Nicole Feledy – Page 11

Lost; A Sense of Community

November 4, 2012 By Nicole Feledy

Have we lost our sense of community? Did it ever really exist?

Perhaps I need to give this statement some context, earlier this week I read a news article and was dismayed by the actions of banks, liquidators and lawyers. In the same paper was an article about a group of real estate agents, developers and a lending institution who weaved a web to trap unsuspecting investors. Today I read about students behaving badly at a Sydney University College.

I wonder if there is a macabre connection; will the students who found it acceptable to intimidate and bully their fellow dorm-mates today become the financiers, and business executives who intimidate and bully their fellow workers tomorrow. Where does it start and importantly, when does it stop.

These articles are painful to read. I keep thinking about the unnecessary hardship and shattered lives that result from one person (or company) taking advantage over another. Where is the love? Where is the sense of personal and social responsibility? We are not playing a game, yet it seems the spirit of competition and winning at all costs offers some sort of acceptability to the exploitation of the weak or unwary. When did it become acceptable to leap on top of the person in front of you, to use their frame to catapult yours. When did become reasonable to crush the person beneath you because all that matters is being on top and fulfilling your responsibilities. When did it become common to ‘blame the victim’, claiming it was their fault for standing still; after all, if they had been quick enough, or strong enough, they could have moved out of the way – or else, jumped on you.

In a somewhat paradoxical twist, I am also reading Game of Thrones; a reality fantasy of feudal realms. Many of these chapters are also difficult to read; they explore the worst traits of humanity then juxtapose them with innocence and compassion. It makes for compelling drama, drawing the reader into the machinations of political intrigue and a quest for power. Ironically each contentious king (and Queen) believes their cause is just – I wonder if these are the thoughts that haunt the dreams of modern day usurpers.

You may question why I am writing about this. To answer, I would like to share a brief story. Earlier this year while exploring the issue of racism within the novel To Kill A Mockingbird I asked my class, “what would you do if one of your mates tripped over in front of you.”

“Laugh” they responded.

Slightly perturbed I asked, “then what would you do, would you offer help”.

The response was shocking. “No”.

I realised these students were stuck in a ‘character trap’, forced to play the role they believed they were expected to play – and compassionate behaviour was not part of the story. This is where I believe we, as a society, let our kids down . We need to support young people. We need to help teenagers feel as though they are part of a community and we need to help them develop a clear sense of who they are. Perhaps then they could build enough self confidence to stand on their own feet, rather than needing to knock someone else.

What can you do to help?

Welcome to a World of Expression

Homework is a Waste of Learning Time

October 28, 2012 By Nicole Feledy

The horn has sounded on the controversial game of homework. The sides form up, supporters from both teams prepare to chant and the ball is thrown. Commentators call the shots, referees attempt to maintain order and players grind toward a winning point. The hapless ball bounces at the whim of those who hold it, passing from hand to hand before it is put to boot. Who or what represents the students in this analogy?

I am not a fan of the current homework game – neither as parent, nor teacher. It forces young minds to comply with outdated structures, sit indoors and remain sedentary long after the school bell tolls. It can also be a hopelessly inefficient use of thinking time. Put simply, after studying all day, students are either too tired or too wired to complete homework tasks effectively – often they suffer a paradoxical mix of both.

We know students of all ages need time to burn energy and relax. However, media commentary on the subject is often contradictory. Reports compel young people to forgo TV and computer screens so they may play outside, only to quickly call them back indoors to complete an additional hour or two of homework so they may secure the required amount of knowledge.

“Secure the required amount of knowledge” – now there’s the rub. My big question is why? Why does knowledge need to be secured? In a connected world where we have instant access to information, surely it is more important to develop skills in gathering and evaluating ideas than it is to ‘remember facts’. Supporters of homework generally assert study after school is necessary to a) consolidate learning, b) practice skills, c) promote organisation and time management, d) develop problem solving skills and in many cases to, e) gain more knowledge.

Bah, bah and bah again. Knowledge in itself is less important than the ability to access and evaluate it. Of course fundamental understanding of key concepts is a critical foundation upon which more complex ideas can grow. However, I am talking about fundamental knowledge, for example remembering New York is a major American city, not the date the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. Yes, students need to learn problem solving, organisational and time management skills. Of course a student’s ability to use these skills is improved by consolidation and practice. However in today’s world there are fresh ways to approach the acquisition of skills without resorting to stale ideas about gaining knowledge through homework. We need to rethink the relationship between knowledge and skills. We should be discussing the learning process, rather than worrying about how much work is required before a student has ‘learnt’ something.

Ok, by now you may be thinking of doctors and nurses, pilots and engineers and any other occupation which requires its members to remember key concepts. I wonder how many of them know the exact date the Statue of Liberty was dedicated… I’m sure if they wanted to know, they would look it up. ‘Wanted to know’, that is the key phrase. In any given occupation or activity, there will be fundamental pieces of information that must be remembered – information a person ‘wants to know’. However, these ideas will be coupled with specific skills that give the information a context and relevance, thus ensuring it is easier to remember. So does anyone need to remember the date the Statue of Liberty was dedicated? Yes, a tour guide operating river cruises on the Hudson would probably find remembering the date useful.

I hope by now you can see where I’m going with this. Too often homework tasks lack context or are busy work or are a desperate attempt to cover content in an overly crowded curriculum. However, even though I find most homework a waste of time, I am a firm believer in the rewards to be had from regular reading. We could all, not just school children, benefit from 10 – 20 minutes of reading followed by reflection and discussion. Now before you groan ‘typical English teacher’, I will qualify what I say. I am not suggesting everyone needs to read novels, I am simply suggesting reading with purpose. This purpose could be gathering information about an area you are interested in or it could be entertainment or an opportunity to explore different perspectives. To increase effectiveness, reading activities should be followed by a moment of reflection – a simple internal questioning of the material and your response to it. Social skills may also be enhanced by discussing ideas with friends and family. This process of reading, reflecting and relationships is an active cognitive process which, when practiced consciously, illuminates the learning process.

This post has already lengthened beyond my original intent, so I will finish soon, however there is one more homework inspired dream I would like to share. I dream of a time when ‘homework’ is redefined as ‘consolidation’ and occurs within school, during school hours. This is still a thought in process so please bear with me. If content requirements within subject areas were reduced, class time could focus on the relationship between content and skills. In secondary schools, timetables could be structured so that each 50 minute lesson was followed by a 50 minute study period. Study periods would be an opportunity for students to reflect upon what they have learnt and to practice skills. These study sessions would be supervised by mentors – teachers who actively modeled and made the process of learning visible. Then, once home, students would be encouraged to complete a reading ritual which involved 15 minutes of personal reading, reflecting on what they have read and finally chatting about ideas generated, either with family (during meal time) or on an online forum with classmates.

The world is changing at a rapid rate and the key skills a young person needs to survive in a modern working world are flexibility, creativity, critical thinking and effective interpersonal skills. In other words they need to understand the process of learning so they may become lifelong learners who are in control of their learning. Homework in its current form, even at senior school level, is not necessary. It is simply yet another facet of an outdated education system that has failed to keep pace with a connected technologically enhanced process of information exchange. Homework can murder a love of learning, it can forge anchors of resentment, stifle creative thought and fuel anxiety. Just because we had to endure homework to survive a pre-internet education system does not mean our kids have to.

It is time to blow the whistle on the homework game.

Welcome to a World of Expression

What Should Teachers Teach?

October 21, 2012 By Nicole Feledy

The role of teachers is one of those perennial topics that rides the media circuit with alarming regularity. It seems everyone has an opinion about what constitutes effective teaching and politicians, journalists and researchers are all eager to add their voice to various teaching associations and parent groups in order to explain what ‘should’ happen in the classroom.

While there are some differences of opinion, it is generally acknowledged that the teachers who have the most impact on learning outcomes, are those who take the time to understand their student needs and perceive them as individual learners (rather than a homogenous mass). At this point I could start pointing to various research studies and highlight some of the amazing work being done by individual teachers. Alternatively I could bemoan the lack of understanding demonstrated by those who do not spend the best part of each day standing in front of a class. But I won’t. Like many others, I have already written posts which explore attitudes toward teachers and teaching (Just a Teacher, What Do Students Need, Teacher Need Time to Think, A Teaching Analagy for the Bureaucratically Minded)

Instead I would like to share the thoughts of three learners (teen and adult ) who responded to a question I asked about a year ago; ‘what should teachers teach?’ The answers are not ground-breakingly new, however they are refreshingly candid, direct and practical. These are comments made by learners who have a clear vision of the teacher they need.

“Teachers should be able to teach their students how to learn. They teach them about the subject of choice but also the life lessons our parents sometimes forget to teach us. They should teach us how to work hard, how to get results when we need them, how to calm down before an exam, etc. In my view teachers are there to teach me how to learn. In life I will need to have the skill of learning about different things at difficult times.” (Amy)

“Teachers should teach you how to come up with the answers on your own”. (Danny)

“The bits in between that I don’t get…Even now.” (Charlene)

What do you think? What do you want from your teacher? Perhaps equally importantly, what do you expect from yourself as a learner? Compare your responses to those above and think about what they suggest about the relationship between teaching and learning. Now, recall all of the news reports you have seen recently about teaching and learning. Are we on the same page?

Welcome to a World of Expression.

Ready To Sit Your Exams?

October 7, 2012 By Nicole Feledy

Take a break and strike a pose – what thoughts come to mind when you read this phrase? Perhaps, if you are a child of the late 80s or 90s, you imagine Kit Kats and Maddona. However, if you are a 2012 HSC student, this may be the sweet tip you have been waiting for.

The first exam study tip is remember to take a break. A recent study by Dewar et. el. has shown taking a ten minute break can help you remember. According to these researchers, a brief rest allows the brain time to process what it has learnt making information easier to recall. Of course the key is to actually take a break – not to focus on something else. This is not the time to update your facebook status, rather this is an opportunity to take a moment, breath gently, relax easily and be in the moment. So, when you are studying, a useful strategy is to revise for 50 min then take a 10 minute break to consolidate what you have learnt – you may like to try a focused breathing or meditation exercise.

The second tip is an ‘on the day’ exam strategy using the ideas shared by Amy Cuddy on a recent TED video. Cuddy explains how body language not only affects how others see us, but also how we perceive ourself. She refers to studies that demonstrate why ‘striking a power pose’ for 2 minutes (e.g. standing tall with your arms outstretched in a V position) can increase your confidence and decrease your stress. However, Cuddy cautions this is an ‘alone’ activity conducted to improve your emotions – it is not a power play to fool others, nor is it a group ‘psyc up’ session. She suggests going somewhere quiet and holding a power body position for 2 minutes. If you have the time, you may like to watch the video – you can skip the first 10 minutes if you want to get straight to the parts which discuss how physiology can affect psychology. Perhaps this strategy can help you settle pre-exam nerves – you could even practice the strategy by using it before a study session.

Remember, if you are in the grip of examination revision, keep the days and the study in perspective. Your exams are an opportunity to show what you know. You will have many opportunities to demonstrate you have learnt, the HSC is simply one of them.

Welcome to a world of Expression.

We Don’t Need no Education

September 30, 2012 By Nicole Feledy

Put your hand up if you hated the repetitive restrictions imposed on you at school. Put your hand up if you hated exercises that forced you to identify as part of one group or another. Put your hand up if you hated being asked to put your hand up.

Yes, I thought so. This is why schools are failing our kids. The education system is a cumbersome, monolithic beast that shifts and shuffles to a bureaucratic beat trapping schools within its power struggles. In its quest to categorise students into neat little bands, education systems seem to forget students are individual learners with multiple skill sets (many of which fall outside traditional understandings of being ‘educated’).

Today’s learners require more; you deserve more. You deserve a learning environment that appreciates individuality, awards creativity and recognises the skills required to survive in a world of rapid change. To flourish within a modern world, today’s learners need the opportunity to develop a flexible, courageous, creative mindset that is powered internally. They need to be aware of the choices they make and willingly take responsibility for their actions.

Therefore, rather than ‘educating’ students and imposing ‘top down’ lessons that tell them what they need to know, we need to support students as they learn to become learners. In the words of Pink Floyd, “We don’t need no education. We don’t need no thought control.”

Rather than educating our kids, we need to teach them how to learn.

As an English teacher, I believe the key to learning is literacy. However I am not simply talking about an ability to consume words on a page and regurgitate thought patterns. I am referring to developing literacy skills that extend beyond reading and writing. If we think of literacy as being the ability to recognise, manage and use information (decode, recode and code), it is possible to broaden the term ‘literacy’ into other domains. This is why I like to challenge students to develop their critical, emotional and creative literacy skills. Students who are critically, emotionally and creatively literate have the power to interpret and evaluate their world. They also have the ability to change it. They have a voice and the skill set required to ensure their voice is heard.

So, rather than looking behind at what has passed, rather than seeking to wrestle old education practices into new shapes, let’s create new spaces for learning. Let’s look forward and look ahead. Students who understand the learning process and take responsibility for their part within it are more likely to be motivated because they are traveling toward a destination they have chosen.

This is a Rite; travel the learning the path to gain access to a world filled with possibility. Develop critical, emotional and creative literacy; open the door to lifelong learning.

Welcome to a World of Expression.

Choose to Be The Author of Your Life

Homework is a Waste of Learning Time

What Should Teachers Teach?

Ready To Sit Your Exams?

We Don’t Need no Education

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