Loreto Teachers’ Workshop

Annette Honan

Teaching requires 3 kinds of knowing

Knowing what to do – knowledge Knowing how to do it – skills Knowing why we do it – motivation

Reflect for a minute…

What motivated you to get engaged in this work?

What sustains you?

What sustains us?

“ …My heart is moved by allI cannot change.So much has been destroyed.I must cast my lot with those who age after age, perversely,and with no extraordinary powerreconstitute the world ”.

Adrienne RichNatural Resources

What is the current experience?

Students and teachers interested in global justice issues

Barriers – attitudinal, structural, curricularSo… Still not seen as the core business of schools or

understood as a process that will enhance classroom learning and school culture. (Mapping the Past, Charting the Future, Dec 2010)

‘The presence of development education within the classroom appears largely dependent upon the willingness or capacity of individual teachers.’

Research suggests that Teaching and learning methodologies in Irish

classrooms are not conducive of educating for global citizenship (ERC research, March 2011)

Young people still carry stereotyped and charity-based views about ‘poor people’ and there is limited evidence of critical thinking

In groups discuss

What do you see as the challenges in promoting justice education?

Where do you see new opportunities?

General signposts in Irish education

Strong consensus that change is needed Focus on Teaching and Learning Key skills More flexible curriculum Democratic classrooms Questioning what values should

education be guided by and what is the goal of education?

Emphasis on bottom up change

Aims of education …

Amongst the aims of education as set out in the White Paper on Education are

to create tolerant, caring and politically aware members of society

to ensure that Ireland’s young people acquire a keen awareness of their national and European heritage and identity, coupled with a global awareness and a respect and care for the environment

(1995: 11-12)

Innovation and Identity

Across the developed and the developing world schooling finds itself at the centre of a set of global concerns about the future of the planet, about food and water security, and about the movement of peoples in the face of climate disasters. The global economic crisis adds to these concerns and increasingly, schools are being asked not simply to teach students about these issues but to shape the next generation of creative problem solvers who can quite literally,

‘save the world'. Innovation and Identity, Ideas for the new junior cycle, NCCA, 2010

Values

Equality and inclusion Justice and fairness Freedom and democracy Respect for human dignity and

identity

Junior Cycle Reform

Changes Schools will revisit the

vision, values and purpose of JC education

More flexible curriculum

Focus on a renewal of teaching and learning and on basic and key skills

Emphasis on linkages across learning

Opportunities for Dev Ed Opportunity to align

curriculum planning with a school’s mission statement

Space now for Dev Ed

More active and engaged learners, less content driven and more skills based learning

Cross-curricular topics, project work, community linked learning

Make sure you have your say

13

www.ncca.ie/consultations

How can we do it better?

Methodologies and ideas for promoting justice and peace education in the classroom

Research

Suggests that students learn best when they

‘construct’ their own meaning are actively engaged in learning engage in reasoning not just reproduction check their own and each others

learning/understanding learn from each other, e.g. use peer

explaining, peer teaching, think-pair-share, group work.

Why is active learning so important?

We remember 10% of what we read20% of what we hear30% of what we see50% of what is discussed with others80% of what we experience personally95% of what we teach to someone else

According to William Glasser

‘Students may work in groups in classrooms but they very seldom work as groups.’

Ken Richardson

Tips for successful group work

Agree ground rules Set clear tasks – provide ‘structure and guidance’ Avoid friendship groups and keep groups small Ensure everyone has a role and everyone is

accountable (‘no passengers’) Create positive interdependence – mutual goals,

shared resources, complementary roles, shared product/grade

Allow time for group processing of both the task and process

Create a classroom culture in which students feel that everyone has something to contribute.

For more help in organising group work go to www.co-operation.org

Your role

1. Decisions – size of group, roles, arranging room, planning materials

2. Setting task – explaining the task, explaining criteria for success, reminding groups of desired behaviours/ground rules

3. Monitoring and intervening4. Evaluating and processing feedback on the

students’ learning and giving them positive feedback

Let’s look at some strategies

Form groups of 3 with each person taking on a role

Reader - reads the words of the poem and the questions for the group

Facilitator/Checker – facilitates the group and checks that everyone’s voice is heard

Recorder/Reporter – notes the group’s responses

One person must also be a time-keeper!

To begin with – keep it simple

Use strategies such as 2 minute summary Think-pair-share Think- pair-square Read and explain pairs (let’s try this

out) Peer teaching

Read and explain pairs (Johnson, Johnson & Holubec)

This is useful when students need to read and comprehend a long or

difficult text 1. Each student reads the text quickly to get the ‘gist’2. Then the students pair up, As and Bs3. Both students silently read the first paragraph. 4. Student A is initially the summarizer and student B is the

accuracy checker. The summarizer explains in his/her own words the content of the 1st paragraph. The accuracy checker listens carefully and offers help or prompts if anything is left out.

5. The students move onto the next paragraph, switch roles and repeat the process until they have completed the text. At the end they summarise the key points.

Jigsaw Technique

Step 1: Students are arranged into groups. Students must be become ‘expert’ on their topic before they move on to step 2.

Step 2: Rearrange groups. Students ‘teach’ their area of expertise to their new group.

Some guidelines on teaching complex and controversial issues Make the classroom a safe place to ask questions

and discuss ideas (e.g. agree ground rules) Appeal to students’ better nature Find out what they already think about an issue

before opening up a discussion – e.g. journal work

Expose students to multiple perspectives Promote critical thinking (through critical

questioning) Teach the skills needed for dialogue and active

listening Model respect and fairness Let them know you don’t have all the answers!

Useful linkswww.co-operation.orgwww.geoffpetty.orgwww.teacherstoolbox.co.uk

www.action.ncca.ie (click on key skills)

To conclude

‘At the heart of education is the heart of the educator’.

Thomas H Groome, Boston College