every child, teacher and school matters - Roots School System

EVERY CHILD, TEACHERAND SCHOOL MATTERSABBAS HUSAINDirectorTEACHERS’ DEVELOPMENT CENTREROOTS TEACHER DEVELOPMENTCONFERENCEAUGUST 11-13, 2008

WELCOME ☺OVER THE NEXT TWO HOURS WE WILLASK (AND TRY TO ANSWER !) THEFOLLOWING QUESTIONS:1. HOW CAN EVERY CHILD MATTER?2. WHAT CAN EVERY TEACHER DO TOMAKE EVERY CHILD MATTER?3. WHAT KINDS OF SCHOOLS MUSTTHERE BE TO ALLOW EVERY TEACHERTO DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAKEEVERY CHILD MATTER?

HMMM… QUITE A LOT THERE!BUT YOU WILL INSTANTLY SEE THATTHERE IS A GREAT CONNECTIONBETWEEN ALL THREE…AND WHILE WE MAY HAVE ALWAYSKNOWN IT, IN OUR TIMES IT IS CALLEDSystems Thinking

SO LET US TURN TO THE MASTERSOF WISDOM…THE SUFI MASTERS WHOOFTEN SAID THESHARPEST THINGS IN AWAY THAT GOT THEPOINT ACROSS VERYWELL…

The Tristomachic SurvivalOnce upon a time there were three kinds ofpeople on a certain planet. There were thosewith one stomach, those with two and thosewith three stomachs.

At first nobody realized that there was anydifference between them. They lived indifferent areas, and adopted the food andhabits which corresponded best with theirstomachic peculiarities.

But as they multiplied theirdifferences became mattersof contention.Sometimes themonostomachics prevailed,sometimes the bistomachics,sometimes the tristomachics.

Then with realism and through adesire for equity, they decided toabolish all differences based onstomachs. The result was thatpeople, happily enough, eventuallyforgot that there were any of theseanatomical differences.

They now had a unified culture,which was completely blind tothis detail. Even thetechnological instrumentsdevised by the people did notregister stomach differences.

And then, a new element crept in.As food supplies increased inquantity and decreased in quality(for unforeseen reasons) themonostomachics and bistomachicscould not endure the new diet andbegan to die out.

Because the ancient taboo againstknowing anything about stomachs hadbeen established even in the geneticinheritance of the people, nobody couldsolve the problem, and only thetristomachics survived.--- Idries Shah, 1972: THE MAGIC MONASTERYE.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., New York

THAT IS A MARVELLOUS STORY…I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR AMINUTE… IN SILENCE… AND JOT DOWNONE OR TWO KEY WORDS OR IDEAS…THAT SEEM TO YOU TO BE THE MOSTIMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE STORY…OK?...SILENCE, PLEASE…. THINK….

OK WE’LL TALK ABOUT THATLATER…LET US MOVE ON….HOW CAN EVERY CHILD MATTER?YOU SEE THAT THE QUESTION IS how canevery child matter to a teacher?

WE ARE OBVIOUSLY TAKING AMORAL ISSUE HEREAND WITH THAT WE COME UPON A SET OFIDEAS THAT I HAVE USED IN ALL MYWORK OF TEACHER TRAINING, ANDSTAFF DEVELOPMENT IN SCHOOLS…TITLED IT MEANINGINVITATIONAL THINKING

WILLIAM PURKEYHAS DESCRIBED THE TEACHING AS ANINVITATIONTO A LIFE OF HUMANITY, SANITY ANDNOBILITY…SURELY, WE AS TEACHERS MUST ACCEPTTHAT OUR WORK IS TO INVITE THESTUDENTS…

INVITATIONAL THINKINGOFFERS US A SET OF TOOLS TO THINKABOUT OUR WORK, AND SO WHEN ITAKE THE ISSUE OF EVERY CHILDMATTERS,THIS IS THE FIRST DIMENSION:AM I OFFERING A CURRICULUM THAT ISINVITING?

THE CURRICULUMARE THERE PARTS OF IT THAT AREDISINVITING?IF SO, WHAT CAN I DO AS A TEACHER TOREACH THE CHILD WITH THATMATERIAL?

LET US STEP BACK A LITTLETHERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT EVERYTEACHER MUST ADDRESS AS APROFESSIONAL AND AS A PERSON…I USUALLY PUT THIS IN THE FORMAT OFTHREE QUESTIONS…AND IT IS HERETHAT EVERY CHILD MATTERS. PLEASETAKE A MOMENT TO JOT DOWN YOURANSWER

LET ME REPHRASE THAT…IN THE NEXT SEQUENCE OF SLIDES YOUARE GOING TO SEE SOME QUESTIONS.I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT TOWRITE WHAT YOU THINK THE QUESTIONMEANSAND THEN TO WRITE A FEW KEY WORDSOF AN ANSWER… OK… GOT THAT?

THREE QUESTIONS EVERYTEACHER MUST ANSWERThe first of these concerns the form of therelationship with the child:What balance do I strike betweenexpertise and nurturance?

THREE QUESTIONS EVERYTEACHER MUST ANSWERThe second concerns the teacher’srelationship with colleagues and parents inthe school community:What is my responsibility for shaping theculture of the school?

THREE QUESTIONS EVERYTEACHER MUST ANSWERThe answer to the third question determinesthe teacher’s relationship with the society:Am I primarily a transmitter ora transformerof my society’s values?

OK ….LET US DISCUSS THAT A LITTLE…I WILL ASK ONLY FIVE PEOPLE…TO TELL ME WHAT DO THEY THINK THEQUESTION MEANS…NOT THEIR ANSWER

Every child matters…BUT WE MUST FINISH THE CURRICULUM!BUT WE MUST GET THE GRADES!!BUT WE MUST FINISH THE EXERCISES!!!Sounds familiar?

It seems that we must constantlyremind ourselves…PARKER PALMER has written thatthree questions make us sit up andtake noticeWHO DO I TEACH?WHAT DO I TEACH?WHO IS IT THAT TEACHES?

WHICH ALLOWS ME TO COME TOTHE NEXT QUESTION FOR TODAYWHAT CAN EVERY TEACHERDO TO MAKE EVERY CHILDMATTER?

A VERY IMPORTANT THEMETHE PROFESSIONALISMANDPROFESSIONALITYOF TEACHERS…TWO WORDS THAT ARE OFTENCONFUSED AND WE MUST CLARIFY…

THE WORK OF LINDA EVANSIS OF PIONEERING VALUE ON THESUBJECT…AND THE FOLLOWING CHARTS WILLALLOW US TO MAKE THE DISTINCTIONWITH CLARITY…Source:Hoyle, E. (1974) ‘Professionality,professionalism and control in teaching’. LondonEducational Review,3 (2), Summer 1974, pp.13-19

• Professionalism – strategies and rhetoricsemployed by members of an occupation toimprove status, salary and conditions.• Professionality – knowledge, skills andprocedures employed by teachers in theprocess of teaching.

• Hoyle (1974) illustrates the range ofprofessionality typically manifested byteachers by describing two extremes:• Restricted professional• Extended professional

Restricted ProfessionalityExtended ProfessionalitySkills derived fromexperiencePerspective limited to theimmediate in time and placeWorkplace events perceivedin isolationIntrospective with regard tomethodsSkills derived from amediation betweenexperience and theoryPerspective embracing thebroader social context ofeducationWorkplace events perceivedin relation to policies andgoalsMethods compared withthose of colleagues and withreports of practice

Restricted ProfessionalityExtended ProfessionalityValue placed onautonomyLimited involvement innon immediateprofessional activitiesValue placed onprofessionalcollaborationHigh involvement innon immediateprofessional activities(eg networks,research, professionalassociations)

Infrequent reading ofprofessionalliteratureRegular reading ofprofessionalliteratureInvolvement inprofessionaldevelopment limitedand confined topractical coursesWork seen as anintuitive activityInvolvement inprofessionaldevelopmentconsiderable andincludes learning oftheoretical natureWork seen as arational activity

SO MUCH FOR THOSE OF USWHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO TOBECOME PROFESSIONALS…BUT TAKING INSPIRATION FROM A CLASSICBOOK OF OUR TIMES ON MANAGEMENTJIM COLLINS’ FROM GOOD TO GREATI THOUGHT A LIST OF 14 CHARACTERISTICS OFGREAT TEACHERS WOULD ALSO BEHELPFUL.

HERE THEN…BUT BEFORE I GO ON PLEASE NOTETHE NUMBER(S) WHICH RELATE TO• THE TEACHER AS A PERSON• THE TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM• TESTING AND• THE TEACHER IN THE STAFFROOMTHERE MIGHT BE SOME OVERLAP ☺

1. Great teachers never forget that it ispeople, not programs, that determinethe quality of a school.2. Great teachers establish clearexpectations at the start of the yearand follow them consistently as theyear progresses.3. When a student misbehaves, greatteachers have one goal: to keep thatbehavior from happening again.

4. Great teachers have highexpectations for studentsbut even higherexpectations for themselves.

5. Great teachers know who is thevariable in the classroom: Theyare.Good teachers consistently striveto improve, and they focus onsomething they can control-theirown performance.

6. Great teachers create a positiveatmosphere in their classrooms andschools.They treat every person with respect.In particular, they understand thepower of praise.

7. Great teachers consistently filter out thenegatives that don't matter and share apositive attitude.8. Great teachers work hard tokeep their relationships in goodrepair--to avoid personal hurtand to repair any possibledamage.

9. Great teachers have the abilityto ignore trivial disturbances;to respond to inappropriatebehavior without escalating thesituation.

10. Great teachers have a plan andpurpose for everything they do.If things don't work out the waythey had envisioned, they reflecton what they could have donedifferently and adjust their plansaccordingly.

11. Before making anydecision or attempting tobring about any change,great teachers askthemselves one centralquestion: What will the bestpeople think?

12. Great teachers continually askthemselves who is mostcomfortable and who is leastcomfortable with each decision theymake. They treat everyone as ifthey were good.

13. Great teachers keepstandardized testing inperspective; theycenter on the real issueof student learning.

14. Great teachers care abouttheir students. Theyunderstand that behaviorsand beliefs are tied toemotion, and they understandthe power of emotion to jumpstartchange.

But how do they do all this?I NOW TURN TO THE LAST PART OF MYPRESENTATIONFIRST OF ALL LET US SEE HOW WE GOTHERE…HOW DID WE BECOME THE TEACHERSTHAT WE DID?

THAT IS A MIGHTY COMPLEXCHART…AND IT ALLOWS US TO LEARN SOMETHINGABOUT OURSELVES…REMEMBER THAT IF WE HAVE DONEGRADUATION OR MORE, WE HAVEEASILY SPENT MORE THAN 15,000 DAYSOF OUR LIVES IN CLASSROOMS !SURELY THAT WILL SHAPE OUR THINKINGSOMEWHAT?

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HOW WE TEACHGenderAgeExperiencePersonalityBeliefsPersonal PersonalCharacteristicsCharacteristicsHow we were taughtHow we prefer to be taughtHow we prefer to teachOur subject matterbackgroundOur teaching preparationExperienceand andPreparation in inEducationHowweTeachNature of the learnersClass/classroom sizeMaterials, equipmentTimeNature of the lessonNational imperativesContext of ofTeaching

HAVING SAID THAT,I WOULD LIKE TO SPELL OUT SOMEPERSONAL IMPERATIVES, THAT I HAVELIVED BY IN ALL MY WORK.THIS IS A PERSONAL LIST, FROM MY OWNEXPERIENCE. WHILE READING HASHELPED, IT HAS BEEN A SOURCE OFREINFORCEMENT ONLY…

I BELIEVE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS ARIGHT TO A DIGNIFIED TREATMENT ATEACH MOMENT OF SCHOOLI BELIEVE THAT EACH TIME WE RAISE OURVOICES, WE ARE PERMITTING THECHILDREN TO DO SO TOO.

I BELIEVE THAT THE YOUTH OF TODAY ISIMMENSELY TALENTED AND NEEDSONLY A LITTLE SUPPORT ANDENCOURAGEMENT TO BE ON HIS/HERWAYMY STUDENTS WILL GO TO PLACES I WILLNEVER GO, REACH HEIGHTS I WILLNEVER REACH. LET ME HELP THEM GETSTARTED.

THE CHILDREN OF TODAY NEED SKILLSWE DID NOT NEED. FOR EXAMPLE THEYWILL NEED TO PROCESS VASTAMOUNTS OF INFORMATION.THEY WILL NEED TO BECOME GLOBALCITIZENS, CONNECTED GLOBALLY…FROM KINDERGARTEN.

WE NEED TO RECOGNISE THAT THEWORLD IS CHANGING FASTER THAN WECAN COPE…BUT SOME HUMAN REALITIES DO NOT…SO LET US MAKE SURE THAT WETRANSFER THE VALUES AND NOT LOSETHEM IN THE OTHER PERISHABLESTUFF

• AND SO WE COME TO THE END OFTODAY…AND WE RETURN TO THEQUESTION ABOUT THE TRISTOMACHICS• REMEMBER? THE SUFI STORY WEBEGAN WITH…?YES, PLEASE TELL ME… WHAT DID YOUTHINK IT MEANT?ONLY 20 ANSWERS PLEASE….

ONE FINAL REFLECTIONTEACHING STOPS BEFORE WE ENTER THECLASS…LEARNING BEGINS AFTER WE ENTER THECLASS.LET US MAKE THIS TRUE FROM TODAY

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU

FOR A SOFT COPY OFTHIS PRESENTATIONSEND AN EMAIL TOabbas@tdc.edu.pk

ABBAS HUSAINDIRECTORTEACHERS DEVELOPMENT CENTRE129G BLOCK 2 PECHS KARACHI 75400PHONE: 4310217/4392949www.tdc.edu.pk