Creative Schools: A Book Review by AskteacherZ

Educational Assembly Lines still pump out Model "A" Grades to 21st Century Students!

Little doubt remains that the current emphasis on standardized education squelches creativity. In the book Creative Schools author Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D. argues masterfully that the industrial aged, one-size fits all, the educational structure of yesteryear exists in our schools still to this day but in a most destructive manner. To curb this continued course and positively transform education it will take a revolution of the masses.

Revolts begin with disseminating information to crystallize the unity of the many. Identifying curricular outcome flaws is often not enough to sway involvement. However, presenting the political purse of maintaining ancient industrial education testing techniques is a powerful motivator.

The sticker price to clone learning costs billions of dollars. Testing and supporting students in the United States is a booming big business. It finances political electioneering and drives the education systems. In 2013 the revenue was $16.5 billion. To put this in perspective Robinson points out that in the same year the U.S. domestic cinema box office grossed a little less than $11 billion and the National Football League (NFL) is a $9 billion business (pg. 165). Moviegoers and football fans would never continue to pay for tickets if their return was anything like what's put in front of students in the form of standardized tests. The current educational system shortchanges consumers. We're purchasing an inferior end product for our students.

Student engagement, learning outcomes and success of career preparedness depend upon allowing individuals the opportunity to pursue their interests, innovate and collaborate within the realm of educational curricula. Now with over 8 million views on YouTube Ken Robinson's TED Talks presentation from 2007 titled Do Schools Kill Creativity is an introduction to this very topic that is expanded upon in his 2015 book. In short, Creative Schools contains all of what he was unable to say in 18 minutes 8 years ago.

The Heart of Education is the Relationship between the Students and the Teacher

As a mission, all teachers enter the profession with the intent of making a difference in the lives of those whom they serve. Regardless of the age, subject or role in education (as I described in my "Bad" blog post in June 2015) all educators want students to become compassionate, innovative and active citizens in the future. Ken Robinson explains and expands upon this perspective very well with his humorous analogies, sarcasm, school and classroom observation examples and educational data.

The drill and test industrial aged education model of old must give way to a modern-day creative one. Project-based learning, maker spaces and a technology integrated curriculum need to be advanced, promoted and implemented in schools. Factors such as motivation, class size and funding can no longer be the crutch to explain the lack of student success. Schools and staff need to be supported and valued more by government leadership to allow for the building of quality relationships with students, parents, and community.

Education, as Robinson eloquently writes, is "...cluttered with every sort of distraction. There are political agendas, national priorities, union bargaining positions, building codes, job descriptions, parental ambitions, peer pressures. The list goes on. But the heart of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher. Everything else depends on how productive and successful that relationship is. If that is not working, then the system is not working. If students are not learning, education is not happening. Something else may be going on, but it's not education (pg 71-72)." Simply put, the priority in education needs to be about discovering individual talent not determining deficiencies. Discovering the gifts of each individual student is accomplished only through the building of positive relationships.

Creative Schools needs to make an appearance at some point on everyone's nightstand. Sir Ken Robinson doesn't disappoint. He's crafted a brilliant, inspiring and thought-provoking book on where education needs to be and how to get there. When finished you'll have a more profound understanding of the education world.

Effective Studying

As a teacher, you spend countless hours thinking about your students and the impact you have on their lives once they leave the classroom. Being an educator is about more than teaching the specific subject matter, it’s also about leading by example and motivating your students to be a better version of themselves. Now that’s a tall order!

One of the ways educators can make a positive impression on their students is by equipping them with studying techniques that they can apply long after passing a grade or even graduating from high school. As students grow up, enter college, and move into the working world, their ability to focus and learn will continue to be an invaluable tool. From tackling home do-it-yourself projects, to advancing in the workplace, to someday passing on these valuable skills and lessons to a future generation, good study habits are a positive asset for any young person to develop.

There are 5 tips for effective studying that you can pass on to your students:

1. Pay attention to how you learn best.

Make sure your kids understand that everyone has unique learning needs, and that they should adapt their approach based on what works best for them. Do they learn best with visuals or by reading lengthy study material? And don’t underestimate the effectiveness of flash cards–they work for all types of subject matter and for students of all ages!

2. Get help when you need it.

If students have a hard time studying no matter what they try, encourage them to ask for help. They have a variety of resources available to help them find their groove, including everyone from teachers, to parents, to professional tutors.

3. Limit your distractions.

Today, more than ever, it is all too easy for students to be distracted while trying to focus on academic work. Talk to them about limiting distractions. They should put their cell phone away, turn off the TV, and find a quiet spot where they can focus on schoolwork.

4. Don’t wait ‘til the last minute.

Research has shown time and time again that students perform much better when they study material over a period of time as opposed to “cramming” just before an exam or other academic milestone. Students can significantly lessen stress, increase their confidence going into a test, and perform much better if they set aside smaller amounts of time over multiple days or weeks versus studying for hours the night before an exam.

5. Set goals–big and small.

Students develop important self-management skills and do better when they set intermittent goals over a longer period of time. For example, if a student wants to get a score of 90 or higher on a final exam, he or she should set a series of study goals leading up to the exam date. They could be things like “studying for one hour every day for a week” and “completing the practice exam at the end of the text book.”

Learning to be a “good studier” is about more than passing grade levels and doing well on exams. As your students grow into young adults they’ll use these skills to become more productive citizens. Hopefully these tips will motivate you and your students in the new school year!

Dusty Fox is a full-time world traveler and freelance writer who contributes to the WiseIvy network. Visit the Ivy Trainers website to learn more about the services they offer.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are that of the author and do not necessarily represent that of the website sponsor AskteacherZ. Permission to write this guest blog post is provided by AskteacherZ.

Teachers and Superman: Adapting to a World of Cell Phones

Superman: Where's the Phonebooth?

Superman fan? I've always enjoyed superhero movies. One particular scene from the 1978 original Superman movie, starring Christopher Reeves, stands out and inspires me to be a better educator and person.

A disguised superman, portrayed as a mild mannered typical white-collared worker, needed to switch into his blue spandex and red cape uniform to save the citizens of Metropolis from harms way. No worries. A quick change of clothes in a phone booth is the patented move for the son of Jor-El. On the street he immediately finds a phone but there's no longer a booth; it's a small receiver station with no door. What now? Adjacent to where he stands is a revolving-door unit. Problem solving in the heat of the moment is his forte. He acts quickly and uses the turn-style door to make his transition from Clark Kent, the reporter for the Daily Planet, to Superman, the hero of the people.

Metaphorically this superman movie snippet encapsulates the world of education in several ways. For starters, in this ever changing world, educators, like Clark Kent, must problem solve and determine alternate strategies to accomplish tasks so frequently it's beyond measure. Both also serve the people; for better and worse Superman and Teachers are servants to those whom they've dedicated their lives. Successfully working on behalf of the people depends upon the acclimation to one's surroundings and the constant retooling of ones craft.

If classrooms are preparing students with the skills necessary to meet the rigor of the 21st century work place then conformity to ancient learning practices will not cut it. Teachers are lead learners. Leaders promote innovation, critical thinking, collaboration and risk taking. To promote these skills teachers must understand and employ them.

This mind shift is necessary.

Pedagogical Adaptability is a choice; albeit it's not a difficult decision or is it? We've all come in contact with people that dismiss giving change a chance. That person, for whatever reason, that's resistant to attempt a new instructional tactic or use a new technology tool. Perhaps you've overheard someone that's quick to point out to others "You don't have to do that because -insert negative result here- is going to happen when you try it."

What drives and motivates these individuals to be this way? Maybe it's fear. Maybe it's because they're overwhelmed. Maybe they need help and they're not accustom to asking for it. Together we must move forward and overcome these obstacles because the people we all serve can't afford the result.

The "Set-In-His-Way Superman" would've missed a chance to save a life. If Clark Kent were reticent to change and resistant to adapting to his environment something as simple as a covert outfit transformation would result in tragedy. If he'd have continued to look for a phone booth rather than use the revolving-door the chance to help and save humanity would've past. Likewise, a new clothing conversion technique is lost. A new learned tactic that'd serve him and mankind well in the future. These same decisions exist more often for teachers and school administrators than for fictional superheroes. Revolving doors are everywhere for educators.

Those that work in education are superheroes. Their endeavors often go unnoticed. In one day as a middle school administrator, on top of all the spectacular learning I'm privy to experience from my daily classroom visitations, I also witnessed: secretarial and custodial staff rush to the aid of a student having a seizure; an educator walk a student to the clinic that had a bloodied nose; a teaching-assistant walk the entire playground with a distraught student until they found their missing cell phone; and a school administrator save a choking student in the cafeteria by performing the Heimlich Maneuver.

There's little doubt that educators are quick to act when someone is physically, socially and emotionally in harms way. Lets apply this same principle to when someone is intellectually in harms way. As educators we must be quick to act on trying a new form of acquiring professional development -- maybe it's being involved in a Twitter EduChat. As educators we must be quick to implement a new learning tool and attempt a new learning strategy. We must, as educators, be quick to collaborate with others. Be that Clark Kent Educator that's quick to take a risk, try that revolving-door and enter into a new, more profound world of pedagogy.

Resources and Credits:

Superman the Movie. 1978. Warner Brothers.

Superman - DC Comics.

Oxnevad, Susan. Getting Smart. The SAMR Ladder Through the Lens of 21st Century Skills. 17 July 2013.

YouTube Superman Clip. https://youtu.be/VhCm66QhW_Y