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r u MAD? and G a g e b r o o k P r i m a r y S c h o o l 2006-2008. 2006………One man, one class, one heck of a steep learning curve!!!!. 2007 A team of two leading two combined classes. Students choose to explore the global problem of land mines and their victims. 2008
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2006………One man, one class, one heck of a steep learning curve!!!!
2007 A team of two leading two combined classes. Students choose to explore the global problem of land mines and their victims.
2008 A whole school approach….. 9 teachers, 9 classes, 1 coordinator. Support from senior staff and Tas Centre for Global Learning. 1 day a week dedicated to r u MAD?
“At school the teacher is up front telling you where to put commas, so you zone out, talk to your friend next to you, lean back in your chair, write some bull crap, and draw pictures on the back.” (School student’s comment about traditional class work)
Modern cognitive scientists have demonstrated the importance of combining hands-on learning with more conventional approaches. • Howard Gardner’s research shows that humans have many different types of ‘intelligences’ – eight in all. • The eight he proposes are:
Linguistic (word smart) • Logical-quantitative (number/reasoning smart) • Spatial (picture smart) • Musical (music smart) • Bodily-Kinaesthetic (body smart) • Interpersonal (people smart) • Intrapersonal (self smart) • Naturalistic (nature smart) (Gardner 1999)
So let’s look at a few examples of how Gardner’s intelligences have been used with r u MAD?
In his book The Hand, neurologist Frank Wilson traces the evolution of the hand and its influence on culture and learning. He argues that schools make a critical error by sequestering students in the classrooms where knowledge is separated from doing. (Frank Wilson)
By running the r u MAD? program we provide opportunities for students to combine classroom activities with related hands on activities in the broader community. • It takes the ‘ho hum’ out of teaching and learning.
A few examples of how r u MAD? is conducted outside of the classroom and into the wider community.
This might all sound pretty good………but remember that as teachers we have a responsibility to provide learning opportunities from the Tasmanian Curriculum………..as well as assessment.
Many teachers would be surprised at the amount of assessable curriculum work that they and their students are doing…….. ……….so let’s have a look at some examples………
The Arts/Visual art…..Society and History/Interactions with the environment
Literacy/Speaking & Listening….Science/Scientific communication
You remember this student quote………. “At school the teacher is up front telling you where to put commas, so you zone out, talk to your friend next to you, lean back in your chair, write some bull crap, and draw pictures on the back.” What do they think about r u MAD??????
“I like r u MAD? because it’s not work.” • “I can’t always remember what we do in class, but I can remember our r u MAD? three years ago.” • “It’s fun because we get to do stuff that we like.” • “I think r u MAD? is important because we do things to help our community.”
