Teaching

[Bravus]

(I don't think there's a more appropriate subforum but am happy for this to be moved if there is)

I spent last week in a school working on a research project, and have spent a total of 4 weeks in schools over the past few months.

Wrote a longish blog post yesterday and a complementary one today: anyone who is interested in education might find them interesting. I've tried to explain in lay language and keep the big words to a minimum, but am happy to clarify anything if people have questions.

Won't copy the full text of the posts here because there are footnotes, bold text and other features that would be a lot of hassle to transfer. Feel free to copy and paste bits if you want to comment on them.

Loitering in Classrooms

What's The Difference?

[abelisle]

In response to your second blog, I heartily agree. I always felt as if I was managing chaos with my brighter A,P. (Advanced Placement) classes. The sharing of ideas, cultural attitudes, radical questioning, abject frustration et al all came together in the learning process.

In addition I had the advantage of teaching English and thereby using writing as "process philosophy". The therapy was in the process of writing itself.

It was always about questions, finding the right ones, steering away and around the others, admitting that the answer(s) weren't known and most importantly the encouragement of the "love" for learning. I was teaching them more how to fish than simply providing the fish.

Teaching is and will always be both charismatic and inscrutable. I always felt I was blessed by having this "gift of the Holy Spirit" and in believing so, always tried to be the best teacher I could be with God's help.

Thanks for creating this sub-forum, Bravus.

Alex

[Bravus]

Good stuff, Alex: one thing I didn't fully say in the blog posts is how in awe I am of the great teachers we've been observing. I reckon I could probably still do it, but I realise all over again how hard - and rewarding - the intellectual and emotional work is.

One more: http://www.bravus.com/blog/?p=2392

[cricket]

Have you seen a recent trend in holding back male students so that they'll be closer to the oldest in their grades, rather than the youngest? It's a trend I've noticed in private schools. Boys who are born in the summer months (though legally "ready" for school as long as they're of age by September) are more likely to be "held back" by their parents--just so they'll have a jump on their peers.

Malcolm Gladwell talks about it in his book, Outliers.

Anywho.

[Bravus]

If I had sons I'd (obviously depending on the individuals) be inclined to have them *start* school when they're a year, or even two, older than girls. It seems to me to be much more than anecdotal that boys mature later. My own experience was more about maturity than intelligence or work.

[cricket]

Just curious to know if you've seen a trend in doing so--or, if it's only happening here in private schools in the midwest U.S.