CONVERSATIONS

aMAISing Conversations

In a day ruled by timetables, rushing from one class to the next, marking books and papers, a typical school day for all teaching professionals, how much time do we have to pause and talk or debate the issues that concern us? Curriculum. Assessment policy. Pastoral care of students. Cutting edge research in education.

The aMAISing Conversations came about to address just these issues. Time was set aside for groups to meet over 3 sessions after school and discuss in more detail what were merely passing remarks in corridors or snatches of conversations had over hasty cups of coffee.
As a result four conversations were started:

Every teacher in the school joined a group where they felt their interests lay. The positive aspect for most was a chance to sit down and talk; to participate and contribute, to listen to colleagues from other sections and departments they didn’t normally work with.

The following are the highlights of the first session:

  • CROSS CURRICULAR INTEGRATION

Teachers reflected that cross curricular integration involved inter-disciplinary teaching with a real-world perspective. It provided opportunities for in-depth research and exploration, facilitated connections across subjects, provided equal opportunities for all intelligences, ensured participatory learning, encouraged collaborative learning and taught life skills. Sustaining the learning experience also meant being able to chart student progression and being able to reinforce key concepts.
Teachers in the elementary school felt that cross curricular integration was an integral part of the curriculum. The middle school (which was recently created as a separate section) felt that the exploratory learning happening there could be referred to as cross-curricular integration.
Does it work in High School? (Ah, here was food for thought!) Teachers reported being challenged by the availability of content experts, the logistics of planning time and a syllabus driven course.
The general consensus was that integration has to follow through naturally using grade appropriate content and not be forced into the curriculum. While certain topics lend themselves to integration, there is a possibility that some topics/ subjects might be left out. Where integration appears forced or artificial, is it possible to make associations?

  • EFFORT GRADE

The concept of an effort grade in addition to a student’s academic grades was introduced the previous year in the High school and Pre-University sections. A quantitative measure of grading student effort was piloted. The conversation about Effort Grade was based on the issues that arose in its year of implementation.
Teachers were in consensus that initiating an effort grade was a good beginning towards creating a responsible work ethic among students. They felt that it should be introduced from earlier grades and be sufficiently reinforced to ensure its success.
Teachers reported being challenged by maintaining the records for large classes, feeling constrained by the quantitative system of marking, the perception that it did not result in a real change in effort for a student who obtained a low grade and the element of subjectivity that crept in at the end of the year. Suggestions for improving on effort grade included greater parent involvement, referring to it as ‘Personal Development’, a grid for each student, the need for teachers to view the grade seriously and introducing an honour roll. The first session ended with teachers feeling that the Effort Grade needed to continue for another year despite the various challenges. It would however need changes for it to be more meaningful to both teachers and students-what could these changes be?

  • LESS is MORE

In this consumerist, perpetually rushed era- teachers asked themselves if there was a case instead for ‘less is more’.
What did the phrase mean to them?
Fewer topics, more depth, Reduce content, teach more skills, Say little and be meaningful – e.g. Poems of few lines can be very expressive, mantras, zen sayings, Talk less, work more, Less on your plate, more contentment, Not only work but contemplation, Using fewer resources ,Fewer number of students in a class, In terms of methodology, a 2 minute role-play can be more effective than reading 5 pages, Does having more make you greedy?, Slow food movement – the return to savouring small quantities over a longer period and using local produce and traditional methods of cooking – antithesis of the fast food culture, Bauhaus – minimalist art movement.
While this phrase – is also used to describe the seamless integration of Technology into everyday life, teachers mentioned how using the latest/more is not always productive. With art- Isn’t it possible to be creative with less? Our folk art forms are living examples of using sustainable products to create art.
Teachers felt that they were cramming so much more into the student’s day-was it translating into richer learning? Teacher’s plans seem to be defined by time resulting in a vicious circle of rushing to finish and students trying to keep pace. What would happen if we took time out of the equation? No bells and no fixed times for subjects! Would this model work in large schools or would it be more feasible to implement this in alternate school systems? What role does social milieu and economic status play in subscribing to a life philosophy of ‘less is more’?

  • TRANSITIONS

The High school and Pre-University sections are typically years of high transition. Adolescents experience changes in their bodies, cognitive development, social relationships and parent interactions. In this developmental stage of flux- are there any constants? What impact do these transitions have in a classroom? Teachers examined the changes in the parent and student profile. Parents seemed to have more defined expectations of school. Academic success in school and its links to university admissions, are issues that parents in this age group stress on. Students in this age group saw teachers more as facilitators to enable understanding rather than delivering content in the traditional sense. They also saw the school taking an active role in helping them with their college and career choices.
A constant factor identified was the end of year examinations run by an external agency. However, even within the requirements for the Board examinations, assessment parameters had changed to a small extent. Clearly change appears to be a constant! What impact do the HRD ministry’s recent reform initiatives have on issues of assessment and teaching for students in the High school and Pre-university sections?

What are your opinions? Would you like to share similar discussions you have had in your school?

Please email us and participate in making these conversations more meaningful and productive.

Watch this space for highlights of the second and third session!