Education Sunday (2)

Unplugged puzzles should be a part of education to boost students self-confidence or to challenge children that are good at language and or atithmetics but who are affraid of new challenges.
Why does unplugged scaffolding need to be in the classroom next to the computer challenges? Cannot computer games be enough in the classroom, they're quicker and less messy. Well, the thing is that you need complete circles of education for most children. To learn in your head alone is not enough, you have to experience that there is a difference between your head and practical reality to have a real deep and meaningful learning experience, maybe not true for all, a good friend asked me.

wandering in woods

Some days when I went into the woods I would find wild strawberries, other days my shoes would be spotted with mud. I wouldn't trust picking mushrooms the way my grandfather used to, he knew which ones were poisonous, I didn't and asked myself what is the purpose that we each one of us have to learn about the same risks every generation again. I hoped I would have enherited somehow detailed knowledge about the mushrooms, preferably with pictures. Instead I seemed to have inherited a few less fortunate family memories among better ones.

Education Sunday (1)

In preparation of my participating in the writing of a manifest for education, I've been revisiting a few sites that I visited about a year ago when I first started to blog. One of these is "how to create passionate users" that combines insights on other fields (e.g. marketing) to education, what gives a fresh view and good ideas. I've seen many sites on education since, but I must say the way this site is presented appeals to me (maximum thoughts).
However, one should consider the myths that exist about education before getting into a discussion.

bipolar direction

Instead of bipolar depression, I've two directions at this present moment that pull at me. One is to read a book of a close friend author, the other is to cowrite a manifest for education from enlightened parents viewpoint. I can't help think of four books I'm reading, still surprisingly actual even though the book of Piaget contains ideas formulated before the second world war...
(1) pedagogy book on Dutch pedagogic thinkers
(2) booklet of Piaget commenting education
(3) book of Feuerstein on assessment with his method
(4) book of Tzuriel on dynamic assessment

Also I have to think on blog entries I have been making both on this blog and on the Dutch blog since I started this blog.

Both directions were becomming apparent last year already. Now they're starting to assume a shape.

mini scaffolds

This morning the teacher and I sat both next to my youngest son. He had to finish a snake of beads on nails. He was reluctant to finish it, because it was a little bit difficult. Just to observe him, you could see how difficult it was for him to continue this work that was not too difficult, but that frustrated him just a little bit. The mini scaffolds allowed were that the teacher would show which row was the right one, that we picked the colours for him in advance to narrow the choice down to two colours, and that we asked how many beads he had to skip in between the patches. In the beginning, he sighed a lot - sighing cools a overheated brain - for us a signal that he works at thinking. In the beginning there were a lot of stops and distraction rate was high, then, he seemed to grasp the idea and speed went up.

Recycling

I do recycling. First I started when I was a student. I saw half of Amsterdam put used furniture outside on the streets and the other half take it inside. I cannot count how many cupboards, chairs and items I collected this way. I now don't need to save money the same way, but when I see a perfect piece of furniture, I think of at least two things. One is that it's a shame to use up the raw materials in just a few generations, the other is if I can really use this furniture in my house, now we're wanting to moove.
This morning I first noticed the bureau chair when bringing my children to school with my cargo bicycle. A cargo bicycle is built for transportation. A chair is no problem. Returning from school I noticed that the chair is in mint condition and is easy maintenance. It looks new and comfortable. So I went to sit on it. It sat very comfortable. I don't have a bureau chair now, nor am I going to shop for one soon. So I took the chair home. Guess where I'm sitting now? My back says thanks.

Puzzle Sunday (36)

In science daily an article about how flue virusses in biology do seeds. Many plant seeds travel and for education you can use these sheets from teachervision. Also from teachervision: create your own puzzle.

Puzzle Sunday (35)

To celebrate we're leaving the middle of the darkness, I chose among other puzzles a puzzle of roses.