacher. Still not to sure where this term has gone but with the myriad of sporting events such as carnivals and inter school competitions combined with the everyday processes at school, I think I have done quite well.

Some very positive experiences have shaped my early ideas of what teaching is about and hopefully this will continue to be the case. These experiences include being a part of a very supportive teaching staff, the school having a great sense of community, the opportunity to be a part of the hiking trip, school tennis and currently being involved in the school basketball program. With these experiences now under the belt I have a further appreciation for what teachers do and can achieve in terms of change and growth of individuals.

Having a terms experience it is more evident of the potential of practical education. Where in the past PE might have been seen as just going out and playing a game, I am a big believer in the value of developing students through it. This past term I have made efforts to look at game play and the higher order thinking that goes into games. This has been met by some students with a bit of animosity however on the whole most students have responded very well. The insight shown across all of my classes has been unbelievable with some concepts being more advanced and thought out than those by my University classmates. My basic premise for sharing this is that I see massive potential in the physical education setting in terms of strategical play, whilst also developing teamwork, communication skills as well as physical competency.

My main goal for term two is to further build on the physical education setting in terms of higher order thinking whilst continuing to develop my own teaching and growth as a person.

Student Questioning

So after a big day at school and then after watching the boys play league (which in an AFL school is quite a sight), I come home to an inbox of questions from my Yr 9 Class. These questions relate to their Cannabis Assignment which they have had three weeks to complete but of course have been left until the night before. Regardless of this I am impressed at the way in which some of them have used the technologies available to them to help with their assignments namely edmodo and vyou.com.

Within our class we have set up a virtual learning space using the amazing site edmodo.com. This has proved to be invaluable in engaging the students in something they are familiar with and enabling the learning to extend beyond the physical walls of the classroom. A number of questions have come through outside of class time (especially in relation to this assignment) which have been easy and quick to answer. An impressive ability of this particular site in my opinion.

As good as Edmodo is, I am more impressed with Vyou.com (check out my profile at http://vyou.com/mrgibson). It enables people to ask a question of another individual who has a Vyou profile. This question is in text form however the answer is in video format. Tonight this has already enabled two questions to be addressed rather then two students come in tomorrow and say they didn't understand and so haven't done a section. In terms of further potential, I believe this type of application has potential in allowing for assessment of students. I am currently looking at how I can incorporate this application into a presentation to be delivered later in the year. Any ideas would be welcomed if you see some value in it.

All in all I am happy my year nine class is using the resources available to them. Will keep you posted on further developments.

Hello World

So having dabbled with blogs in competitions with mates at uni and after reading a few other teachers blogs I have decided to take the step and create my own. Hopefully it will provide me with a place to share ideas as well as reflect on experiences as many other of the blogs I follow do for others.

As a recent graduate of Wollongong Uni, I was lucky enough to achieve full time work in the border town of Albury. So far I am thoroughly enjoying the challenge that is teaching and the varying experiences I face each day.

Anyways only a short one to start but hopefully this will prove a good tool to share my own experiences and reflect on my teaching.

Andrew Gibson.