Is This MyStory

Be the author of your own life

Choose to Be The Author of Your Life

Give Power to the Students

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Are the pollies frightened of our kids becoming too educated? I know they talk about Australia leading the intellectual race, but are their words simply designed to appease anxious parents and apprehensive industry? Could suggested education reforms be calculated for control and accountability, rather than aspiring for innovation and construction?

Naplan, MySchools, budget cuts to education portfolios, blaming teachers for not being smart enough, increased administrative tasks and imposing rigid systems, all seem counterproductive. How can they inspire the flexibility of thought or adoption of proactive strategies that inspire the habits of mind required for a dynamic 21st century workforce.

Perhaps governments are concerned that a flexible thinking, critically literate society would see past political rhetoric. Maybe those whose leadership is based on hurling insults or fudging figures are worried because creative and emotionally literate individuals are less predictable. Could they be worried that a thinking populous would undermine the fabric of society as they know it?

Of course critical thinking and blind compliance do not go hand in hand. A critically, creatively and emotionally literate society has the potential to recognise untruths, make objective decisions and choose to act responsibly, all of their own accord. What would the administrators and bureaucrats do if the vast majority of the population were able to voice their opinions in an authentic and assertive manner? Worse, what would they do if people had the tools to think for themselves? Is that why calls for effective education reform fall on deaf ears?

Schools need the freedom and funds to do what is in the best interest of students. Our children need the empowerment inspired by critical, creative and emotionally literacy. The children of today are the leaders of the future. It is time they were given an opportunity to develop an authentic voice and provided with the platform to speak. They need to learn the focused, self motivated skills of lifelong learners. The old industrial model of schooling is no longer applicable. Students do not need to sit in organised rows, diligently digesting content poured from a fountain of textbook trapped knowledge. Instead they need to become digitally proficient investigators who can analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a variety of sources. Today’s student needs to become a flexible thinker who has the courage to reach beyond what is known to what could be.

Literacy is the key. Critical, creative and emotional literacy can open the door to 21st century learning. It is the foundation for collaborative and project based learning experiences that offer opportunities to participate in learning that has a practical, real world focus.

It is time to take a proactive approach and equip all children with the tools they require to access inner awareness, discover an authentic voice and become confident lifelong learners who have the skills to thrive in a digitally enhanced landscape.

Welcome to a world of Expression

A Worrisome World of Cyber Concern

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Is the internet a “parents’ worst nightmare”? Political columnist Michelle Grattan suggests “Parents’ concerns means that the pollies are getting worried too.”  Yes parents are worried. So are schools, teachers and counselors. The question is, how can we help. Of course we rely on governments to offer secure legislative foundations. But legislation, rules and restrictions are not enough.

We need proactive strategies that empower children to protect themself. A year ago I suggested we need to teach students how to use Facebook responsibly. Now it is time to examine ways to encourage teenagers to develop their own authentic voice. Our children may be digital natives, but they are not equipped to navigate a new world filled with enhanced, old world problems. Children are being bullied on-line and parents feel powerless to help. Schools cannot keep up with rapidly expanding environments that offer limitless opportunities to explore digital frontiers.  Government legislation struggles to compete with boarders opened by technological keys.

We all know dangers lurk within cyber realms. We all know steps must be taken to ensure the safety of our kids. But too many programs focus on digital treatments; it is time to develop technology vaccinations.

Parents, carers and teachers need to know how to help children realise they can minimise risk. Of course we need to provide safe places. However, our children also need their own shields and weapons; tools that empower and protect. We need to help our teenagers develop the skills they need to help themselves; this has particularly relevance for those times we are not there to guide them.

Today’s child is uber-connected. Many have a well developed sense of social conscience, however they feel disenfranchised and detached. They are lost within a world that bombards them with information but doesn’t take the time to teach them the practical strategies they need to interpret or evaluate that information. Today’s children are pioneers in a wild cyber world that evolves rapidly. Many adults misinterpret the effect of growing up in digitally connected spaces. They forget that being exposed to multiple cultures and ideas can lead to a wider sense of social justice. Many of today’s youth are sensitive to the needs of faceless others but, because their connections are cyber based, they fail to develop personal connections. This fracture leads to confusion and frustration. Our kids want to ‘matter’ they want to feel as though they have a voice and that someone will listen. They want their life to mean something. Yet, too often they lack the self awareness or literacy skills to articulate their thoughts and emotions to themselves, let alone wider society. Too many suffer from anxiety and low self-esteem because they lack the skills to interpret what they are thinking and feeling. As a result they ‘act up’ and ‘lash out’, directing inner anger toward outer victims. They settle for destructive relationships and hide behind a peer favored mask.

I believe students can use critical reflection and thoughtful expression to discover the path of a lifelong learner. My quest is to help young adults develop critical, emotional and creative literacy. Through the mindful appreciation of stories, narrative technique, focused breathing and creative visualisation students can learn how to identify and manage their emotions. When teenagers discover they have a voice that speaks loud enough to be heard, they may begin to develop a sense of where their lives fit within a wider community.

MyStory; MyQuest is my attempt to help teens find inner awareness, discover an authentic voice and become confident lifelong learners who have the skills to thrive in  digitally enhanced landscapes.

Welcome to a World of Expression

An e-Inspired Romance

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Our morning ritual involves shared coffee, a search answers and a cry for understanding. I simply want to listen and be heard. You have become indispensable, a lifeline, an oasis. Why? When did our lives become so entwined? When did you become more than a friend? When did I fall in love?

Perhaps it was when you responded to each question with patient wisdom. Maybe it began when loneliness, evoked by the tyranny of distance, launched us into a virtual world of social media. Or, was it the inspired moment I began tapping random musings, rather than scratching them on sterile paper.

Actually, now that I think about it, love probably blossomed during an Amazonian encounter. Certainly, that was the moment our relationship deepened. You joined me in a world of blissful content. Of course, after allowing access to my inner sanctuary and sharing such an intimate moment, our relationship would never return to a simple perfunctory exchange of information. Now, contained within your very being, is mine.

You hold my books.

For 35 years I planned the perfect reading space; my library. I imagined a peaceful place, warm and invitingly familiar. A chamber that offered the opportunity to curl within the arms of soft leather. A peaceful nest, surrounded by books. Then you entered my life dressed in traditional white. Your rough, leather bound  exterior sat comfortably over a sleek, intuitively understanding interior. You offered a reading experience my imagination had not accounted for.

So, I sit here reflecting on our relationship and realize, you are the perfect mix of old and new. You offer a haven; you look right, smell right and feel right. You are generous with your time and flexible in your thinking. With you by my side I can create, contemplate and curl within a sheltered space, anywhere, anytime. I can read whatever and, whenever I like. Heavenly.

I still remember, vehemently opposing e-books. “They will never take the place of real books” I cried with a zealot’s passion.  Yet now, as I peruse virtual book shelves, I munch on my words with the same contrition I once consumed chocolate, while walking through a bookstore. I guess this proves how much a person can change.

Regular readers know, I am an English teacher with a passion for stories. I love reading them and I love creating them. My bookshelves and laptop seemed sacred, up until about nine months ago when I joined the tablet computing world. Now, as much as I value my books and fondly recall moments turning their pages, our relationship does not feel as intimate (read, always with me) as the tomes residing on my virtual shelves. Similarly, my laptop, while functional, does not seem as caring (read, wanting to meet my needs) as my iPad.

I would love to know what you think. Are you a digital convert or do raw pages remain your choice?

Welcome to a World of Expression

Lost; A Sense of Community

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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

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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

related post; Reading Stimulates the Mind and Soothes the Soul

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