Virtual Teacher Newsletter No. 133 TEACHING AS AN ART
THE FREE ONLINE FORTNIGHTLY IT TEACHERS' NEWSLETTER
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CONTENTS
1. Welcome
2. Mind Candy
3. WWWinfo COASTAL WATCH
4. New Printables - Text Types
5. Technical Stuff – IPOD SHUFFLE and iTV
6. Web Site Focus - BEYOND ELECTRONIC WHITEBOARDS
7. CATHY’S FORUM – TEACHING AS AN ART
8. Great Sites
9. Readers' Requests/Comments
10 Next Issue
11. Code of 'Netizens'
12. Tips
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1. WELCOME EVERYONE.
What a great response to the forum, there is a lot to say about
the maths curriculum. Thanks for all the input. You will love
the work being done at FutureLab, and do read the article
on personalisation, a new perspective on an old theory.
Some folks are getting 2 newsletters - please email me
and let me know if you receive 2 this mailout,
please put duplicate email in subject so I can sort this out.
I will be having a break over the holidays so there will not be
another VT till after school returns. Ciao Cathy
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2. MIND CANDY
What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge,
and not knowledge in pursuit of the child."
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950) Irish-British playwright
and Nobel Prize winner.
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Dare to imagine...
A world where the environments in which we learn are
Transformed.
Futurelab
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The logic of education systems should be reversed so that
the system conforms to the learner, rather than the learner
to the system. This is the essence of personalisation. It
demands a system capable of offering bespoke support
for each individual in order to foster engaged and independent
learners able to reach their full potential.
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/research/personalisation.htm
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3. WWWinfo Coastal Watch
Check out the webcams and surf and Australian and
International Beaches. And wish you were there.
http://www.coastalwatch.com/contents/default2.aspx
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4. NEW PRINTABLES The History of the World
by those who learned by rote.
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/history.html
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5. TECHNICAL STUFF
Coming soon….iTV is little network media box that will
stream all of your iTunes-based media--including music,
movies, TV shows, podcasts, and photos--from your PC or
Mac to your HDTV and home audio system
http://reviews.cnet.com/4531-10921_7-6637708.html
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The world’s smallest digital music player and just $119inc
the 1GB iPod shuffle lets you wear up to 240 songs(1) on your
sleeve. Or your lapel. Or your belt. Clip on iPod shuffle and wear
it as a badge of musical devotion.
http://www.apple.com/au/ipodshuffle/
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6. WEBSITE FOCUS - BEYOND ELECTRONIC WHITEBOARDS
A lot of technology uses IT as a replacement for existing systems:
where there pencils and paper, now there is a keyboard;
chalk and duster have made way for electronic whiteboards.
Nothing new is happening just using new technology to do the
same old things. Future Lab is pioneering new ways to use
technology to transform the learning experience.
Futurelab is passionate about transforming the way
people learn. Tapping into the huge potential
offered by digital and other technologies, they are
developing innovative learning resources and
practices that support new approaches to education
for the 21st century.
Future Lab
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/index.htm
Create a Mediascape
http://www.createascape.org.uk/
Space Mission Ice Moon
http://www.futurelab.org.uk/showcase/space_mission/index.htm
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7. CATHY'S FORUM TEACHING IS NOT A SCIENCE, IT’S AN ART
If teaching were a science there would be a best way of
teaching and everyone would have to teach like that. George Polya
What is involved in the art of teaching? How do you develop
great teachers. Each teacher has their one personal style
there own way of working with their students, their own set of
standards. A great teacher has a huge impact on students
students often credit a particular teacher inspiring them,
encouraging them, of making the difference in their lives.
Who did this for you? What did they do? What great teachers
have you known? What made them stand out?
Does it Matter? It sure does. Send you responses in.
I’M SURE A LOT OF YOU WILL HAVE SOMETHING -
TO SAY ABOUT GREAT TEACHERS.
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7b. MATHS WARS - BACK TO BASICS - or ONWARD TO
MATHEMATICAL THINKING
Basic Skills testing, SC and HSC examinations are heavily if
not entirely reliant on Parrot Maths answers, and are touted
by politicians and non-educators as the ultimate solution to
evaluating the educational standards of the Australian
students. Every Educator worth their salt, knows they are
not. A good memory does not an educated student make.
Memorisation is only the first step, the tool if you like to creative
thinking, the make it an end in itself diminishes the value of every
student we teach
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Cathy
This is the first time I have replied to one of your fascinating newsletters
and I thank you for your efforts in putting each one together (doing some
online editorial work myself, I do understand the time it must take you.)
I am not a teacher, but a parent of three children, the last of whom is
finishing Yr 12 in NSW now.
Maths is a problem area and I add the experience below to show
that there is a place for rote learning.
My daughter, who has worked extremely hard and was a
Premier's High Achiever in her HSC, was taught maths
using the rods method but she never actually caught on to the
basic concepts. I spoke to her Yr 2 teacher about what I
saw as Katrina's maths problems and was told that she
would make the connections. She never really did and Maths
was always a puzzle for her, yet she has the intellect to be
a Dean's Scholar at University of Wollongong with a high
distinction average, in economics and marketing.
Some rote learning of times tables would have been of enormous
benefit to her.
As Katrina and her older brother were moving through primary school, her
younger brother was watching every move they made. The four of us would
play monopoly together, with the youngest picking up the maths of money by
four (4) years of age and transferring this to the basics of times tables.
The point of this email: There IS a place for learning basics over and
over until it becomes second nature. Without doubt, making maths fun
rather than a boring chore will give those who have the ability the
opportunity to grasp concepts quickly, whilst allowing those a little slower
to also understand.
I have the good fortune of three more than average children - yet one of
them found the system of simply grasping the concept unworkable.
How do children of below average ability grasp such concepts without some
level of rote basic learning?
As in so many aspects of life, a little moderation is called for. By all
means ensure children learn by enjoying maths, but make sure they have the
basic concepts as second nature so they can build on that platform to the
higher level concepts.
Kerry Timms
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Greetings Cathy
Thanks again for a great VT.
However, are we in danger of confusing education with schooling?
In Victoria, we once had a department of school education DSE.
Now the DE&T ('DEET') education and training
Essentially the negotiated curriculum will turn up what needs to be known
and what 'should' be known if their is sufficient support and accountability
built in.
Once established an expectation that teachers share their progress with
peers then the accountability becomes very clear.
No amount of central checking can come close, IMHO...
The VELS seems to be one way of encouraging a free thinking
approach to covering 'the' content...which content?
Depends on whomsoever you ask...
IMHO=in my humble opinion
VELS=victorian essential learning standards
Vic DE&T has sought to 'cut the crap' and empower teachers ( and their
students) to choose what is important to them, and to design appropriate
curriculum activities which may be localised...
Also allows (some) to start rehearsing exam preparations in year 9 and 10
for the VCE...
Most y10s in Victoria now take a unit 1/2(year 11) subject to 'prepare' them
for the rigours of VCE...
We have SEAL schools...select entry accelerated learning...where students
finish the 6 years of secondary schooling in five years...then do a year 13
Which is really first year uni, while still at secondary school.
There appears to be a race to get to tertiary..
There is very little sideways exploration of topics only just enough to
score well at this level then on to the next level
Extension work is usually the next level work
Not sideways or greater depth ...just more of the same ...
Maths!!!
Let me start...
Where else can you see the 'same' topic listed for so many years????
There is an inbuilt assumption that students 'don't get it!"
Fractions is listed( in every state) at year 2/year
3/year4/year5/year6/year7/year8/year9/and for good measure year10...as well
as in 'business maths at year 11
There is no reward for getting it early...only 'sheep dip' where every
student goes through whether they need it or not....
I want to start a no sheep dip for me!! Reform movement...
Or do we just say 'Baaaaahhh'
Maths ....who needs it??
Just do science really well...all the mathematics you need is built in
incontext
All the 'great mathematicians' were scientists...or more correctly natural
philosophers who had issues with describing their world so invented maths to
solve it...
Newton
maxwell
Einstein
faraday
Calculus was invented to solve the issues around gravity...not to give a
source for y12 exam questions....
All the physics we 'do' uses non calculus means of solving the problems...
Simple ratios..simple algebra
We use the maths that galileo had....and not much more..
Because not much more is needed
A really good SOSE activity would be to survey everyone you can find...and
ask what sort of maths do you actually use?
Then just learn that..
I suggest fractions would not be there...who uses them now??
Hence the difference between education..and schooling....
Education = what you need for life
Schooling = the knowledge you need to get to the next level...
Anyway..
Try the new logger pro..it has photo analysis built in..and video analysis
Just take a video( use a new iNtel mac and use your bluetooth phone to take
the movie)..upload into the computer..click on the movie frame by
frame..then you have th epath of the movement
A thrown( anything is great!!)..then you have a curve( parabola for the
maths teachers) ..and the shape is always the same!!!
Except when it is moving really fast..
Who fast??
Find out!!
Suitable for all ages...and the y12 exam in physics..but best for grade
4/5....as they are learning to play tennis..AFL..basketball
So they will 'know' where to throw/kick/hit the ball to let it 'fall' in
It may be much more important to be a 'good' player than to pass the exam...
Time to go..again
However, it is worth recalling what I was told in my first month of my first
year of teaching...( february 1978)...if it's not tested it's not taught!!
Whether it's worth learning is not our business...get the best results
possible, results are measured by the test..
Get on with it!!
This was from my then Principal, who was one of the most creative physics
teachers I have ever seen...he preferred to take year 7s as his teaching
load, and went to the park at every opportunity...to 'do' physics and
maths...and have fun!!
All of this nearly thirty years ago...his justification was ..what will they
remember?..if it's fun..the fact of the matter is irrelevant..if they
associate fun with maths and science they will be able to 'do' it...if it is
all sit and write..they will dislike it with a vengeance
Ask around..what do colleague teachers recall of their maths experience???
It's rarely good news...and nothing has changed!!
Regards
gary
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Thanks Gary as insightful as ever. In shaping a new curriculum
we need the NO MORE SHEEP DIP APPROACH. Yes we are
in danger of confusing education with schooling, and it’s time
we stopped schooling and started Educating.
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Although I do not teach math anymore, when I did, it was to
self-contained, special education students. I discovered my
students were quite energized when provided with hands-on,
activity-based assignments, all of which addressed our
state's Core Content Curriculum Standards. In addition,
allowing them to work in pairs and/or teams kept their
energy levels higher than working alone, especially in math.
Competitions also piqued their interest and kept them focused
and motivated.
Having read what George Polya wrote, it reminded me of
a book I'd read by Paolo Freire entitled, Pedagogy of the
Oppressed. Below, please find two quotes about Freire's
approach to education.
Freire is best-known for his attack on what he called the banking
concept of education, in which the student was viewed as an
empty account to be filled by the teacher.
More challenging is Freire's strong aversion to the teacher-student
dichotomy. This dichotomy is admitted in Rousseau and
constrained in Dewey, but Freire comes close to insisting that
it should be completely abolished. This is hard to imagine in
absolute terms (there must be some enactment of the
teacher-student relationship in the parent-child relationship),
but what Freire suggests is that a deep reciprocity be inserted
into our notions of teacher and student. Freire wants us to think
in terms of teacher-student and student-teacher, that is, a
teacher who learns and a learner who teaches, as the basic
roles of classroom participation.
It appears there are similarities between Freire and Polya's
philosophies. Perhaps your readers might also be interested
in looking into Freire's work when seeking alternative ways
to present mathematics to their students.
Best of luck in acquiring more responses.
Nancy S-G
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Hi Cathy,
I'm a musician rather than a mathematician, but these
comments on 'mere memory' make me uneasy. Ask any
professional pianist, singer or jazz musician how 'mere'
memory is. In the sciences, doctors rely heavily on
memory, especially in high-pressure situations. These
are just some obvious examples in the professional world.
Should we perhaps be talking about what constitutes
effective use of memorisation?
Kris Bowtell
Lesmurdie SHS
West Australia
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Good point Kris, I guess I see memorisation as the tool to
support creativity, not an end in itself, very often it is. In your case
the end product is not memorising, this would be only the first step,
after memorisation comes the hard part, interpretation, creativity,
adaptation etc.
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8. GREAT SITES
Parents, teachers and students using this educational site
will find many free unique teaching tools, online interactive
activities, projects, worksheets and many other resources to
help with the daily educational learning adventure.
http://teachingtreasures.com.au/
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9. READERS COMMENTS/REQUESTS
Hi Cathy,
I run a Virtual Opportunity Class for 30 children from 11 schools
across a 200 kilometre area in the Orange Bathurst District.
We come together at the beginning of a session to meet each
other and walk through the website together so that the children
understand what is required. We all meet again at the end of each
session to display the children's work and hear them talk about
their presentations, their journeys and some of the difficulties
or problems they have managed to solve.
Their schools give the children 2 hours a week to work on
a fortnightly task in Literacy and Numeracy and then on major
tasks which they can select from a variety of subject areas
such as Medieval Times, Forensic Science,, Tessellations,
Rivers and a Book Study. There is also a web board for them
to have discussions and to ask others about their work.
The children email me their fortnightly tasks and ask
questions. I solve problems for them and offer help in different
methods of presentation and how to use scanners and cameras
etc in their work. Some of them of course know lots more than
me. Many of them put in many hours at home as well as at
school and seem to really enjoy what they are doing.
At the last exhibition of their work, we had digital presentations
in PowerPoint and Photostory as well as word processing
in the form of newspapers, cartoons, tessellations, experiments
and reports. They also had many hand-crafted items as well
such as models of footprints, shields and castles.
I also teach 3/4/5/6 in a 3 teacher small school and we are
incredibly lucky to have interactive whiteboards in each classroom.
We have a very supportive principal and we are all learning so
much as we go along. I hope sometime soon to be able to
conference with the children in the Virtual Class through the
whiteboard as well.
I find the websites in the magazine extremely useful and interesting
and they often save me spending a large amount of time researching
certain topics.
Jane Doherty
Canobolas Public School
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Cathy, your newsletter is just fantastic. Just wanted to let
you know that I received 2 copies today. Probably a hiccup
in the system, but thought you should know anyway.
Keep up the good work, it is really appreciated in this household
as we have a first year Uni student studying to teach Maths and History
Cheers
Karen Jones
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Ive been receiving two copies of VT and I do not wish to unsubscribe.
Can you take care of it from your end.
Ta, and thanks for all the useful advice. I work in a special needs
school so if there are any useful sites you know of with regard
to "mature but simply designed " material I'd be grateful.
Thanks, David
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Can anyone suggests some sites?
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10. NEXT ISSUE - Narrative Writing. ciao Cathy
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11. Code of the 'Netizens'
This Newsletter is not free, despite the misleading advertising
above. The Fee is now due. Each week you must help one
colleague on the Internet who has less knowledge than you.
Help that person even if you have to visit their classroom or
do a little research and get back to them. Trust me, this will
help a lot of people get their computer classrooms running better.
OK I'm trusting you!!!
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12. TIPS
1. Double click on highlighted URLS to open in browser.
2. Send in your Questions, Questions will be published with
Answers, send in your Answers, if you have expertise to share.
3. Nominate a brilliant site for review and inclusion in this
newsletter.
4. Nominate a fantastic school site for review and inclusion in
this newsletter.
5. Make contact with other schools using fantastic programs.
6. Prepare and innovative article for this newsletter.
7. Tell 2 colleagues about this newsletter.
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The opinions expressed here are purely those of the editor,
Cathy Brown. All other small print clauses apply. Such as:
Use at your own risk. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If it doesn't
work for you send me an email.
Editor: cathy brown mailto:cathy@virtualteacher.com.au
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