Do Schools Kill Creativity? - Sir Ken Robinson

3 things that I agreed with:

• Education takes us into a future that we can't grasp.
• Education needs to be designed, not based on societies past needs, but on our present and future needs.
• A willingness to make mistakes is essential for creativity.
• Blazing your own trail is a risk.
• Intelligence is diverse and dynamic. 
• There are so many ways to define intelligence, especially in our modern world.

2 things that surprised me:

• The fact that school were designed originally to provide workers for the industrial revolution.
• I had known this, but the ramifications of this fact had never occurred to me before seeing the video.
• The fact that in every educational system there is a hierarchy of subjects and that the arts always are at the bottom.
• This was very surprising, especially the fact that this is a global phenomena.

1 thing that I disagreed with:

"Creativity is as important as literacy."

For students, this will depend on what type of job you are trying to get. Just as not every job requires the same amount of literacy, not every job requires the same amount of creativity.

Affinity Spaces

1.         One community of practice that I participate in is teaching. Another is crocheting as well as cooking.
2.         “Community” is better defined as a space because community is related to how interconnected people are. This makes who is in the group and their degree of involvement the focus of an investigation about a certain community. With a space, the focus is on how people interact and use the space. This allows for more of a emphasis on group dynamics instead of group membership.
3.         A “generator” is something that gives the space content. In schools this could be the teacher, textbooks, or various class materials.
4.         A “content organizer” is how the content is organized. In a school this would most closely relate to a teacher’s lesson plans or maybe the textbook.
5.         A “portal” is something that gives access to a space and its content. In schools, portals could be textbooks, lectures, teachers, course materials (such as workbooks or notes), or websites.
6.         In an affinity space, the participants have an affinity for the generator of the space. In the classroom the generator is the subject matter. This means that good teachers need to help their students to develop a love for their subject.
7.          Affinity spaces support inclusive classrooms in several ways. One way is that an affinity space is held together by the common affinity that all members hold for the generator. This facilitates a sense of community that extends beyond just the physical space its-self. Another is that fact that leadership is porous. Teachers aren't the only ones that solve problems. Students are also responsible for teaching and helping to solve problems with in the classroom.
8.         Traditional classrooms differ from Affinity Spaces in several ways. One is that the teacher is the primary leader and source of information in a traditional classroom. In an affinity space, the leadership is porous and there are many different sources of information and learning. Also in an affinity space some of the portals are also strong generators. This is rarely seen or seen only to lesser degrees in traditional classrooms.  In many traditional classrooms, the teacher is less than encouraging of gathering information from outside sources, where as in affinity spaces, this is strongly advocated. In affinity spaces, there are a variety of ways to gain status, but in the classroom the routes to status are limited, generally to achieving good grades. 

Moving to Learn

Chapter 4:Simulations and Bodies

1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West." 

In cultural learning, learners don't just learn through hearing and memorizing words, they learn through doing. It is important to allow students to use what they are learning and do things with it. 

2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?

3. What gives a word a specific meaning? 

A word's meaning comes from the context it is used in. These meanings can vary greatly depending on how the word is used and the circumstances surround its use. 

4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?

a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present. (I don't have to do it any more.)

b. Them shoes are off the hook dog. (Those shoes are really cool.)

c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!! (It was awesome!)

4. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?

5.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?

The instructions can be dense and complex. Often they include specialized vocabulary that one wouldn't know unless you have played the game. Also the directions are often so complex that they are ineffective before playing the game. Players often can learn more just from trying to play the game.

6. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?

No it doesn't. 

7. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?

The author uses these terms to refer to different ways that people adapt themselves to those around them and the language that is being used. I have a geocaching, a church, and a school "identity". 

8. According to the author what is good learning?

9. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied  to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?

10. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?

Interview with a Student

During my clinical I interviewed two students. Both were high achievers. The first, Student A, is a quiet student. He doesn't speak up too much in class. He volunteers some, but not on a regular basis. The second, Student B, is an outgoing talkative student during class. She is constantly volunteering. Both students are quick learners.

Here are the notes from my interview. Some of the student responses have been paraphrased.

Q: Do you enjoy school?
Student A: Yes.
Student B: Yes.

Q: What kind of student are you?
A: Good listener, funny.
B: Good.

Q: How would your classmates describe you?
A: Annoying and talkative.
B: Friendly and fun.

Q: Who are you friends with? What do you do together?
[Both students gave the names of their friends. For confidentiality's sake I will not include the names.]
A: [Listed 7 male friends] We ride bikes and play X-Box.
B: [Named two female friends and Student A.] Me and my friends talk and play games.

Q: Tell me a good memory you have about school.
A: One of my best memories is of winning the county spelling bee in 5th grade.
B: I liked nap time in kindergarten. I also liked dissecting a frog in my science class.

Q: Tell me about a bad memory.
A: I can't think of any.
B: Being bullied in school. It happens a good bit.

Q: Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
A: A good teacher gives you plenty of time to learn.
B: [Gave the names  of two teachers she liked]. They both are nice and they give a lot of help.

Q: What is one thing that you wish your teacher knew about you?
A: That I'm good with technology. I've learned a lot from my uncle about computers.
B: That I can be shy.

Student A, with his technology skills, was able to help me one day when I was teaching and was having trouble getting the Elmo and projector to work. It seemed to boast his confidence to be able to help me during class. Student B has seemed to open up to me a bit more since the interview.

I think that the interview process is very important. It is also very helpful for the teacher to know students, their opinions about school and themselves, their interests, and who they are.