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7月5日 Good Teaching-A Matter of Living the MysteryBy Parker Palmer
Good teaching is an act of generosity, a whim of the wanton muse, a craft that may grow with practice, and always risky business. It is, to speak plainly, a maddening mystery. How can I explain the wild variety of teachers who have incited me to learn--from one whose lectures were tropical downpours that drowned out most other comments, to one who created as arid silence by walking into class and asking, "Any questions?" Good teaching cannot be equated with technique. It comes from the integrity of the teacher, from his of her relation to subject and students, from the capricious chemistry of it all. A method that lights one class afire extinguishes another. An approach that bores one student changes anothers life. Faculty and administrators who encourage talk about teaching despite its vagaries are treasures among us. Too many educators respond to the mystery either by privatizing teaching or promoting a technical "fix." The first group uses the variability of good teaching as an excuse to avoid discussing it in public--thus evading criticism of challenge. The second group tries to flatten the variations by insisting on the superiority of this or that method of subtlety. In both quarters, the far-ranging conversation that could illumine the mystery when we think of it as a "black box," something opaque and impenetrable that we must either avoid or manipulate by main force. Mystery is a primal and powerful human experience that can neither be ignored not reduced to formula. To learn from mystery, we must enter with all our faculties alert, ready to laugh as well as grown, able to "live the question" rather demand a final answer. When we enter into mystery this way, we well find the mystery entering us, and our lives are challenged and changed. Good teachers dwell in the mystery of good teaching until it dwells in them. As they explore it alone and with others, the insight and energy of mystery begins to inform and animate their work. They discover and develop methods of teaching that emerge from their own integrity--but they never reduce their teaching to technique. I want to share a few reflections on the mystery of good classroom teaching, whether in large lecture halls or small seminars. I want to name some of its challenges, and suggest some responses, without treating it as a "problem to be solved." Only by doing so, it seems to me, can we enlarge the community of discourse that might encourage more and more of us to teach well. For the rest of the piece see:- http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/events/afc99/articles/goodteaching.html
3月17日 WHY "INTELLIGENT DESIGN" (ID) IS NOT SCIENCEWHY "INTELLIGENT DESIGN" (ID) IS NOT SCIENCE and why, therefore, it should not be taught in a science curriculum...
By Penny Higgins Science is a tool used to describe our world, to understand why the world is the way it is, and to predict what the outcome of a mixture of characteristics may be. Science attempts to do this by studying only phenomena that are "material," meaning countable, measurable, visible, tangible things, and by making the fewest assumptions possible. By being this way, scientists hope to eliminate faulty thinking and conclusions due to matters of opinion, professional conflict, personal experience, or biased knowledge (among other things). Scientists approach their work by asking testable questions (hypotheses), running the tests (experiments), and by always providing within the hypothesis some means by which the hypothesis can be unequivocally disproved. Most experiments test the predictive power of the hypothesis: "If I mix chemical A and chemical B, I should get chemical C and a flash of light", or "People who hate tomatoes also hate ketchup." In their experiments, scientists seek to validate their hypotheses - that is, to make observations that support their hypothesis and never once observe the evidence that disproves their hypothesis. If ever, even for a microsecond, that one thing that disproves the hypothesis is observed, then the whole hypothesis has been shown to be false. At this point, the scientist starts over with a new or revised hypothesis. The most important point is that only one tiny little event can falsify a hypothesis: "I got chemical D" or "This person who hates tomatoes absolutely loves ketchup." However, absolute proof can never be achieved, since there is always the chance that the single falsifying observation may have been missed. If a hypothesis is subjected to test after test over many years and by many different people and does not fail, it will most likely be elevated to the level of "Theory." The term "Theory" is science-ese for "we are pretty darn sure this is absolutely true, but since absolute proof is impossible by the nature of science, we'll just call it something besides 'absolute truth.'" This is basic scientific honesty; you can't run every experiment or make every observation. One of the most harassed theories today is the Theory of Evolution, which posits that all organisms on this planet are related through a common ancestor, and that it is gradual change over extreme spans of time that accounts for the diversity of species today. With this theory, we can predict and understand how and why organisms behave the way they do. If a person wants to understand why dogs, wolves, and coyotes are capable of interbreeding, but they generally don't, one only has to look to evolution. To understand why birds' "knees" bend backward - look to evolution. Why do we sometimes, when we're particularly upset, find ourselves behaving like apes, and what can we do about it - turn to evolution. How can DNA from a virus infect a human cell - we're talking evolution. As noted earlier, science restricts itself to material knowledge. And it seeks to develop hypotheses that will assist us in understanding and predicting the nature of our world. Recently, the concept of "Intelligent Design" (ID) as been brought forward as an alternative "theory" explaining the origin of the diversity of life on Earth. The key to ID is the notion that many of the basic parts that all organisms share are too complex to have arisen from gradual change. ID proposes that some external agent or intelligence is responsible for making these critical bits. But is ID Science? Should it be taught in a science classroom alongside the Theory of Evolution? Well, can it be tested? Are there falsifying observations? ID could potentially be disproved by observing a more primitive intermediate form of some part that has been touted as 'too complex' to be natural. But then, the individual running the ID experiment can alter his hypothesis to say that this new structure is that which was installed by the Intelligent Designer. Because of this, there is no part of ID that can be unequivocally falsified by material science. The second part of ID calls for an external Designer. This idea is neither fully supported nor fully falsified by material observation. There is no scientific way to test for the presence or absence of the Designer, as the Designer is defined as unobservable, or at least, only observable by a chosen few. One of the most important characteristics of scientific hypotheses and theories is the predictive power they provide. ID does not offer any new explanation or observation about these complex structures that the Theory of Evolution does not already provide. The observation that some structures in organisms are too complex to have originated from gradual change will not help scientists to develop a better antibiotic, for example. In fact, the idea that "some things are too complex" is anti-scientific, since it seems to suggest that we shouldn't try to understand the origins of the complex structures. ID discourages us from looking and asking questions. True science, however, moves on. If it is later found to be the case that some structures in organisms do not have more primitive counterparts, science will observe and recognize this fact, and the new knowledge will be incorporated into evolutionary theory. ID is not a scientific theory and should not be taught alongside the Theory of Evolution. It offers nothing to help students understand how science works. It is merely a statement of how complex life seems to be - not even worth an hour of classroom time. 3月13日 The decline of Shop Clases in BC and AlbertaThe Decline of Shop Clases in BC and Alberta Schools....
BC and Alberta have both been closing hands-on Shop Programs and embracing table and computer driven Technology Education in the Secondary Schools.
A BC teacher working in Alberta has been writing to Education and Apprenticeship training ministers in Alberta to make them aware of the issues. Here is part of his letter:
The issue of apprentice training is one dear to my heart as we have failed our kids in the past 10 to 15 years and given them hopes of high paying jobs in the computer/high tech world. We are all to blame and I doubt any of us could have seen it coming until it was too late. Not all kids are the cream of the crop and we are in a global race for high tech jobs.
That leaves "little Johnny" on the farm who dropped out in grade 10 or 11 to the work the fields with his Dad; with little or no chance of survival after the farm goes broke and he is standing on the gravel road with a wife, 2 kids and a dog looking South.
We all share the blame equally, now we have to correct what we can as best we can.
I could care less who gets the blame or who points the finger. I think the one who does something about it will be able to sleep better at night and so will the people they help.
Paul. 1月13日 BCTF proposes solutions to bargaining structureBCTF proposes solutions to bargaining structureThe BC Teachers' Federation has outlined its plan to address the dysfunctional bargaining structures in the K–12 sector. The 15-page submission sent to Industrial Inquiry Commissioner Vince Ready articulates the Federation's proposals on local versus provincial bargaining, the scope of issues, and means of dispute resolution. It also looks at funding and the role of government in the teacher bargaining process. "A good collective bargaining system produces a relationship where the parties are prepared to live with, and work under, the agreement that is reached," the report states. The BCTF is urging a return to local bargaining, so that teachers represented by their local unions would bargain directly with their employers, the elected school trustees. The needs and conditions of Stikine, for example, are radically different from those of Surrey. We are also calling for full scope bargaining; that is, the right to be able to bargain all the terms and conditions of employment, including class size, class composition, and staffing levels. During the last round, the government prohibited negotiation of these very issues, and as a consequence, teachers had no choice but to go on strike to achieve improvements for their students and themselves. "Simply put, any collective bargaining system that does not allow teachers to address these issues will fail," the report states. The BCTF is also calling for Mr. Ready to recommend that government bring British Columbia back into harmony with international labour law by repealing its essential service legislation and restoring teachers' legal right to strike. "The right to strike is fundamental to the health of a collective bargaining structure. Without it, the [bargaining] table does not have two equal partners. Without it, there is no incentive on the employer's part to bargain seriously when the issues are contentious," the report states. Further, it points out that the International Labour Organization, a UN agency, "has consistently ruled that the withdrawal of services by teachers...is protected under international law." For the first time in its history, the BCTF is also prepared to agree to provincial negotiations on the level of government funding that would be allocated to the local bargaining process. "This would assure government that it has some control over the expenditure of resources, but at the same time would allow the local parties to agree on how, and on what, the expenditures would take place," the report states. Finally, the BCTF is calling on government to stop intervening legislatively in the collective bargaining process. The submission to Mr. Ready quotes Mark Brown, vice-chair of the Labour Relations Board: "While legislation may end a dispute, it cannot force co-operation, it cannot force creative and innovative thinking to find long term solutions to problems and it cannot force the necessary dialogue to create productive, flexible and adaptable workplaces. Imposing terms of a collective agreement by legislative intervention has a chilling effect on the long term collective bargaining relationship," Brown wrote. To read the BCTF's proposed solutions in full, go to: www.bctf.ca/bargain/negotiations2004/iic/BCTF-submission.html 12月21日 ESL Help Urgently Needed.The following Add appears on the Education Canada web site periodically.
Frankly I am disgusted that a company that supposedly is providing tutoring and ESL support can't even compose a decent help wanted add!!!!!
This jem is from their current Education Canada listing:--
Our company, Can Edu Vision Co., is providing educational materials and tutoring service to our clients.
Check out our website http://www.caneduvision.com Our clients (students) have READPHONICS and read them through the computer or books. Each chapter of a book has the writing assignments. The tutor visit the student’s place and study with the writing assignments. New tutor will have followings. 1. Make part-time employment contract tutors and Can Edu Vision. 2. Can Edu Vision supports tutor’s EI and CPP 3. we assign students to tutors 4. We support the major tutoring materials and guide the teaching outlines. 5. 1 hour is minimum for a tutoring session. 6. Monthly payment will be various based on tutoring hours.
I think that they need an English Tutor. If you have the desire to help them out contact them at:--
Tom Lee
12月16日 UnschoolingBy Jeremiah Vandermeer
Published: December 16, 2005 in the TYEE.. Scientific creativity Unschooling, also known as "independent learning" or "experience-based learning," differs from conventional homeschooling, where a student will generally follow a set curriculum, which is often based directly on the public school system's program. Instead, unschooling students are encouraged to find the path that works best for them, and empowers them to choose their own intellectual destinies. Unschoolers agree with George Bernard Shaw when he said, "We want to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, not knowledge in pursuit of the child." 'Dumbing us down' Gatto's book, Dumbing us Down, which was originally published in 1992, has just been re-released by Gabriola Island's New Society Publishers to celebrate 100,000 copies of the book in print. Made up of the speeches he gave on receiving his two Teacher of the Year awards from the U.S. Senate, "The Psychopathic School" and "The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher," the book is a scathing indictment of North American public schools and their intended purpose. Gatto says, since the publication of his book over a decade ago, many more people are aware of the harm caused by public schooling and the mechanisms through which the harm is conducted. There are now over two million homeschoolers in North America, and the number is growing. "Government schools are considerably worse than they've ever been," Gatto says. Please read the whole piece on line.
Stephen..
12月13日 How Classroom Mix Got to Be a CrisisThree government decisions changed how schools work.
By John Malcolmson
Published: December 7, 2005 TheTyee.ca
Class composition - the mix of special needs and ESL students with other students in classroom settings -- is the issue which lies at the heart of teachers' ongoing dispute with the provincial government. There are many sound educational reasons for integrating these students into regular classrooms. But none of them apply if adequate resources are not provided to make integrated classes work. And, like most everything else that goes into ensuring a quality education, resources cost money.
The composition of classes has long been an issue confronting educators in BC. The crisis in class composition is a problem of recent vintage. It effectively dates back to three related decisions by the provincial government in 2002. First came with the end of special education financial targeting and the reorganization of funding allocations for special needs students. Second, was the elimination of detailed mandatory special education reporting in district budgets. And third was the legislative override of contract provisions governing class size and composition.
12月12日 Compare K to 12 Curriculum's and Subjects across CanadaDifferent things get taught at different times and in different ways depending on what part of this wonderful country you happen to live in.
This site list all the provincial curriculum documents and IRP packages for each province and territory in Canada.
12月9日 Industrial Design may Disappear from the Secondary CurriculumPoor data collection methods may be responsible for the BC Ministry of Education cancelling Industrioal Design Courses.
Some Tech Ed teachers may have heard that the ministry has decided to de-list the Technology Education 11-12 (Industrial Design) curriculum. However, there is still an opportunity to get this decision reversed.
When enrollment in a course drops below a certain level, the ministry puts in on a watch list and tracks enrollment. The course stays on this "orange" list for three years, after which the ministry makes a decision about keeping the course or de-listing it. The ministry does not consult either the BCTF or the PSAs about this, but we now have assurances they will in the future. The data the ministry has for Tech Ed 11-12 (Industrial Design) is that less than 100 students province-wide are enrolled in Tech Ed 11-12 Industrial Design in any given year. They have now heard from a teacher who reports that the enrollment at his school alone exceeds that number. It may be that schools have been coding this course incorrectly, perhaps
using old course codes. Had the ministry consulted with teachers, through the PSA or in some other way, over the last three years, they would have caught possible problems in their data sooner. This is an object lesson in the pitfalls of "data-driven decision making." The ministry is now investigating, the decision is delayed, and they are open to reversing their original decision. If Tech Ed teachers have information about enrollment in Tech Ed 11-12 (Industrial Design) in their schools, they should e-mail it to Pierre.Gilbert@gov.bc.ca, and copy achapman@bctf.ca. |
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