tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post6775052817834539478..comments2024-03-22T18:15:47.666+11:00Comments on Boy on a bike: An intriguing thoughtUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-35275038501240741232009-06-08T11:43:14.628+10:002009-06-08T11:43:14.628+10:00switch on 7 news now they're using the telepro...switch on 7 news now they're using the teleprompter stuff you did first I think.<br />or someone's nicked it.kaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05819693069445947851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-57449182786309547702009-06-07T18:59:14.071+10:002009-06-07T18:59:14.071+10:00When I taught it was a useful technique to calm a ...When I taught it was a useful technique to calm a class to write notes on a blackboard (yes I preferred a blackboard and this was only 5 years ago) and get them to copy them down. Some grumbling soon settled and I believe they even felt some self wortht hat they were "doing something". If there was still some disruption you made up more notes for them to copy, even if you started to repeat yourself a bit, and enjoyed the collective groan as you got to the next board. This technique however could easily backfire if over employed. Dilegent but slow students complained if you moved on too quickly, fast student played up if left too long after they finished, too much note taking disolved in a roar, and language had to be suited to the lower end of the classes capability. Good on a wet Tuesday afternoon for about 10 minutes near the beginning of the class.<br /><br />bigtonesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-10169823825662667922009-06-06T17:52:30.292+10:002009-06-06T17:52:30.292+10:00These methods aren't "old-fashioned"...These methods aren't "old-fashioned". They're still in use today in many of the classrooms I visit.<br />What these methods presume, however, is that the requisite basic skills have been learned. In many cases these days kids arrive at school bereft of social physical and emotional skills that were taken for granted in the old days. <br />Teachers these days in many cases have first to socialise kids to a point where they're ready to be safely supervised in a classroom, before they can begin to teach them anything else. Everything that matters is taught before the age of seven. After that it's too late.1735099https://www.blogger.com/profile/17945140949290600423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-85617089440570771722009-06-06T11:21:41.703+10:002009-06-06T11:21:41.703+10:00I suspect that what the boy was referring to was t...I suspect that what the boy was referring to was that times have changed and that old fashioned methods were quite effective. I agree with him.nicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-82539562199246694392009-06-05T13:43:30.936+10:002009-06-05T13:43:30.936+10:00Teaching is a bit like driving - everyone has had ...Teaching is a bit like driving - everyone has had a teacher so everyone knows how it's done. The world outside the classroom has changed a bit.<br />Some of what you describe (particularly in reference to whacking with a ruler) would land you in court these days. The point about keeping kids busy is well-taken.<br />Another issue not well understood is that kids are different now as a consequence of the effects of TV and other image-rich media on early development. See - http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/164608/tv_has_negative_impact_on_very_young_childrens_learning_abilities/1735099https://www.blogger.com/profile/17945140949290600423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-30424393090634237612009-06-04T23:00:18.272+10:002009-06-04T23:00:18.272+10:00nic
My Economics teacher at school also lectured ...nic<br /><br />My Economics teacher at school also lectured at university, and he was a walking text book. Like all the other teachers at my school, he taught the course out of his head. We all wrote in a form of short hand to keep up with their output. The only teachers that ever opened a text or referred to notes were the few straight out of teachers college. We all became "speed writers".Boy on a bikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452119541546978454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-57619594558071030452009-06-04T22:32:24.603+10:002009-06-04T22:32:24.603+10:00The best teacher I ever had dictated notes for two...The best teacher I ever had dictated notes for two years at HSC level, the man was a genius. We never saw a text. We wrote for 50 min each period lol.nicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-22169575252159052952009-06-04T22:15:29.793+10:002009-06-04T22:15:29.793+10:00We didn't even get worksheets for homework. P...We didn't even get worksheets for homework. Part of the challenge was ensuring that you copied down the homework before the end of the lesson. That was all part of the pressure in class to get things done. All the pressure is gone now - presumably in the name of some lovey-dovey educational stupidity.Boy on a bikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452119541546978454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-22038565412200299102009-06-04T21:40:30.489+10:002009-06-04T21:40:30.489+10:00BOAB, I agree entirely with your comments. I'...BOAB, I agree entirely with your comments. I'm past all this now with my family but I coached all my children at some stage with HSC mathematics at all levels. <br /><br />You may be interested in an excellent HSC maths teaching program which I bought all those years ago for my 'children' to use (about 7 - 8 years ago now). Anyway I've just checked on it - it used to be called Back to the Future Maths - now it is called <a href="http://www.mathspower.com.au/default.asp" rel="nofollow"> Maths Power </a>.<br /><br />With this program the student works his way through the course problem solving all the way. The program actually does teach maths.Wandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13784695856838507417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27584252.post-55188815847652654692009-06-04T20:02:43.746+10:002009-06-04T20:02:43.746+10:00You know, I think I'm with you on this one. W...You know, I think I'm with you on this one. We didn't have worksheets. Worksheets drive me crazy in schools because the teacher hands them out and then coasts around checking his or her emails then gets the kids to swap worksheets and mark each others answers.<br /><br />My son's new school, however doesn't do this. No worksheets, except for homework.Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00831936165024410678noreply@blogger.com