Saturday 5 February 2011

How To Teach Proper

Or why great teachers can't flourish in the British state system.


Like the Ralf Steadman's depiction of Leonardo Da Vinci, I stared in panic at a blank screen, wondering how on earth am I going to tackle this idea. I have been impelled to write this by the encouragement of friends, colleagues, what former students have said about my teaching and the current zeitgeist in education in this country. I was shaken out of the blank-screen-panicky reverie by the phone. It was the garage to tell me that they really need to change the water pump along with the timing belt and asking me if I wanted it done. I got a little flustered and blurted out that on the scale of things, an extra £100 pales into insignificance compared to the task in hand. Bless her, the garage lady asked me about the subject matter. Put on the spot, I said that the education reforms of the last 15 or so years had thrown out the baby with the bath water. By removing the autonomy of teachers to improve the performance overall, they removed the very autonomy that allowed great teachers to be great.
I suppose it would be alright if these reforms actually worked in terms of how well educated the cohorts that have been schooled under the extant educational paradigm compared to previous generations and in comparison to their peers from other educational cultures, but it would appear not. I suppose it also depends on how one defines 'worked' and 'well educated', but if you discount the extremes of Orwellian lexical elasticity in definitions that seem to pervade the current regime, then under these terms, it also has failed.
To some extent the reforms have tried to codify some of the facets of great teachers and jargonise them as though they were new inventions, like scaffolding, AFL (Assessment for Learning) and differentiation. This is like trying to codify walking. On one level walking is simple, but try to program a machine to walk as humans do and you see how difficult it is. To some extent in the modern teaching milieu this mountain of work has been removed from the teachers by commercial bodies that do these things, but these things are constructed without awareness of differing teaching styles and the teacher-student individual relationships. That said, the modern teacher has a mountain of bureaucratic tasks enumerating minute details that no one will read and serve very little purpose.
To return to the baby-bathwater metaphor; the baby is the trust and autonomy of great teaching and the bathwater is “. . .the bitter, the misguided, the failures from other fields [that] find in the school system an excuse or a refuge.” Bel Kaufman, Up the Down Staircase. Furthermore, to codify all the other facets of great teachers to dictate, document and document proof that the code was put into practice in the fine detail needed is impossible. In this sense, great teaching is like surfing. You know where you want to go, you know the general direction of the wave, but you must respond to the minutiae of local conditions, the eddies and counter-currents that cannot be planned for in advance. The modern British teaching milieu suggests a stereotypical wave with none of the eddies and counter currents that can catch out the less talented surfer, but the talented surfer turns to advantage.
After 20 years teaching, at first in this country and then (the majority) in an international community: having been acknowledged by students, parents, super-ordinates and the community at large as a great teacher and the observations of, & conversations with great teachers about what great teaching is, it seems appropriate to disseminate some common aspects of great teaching. I think it would be a good start to define what learning actually is.

Learning

This is what we do when we acquire knowledge, which, from an epistemological definition it is true, justified belief. In other words we believe something to be true if it is justified by reason, language, physical perception, emotion and authority. We are knowledge acquiring machines with in-built capacity for all of the above, except authority; to determine the truth from those in authority for that truth is learned from the other ways of knowing. Indeed we have an emotional need to acquire knowledge: to learn. So, here we have five ways with which to investigate the pathology of the great teacher and how the great teacher was already doing all that the reforms have tried to get all teachers to do

Reason

As the wheel reinvention of 'Scaffolding' suggests, this is a reasoned activity, but one which is immensely difficult, since it requires that the links in the causal chains are the smallest, fundamental and therefore axiomatic deductions from what went before. It is very easy to assume that you have dug down that far, but most make huge assumptions in the causal chains, which cause them to fail, necessarily. The next step is an added level of difficulty in which one must put the causal chain across with a simple immediacy, while all the time being keenly aware of assumptions one's students will be making and for the look out for questions that highlight your assumptions. These have to be dealt with immediately they occur. This may be difficult to spot, but if you have encouraged your students to ask question when they have questions and they are inculcated in the ways of reasoned causality, they will seldom hold back, I've found. It is a case of them helping you to help them.
Making an atmosphere where questioning is easy takes a bit of time. I told all my classes that it was their duty as well as their right to ask questions. The fear of looking stupid in front of one's peers holds many of us back, but there are few stupid questions, and I tell them, to most student questions about 66% of a class will want to hear the answer to settle any insecurity and the rest to get a different perspective on what has been learned. In this way, students take ownership of their learning and therefore value it more highly.
If more rationality were employed, the amount of time spent on many 'hard' GCSEs could be reduced dramatically. I had to construct a curriculum for this cohort for the IB Middle Years Programme for chemistry and physics that had to contain the same level of knowledge and problem solving as the IGCSE, but in a 6th of the time. For chemistry, I made it quasi-historical and entirely heuristic in which students had to interpret their own empirical data and subtitled the course Why Stuff is the Way It Is. For physics, I took the tack, Why Stuff Happens and again in which the students' own empirical data is used to draw conclusions and in which energy flow is the central motif, starting with mechanics (and drawing analogies with electrostatics and current) leading to circular motion and hence to waves (and drawing analogies with electromagnetism and induction).
Wave properties allows exploration of sound and light (and the rest of the electromagnet spectrum), which further allows exploration of the very big (the universe) and the very small (the atom and beyond). It is, therefore, possible to make a two year course bite-sized. I have put these into practice and they work. I have recently undertaken to do online courses based on this experience and found that by using simulators to give empirical data (complete with random errors), even this small amount of time can be reduced to ten lessons. I have also included maths whose central theme is historical from Euclidean geometry (the axiomatic system), to trigonometry (these are just simple ratios), Cartesian geometry and graphs from which everything else emanates up to basic calculus.
There seems to be an assumption that children cannot reason in the abstract. I have found this to be false, since with self-belief and confidence they have a context in which to express their innate powers.

To include explicitly inductive and deductive reasoning in everything one does will inculcate in the students the confidence in their own innate reasoning powers and allow them, with practise, to be cleaner, clearer and more discriminating thinkers. Furthermore, the exploration of different intellectual paradigms often allows new paradigms to be arrived at syllogistically, this is lateral thinking.
It appears to me that the teaching establishment is distrustful of students reasoning abilities. Some do it well and some not so well. Those who do it not so well can be trained; it is one of the only things for which I would advocate rote learning in as much as this could be considered rote learning.

Differentiation

In the modern milieu, this is a contrived task that trivialises one of the great teachers' greatest talents. If one has 25 students in a class, there are at least 25 different ways the material can be assimilated at each point, so, if a lesson has four main points, then you have 254 (390,625) ways to differentiate. To plan a differentiated lesson, therefore is a monumental, if not impossible. The great teacher differentiates by knowing their students and their learning styles and incorporates these into the lesson plan. To plan a different lesson based on two or three groups in terms of expected outcomes is demeaning to the student and sets up a self-fulfilling prophecy. I differentiate in class time by sitting and conversing with each student during problem solving activities. That way, I can appreciate their thinking and how it is helpful or unhelpful in context. Appreciating this allows me to construct a series of questions that refines the logic for that student. Those students that finish first can involve themselves in peer coaching, which is helpful for both peer and coach and in extension work that pursues the subject matter more deeply. As one of my former students said recently on my website, “Leaving one of Mr. Stickley's lessons without understanding was not an option.” In other words everyone got it and some had deeper understanding, and not, some got a bit and some got a bit more and some got it all.
There is no substitute for knowing your students, but I've seen in the modern comprehensive a combination of initiatives that obviate this most important need. They are, the two week timetable and the sharing of classes between two or more teachers undertaken by heads to rationalise their most expensive resources and save money. This means that a teacher could have up to fifteen classes and see some of them only once a fortnight. I would say it is impossible to know up to 370 students when one see them so infrequently. It is also an administrative nightmare for departments to coordinate all of this fragmentation.

Assessment for Learning.

Great teachers have done this for centuries if not millennia. One should assess to enhance learning not by giving the correct answer, but asking further questions that facilitate the student finding it for themselves. It should also praise the attempts made and to praise novel thinking, even if it led to unexpected outcomes, and of course praise outstanding work When further questions have been asked, the student is expected to answer them for their recorded achievement to increase. What I have seen is the answers given to students, but phrased as questions; this is lip service. Also, for students that do very little, the teacher has a lot more to write; giving even more answers – so who is being assessed? Furthermore, the trivial receives high praise. This means that grades awarded are skewed towards the higher end – classic over-grading – in contrast to a normal, bell-shaped population curve. There is an irony here; in maths (probability) and the sciences (random errors) normal, or natural population curves are what matters, so how do we justify these upwardly skewed populations other than deeming them unnatural and a fix.

Bite-sized Learning

It takes great skill to present a complete conceptual framework with precision in a short space of time. Prof. Brian Cox can do this and great teachers do this too. This is my form of bite-sized learning. It requires a thorough understanding of the subject matter far beyond the level to be taught, it requires good knowledge of other disciplines from which to draw analogies (in my case, history, the social sciences, art and German), which in turn requires the teacher to be a life long learner and passionately curious, to use Einstein's description of himself.
The modern curricula takes a different view. They take the conceptual framework and split it up and populate the rest with data and 'skills'. The skills are rudimentary and students usually have them anyway and the data represents a return to learning by rote of which the old system was accused of being guilty.
This form of learning is enshrined in The National Curriculum and GCSE Specifications (what was wrong with syllabuses?) and passed down to teachers in the form of ready made curricula complete with lesson plans. Ready made lesson plans save time, but they are written from someone else's teaching style; it is like wearing someone else's clothes – they don't fit. There is, however, an expectation that these off-the-shelf lesson plans are adhered to strictly. This removes another talent of the great teacher; that of recognising learning opportunities presented by the students and capitalising on it. It often requires that the teacher postpone the planned lesson to address the students' clearly stated enthusiasms. The subject matter of the impromptu lesson might be something that was to be addressed later in the scheme of work, or tangential to it, but that allows a deeper understanding of the material in the scheme of work. I have found this is frowned on, despite the huge leaps in understanding of the subject material and the consolidation of the warmth and trust within the teacher/student relationships.

Relevance

It is axiomatic that students would learn better if the subjects were more relevant to their lives. Curricula have tried to incorporate this with what they think is relevant? I find this extraordinarily condescending and patronising that these things can be determined in a one-size-fits-all way. The great teacher knows their students and knows what kinds of things fire them up and plans for it: knows that most of us can do far more than we think we can: knows that self-belief can unlock these latent talents and knows that everyone wants to be smart and not look stupid. This is what is really relevant to students. This idea is at odds with the idea of Individual Learning Plans, since, if the teacher has already planned for their students enthusiasms and has personally intervened for differentiation and Assessment for Learning in the ways already described, what purpose do they serve.
Utility is often cited as relevance which, of course it is, but again I find the definition of utility very simplistic and superficial. It seems the focus of utility is to prepare students for work, and so, the greater the utility the higher the students' prospects are in terms of financial gain and standard of living. There also seems to be an assumption that standard of living is synonymous with quality of life; it is not. I would argue that broadening horizons, developing critical thinkers and life-long learners is of greater benefit both to the individual and to society. This seems to me to be of greater utility.

Relationships and Attitudes

The students of the great teacher know that the teacher enjoys their company, individually and severally: that they will have fun: that they will learn something: That the lesson is planned for them individually and severally: that the teacher will present data only as part of a rational conceptual framework, so that rote memorization is reduced to a minimum: that they are in an atmosphere of warmth, care and mutual trust: that they will be treated fairly and equally: That the teacher has made no assumptions about them on the basis of gender, race, culture year team meetings or staffroom chatter – they are a tabala rasa, but will be aware that the student might be affected by real or invented stereotypes: that the teacher expects high standards and will do everything to ensure these standards are met by everyone: that the teacher has faith in them that will never diminish or be disappointed: That difficulties encountered will be dealt with immediately and effectively: That the teacher will bring out that which is latent: that the teacher will allow freedom for exploration, but will still get the needed material done: that their work will be assessed with constructive criticism and represented in a timely manner: that their teacher is a real, 3D person: that their teacher is a critical thinker and a life-long learner and knows that the teacher learns as much from them as they do from the teacher.
No student is in any doubt that the teacher is in command and that it is the confidence in this that allows them so much freedom. Disciplining individuals is done in private to protect the dignity of the student and at the first opportunity let the student know that the matter is dealt with and that it will not affect their good relations. It is also proportional and immediate, since justice delayed is justice denied. Why then do we have to give 24 hours notice of impositions for unhelpful behaviour? Or indeed that it has been taken out of the teachers hands almost totally to use their professional judgement. It would appear that teachers have a lot of responsibility, but very little authority. This is a characteristic of poor, bullying management. In this case, it is the system itself.

Many of us are terrified to be ourselves in case we get ostracised for individuality, yet, as teachers we are supposed to celebrate individuality. The great teacher has the strength of character to express their individuality. Often this will be seen as eccentricity, but it really is just being a real 3D person, since had we all the confidence in our own individuality, we would all be eccentrics (or not, since there would be no norm which which to assess it.) This makes the great teacher a character. Being a character on its own is not sufficient, the great teacher is also a life-long learner and so has a very broad knowledge base, apart from their own stated specialism. This allows the great teacher to draw analogies with other disciplines to the matter in hand: to draw on it to get attention or to dismiss humorously the heckler: to engage in conversations with students beyond one's own specialism, that enhances one's standing, affection and respect and to allow the teacher to be a teacher first and a specialist teacher second.

Many great teachers are provocative and enjoy robust discourse. In my case, my Irish suspicion of external authority based on positional power, means that I lampoon the Ship of Fools. I'm not a big suit and tie man (preferred work clothes: jeans and polo shirt in winter, bermudas and polo shirt in summer), so in British schools I ham it up with day bows, interesting waistcoats and ties and a Grateful Dead motif on the breast pocket of my lab coat. This elicits comment often attempting ridicule as it is intended, but the broad education and Irish love of satire allows me a gentle humorous reposte that turns the situation immediately. I am seldom bested in these exchanges, but when I am, I accede gracefully to the greater talent, since it encourages further exchanges.

Teaching is an emotional business; one does it for one's soul and for its intrinsic value. To do it properly; to be constantly highly vigilant and sensitized to deal effectively with questions and ideas in the cut and thrust of lively, engaging classes; to plan meticulously, but subtly to pack the greatest punch: to capitalise on every opportunity for learning and relationship building and to do all the other things great teachers do takes a lot of energy and thought. Great teachers are born. You can enhance skills, like behaviour modification, but if the talent is not there, all that can be done is train teachers to mechanical tasks, thereby devaluing the most honourable vocation to the level of a junior clerk.

Language

There seems to be attitude that the teacher must restrict their vocabulary to that of their students not including subject specific words. The great teacher acknowledges the smaller vocabulary of the students, but, instead of trying to work around it, meets it head on. If something can be described better with one word than 4 or more, then introduce it and define it. After all, linguistic determinism suggests very strongly that the more we can say the more we can think. Furthermore, if we applied this thinking to babies, they would never learn to talk – imagine a whole nation of Kaspar Hausers.


Class Differences

I know it is very non-pc these days to talk about class, unless one claims to be working class, but without referring to class, I think it will be more difficult to understand the different approaches. In a previous article I said that one of the reasons that middle class children do better academically is that their family and social milieu is more academic and that many of the educational reforms sought to address this. Katherine Birdalsingh in a recent video took this up and expanded upon it that it was the middle classes who have designed these reforms. I agree with her which is why I think that the reforms are offensively patronising and condescending to the working class. One of the differentiating motifs between the middle and working classes is that of gratification (according to the middle classes.) The middle classes can defer their gratification and the working classes cannot and need theirs immediately.
This has informed the reforms since bite-sized (as defined by modern curricula) and superficial and contrived relevance is predicated on immediate gratification and the short attention span it suggests. People have short attention spans for dull, uninspiring things and situations. In my experience gratification comes from success and not its illusion.





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