Word for today...

Wibble:

Definition A:

The act of being so overcome with emotion that
1. The eyebrows come together and curve up at the inside.
2. The eyes become big and childlike
3. The lips and sometimes the chin shake.
Number three is what actually constitutes wibbling

Definition B:

The word used by Rowan Atkinson in "blackadder goes forth"

to denote a state of insanity. I the scene he puts pencils

up his nose and repeats "wibble wibble" in order to get

sent home from the trenches.

TAKE YOUR PICK!!!

The first shall be last and the last shall be first...

Here's a fun idea. Teach backwards...not physically - obviously.

Start with your outcome for the lesson and work backwards getting students to unpick the lesson ending up at the objectives.

Interesting and slightly weird but hey normal is boring!!

Word for today...

DETERMINATION

Fixed points that raise a smile :-)

I find it amazing how things can pull you back to fixed points in time because of their association with that particular moment.

For me the one thing that is guaranteed to pull me back is the Housemartins single 'Build'.

It takes me back to my A-levels and a party at a friends house in Winscombe which was the last time we were together as a group before exams and Uni.

It was a good night full of laughs and this song takes me back there everytime.

So as you listen to it think about the things that take you back.

Hey...this would make a great starter...dont you think??? ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEPvsJ3ZiEQ

Champions!

I spent the day watching creativity happening from the 11 players of my cricket team Hampshire...CHAMPIONS!!!!!

What a win...very happy :)

Word for today

Challenge

Breaking down the walls of tradition...

Title sounds grand I know but thats just the attention seeking bit!

Really this isnt new I have been doing this for a long time - as have many others - but sometimes its good to throw the old stuff out!!

I have picked up a potentially difficult Yr8 class. Bottom set, low ability and self belief and probably moaned at everywhere.

So how do you approach it?

1. Agree classroom guidelines - start with listening to the teacher and ask them why this is important. Then allow them to set another 3 or 4 and write them in their books for reference in the coming year.

2. Check sheet - rewards and sanctions. I will create a large class list to go on the board which will have 3 columns - their names, positives, issues. Then every 10 minutes I will make a point of ticking the columns of those who have done well. I will also add a number in the issues column.

Why a number? Because they can then go back to the guidelines we set out and see which one they have slipped up on

3. Over the top positivity. Make sure that you are mega-positive about what they have done well and value every answer - its important they see they are doing well and experience what doing well feels like.

4. The 'carrot'. I have found in my experience that classes like this cannot last a whole hour lesson so have a 'carrot' (some would say bribe but hey ho!) ready. With me its a video. We start watching a film and they watch 10 minutes each lesson we get 50 minutes work.

Im not saying Im an expert or that its a perfect plan but its an idea that might help.

Its all about the giraffe...

Wondering if your class is really listening to your instructions?

Throw the odd word in (giraffe, banana, wobble etc...) and see how many pick up on what you have said and how many let it go by.

Interesting results!

Key Word

EXCITEMENT

Keep the faith, drive to the finish...

So how do you see the journey of bringing a freedom of creativity into your classrooms?
Are you standing at the bottom of a mountain looking up and thinking 'No way!'?
Are you hanging on halfway up thinking 'How did I get myself into this?'
Are you near the top and realising that this was only a small climb and there are more to come that are higher and longer?

Wherever you are keep going!

To the people in the first group this quote from my favourite band in the world - U2 - came to mind:

'Its not a hill its a mountain when you start out the climb...'

Things always look bigger from the bottom looking up! Put it in perspective every journey is a case of one foot in front of the other driven by a desire to finish.

To the people in the second group remember (again U2!)

'Every Nation gets the chance to change the world. Pity the Nation that wont listen to your boys and girls...'

Youve started the climb and now its time to work on and finish. There are worrying moments but ultimately by finishing the climb you are giving those 'boys and girls' the chance to be listened to and drive on their experiences.

To the group at the top looking at the next climb remember (yep U2)

'The sweetest melody is the one we havent heard...'

Look at how far you have come and think about what was unleashed on the journey.

NOW think about what will be unleashed during the next level and drive on!!!

(Lyrics from 'I'll go crazy if I dont go crazy tonight' by U2 from album 'No line on the Horizon')

Why?

Why? This question sends shivers down the spine of any parent or teacher...it seems to cause people to freeze and begin to stammer!

But...'Why?'

Because it causes us to justify ourselves. To make ourselves vulnerable and open up our view / opinion on things. The facade we set up in order to keep people out is pulled down when we enter into a 'Why?' conversation.

We are also in a position where we allow our knowledge of a topic to be tested, stretched and we move closer to the point where we may have to admit we dont know the answer!!!

This is why...people fear this question - because we think that we should know everything and be seen too know everything by those around us or in our charge.

Seriously...whats is wrong with showing that we arent perfect...

standing up when you wanna fall down

Keeping up the momentum of new learning experiences in a classroom is hard work especially at the end of the year.

Looking for opportunities to review the year in different ways or giving the students the chance to put their own spin on the year is always an interesting exercise!

How well did they think it went????

Dare you to do it!!!

Creativity is...

stunningly beautiful

eyecatching

unique

awesome

jaw-dropping

question raising

inspiring

thought provoking

memory forming

life changing

spirit raising

a moment in time...

Creativity the key to respect?

Having taught for a while now I am always amazed at colleagues who say things like 'How do you manage with ...?' or 'That class really wind me up!'

Im not boasting...anyone who knows me knows that this is not easy for me as I find fault in all I do!...but I have never had a problem with classroom management.

Now some will say its because Im and man and big in size etc... but I think its down more to the fact the students have a positive apprehension about my lessons and what will happen in the classroom.

I like to mix it up and keep them on their toes and they like that...seriously!

How do you know you have respect though?

When you need them to just work quietly and they do without any issue or argument...then you have respect.

What does it feel like to be creative?...

I have been asked this and the answer is different for everyone as its so individual only you will know how you feel to be creative.

The Killers summed up the feeling I have going into a creative time,

Can we climb this mountain,

I dont know
Higher now than ever before 
I know we can make it if we take it slow
Let's take it easy
Easy now
Watch it go

(from 'When You Were Young', Brandon Flowers, Mark Stoermer, Dave Keuning, Ronnie Vannucci Jr.)

Its all about the journey and sometimes it will freak you out but keep the faith, climb the mountain and stand tall - the view is beautiful :)

concentration span...

How long do you really concentrate on something? Have you switched off already? OI!!! YOU WAKE UP!!!

So if our concentration spans are all different then why do we expect students to all concentrate for the same amount of time? Maybe we should have drop out points in lessons where they can step back from the instruction and just get on.

You may find you have students at differing points in the process and also that they will be coming up to you at different times for different information - but to quote Anon...great bloke Anon... 'creative minds are rarely tidy'!

Something bigger...

Spent yesterday on the south coast of England at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove.

Its when you are at these places that you realise how amazing creativity is...

Creativity in action

For over 2 years now I have had the privilege to be part of the singing group at school (called Youth in Harmony - I emphasise the youth bit!) tonight again was special.

I believe so strongly that its only when you let your guard down and allow students to see the real you (nervous, anxious, happy, frustrated etc...) in an environment where they feel the same that real respect is built.

Every concert with these fabulous students is one of those events - it builds the relationship outside the classroom that flows into it.

Respect on both sides built through common experiences - priceless.

Leaning on the lamp post at the corner of the street...

Ask yourself this question...how many times a day, week, month etc... do you step out of the world and 'watch'?

In those moments do you think that you are watching the world go by...or watching for opportunities?

When we slip into the realm of daydreaming aim to come back to reality with an idea to change the world!

Quote for today

"Without creativity there is no tomorrow, just another today." 

Anon

Thanks Ian for passing this one on :) 

Quote for today

"Not a shred of evidence exists in favour of the idea that life is serious." 

Brendan Gill

Its inside us all...

Creativity isnt something that we do or dont have. Its inside us all.

Its not about being creative so much as it is realising that you ARE creative - even if you are the only one who see's it.

Just bite the bullet and do something...be creative in your way and enjoy the fact that no-one can do what you just did in that way :)

Who's to blame when no-one speaks?

I have come to the conclusion that many students have an automatic shut down which takes place in their brains and they go into 'limp mode' where they bump along through the lesson doing the bare minimum though their potential is so much more.

So why?

Peer pressure is an obvious - if overused - answer. The fact students are intimidated by others in the class and the reaction outside of the room to their participation.

Fear of failure. Another obvious issue. We live in a world where results matter and the students know it. Some would rather be safely plodding through the lesson then raise their head above the parapet and potentially get shot down.

Poor self confidence. A badly worded reaction from another teacher to a wrong answer, a feeling of inadequacy away from school in their personal life (parents siblings saying they are no good) etc... will lead anyone to hide inside themselves as a defence mechanism to stop themselves from being hurt.

There are many more issues that can impact their willingness to respond. One I have had on my mind recently though is maybe they feel you dont deserve their contribution? Bit radical but think about it. We are surrounded by a world where excellence rules and things that grab their attention are all 'sparkly' and 'hi-tec' and 'fast moving' and 'new' and ... you get the drift?!?!

If our lessons are old and slow and boring and uninspiring maybe some students react with, 'well if you cant be bothered neither can I!'

Something to think about...

Slight confusion maybe?

I was teaching a Yr7 class once about the fact that faith was the ability to believe in something that you cant see.  I had used the example of religions believing in a God they cant see and asked the class to think about things they might believe in that they needed faith for.

After a couple of minutes I asked for some feedback and one of the lads piped up,

"My dad believes that we have fairies at the end of the garden.  Ive looked and you cant see them but they must be there.  He was at the end of the garden the other day and I heard him talking and he kept saying 'Fairy Nuff' over and over again!"  

Its very hard not to laugh when faced with the bizarre!

Quote for today...

"Creativity is the ability to see relationships where none exist." 

 Thomas Disch

Handing over the baton

I have had some success in giving students the ownership of the lesson in terms of where they go from a set framework (ie start point of topic and end with assessment).

I had been a bit more anxious about given them the ability to direct where they go from a blank page...until about 18months ago.

I put on the board a date - September 11th - and said to my PSHE class (very mixed ability ranging from A* pupils to F pupils) 'There's your lesson!  Off you go!'  After a moment of 'UH?' came the questions and I responded with another question back. 

In the end they stopped asking questions of me and started asking them of each other.  

After about 10 minutes one of the groups came up and asked if they could do a presentation - I said 'I dont know can you?'  They walked off and came back a couple of minutes later saying 'We are doing a presentation!'

This was replicated throughout the class as groups decided that they would produce poems, pictures, opinions, diaries, presentations.

They all decided that they would set PSHE HOMEWORK!!!! and that they would carry this on next time.

Second lesson - presentations of varying styles but all powerful, thoughtful and personal.

We ended with a big plenary where the lesson was discussed and what they felt they had acheived was outlined.  All went away feeling they had really worked hard to put forward their opinion on the events of this date and when I see them they still talk about it today.

All they had to go on was a date...no 3 part lesson...no learning objectives...just a date.