Sliced Bread

As I was freshening up my classroom appearance this morning, I was struck by information overload. The poor kids are bombarded and I had to consciously stop myself affixing all our current “mandatory” signage on programs offered, policies to follow and people to see re whatever. The reality was, I was running out of suitable wall space. It diluted the message that we fundamentally respect and care for our kids.

When is too much enough? Our place has a strong support network for kids, as most places of learning do. My query is when are too many layers, too much?

I believe we need to consolidate, align and improve the programs that have been delivering considerable benefits over the past few years.

We have refined some of these again this year and need to embedd daily practices more deeply to see if the expected improvements result. The list is extensive and reflects why we have a strong team.

• Student reflective diaries – things to do at home, daily goal setting, reflections on learning.
• Year7 teaming – cross curricula fortnightly meetings of 5 core teacher
• GATs – glympics, W.O.W, mock trial, embedded recogntion,
• Anti Bullying
• Three C’s – care, commitment, co-operation.
• College core values
• SERFF/ROAR programs – age appropriate activities, risk taking, brain food, organisation, ice breakers
• SMS – student merit scheme
• Students Take Charge – STC leadership
• a host of well directed student programs, rock n water, Shine, peer support, combined ministries 
• Bowen Therapy – physical well being relaxation
• Real Game/Be Real – careers planning
• OH&S shoes and uniform policies
• various layers of student ”monitoring”.

A personal responsibilty program has been added this year. I may have missed the announced research links but the program appears to be based on Merglers QUT 2006 PHd thesis, please correct me someone if that is wrong. Looks to be an interesting theory, I wonder how we will apply it effectively in the crowded day all our learners have?

In isolation, for a school without what we already have, I can easily comprehend why such a program could be needed. I know we already engage students with conscious reflection through our learning diaries, and so maybe this program just extends what we do further. The benefits of the applied research seem to stack up.

But despite the brief school development and training, I am still struggling to see where it fits into, NOT on top of, what we already do? Maybe it’s just me, but water cooler chat says otherwise.

Unfortunatley I sense considerable risk in not having the requisite support or deep understanding of how it integrates into our existing day to day functioning.

What level are staff expected to be functioning at, let alone the kids, if we potentially have a surplus of products, programs, posters, paper sheets that we are expected to give 100% commitment to each lesson of everyday?

Dilution is powerful science, you end up with an unsavoury product, lacking essence. Let alone the confusion. 

Sometime the addage of “doing a few things well” gets lost by striving to offer panaceas for all societal ills. I want to support anything that offers something substantially above what we currently do. I hope it does not reek slightly of applied theory = box ticking meritocracy. Runs on the improvement board take time, not the greasy pole Peter Principle.

Requests for a simple visual flow chart, aimed at an audience of learners including children, to explicitly show the links between all we do, is coming, we trust. This will help considerably in embedding exactly where this new program can best help us learn. I want it to work, well, not be another layer that may dilute past success.

Are you really ready for a little 1:1 action? Learning via laptops that is. 

There will soon be a bulk wireless arrival at a school near you, coming, ready or not! 

Thanks to Stu Hasic for alerting me to today’s DET newstand. In part it says;

The roll-out will begin this year (2009) with all public high school teachers having a laptop by 2012. The roll-out to teachers complements the laptop program for the state’s 197,000 senior high school students…

… $28 million of Australian Government funding will be used to provide teachers with professional development in the use of the new technology.

Has edutopia been unveiled? Has the world really turned flat? Has the gatekeeper left the building? Somehow I think not, but it is another significant educational step for 1 million DET NSW users.

No more messy computer room bookings, no more connectivity issues, no more ‘not enough working reliable’ computers, no more work in pairs (or groups of 6 or more) no more equity and access issues at home, no more no more no more, excuses why we never use ICT even?

In no way will this happen rapidly but new questions are being asked of us and the stakes are raised considerably higher because of this roll out. Who is ready? Who actually wants to change pedagogy now the basic toolbox is provided? Or is it all sounding too much like hard work?

The news is also somewhat bitter sweet and raises more questions than it answers. That to me is a positive development for it will, no should, challenge all teachers to consciously engage and ask, what will I do with these devices in my classroom to enhance learning?

Three options I can see;

1. Dust catching paper weights or 
2. expensive electronic pencils or 
3. one embodiment of a connected 21st century learner.

Which will you pick folks for the ball is now in our courts. We have some TPL time, some budget allocated, the tools are coming soon but is the neccessary human wherewithal also present? I wonder.

Or do you see these laptops as the 2009 version of stealth pedagogical bombers? Have they snuck in under misaligned teacher radars and will they drop a few clangers before we get a handle on their correct deployment? You betcha, its all part of the steep learning curve. Providing we don’t indiscriminantly shoot them down as they fly in overhead and land. These are not mysterious WMD, hiding under a Dubya Bush, I believe they are here to help and I’d hate to think enfilading friendly fire will slow their arrival.

Deep down I am an optimist, an educational idealist, some say dreamer and ”it will all work out well in the end kinda guy”. Always have been, but on this one I am still tentative, raw even, concerned but concurrently excited. It’s a weird feeling really.

I have a fantastic new toy I want to share with my playmates, but I am not so sure we are playing the same game or even reading the same rule book. Daily examples of antiquated thinking are really starting to test my patience with overt blockers who don’t want to get it. I am getting testy with expert web1.0ers who still think ICT is about MS, IE7, proprietary software, email and a screen, a simple non human interactive device for geeks.

The human connectivism of PLN’s is real. It is through these human connections we have access to empowered learners taking responsibilty, not passively waiting to be told what to do next or worse TTWADI, read the script, thanks for your work as usual Tomaz. 

That is one major shift in attitude needed if, specifically these laptops, and more widely the read/write web are to ultimately make even minor dents in the pedagogical fortresses some are entrenched behind.

But the “lets give it a go, make mistakes together and I am prepared to change if you teach me crew” are the ones coming along for the bumpy learning ride. Luckily in our place I feel that’s the majority. Let go and relax a bit folks, don’t say can’t or won’t and realise no one has all the answers. There will be stuff ups, clangers and disruptions to traditional learning roles, but I am excited by that not afraid.

Is our place ready? Will these be used well? I am saying a resounding YES! but it will take time, trust and support.

For those unfamiliar with DET NSW here is their (very old school website1.0) summary of ICT. (my red highlight warns of the political rhetoric and glib spiel contained in such releases. DET NSW your website1.0 IS broken, badly, fix it and align it to something like smart classrooms from the QLD DETs)

Computers in NSW public schools

The NSW Government will spend more than $1.2 billion on IT in public schools over the next four years.

The program will make NSW public schools one of the largest and fastest school IT networks in the world, e.g.:

For any teachers who like to;

1. be kept up to date
2. save time whilst looking for quality resources
3. learn from a whole world of educators, literally
4. have fun
5. be challenged in your thoughts
6. ask for help, guidance or suggestions
7. vent, rant and argue (140 limit! yee ha)
8. have interesting links delivered to you
9. break free from the educational echo chamber AND
10. find out how others teach and learn

then twitter is the application for you.

After a tentative tweeting start, I am now seeing the enormous quality and professional value of twitter.

Thanks tweetees, you know who you are, so does everyone else now!