Teacher inquiry: this just in from Piaget!

August 7, 2014academics, educationdialogue between teachers and researchers, educational research, Jean Piaget, teacher education, teacher inquiry, teachingckosnik

Yes, I (Clive) know I should get a life, but lately I’ve been reading Dewey, Vygotsky, and Piaget (there’s a constructivist connection).

Skimming through Piaget’s The Moral Judgment of the Child (R&KP, 1932) I came across this wonderful quote in the very last paragraph (p. 414).

“Educational experiment…is certainly more instructive for psychology than any amount of laboratory experiments…. But the type of experiment which such research would require can only be conducted by teachers or by the combined efforts of practical workers and educational psychologists. And it is not in our power to deduce the results to which this would lead.”

This captures so well what I was trying to say in my previous blog. Academics and teachers must inquire together, rather than taking pot-shots at each other.

It feels good to be backed up by the likes of Piaget.

A Book on Critical Literacy and Teacher Education

August 5, 2014education, literacycritical literacy, Jerome Harste, literacy teacher education, Tate, Vivian Vasquezpoojadharamshi

I (Pooja) am currently re-reading Negotiating critical literacies with teachers: Theoretical foundations and pedagogical resources for pre-service and in-service contexts (Vasquez, V.M., Tate, S.L, & Harste, J.C., 2013). This book suggests a theoretical framework, provides insightful examples, and offers pedagogical resources when incorporating critical literacy practices into pre-service and in-service teacher education.

I share some moments in the book which really stood out for me during my second reading:

1. Vasquez et al. suggest this book fills a gap in the literature about critical literacy and teacher education. Specifically,

This book speaks to what Dozier et al. (2006) observe as a profession that has not publicly articulated the nature of the alignment between our expectations for our [teacher educators’] own literate lives and our expectations for our students as literacy learners.

2. As I was more closely re-reading the final chapter of this text, a section on “Dealing with Accountability and Standards” really stood out for me. This section dealt what our critical literacy participants in our SSHRC study have expressed to be a tension in their work. Vasquez et al. (2013) take the following stance on dealing with accountability and standards as teacher educators,

A question that often arises for us is how to get beyond the hurdles of incorporating a critical stance when we live in a world of accountability and standards….we have found that these difficulties become easier with teachers who have a concrete philosophy about their pedagogy and can demonstrate how this type of pedagogy has changed their own academic and personal lives as well as that of their students.

3. They go on to provide insights into how best practice critical literacy in teacher education,

We have also found that you cannot do this work alone. Having other to think with and reflect with, even if they are not in your workplace makes all the difference in whether you continue to create more and more spaces for critical literacy in your setting or whether you throw in the towel.

Creativity and the Curriculum

August 4, 2014Curriculum Resources, curriculum; teachers, education, literacyaustralian landscapes, creativity and teaching, Yiola Cleovoulouycleovoulou

I (yiola) will admit that as a classroom teacher – while I thought I was a good teacher of student learning – I lacked creativity both in content and pedagogy. Recently, I came across this link:

30 Dad Jokes That Are So Bad, They’re Great

and now, as a more experienced (teacher) educator and reflective practitioner what came to mind was, “wow… so many interesting ways to use this link and these beautiful images with the mandated Ontario curriculum”. For example, any grade and topic in the Social Studies curriculum could be applied: Grade 2: Communities Around the World; Grade 3: Living and Working in Ontario (a perfect opportunity to explore the various regions and compare and contrast their beauty); Grade 4: Physical Regions in Canada (exploring photography to “unearth” physical landscapes); Grade 6: Canada’s interactions with the Global Community (moving beyond the political and economic). Social studies can be seamlessly linked to literacy and the more I explore multiliteracies the more inspired I am to employ the visual and the aesthetic to develop meaning and understanding… and communication. Imagine the Visual Arts lessons and opportunities front these images — ‘Hello group of 7″ — and colour, and perspective, and line and emotion. And to grasp onto the beauty of what may be unfamiliar to students living in urban centres or familiar to those living in more remote regions to discuss lifestyles and Healthy Living from the Health and Physical Education curriculum.

Which ever way children chose to inquire, creative opportunities and aesthetic resources may offer new and exciting opportunities for seeing the world and themselves. This concept for teaching is more inspiring than how I recall teaching and learning (i.e. comparison worksheets of city life vs. rural life).

PS — I thought of my good friend Clive Beck as I enjoyed these beautiful images! I hope you enjoy them too.

Prank it Forward

August 1, 2014Uncategorizedcaring, eating disorders, heartwarming, yogaDr. Cathy Miyata

I (Cathy) had never heard of “Prank It Forward” until today. It is heartwarming. If you want to feel good about people this is long weekend, watch the following video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2zUf06iy1A

This ‘prank’ reminded me of a project one of my students started last year in her classroom during her practice teaching. She called it Spread the Joy. Everyday she initiated an event that would make a student happy and challenged the class to spread the joy. It was one of the most powerful things I have ever seen happen in a classroom. She turned the class around.

Big or small, giving a car or a compliment, we can make a difference.

Congratulations to Tim Fletcher

July 31, 2014education, Teacher education, universityAlan Ovens, physical and health education, self-study, Self-Study in Physical Education Teacher Education, teacher education, Tim Fletcherckosnik

Congratulations to our friend and colleague Tim Fletcher on the publication of Self-Study in Physical Education Teacher Education which he co-edited with Alan Ovens. Tim has a long-time commitment to the practice and study of health and physical education. Teaching at Brock University where he is an Assistant Professor and conducting research on the preparation of teachers to teach phys ed, he understands the complexity of the issues facing teachers and teacher educators. Helping children and youth acquire the skills and attitudes to lead a healthy and active lifestyle is not easy but is critically important. This text will help us think differently about preparing teachers to teach health and physical education.

Here is a description of the book:

In this in-depth examination of self-study as a research methodology, an international selection of physical education scholars share their ideas and experiences and consider the value of self-study as a vector for highlighting the emerging conflicts, dilemmas, and debates currently developing in teaching and teacher education pedagogies. A vital new addition to Springer’s series Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices, the volume is divided into three sections assessing the significance of the approach itself, offering detailed subject-relevant case studies, and exploring the nuances and controversies attending the evolution of the methodology. The contributors show how self-study enables reflexivity in pedagogical practice, a notable lacuna in current critical research, and at the same time they make the technique accessible to scholars of physical education wanting a practicable introduction to the subject. The analysis also explores the implications of applying self-study to pedagogy itself, to the curriculum, and to human movement and educational practice more generally. By embracing more organic, emergent notions of research practice and learning, the book achieves a broader and more inclusive survey of pedagogical work in physical education teacher education that fully acknowledges the complexities of the field. http://www.springer.com/education+%26+language/learning+%26+instruction/book/978-3-319-05662-3

Reading Choices

July 30, 2014curriculum; teachers, education, literacy, literacy, Literacy teacher educators, research, Teacher educationdoctoral research, lauren myracle, Reading preferences, student teachers, Students' Reading Choices, ttyl, Young Adult Literaturelmmenna

In general terms, my (Lydia) dissertation research examines the ways in which student teachers construct conceptions of literacy and enact literacy pedagogy when they view themselves as in conversation with a broader field of literacy (e.g. Multiple Literacies, New Literacy Studies). One aspect of this research considers how student teachers’ personal literacy practices inform their approach to literacy pedagogy. In some cases student teachers’ personal reading practices have been influenced by the interests and reading choices of the pupils they teach. These student teachers have often engaged with texts recommended by their pupils (e.g. graphic novels, young adult literature), and these shared texts become a space within which teacher and pupil connect. One of the student teachers participating in this research discussed the text ttyl written by Lauren Myracle, who has been referred to as a modern day Judy Blume. This young adult novel, which is part of a series, is written entirely in instant messages. Interesting, this best selling novel has been on the annual list of the “Most Challenged Books” released by the American Library Association. In other words, people have requested that this book be ban from libraries and schools “due to sexually explicit material and offensive language.” I plan to share this text with the student teachers in our literacy courses this year. I think it could contribute to an interesting conversation about text structure, style, controversies, and pupils’ diverse reading interests.

“Too Fast For the Truth”

July 29, 2014UncategorizedNew York Times, Pooja Dharamshi, telegraphpoojadharamshi

This made me (Pooja) laugh. A New York Times Article from 1858 wonders if transatlantic telegraphs were necessary, or “too fast for the truth?”

“Superficial, sudden, unsifted,” is how news via telegraph were described in this article. Sound familiar!? I guess the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Read Adrienne Lafrance’s article on the evolution of communication mediums here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/07/in-1858-people-said-the-telegraph-was-too-fast-for-the-truth/375171/

Learning at the Children’s Museum, Madison WI

July 28, 2014educationchildren's museum, hands on learning, Madison Wisconsin, play, Yiola Cleovoulouycleovoulou

This summer my family traveled to Madison, Wisconsin USA. I (yiola) found Madison to be a beautiful city filled with parks and bike paths, small shops and galleries. Among the many sites, we toured the capital building and the large farmer’s market on a sunny Saturday morning. We also visited a most amazing place: The Children’s Museum. A three level building on Hamilton St, just across from the capital building, the Children’s Museum is a “hands on” facility where children can muck about and explore.

Included here is photojournalism to share our experience at the museum:

"Play" as and for learning is the philosophy that guides the program at the Children's museum. — “Play” as and for learning is the philosophy that guides the program at the Children’s museum.

My children Gallaway (age 3) and Sylvia Clare (age 4) gearing up to explore the museum.

Materials for exploring, creating, building and open, un-supervised spaces are provided for children of all ages.

An enormous, creative indoor playground that includes climbers and slides.

Open the door, touch the bark, see the leaves, read about the tree.

A large room focused on the Arts with several hands on activities (painting, weaving, exploring light, collaging).

A roof top patio with animals, eco friendly systems and gardens.

We learned about training pigeons to fly away and return and how they were used as messengers — Training pigeons to fly away and return and how they were used as messengers.

Sylvia Clare drumming in one of two historical huts

From toddlers to adults there was so much to see and do at the Children’s Museum. I was inspired by the way the learning philosophy was placed in action. The Children’s Museum is a wonderful model for learning, literacy teaching and so much more.