What an enlightening show. Click here to listen to the show.
The Talking Teacher learned a lot from this show. The past. Sometimes we may glamorize it,sometimes we want to hide it, or even run away from it, but we can surely learn a lot from it. The model used for the Robert Crawford school turned out a lot of successful, productive citizens. It offered the academic as well as the trades. Take a listen to the show, see what you think.
This week was part two of our November workshop show. Last week, remember that Ms. Resheemah Swan shared a few things about the committee, and what they were up to, this week, we had a few of the presentors on. Dr. Ash Molloy, Martha Kaufeldt, Ako Kamdon, Lisa Daily, and Cheri Eck, shared a bit of their expertise with our listeners.
Dr. Ash Molloy runs the Transformation Education Institute, a group whose mission is to promote and empower persons who seek to include everyone. Dr. Ash, was recommended by a few of our Para-Educators, who, after hearing him present at a conference, insisted that the Union bring him in and utilyze his expertise. He presented a workshop for our Paras, and stressed the following things for any successful school: 1. Collaboration is key 2. Communication is key 3. Don't judge people He also stressed that any one in the school system take on the attitude of service.
Martha Kaufeldt, is an experienced educator, presenter, and author whose concentration is dealing with Brain-Compatible Teaching and Learning. Her site is full of information, ideas and links, check it out. She shared three basic points concerning brain learning: 1. Brain learning is minimized while the brain is under stress 2. The brain grows and develops if we play 3. When it comes to what you know, you have to use it, or lose it
She comes from the angle that since we are dealing with the brain, we might as well understand how it works and how it works best in order to ensure our young scholars get the most out of our lessons.
Lisa Dailey, a counselor at one of our senior schools stressed the "unsent letter". Getting those ill feelings that you may have towards someone out in a productive way. She can be contacted at awakenings88@yahoo.com.
Cheri Eck, presented on a few interesting things also,on math games and her site can be reached by clicking here. Her 30-sided dice and other tricks had her participants really engaged in meaningful tasks.
Ako Kamdon was the keynote speaker and had the entire crowd enthrawled by his words of wisdom and motivation. Representing the Visionary Learners Institute, Mr. Kamdon shared a few thoughts to us on how to move from being a collection to a group: 1. Envision your goal 2. Take criticism 3. Know your gifts 4. Approach people in the right spirit, a humble spirit, one of a person willing to serve.
The brother is dynamic!!! Check his site to find out more or to contact him.
So, what a show, click here to listen if you missed it. Enjoy, leave us your thoughts, enjoy!!
The Talking Teacher had to brew on this one for a bit. After reading the headlines :"Horton defends fee payouts" The Talking Teacher has to speak on this, so here goes. The article goes on to state how there has been thousands and thousands of dollars spent out for advisers, consultants, and all sorts of other "experts". The interesting thing is that nothing really has changed, well, other than the state of certain people's pockets, and more is being dished out.
The Hopkins report exposed the classroom teacher for being inadequate and targeted the teacher as the weakest link in the whole chain of education in Bermuda. The Talking Teacher has to ask, if the "problem" is in the classroom, why is it that some of those dollars haven't trickled down into the classroom. Now I don't mean more texts, or fancy gadgetry that do all sorts of top notch things that the average teacher won't even use. But I mean the little things that teachers pay out of pocket for day in and day out. Things like flour, lemons, plastic bags, you name it, in order for the classroom to be successfully interactive, one has to pay out of pocket for these things. This money is spent out with no hope, or thought of being reimbursed whatsoever!!
There is a yearly order that is placed at the end of the year for certain things, but wow, that list has had to be in existence since the times of Noah. The list is full of things such as staples, pencils, and the usual good things, but is only specialized for the math teachers, the the extent of that portion is math manipulatives such as blocks and fake money. The science teacher, who needs basic supplies such as chemicals, the social studies teacher, who would love to take their class on an outing, the language arts teacher, who could use sets of reader level appropriate books, the librarian, with the ample space on the shelves, would love to have the ability to have even a small amount of money to improve, upgrade and expand.
Now is the Talking Teacher sour that none of these dollars have trickled down to the classroom? Not quite, but if for example, you take one fee that has been paid out, according to the article, which is a cool 60,000, you could supply the 5 middle schools and the two high schools, with unseen amounts of supplies. WOW!!!!! (The Talking Teacher salivates at the thought) And let's take the sum or 100,000, imagine the numbers of library books, playground equipment, in school workshops, and cool teacher manipulatives that those at the primary level could be exposed to. WOW!!!
But no, we hire more people, we enlist more consultants, we review more things, we get more "experts" to sit and study the problem. In some ways, we have become like the father and son who were taking their donkey to the market, you know the story, as they pass different groups of people, each group suggests that they do something else with the donkey. All to their detriment, as they end up dropping the donkey overboard, to their shame. Are we similar? hmmm....
So my question for today is....can I get a little change for my class? Can you break us off a small piece of that very large pie?
Ok, the Talking Teacher must apologize...for some reason beyond control, the last episode was not recorded. No worries, we have the pictures of our guest, who just happens to be the Vice President of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, Ms. R. Swan.
We are looking forward to hosting the annual November workshops and we are looking forward to having both local and overseas presenters. Stay tuned for more information on the topics.
