week+1

__Week 1__ 

This week’s lecture and workshop focused primarily on housekeeping issues for the course and investigating the notion of an effective teacher. I think I can safely say that for many of us the readings, lecture and workshop this week were thought provoking about what type of teacher we hope to be. Undertaking the reading I began to understand the breadth of discussion and opinion around effective teaching methods. Prior to the commencement of this course I had imagined primary teaching in a similar vein that I had experienced over twenty years ago. Current teaching models barely resemble the formal classroom structure that I had experienced which forced me to re-evaluate what kind of teacher I hope to be.

In particular I found the video of Sir Ken Robinson and the article //Arias of learning: creativity and performativity in Australian teacher education // in particular challenged my notions of effective teaching. With so much discussion in the media and focus by the Government on literacy and numeracy it is easy to imagine that the creative aspects of education have been forced to step aside. Julie White suggested in //Arias of learning ( //White, 2006, p.437) that pre-service teachers need to experience or at the very least focus on creativity in order to be able to successfully incorporate it into classrooms. This once again challenged my pre conceived notion that these areas were “specialist” fields and not something I would need to be familiar with. During the getting to know each other activity in the workshop I was pleasantly surprised to see such a diversity of backgrounds including a strong representation of people from the music, arts and drama backgrounds.  The Queensland Department of Education and Training has placed a strong focus on creativity in education making 2009 the Year of creativity. A website (  []) has been established along with many teaching resources to assist schools to celebrate and develop creativity. 

In a similar way the article by Peta Heywood //Changing Minds: A Glimpse at the Experience of Transformative Le arning //(Heywood, 2006) discusses the theory of transformation and how the process can only be successful if students are encourage to develop thoughts based on experience and reflection. While I found the readings for this week to be very interesting and thought provoking I have to be honest that I am finding many of the concepts to be quite abstract and most likely will continue to do so until I experience the classroom environment. What I have found out of this week is the many of my pre conceived notions about teaching have been challenged.  <span style="font-size: 15.4pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black;">Author: Beth McMullin <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 14pt;">

The highlight of this week was the introduction to Sir Ken Robinson and his speech on the Power of the Imaginative mind. According to Robinson, the integral difference between humans and all other species is the ability to think and act creatively. Robinson's definition of creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Children are the prime example for such creativity as their minds have the capacity to use the imagination in ingenious ways. Robinson believes that creativity in schools should be given the same priority as that of literacy and numeracy and that effective teachers will enhance the creative minds of their students. Robinson's belief is that if we as educators aim high in education then there will be no other outcome but to succeed.

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 14pt;">From having listened to Ken Robinson it has become clear that educating is so much more than just teaching the standard procedures of subjects like literacy and numeracy. It is now recognised that when educating children, there needs to be a greater awareness and allowance for talents outside the 'intellectual' realm. Teachers should therefore be encouraged to enhance a child's creative and imaginative side throughout their schooling life.

According the article 'Arias of learning: creativity and performativity in Australian teacher education' in order to enhance and nurture the creative minds of their own students, teachers must first experience creativity themselves. It is acknowledged in this article that if students are not given the opportunity to learn creatively at an early age then it is likely that their natural curiosity will be impaired permanently. White (2006) eludes to some very interesting points about student teachers and their ability to teach creatively and I believe that all pre-service teachers should also think seriously about this when implementing their own teaching practices. Author: Angela Partridge <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 14pt;">As this was the first week of study, the focus was primarily on course requirements and other housekeeping matters. After we had all the course issues settled we moved on to exploring the notion of what makes an effective teacher. As Beth points out, the readings, lecture and workshop were very thought-provoking and whilst I had a notion of the type of teacher I want to be, I now have much more to think about. I, like Beth, had thought that schools would be much the same as they were when I was a primary student. I couldn’t have been further off the mark. I admit that I was beginning to doubt my decision to study primary teaching. However, after reading //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Arias of learning ( //White, 2006, p.437) and watching Sir Ken Robinson’s video, I became very interested in the notion of tapping into teachers' and students’ creative sides. After all, as Sir Ken points out some of the most successful and creative people in history were not great students when you look at their academic performance.

As Beth has pointed out there is much discussion in the media also amongst academics and politicians regarding the importance of students being proficient in literacy and numeracy. I agree that we need to focus on the areas in which studies are showing that many students continue to struggle. For example, many are still struggling when they move from primary to high school and even from higher education to the workforce. However, I don’t believe that these areas should take priority over the arts and other creative subjects. I hope that I am able to be a teacher that can embrace creativity in my teaching, whilst still providing a solid foundation of the traditional. Author: Nick Power

<span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; color: black; font-size: 14pt;">I too was inspired by what Ken Robinson had to say. He certainly came across as intelligent, charismatic and most of all, really funny – which speaks well for the teaching profession and certainly helped to put us all at ease in our very first lecture. The introductory ideas about what it means to be a teacher put to us in this lecture were really interesting and left us leaving the lecture hall, I felt, on a really positive high towards teaching as a vocation and what we as individuals can bring to it. The emphasis throughout was on teachers who are flexible, passionate, can make connections between subject areas, and above all are creative and enjoy their work. These were really important messages to receive on our first day, and I think many of us felt up-lifted by the lecture. Hopefully we can be the (best) sort of teachers as were presented to us in our first Issues lecture and really make a difference in the wider community. Also, as Beth said from the wide spread of interesting people we met in the tutorials, I think this is going to turn out to be a great group of people dedicated to doing just that. Author: Bianca Alvarez Harris <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">