Daily review activities

While completing the “Science of Learning” course from the National STEM Centre on FutureLearn, one of the activities was to share ideas for daily review (one of the 10 Principles of Instruction).

Here it is:

Someone on there mentioned “challenge grids” so I followed the link, loved them, and made a template (based on one made by @ICTevangelist) which I’ve saved here:

Challenge grid template on Dropbox

Some of these links can also be found in my “Shortcuts” page: is.gd/memorybank

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Teaching future feminists

I have had the privilege in the last week listen to intelligent and passionate speakers debating a wide range of issues at the HowTheLightGetsIn festival in Hay-on-Wye. On Monday these included two debates about feminism: one focused on the diverse approaches taken by different feminist activists, and the other specifically about the gender biases in science, historically and today.

I also attended other debates about equality, “meritocracy” and free speech, among others. These were all fascinating conversations that I felt lucky to be a part of. I was able to ask questions at the end of these debates, and on several occasions to speak with the debaters face to face immediately following the events.

I also had the further privilege in the previous week of interviewing candidates for Deputy Head of Science roles in the department where I begin my first Head of Science post in September.

It occurred to me today that the situation in which I find myself puts me in a perfect position to pursue the goals I see as vitally important in science education when I begin my new job in September. To explain why requires a little more context regarding the department I will be leading.

No, we are NOT all doomed!

Since an early age I have heard – and said myself innumerable times – that the biggest environmental problem faced by this planet is the huge and expanding human population. But it turns out the whole story I had on the topic was wrong.

How To Be An Optimist: Step 1

So I’ve been trying something, that has made it easier to remain an optimist.

It’s a deceptively simple action to take, and anyone can do it. Immediately, for free, with no effort. Well, you might need to change a couple of habits, but you’ve made bigger changes than this in your life.

On food

I still think there’s an important place for a few grazing animals. On the other hand, industrial (also known as ‘cheap’) farming of animals is just unconscionable. Still deciding how this all fits together though…

I’ve been educating myself more and more about the production of food, with the aim of making the invisible visible. I’ve never seen an abattoir, I’ve never seen a dairy cow artificially inseminated, and I’ve never seen an industrial chicken/pork/beef/lamb operation in the flesh. Yet. So I’ve been gathering info and reading, listening to and watching what others have revealed behind the scenes of food production. I’m in the process of researching global stats on food production – more to follow on that front.

Bottom line: I want to talk FOOD and discuss, debate and learn all about it.

Watch this space.

 

My educational values

1. Everyone has the right to their own ambitions
2. Nobody has the right to define anyone else’s level of ability
3. Everyone deserves dignity, respect and space to express themselves
4. A teacher’s job is to teach as effectively as they can
5. A student’s job is to learn as much as they can
6. Hard work and grit are to be celebrated
7. No one should be lazy or rude
8. Language is powerful and creates our world
9. There is only one Earth, and we all live on it. Respect it
10. Think for yourself

If I am to maintain my integrity in my work life, my actions need to match my values.

This is a first attempt at putting those values into language and I hope to refine them and most importantly to act in line with them, without worrying about who might be upset!

What is the EU?

See below for Professor Dougan’s comments on immigration, which he emailed me today.

A friend shared a video of a talk given by Professor Michael Dougan of the University of Liverpool’s Law School. As he explains, he’s spent a lifetime studying and practising EU law, and as such has been a go-to consultant for various news outlets during the buildup to the referendum.

How does the mind affect health?

It is clear that we need our lives to have a purpose, to feel that our actions form part of something bigger than ourselves.

When Julia, a passionate and committed teacher, was forced to take extended leave from work, she had to find activities to fill the gap and to provide meaning to her day to day existence. Going from such an intrinsically fulfilling and gregarious job to a quieter, slower, less social existence would have come as a severe shock. It would have been easy for Julia to slip into a cycle of anxiety and stress leading to isolation and depression.

On the UK, EU and Germany

One of the many ironies of the desire by so many in the UK to vote to leave the EU.

A common line of reasoning I have heard is that the EU is like a dictatorship run by Germany.

Putting a Contract out on Teachers

Sometimes I think about moving to London. Then I read something like this, think about the walk from my door along the Cornish coast path, and come to my senses.

Also: brilliant idea about a structure for teacher’s contracted hours that puts them in control of their flexibility.

Disappointed Idealist

This is going to be about workload, and in particular, Russell Hobby’s piece about whether teacher contracts and fewer holidays might solve the workload problem. I thought this was an appropriate issue on which to return to the keyboard, not least because the reason I haven’t blogged for a while is largely due to the fact that, this year, I broke myself on the workload wheel.

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