Saturday, March 28, 2015

Professional Portfolio - "Where are our clothes made?"

Education Emancipation Organization blog presents the David Barry Temple Professional Portfolio. In these posts you shall find my collection of observation reports, letters, newspaper articles, photographs and other documents spanning my career as a teacher of English as a Second Language, from 1979 up to the present for your pleasure and information






Thursday, March 26, 2015

No more physics and maths, Finland to stop teaching individual subjects

Image: Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock.com
No more physics and maths, Finland
 to stop teaching individual subjects
The future is all about learning by topic, not subject.
FIONA MACDONALD
24 MAR 2015
 
Finland, one of the leading educational hotspots in the world, is embarking on one of the most radical overhauls in modern education. By 2020, the country plans to phase out teaching individual subjects such as maths, chemistry and physics, and instead teach students by 'topics' or broad phenomena, so that there's no more question about "what's the point of learning this?"
What does that mean exactly? Basically, instead of having an hour of geography followed by an hour of history, students will now spend, say, two hours learning about the European Union, which covers languages, economics, history and geography. Or students who are taking a vocational course might study 'cafeteria services', which would involve learning maths, languages and communication skills, as Richard Garner reports for The Independent. So although students will still learn all the important scientific theories, they'll be finding out about them in a more applied way, which actually sounds pretty awesome.
"What we need now is a different kind of education to prepare people for working life," Pasi Silander, the Helsinki's development manager, told Garner. "Young people use quite advanced computers. In the past the banks had lots of bank clerks totting up figures but now that has totally changed. We therefore have to make the changes in education that are necessary for industry and modern society."
The new system also encourages different types of learning, such as interactive problem solving and collaborating among smaller groups, to help develop career-ready skills. "We really need a rethinking of education and a redesigning of our system, so it prepares our children for the future with the skills that are needed for today and tomorrow," Marjo Kyllonen, Helsinki’s education manager, who is leading the change, told Garner.
"There are schools that are teaching in the old fashioned way which was of benefit in the beginnings of the 1900s - but the needs are not the same and we need something fit for the 21st century," she added.
Individual subjects started being phased out for 16-year-olds in the country's capital of Helsinki two years ago, and 70 percent of the city's high school teachers are now trained in the new approach. Early data shows that students are already benefitting, with The Independent reporting that measurable pupil outcomes have improved since the new system was introduced. And Kyllonen's blueprint, which will be published later this month, will propose that the new system is rolled out across Finland by 2020.   
Of course, there is some backlash from teachers who've spent their entire career specialising in certain subjects. But the new blueprint suggests that teachers from different backgrounds work together to come up with the new 'topic' curriculums, and will receive a pay incentive for doing so.
Finland already has one of the best education systems in the world, consistently falling near the top of the prestigious PISA rankings in maths, science and reading, and this change could very well help them stay there. 
Source: The Independent

Monday, March 23, 2015

Menu of Teachers' Union Activities

Menu of Teachers' Union Activities

Teachers' Union chapters need to be more actively democratic and responsive to its members needs. It is important to achieve this by creating sub-committees that would address areas of interest to members andget many members involved. Each sub-committee would be comprised of teacher and para-professional volunteers and facilitated by an elected committee member. Sub-committee membership is the vehicle for any interested teacher or para-professional who would like to become moreactive in social or political issues affecting the teachers' union chapter,improve the flow of information to members, and make improvements to work
environment.

MENU OF UNION ACTIVITIES Listed below is each objective and a proposal for sub-committees that would be created to realize that objective. Maybe you have an idea for another sub-committee? Remember, the form and direction of each sub-committeetakes shape through you.

OBJECTIVE -ACTIVITY “To cooperate to the fullest extent with the labor movement
and to work for a progressive labor philosophy to awaken in
all members a labor consciousness and sense of solidarity
with labor.”

1. Union Solidarity Committee: Discuss labor issues with
possible petition drives. Update and advise colleagues on
contract issues. Contact and keep up with labor issues in
other schools in the area and worldwide..

****************************************************************

“To protect the schools against unsoundeconomy and against efforts at domination by political, economic, religious, or military group.”
2. Sweat-free School Committee: Help your school join the
movement against sweatshops by identifying violators and
using union-made items at school.
3. Tolerance Committee: Discuss and recommend ways for
helping students get along better and helping teachers
understand cultural diversity. Work with clubs and the
student organization to promote cross-cultural sensitivity.

**************************************************************

“To promote education as a social agency for developing
the capacities of the young, for enlightened adults, and for
working toward a society motivated by the ideal of service and democratic participation.”
4. Teachers’ Resource Committee: Organize and expand
the teachers’ library resources such as videos, text,
classroom activity manuals, and member services brochures.
This includes the maintenance of office equipment, such as
the copy machine, computer, printer, and television. 

****************************************************************

“To make members aware of their political responsibilities.”
5. Bulletin Committee: Update, decorate, and maintain the
union message boards. Monitor and maintain our list-serve.
Consider creating a chapter newsletter.

****************************************************************

“To advance the economic and professional interests of
members.”
6. Financial Advisory Committee: Act as an adviser to both
new and old colleagues with their financial questions on 401K, tax deferred annuity, DA, pension, and payroll.
7. In-Service Training Committee: Act as an advisor assisting
colleagues on licensing requirements, degree fulfillment, as
well as available classes for professional development, and
credits toward salary steps. Have information on sabbaticals. 

*****************************************************************

“To establish the active participation of education employees
in the formulation of educational policies.”
8. Education Committee: Discuss trends in education,
standardized testing, and effective teaching methodologies.
Create and develop a bank of useful teaching methodologies,
materials and plans. Assist colleagues 

*****************************************************************

“To work for democratic administration and supervision.”
9. Union-Administration Consultation Committee: Form an
agenda from sub-committee suggestions and prepare for
consultation meetings with the principal as required of elected Committee members. Report to the rank and file.
10. School General Assembly Committee: Attend, present our
petitions, and report on G.A. Required of Committee Delegates. 

******************************************************************

“To protect members whenever necessary.”
11. Safety Committee: Advise colleagues on strategies for
classroom management and violence prevention. Instruct on
the procedures established for dealing with disruptive students.
12. New Teacher Support Group: Help new teachers maneuver in your school and give advise on clerical matters. how to survive anobservation, and how to file grievance reports. Review mentoring candidates and help with selection.
13. Health Committee: Advise on insurance plans and make
available listings of doctors, dentists, and labs. Make available
information of stress management. Work toward making your
school a safer school. Meet with cafeteria personnel to discuss and develop healthier lunch menus.

*****************************************************************

I believe each sub-committee can work toward creating a new
union environment in our schools, one of action, inclusion, and service. Each person can contribute to their area of expertise. Inthese days of union entrenchment, we must be more active to protect the gains you have made and make sure we’re fairlyrepresented.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition


My 1982 book, Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition, has been out of print for a few years. You can download FREE COPIES (as many as you like) from www.sdkrashen.com (first page, left hand column). You do not need to ask for my permission.
You do not have my permission to sell the downloaded version. It is free. May be used for courses as assigned or recommended reading.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Shouting, arguing mars curriculum discussions

Shouting, arguing mars curriculum discussions

PLAYGROUND FIGHTS:Legislators tussled over motions on controversial curriculum changes, while the education minister pledged to fight a ruling on review procedures

By Abraham Gerber and Alison Hsiao  /  Staff reporters

Legislators argue over whether the Ministry of Education should appeal to a higher court after losing a lawsuit about its curriculum guidance adjustment for senior-high school history courses.

Photo: CNA

Controversy over proposed high-school curriculum adjustments continued yesterday, with arguments breaking out in a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee.
Claiming violations of procedural rules, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators boycotted a motion by the committee chair Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) seeking to pick up a motion from the committee’s session on Monday — which was cut short after Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) left early for a meeting.
The boycott lead to two hours of shouting and arguing between members of the KMT and DPP caucuses before the committee moved to send the motions directly to the general assembly for resolution.
The dropped motions called for the committee to take a position on a lawsuit faced by the Ministry of Education over controversial changes to the national high-school curriculum.
The Taipei High Administrative Court ruled last month that the ministry should publicize materials related to the National Academy for Educational Research’s resolution to revise the curriculum guidelines, which fueled controversy over what some critics deemed “sinicization.”
Even if passed, the motions would have been symbolic, lacking legal power to obligate the ministry to publicize the material.
Meanwhile, Wu yesterday reiterated that the ministry would appeal the court’s ruling last month that it publicize its curriculum review procedures — including a list of review board members and meeting minutes.
Wu said that the appeal is to be filed to obtain clarification on to what extent the transparency of review committees should be maintained for future reference.
Also, as review committee name lists are made public only after the implementation of curriculum adjustments for fear of unnecessary hassles that the exposure might cause during reviews, Wu said, the ministry would protest to the court for maintaining its current practice.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) said during the committee’s question-and-answer session on Monday, based on the review meeting minutes she posted the night before on Facebook, that the curriculum adjustment was “illegally initiated” in 2013.
She accused the review committee — originally convened to examine wording in textbooks — of overreaching its authority by launching extempore motions to make “minor adjustments” to the curriculum guidelines.
Saying that there is no need for Wu to bear former minister Chiang Wei-ning’s (蔣偉寧) liabilities, Cheng called on Wu to halt and revoke the rollout of the curriculum.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Lawmaker urges review of curriculum adjustment

Lawmaker urges review of curriculum adjustment

CORRECTIVE LESSONS::Legislator Chen Ting-fei called for a committee to be formed to deal with unilateral and uninformed policy making by the Ministry of Education

By Lin Hsiao-yun and Chen Wei-han  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

Tue, Mar 03, 2015 - Page 3

Following the furor caused by the Ministry of Education’s adjustments to school curricula, a lawmaker yesterday proposed the establishment of an independent state curricular review committee.
The proposed agency would prevent political meddling and incorporate the views of civil education groups in the review process, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said yesterday.
A transparent, bottom-up process should replace the ministry’s current method of unilaterally drawing up the curricula, and extensive surveys of potential educational value should be conducted prior to any adjustment, she said, adding that the proposal would allow civil education groups to put forward curricula to the committee for review.
Chen said she would draft an amendment to the Educational Fundamental Act (教育基本法) that would be aimed at overhauling the existing system.
The current procedure for drafting curricula requires the National Academy for Educational Research to propose a draft curriculum for the academy’s Committee of Curriculum Development to review, before the draft is sent to the ministry’s curricular review committee for final approval.
It is up to the ministry and the academy to use their discretion in selecting members of the committees.
K-12 Education Administration Director Wu Ching-shan (吳清山) objected to Chen’s proposal, saying that there would be many overlaps between Chen’s proposed committee and the academy’s committee.
In response, Chen said that the ministry had been able to put forward the controversial curricular adjustments because the academy is a subordinate to the ministry, while her proposed committee would be independent of ministry influence.
Examples of the contentious changes to the history curriculum included revising the term “Japanese-governed period” to “Japanese occupation period,” and naming the period during which Koxinga, also known as Cheng Cheng-kung (鄭成功) — who ruled Taiwan in the 17th century — the “Ming-Cheng period,” with “Ming” signifying China’s Ming Dynasty, despite the Ming not, in official terms, claiming sovereignty over Taiwan, education groups said.
Jendo Education Society leader Ding Gih-jen (丁志仁) said that a central, independent organization responsible for curricular development should have been instituted long ago, adding that such an organization should adopt collaborative decision making in contrast to the ministry’s arbitrary policymaking, adding that the committee must not be affiliated with any political party and should have a balance of male and female members.
A new committee could address the ministry’s unilateral and uninformed policy making, Taichung Bureau of Education Director-General Yan Ching-hsiang (顏慶祥) said, adding that such a committee should be solely responsible for drafting and reviewing curricular guidelines, while leaving the textbook review to the academy to avoid a conflict of interests.
National Alliance of Parents chairman Hsieh Kuo-ching (謝國清) said that the proposed committee should wield more authority than the ministry so it could avoid administrative manipulation.
Action Coalition of Civics Teachers convener Chou Wei-tung (周威同) said that the proposed committee should be treated equally to the Academia Sinica in terms of hierarchy, organization and funding, while it should take grassroots teachers’ opinions into consideration.