Is This MyStory

Be the author of your own life

Choose to Be The Author of Your Life

My Blog is Not Working

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My Blog is not working. I write from the heart. I share opinions and offer tips for learning, but it is not enough. My posts do not generate discussions, they do not provoke comments. To be perfectly honest, I don’t even think they are being read by more than a select few. Why?

An internet marketer may criticise my lack of key words and tagging. They may point to the subject material and claim it is not interesting enough and does not solve a problem. Other bloggers may reach into the content and drag out a lack of personal voice or familiar appeal. Perhaps my posts are not sensational enough?

So what next? Write different content, solicit more links, search social networks for places to Pin, Digg and Stumble?  How do I encourage discourse? How do I promote debate and how do I inspire shared dialogue.

This is my dilemma. I write to fulfil a need and, first and foremost, that need is within. I like to take random thoughts from scattered imaginings and arrange them in orderly patterns. I write to make sense of my world. However I also write to free trapped frustrations. I write to scream out against ideas that make no sense (… at least not to me). I write to support and I write to reveal alternative paths.  I write so that readers may question.

But, as I said in the beginning, they don’t.

Do I need to change my reasons for writing? Is it even possible – if I don’t write from the heart, wouldn’t my writing become rote?

I need to find a workable solution. I would like to hear from you.

This post may seem like a self-indulgent, ego fed rant, but that is not my intention. Rather, I write to search for an answer and, I write in an attempt to follow my own advice. When teaching, I suggest the best way to improve writing is to write -write frequently and write regularly. When the writing is reflective, it also serves as a catalyst for fresh ideas. At the very least, writing about a problem helps an author identify the issues.

So, I have concluded I need to do more to find an audience. I am open to suggestions, but I accept the actions will be mine to take. I need to take responsibility for the connections I make and foster relationships from the embers of association. But I will still write from my own story and I will hope my story encourages readers to share theirs.

Oh, and if you do happen to read this, perhaps you could leave a comment below.  What would you like to read about, or why do you write, 0r how do you bring people together?

Welcome to a World of Expression

Be the Author of your Own Life

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Why do authors create stories? When I ask a class this question, the first reply is usually a smiling gem – “to make money”. Returning the grin, I ask for more options. The next response, “to entertain”, is usually accompanied by the self-satisfied look of a rote learnt answer. Thankfully, after these ideas have been exhausted, someone (sensing I am looking for more) adds “maybe they want to teach us something”. Then a collective groan rises from a well of ‘here we go again’.

Unfortunately, too many students finish school believing the novels set by their English teacher were a chore to be endured. I have lost count of the number of times adults have said, “I hated reading when I was at school, but when I left and chose my own books, I discovered reading could be fun”.  Within this mindset, potential learning is frequently lost. The question becomes, how do we address the problem? Should teachers choose books which are more interesting or relevant to teen readers (is it even possible to choose a book which will universally appeal to everyone in the class?) or should we be encouraging students to identify the value of reading, even when the story seems ‘boring’.

I tend to believe the latter. It has been my experience that students want to learn how to uncover the personal message each story has for each reader. This is how we build connections. Stories offer ‘us’ the opportunity to escape the constraints of real situations and explore an endless array of possible options. Reading offers ‘me’ the opportunity to travel in a state of objective awareness and play with the conflicting ideas that cross my path. This is how we learn – we learn about environments, we learn about relationships and we learn about motivations. At the most personal level, when we reflect upon our reactions to characters and events, when we question why we feel empathetic, antagonistic or even indifferent, we learn more about ourself.

Of course, reading also provides a platform for learning how to convey ideas in an eloquent, sophisticated and cohesive manner.  Unfortunately, since the acquisition of these skills is easier to validate and ‘test’, English classes may descend into a ‘how the story is told’ tunnel and leave students feeling as though language evaluation, identity of themes and literary appreciation is  an examination fueled, end point. Yet as we know, reading offers so much more. The ‘how the story is told’ tunnel, is simply a passage to a more brightly lit chamber. If a reader continues past the ‘what I need for the exam’ point, to the ‘how I can apply what I have learnt to different situations’ path, they are more likely to perceive reading as a relevant life skill. From here, it is possible to recognise reading as an endless map. Holders of this map have a tool for choosing the direction of their life. In other words, they may apply the skills they have learnt about evaluating someone else’s story, to challenge preconceived perceptions about their own.

Therefore, reading other peoples stories (even if they do not seem ‘interesting’) can teach us how to direct, or ‘write’ our own.  In other words, we do not have to stay within the ‘how the story was told’ tunnel, we can continue forward to the ‘how I learn’ path. This is the author’s rite; you can choose to be the author of your own life, rather than being a character in someone else’s.

Welcome to the World of Expression.

What Do Students Need?

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The pollies are at it again, arguing over educational funding in an attempt to build political credit. Perhaps it is time for a garden variety teacher to weigh into the debate. For what it is worth, here is my 2c.

Yes of course schools need more funding. Yes, funding has an enormous impact on a school’s ability to support and enhance learning opportunities. However, rather than debating the amount of money required, I would like to discuss how funds will be dispersed. Perhaps this will provide a tangible framework for directing money to where it is needed most; places where real, functional, outcomes may be achieved.

So, what do students need? What will have most impact?

Smaller class sizes, more facilities – bigger gyms, rows of computers, a smart board in every classroom, more teacher training? Experience at the ‘coal face’ (over 14 years of classroom teaching) suggests, the biggest single determinate of individual student achievement is a little more personal than simply buying ‘things’. Student achievement is enhanced through;

1.    A proactive ‘learning’ mindset
2.    Functional, effective, critical literacy
(and yes, I accept numeracy is also very important)

With a proactive mindset a student has the opportunity to become a self motivated learner who accepts responsibility for the learning process. With base literacy skills and a commitment to developing critical literacy, a student has access to the tools required to become a lifelong learner. With an understanding of the learning process, a learner may increase their cognitive and social agility and flexibility.  In other words, self-motivated learners are confident in their ability to meet the requirements of any given situation because, they have learnt how to learn.

This is what I would like to hear more about when various interest groups start debating funding initiatives and falling educational standards. As a society we need to be more aware of the impact of emotional well being. Active steps must be taken to support and develop emotional resilience. One solution which addresses low motivation and poor self image is the development of emotional, creative and critical literacy skills. When a person feels secure in their communication skills, they are more self assured – they have a voice that will be heard. This has wide ranging impacts for interpersonal interactions and, education (or learning) thrives in situations where there are productive interpersonal interactions.

So, rather than arguing about how much money should be given to whom, rather than suggesting more regulations, rather than more testing and rather than imposing more ways of demonstrating accountability, can we please be proactive. Let’s cure the disease rather than settling for treating the symptoms. Allow teachers time to think, allow students time to recognize the emotions they feel and allow both the time to work cooperatively. Yes, allow time to develop functional, emotional, creative and critical literacy. There are many different strategies for developing these emotional, creative and critical literacy skills – but I will leave that for another time.

Welcome to a World of Expression

Love to Learn or Learn to Love It

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I  love to learn, yes I admit it, being in an active learning situation sends waves of wonder dancing through my consciousness. Like a jolt of pure energy it provides an invigorating buzz, motivating me to … well … learn more. How do you feel about learning?

It could be suggested that a person’s attitude toward learning is influenced by their experience of learning. Those who have had positive experiences of learning, those who are able to solve problems as a result of their learning and those for whom learning offers a recognizable reward, tend to view learning as a useful endeavor. Learning can be directly applied so it is valued. However, in different situations, the opposite may be the case. Learning may become meaningless and ‘boring’ because it is too far removed from a learners experience or it is a repetitive reproduction of someone else’s ideas.

From this perspective, one of the potentially devastating impacts of school is the numbing, or in some cases downright destruction of an individual’s love of learning. This demise may come from a number of sources. A love of learning may be murdered by peers who preach the mantra that learning is ‘uncool’. Perhaps worse, a love learning may be annihilated by apathy or destroyed by a belief that it is not worth the effort. In other words, if learning is perceived as irrelevant or difficult, it tends to drown in a grey sea of discontent.

Usually teachers are handed the responsibility for inspiring learning. They are expected to deliver content in a manner that will engage and motivate their students. Teachers are trained to address multiple learning styles and offer opportunities for the meaningful application of knowledge. Yet it it is equally important for the learner to accept responsibility for their learning. The old expression ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’ has some relevance here. Put simply, a learner’s mindset has an enormous impact on the learning situation. Learners who choose to learn, have a massive advantage over those who learn to avoid punishment or gain reward.

I believe I am constantly learning because I choose to be constantly learning. I want to learn simply for the sake of learning. As a result, every situation and every interaction becomes an opportunity to discover something new. The advantage of this mindset is that even if material is delivered in a manner I find confusing or boring, I can look beyond the emotion and find a fresh idea. So, next time you find yourself wondering if you can justify the time and effort it will take to acquire that new skill or thought, perhaps you could look beyond the immediate benefit (or lack thereof) to the wider implications. Learning is an adventure, it is a quest – it is life’s rite. So don’t allow others to take wonder of discovery from you. Take control of your learning and be responsibility for, and to, yourself.

Boys Behaving Badly; a Symptom of a Failing Education System

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William Golding’s novel, The Lord of the Flies is a classic piece of literature that opens the door to profound discussion.  When introducing this novel to a class, I usually direct their attention toward current social practices and ask; Is a person born evil or is evil a learnt behaviour. In a scary twist of fate, each time I teach the novel, the media delivers a story about boys behaving badly. Last year it was the London riots. This year the story was closer to home. This year the papers shared the heart wrenching story of Thomas Kelly and Kieran Loveridge.

 It is not my intention to discuss the question of innate or learnt evilness here. Nor is this a comparison between the writings of Golding and modern society (although a post comparing Loveridge and the character of Jack begs to be written). Rather, I would like to explore comments made recently in the Sydney Morning Herald.

An article entitled, ‘Sydney’s Newest Sport – Beat Someone Senseless or Kill them for the Heck of It ‘ (chilling in itself) appeared in the SMH on pg 13 (interesting structural choice) on the 28/7/2012. In this article, Sydney’s Father Riley (founder of Youth Off  The Streets) was quoted as saying “I wish I’d gotten to this kid [Loveridge] sooner. All kids want is a connection. When you connect a kid you can turn them around”. In the same space, youth psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg speaks of seeing an increasing number of angry adolescent males. Carr-Gregg creates a picture of a youth who is “beset with rigid, inflexible thinking, has no respect for authority, little exposure to tradition or ritual and has few, if any skills in anger management.”

To my way of thinking, these comments reflect a failure in our schools. Father Riley and Carr-Gregg highlight the problems besetting an education system which is too rigid, too inflexible and too slow to offer meaningful change. The institution of education is reactive rather than adaptive. Instead of being proactive, it offers band aid solutions – medicine to treat the disease, rather than lifestyle innovations to prevent it from occurring.

I find people such as Father Riley and Carr-Gregg inspirational. They are actively working towards improving the lives of teenagers in a practical sense. Even though individuals such as Father Riley and Carr-Gregg only reach the students they connect with, their ideas can, by proxy, reach many more. This is where teachers and schools may make a difference.

As a teacher, forged in the kiln of the classroom, I and many others who share a similar vision want to enact change. But we need those who  form policies, to listen. Rather than being bogged down by consumerist debates regarding funding, class sizes, facilities and who has power in a school (yes of course these are important topics, but they are not the places to find  preventive solutions to mindset problems) we need to change what and how kids are taught. Teachers need to be mentors who are connected to their students. To achieve this level of connectiveness, teachers need to be intuitive, empathic and alert. They need the space to be creative and the time to develop their own sense of well being, so that they may support their students. Students require this support in order to develop a sense of identity and, so that they may experience a sense of security within a community.

Of course, it is not enough to talk about developing student’s self esteem and personal responsibility. Action needs to be taken. I believe the key is creative, critical literacy. Being able to wield the skills of creative, critical literacy opens the door to a World of Expression. When a person believes their voice will be heard, they are more likely to feel secure in their identity.

How does a person uncover this key? By actively making a choice to travel the learning path. When a person perceives learning as FUN (functional, universal and necessary) they are more likely to accept learning as a valuable lifelong process. If a person identifies themselves as a Learner, they have access to tools which can help them LEAF through life’s pages. In other words they can draw upon the skills required live life in a loving, enthusiastic, aware and flexible manner.

You may be wondering how a person can develop this mindset for learning. I believe a person develops a learning mindset when they feel as though their learning is relevant. Learners learn best when they are supported and connected. In other words, when they feel centred and balanced. This is why I believe practices such as meditation and mindfulness should be core components in school curriculums. We should be teaching young people how to connect with themselves so that they may appreciate outer connections to community.

This is what I plan to do. I am determined to create a learning environment which offers young adults a place to learn about themselves and their place within a wider eco/social system; a mindfully, creative meditative way of living

Perhaps, if Loveridge had a different school experience, an experience that met him where he was and walked beside him as he developed a secure sense of self awareness and community connectivity, he may have found different ways to feel as though he mattered.

What do you think? Can schools become a place of learning rather than an institution of education?

Welcome to a World of Expression.

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