LIVING EDUCATION

"What is grander than gold?" inquired the King. "Light," replied the Snake. "What is more refreshing than light?" said he. "Conversation" answered she. The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily Goethe

Friday, June 30, 2006

KATHRYN'S EDUCATION RESOURCE

PDHPE is one of the six key learning areas in the Australian NSW primary curriculum. It is concerned with developing in students the knowledge and understanding, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. The subject matter of PDHPE K- 6 is organised into eight interrelated strands consisting of: Dance, Games and Sports, Gymnastics, Growth and Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Safe Living, Personal Health Choices and Active Lifestyle. There are also five essential skills that students should also develop from PDHPE. They are: communication, decision making, interacting, moving and problem solving.

Resources:

Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER)
ACHPER is a professional association representing professionals working in the fields of health, physical education, human movement studies, sport, recreation, dance and community fitness. This site has close links to the educational system and schools. Teachers can utilise ACHPER locally and nationally for support in terms of new curriculum resources, new ideas to promote active and healthy living and professional training and development.

Sports Media: Physical Education and Sports for Everyone
The Sports Media site is a meeting point for all organisations, associations and teams who are involved in Sports and PE. As a member of the World-Wide Internet PE & Sports Organization they guarantee a speakers corner for everyone, everywhere. Sports Media will also assist with lesson plans, coaching tips and sports from all around the world.

Board of Studies: PDHPE K-6 Syllabus
The aim of the PDHPE K-6 Syllabus is to develop in each student for the ages of Kindergarten to Year 6, the knowledge and understanding, skills and values and attitudes needed to lead healthy, active and fulfilling lives. It also provides schools with a curriculum framework for teaching and learning related to the health priorities for young people of drug education, fitness and physical activity, child protection and nutrition.

http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/
Every kid deserves to be healthy
Good food habits and daily physical activity – if your child has these, they're well on the way to a healthy life. But achieving this isn't always so simple. This website shows you how to do it and links you to many other sites on this important topic. Check out Useful Links for more resources in this site.

Purchasing of Resources:

NSW Department of Education and Training: Public Schools NSW
Various books distributed for PDHPE teachers for units of work for K-6 which facilitate the systematic learning of skills and understandings. Fourteen books covering all aspects of the PDHPE syllabus strands.

Education Bookstore: PDHPE Zone
PDHPE Zone Stage 4 is a series of four new booklets written by experienced NSW PDHPE teachers. It is relevant to the Physical Education and Health syllabuses in all states. Each booklet is supported by a Teacher CD that provides models for the integration of the four books as well as a range of worksheets covering literacy, numeracy, technology and practical skills.

Lesson Plans:

Dance Lesson Plans:
PE Central provides a site for teachers to view many dance lesson plans ranging primarily for K-6. You can sort via styles of dance or view primarily all dance plans. The ability to submit dance plans are available as well as converse with other teachers about teaching dance.

Games and Sport Lesson Plans:
A way to increase active time in lessons with a focus on games is to select minor games which require high activity levels. You probably already use a range of minor games in your PDHPE lessons. These are great for getting students involved in the lesson and focus on fun and enjoyment.

Gymnastic Lesson Plans:
An array of Gymnastic lesson plans designed to suit all skill levels and ages. Teachers can choose a lesson on how to teach specialised Gymnastic skills such as the Stadler Handstand, Balance Beam or High Bar drills. Don't forget to visit the site labelled non-traditional gymnastics.

Growth and Development Lesson Plans:
Visit Lesson Plan Central web site and take straight into your classroom lesson plans on Growth and Development. Various lessons looking at the stages of infancy up to early adolescence, systems of the body and how the science of laughter can enhance our social, mental and physical well being.

Interpersonal Relationship Lesson Plans:
Discussion Questions, Writing Assignments, and Student Activities for Character Education and Life Skills. View lesson plans on developing a respect for others, dealing with pressures and getting along with parents.

Safe Living Lesson Plans:
In addition to Risk Watch's age-appropriate lesson plans in every module, we've created interactive activities to use in your classroom. The following lesson plans are categorized by Risk Watch grade levels, but some activities may be appropriate for several age groups, so "click around" and explore all of your options!

Personal Health Choice Lesson Plans:
The Alabama Learning Centre provides a site of lesson plans that define a personal health goal, identify how personal health choices are influenced by peers, media, family and the community as well as recognise activities and behaviours that encourage healthy family living.

Active Lifestyle Lesson Plans:
Lessons to promote personal fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Choose lessons plans for K to Gr 7. Plus various other links and resource suggestions for teachers.

Fundamental Movement Skills

Students need to master certain fundamental movement skills if they are to enjoy the wide range of physical activities, sports and recreational pursuits offered in our communities. The following professional development sections allow you to gain an understanding of each skill and look at practical suggestions to incorporate these skills into your PDHPE and sport programs.

Teachers Forum: PDHPE Billboard
An online message system enabling PDHPE teachers to converse and share ideas with other teachers or professionals in specialised areas. A list of email addresses with subject of interest and date posted is supplied.







posted by EducareEducare @ 11:13 PM   0 comments

Reflections On Our First Day with P.D.H.P.E.

We are learning about Personal Development, Health and Physical Education.
The statistics on child health have been quite a revelation to me. Reinforcing how important this subject is for the health of the students, particularly today. Pre-television and computers, movement was part of a child's life through play.

I read in the paper the other day that this generation, will probably be the first not to live as long as their parents - due to health problems arising from unhealthy foods and sedentry life styles.
I need to ignite enthusiasm in myself for this course because of the overfacing nature of the syllabus language with its endless stream of acronyms - so hard to remember.


In holistic education; Personal Development, Health and Physical Education should be woven through the curriculum.



All learning originates in movement.





posted by EducareEducare @ 10:56 PM   0 comments

Saturday, June 24, 2006


THE END IS ALSO A BEGINNING
"What is grander than gold"
inquired the king.
"Light," replied the Snake.
"What is more refreshing than
Light?" said she.
"Conversation" answered she.

Today we are finishing our course and I am saying good bye to this log.
I am pondering Kathryn's question "Can you name three things you have enjoyed and learned from this way of working"
I have enjoyed the challenge of putting thoughts into words, I love to have my very own weblog (Myspace) where I can express my opinions and thoughts and finally best of all is reading everybody's log. I learnt most of all from my colleagus. Lauratroses showed me a wonderful example of action learning and I realised that I had not grasped the concept clearly in my post. The "learner" is not the student, as I expressed it. The "learner" is: The student+ the environment+ the resources. Funnily enough, although my post on DLE is a bit boring, to me it was a real constructing of knowledge for myself.
Above all the thought that childhood is sacred and needs to be protected has been beautifully championed by everyone.

posted by EducareEducare @ 5:56 PM   0 comments

Friday, June 23, 2006


REFLECTION ON A PIECE OF WORK

I am about to present a piece of work by Mark Prensky named Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants from On the Horizon (2001). Using an idea from my friend cambia-todo-cambia my review will have the following structure. First there will be a description of his work. This constitutes the Body. Secondly I will give my own thoughts and reflections on this issue. This represents the Soul. Finally I will bring critique from other sources to discuss Marc Prensky's work. The Spirit.

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

In his article Marc Prensky makes the observation that today's young generation has experienced a change more invasive than any other generation before them. This is due to the fact that they have grown up in a world of information technology of television, computers, internet, video games and cell phones etc. "Today's students think and process information fundamentally differently from their predecessors......and it is very likely that our students brains have physically changed- and are different from ours- as a result of how they grew up". To support these views Prensky quotes Dr. Berry of Baylor College of Medicine: "Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures". Prensky leaves it open whether this is literally true . However, he observes that the thinking patterns of the young have changed and he names the younger generation of students "Digital Natives" because they are, so to speak , "native speakers of the digital language". Prensky calls the older generation "Digital Immigrants", because they find it difficult to keep up with the natives, because the immigrants keep their "accent" in other words "their foot in the past".
Prensky says this situation has very serious consequences for education today. The Immigrant educators have reached their use by date. They don't understand the Native's language. The Natives do not want to have to listen to the step by step, logical presentation of information or instruction any more, which has been used to impart knowledge to date. The Natives have new skills after years of practice." They are used to get information really fast". Consider Prensky's analysis of the students of today.

"Unfortunately for our Digital Immigrants teachers, the people sitting in their classes grew up on the "twitch speed" of video games and MTV. They are used to the instantaneity of hypertext, downloaded music, phones in their pockets, a library on their laptops, beamed messages and instant messaging. They've been networked most or all of their lives. They have little patience for lectures, step-by-step logic, and "tell-test" instruction"

Marc Prensky's answer to this dilemma is first to look at the methodology. Teachers should learn to communicate in language and style of the students and bring tempo into their teaching. It must go faster.
Secondly to recognise that writing, reading, arithmetic and logical thinking is from a past era, although still important, for example, logical thinking. But Euclidean Geometry has possibly lost its importance. These old subjects are called "the Legacy". They are still important but must be taught in a new way.
Prensky has found a solution in this problem by creating computer games even for the most serious subjects.
"We need to invent Digital Native methodologies for all subjects, at all levels, using our students to guide us......So if Digital Immigrant educators really want to teach Digital natives-i.e. all their students- they will have to change"
In a nutshell what Prensky is advocating is that modern children can only be educated using computer games or similar ideas. Following are my personal and professional views on Prensky's work based on my experience as a parent and teacher.

My Views on Prensky's Article

In general, education today is in trouble. That is why when someone like Prensky comes along with his catch cry of "natives" and "immigrants", despairing teachers, in lack of creative ideas, latch on and in the wink-of-an-eye these concepts are excepted as fact. And Prensky's solutions are suddenly the "ideal" striven for. Well, I say that he is wrong.
Firstly, not all youth spend thousands of hours in front of screens before they come of age. The adults make their own choices of where to go with the digital world. There is no mystery about the digital revolution.
It is true that young people of today have changed considerably from even just ten years ago. Today's education system is so dead boring and ill conceived that there is a silent revolution going on among the young. They switch off their focus on all the information and dead thought presented to them. No one can blame them for seeking freedom in other worlds. A notable exception is where you find good teachers who love their work, their students and manage to inspire love of knowledge - in spite all the regulations put on them by various authorities.
Secondly, Prensky's solutions to education's dilemma leave a lot to worry about. My experience as a teacher in Steiner education tells me to go the opposite way to Prensky. We must make time go slow. We must bring back life into education, forget about "monkey-knowledge" and virtual reality. We have an enormous responsibility towards the new generations. Parents, in particular, need to be educated about parenting. When the time is ripe to bring in the computer as a cognitive tool, it should be cutting edge coupled with the freedom that knowledge brings that considers ethical and health issues. Let it become truly a tool that is controlled by the individual and not another drug habit that Prensky advocates. I think that many will move out of the digital arena because life will assert itself.

Of course not everyone agrees with me - but some do.

Critiquing Prensky

There is a different aspect to this whole questions of the digital world. The human brain is in fact changing. The Rational Psychology Association in Munich has researched the measurement of stimulus processing and brain organisation for more than 20 years. In recent years they have been able to discern through intricate measuring techniques that the senses of smell and and taste have decreased and that the brain is not net-working so efficiently any more.

"It is apparent that the cross-linkages (networks) have been reduced and that the capacity has been enormously increased using direct stimulus carriers working parallel together"
Dr. Harald Rau of the Institute of Medical psychology, University of Tubingen(2004)

Stimuli are taking short cuts and pass over certain areas in the brain. For example, the optical stimulus goes to its goal with very high speed. This has a very disturbing consequence. The stimulus is not adequately networked and is not enhanced with emotions. This has serious consequences. The studies, carried out by the Rational Psychology Association in Munich, show that children can watch the so called Flescher videos, in which people are being torn to pieces etc, without experiencing any emotion of horror or pity, whereas adults feel revolted and cannot see the film to the end. It seems that the more the human brain gives over to the computer's networking the more it looses its own network.
In the lecture course on "Modern Initiation and Roscicruscanism" Rudolf Steiner mentions the 12 olfactory nerves that are connected from the brain to the nose having great importance for knowing the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. In other words the sense of morality is connected to the sense of smell.

On the Experience Designer Network the following is taken from an article called "Internet Culture: Digital Natives"
"Why do I call these young computer enthusiasts and organizational activists " digital natives "? Think about the extraordinary cumulative digital experiences of each of these future business, military, and government leaders: an average of close to 10,000 hours playing video games; more than 200.000 e-mails and instant messages sent and received; nearly 10'000 hours of talking, playing games, and using data on cell phones; more than 20,000 hours spent watching TV (much of it jump-cut-laden MTV); almost 500,000 commercials seen- all before they finished college. At most, they've logged only 5,000 hours book reading."
Prensky: Capturing the value of "Generation Tech" Employees

Finally, ponder on this response to Prensky's words.

" Are we to assume that these "extraordinary cumulative digital experiences" are beneficial? It seems to me that 10.000 hours of playing video games, 200,000 e-mail messages, 10,000 hours of cell phone time, 20,000 hours of television along with 500,000 commercials, and 5,000 hours of book reading may be an apt description of a pathology more than anything else. Yet the article promotes digital natives as being "better than any before at absorbing information and making decisions quickly, as well as multitasking and parallel processing". Absorbing what information? Making decisions quickly about what? Multitasking what? And the dubious parallel processing? This sounds more like a description of computer circuitry than a human being"

 And further more the author of these thoughts points out:

" We don't need to absorb more and more information- we need to find meaning. We don't need to quickly make decisions- we need to make the right decisions. We don't need to multitask- we need to focus. And it may be these leaders, these imaginary "digital immigrants" that will help us to get a grip, slow down, be more focused and reflective in our work, and find a better degree of balance in life"


posted by EducareEducare @ 4:32 AM   0 comments

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

DISTRIBUTED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

We are a bunch of teachers with hundreds of years of teaching experience who have become a group of students. Our university has roots deep into ancient traditions with wonderful adventurous teachers who lead us to discover new worlds of epistemology and virtual reality, through constructivist learning processes.
We are not on a lonely journey. We are with friends and we help each other. We are encouraged to have INTEREST in each other and develop trust. We need to give time to each other and learn to listen in a way that the other person is heard completely and not reflect back immediately how we understand a situation. In this way the individual is recognised and realised, not through self imposed expression, but through the awareness of the other. With each other and through each other we learn. We learn to LISTEN.

THE LEARNER:

As a "learner" I am not just a name. I have gender, age, family, state of health and work commitments.

As a learner I can improve through action research. In using this technique I begin with thinking of where I want to go. In my second step I plan how to achieve my goal. Thirdly I act and finally I reflect on the first three stages and thus the cycle continues. Action research is nearly always a collaborative effort.

THE ENVIRONMENT:
I learn in an environment that includes my friends. It is important that the rooms we meet in to learn are comfortable, warm and light filled so that a sense of security and trust can develop. Eye contact and the ability to read each others' body language support the deeper understanding of each other. The rooms need to accommodate this.

RESOURCES

I have many resources I can use including my tutors and colleagues.
There are books, a library at our university. We have a computer lab which enables us to access the internet, classrooms and several campuses we can visit. One cognitive tool we have learnt is called Inspiration. It can help me to order my thoughts by drawing a mind map. A blackboard can also be used for this.
Together I as the learner, my environment and my resources available are part of my Distributed Learning Environment (DLE). In my DLE there are many ways of learning such as: learning on the internet, at home, at uni or at another campus. But importantly I, as the learner, am part of a learning community. It is also a virtual learning community using weblogs.

My greatest joy is reading other people's logs!!

Incorporating a spreadsheet (for demonstration only)
Here is a spreadsheet where DLE is discussed

posted by EducareEducare @ 4:50 AM   0 comments

Monday, June 19, 2006

REFLECTIONS ON BRUNER'S SPIRAL


The Positive Spiral
I want to express that my impression of the educational psycologists and theorists that we have studied in relation to constructivist learning, is that they are wonderful men with deep insights into human nature. My concern is that their ideas reveal certain truths of the child's process of learning, which when applied from "theory into practice"- can have negative effects on the child's overall development - more on this later.
Taking the positive aspect of spiral learning. It is obvious that learning builds on previous learning. The metaphor of a plant growing in healthy soil with lots of sunshine and clean water springs to mind. The child "grows" into reading, for example, from the first recognition of the letters as living beings of sound through to the later comprehension of complex texts

The Negative Spiral
The problem I see, is that theories are only theories. When behavourlists and materialists develop an education system based on those theories, we end up with three year olds being taught computers because "we can".

We begin with the hypothesis that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to a child at any stage of development.
Bruner

Take a look at the above quote. These thoughts are used to justify the belief that it is of advantage to teach for example reading to children as early as possible. No one seems to realise that we need to test these logical- sounding statements on the touchstone of reality and ask: Is this true??? Should we start in pre-school teaching children the very beginnings of reading by introducing scripted words? And take tools of knowledge as another example. Who asks today in secular education when the right time has arrived to put a pencil in a child's hand to start the process of writing?
I will argue that there is a right time for everything, to bring to the child the discovery of the world and itself in all kinds of manner. It is not about technology. It is about pedagogy.
"There is a time for sowing, there is a time for reaping"
The child's well-being depends on how we educators undestand WHAT can be taught WHEN and HOW and WHERE and WHY.

It beggars belief that Waldorf education, which employs creatively the best of all the theories, we have studied, is not generally recognised.












posted by EducareEducare @ 6:33 PM   0 comments

Friday, June 16, 2006

MYSPACE ON INSPIRATION

Here is a Powerpoint outlining the struggles Stanford University is having coming to grips with "digital natives"
The younger generation has always created their own code of communication and found their own spaces away from the adults to be able to live out their emotions and feelings. We "oldies" don't belong in their secret world. I don't want to go there. Yes, I did have a peep into "my place" (as I call it) and felt: "Leave them alone. I, for one, don't need to know. As long as they don't get caught and depressed in cyber space, they will come out one day. Plato's Cave or the movie "The Matrix" comes to mind.


posted by EducareEducare @ 4:18 AM   0 comments