JDMcDsblog

Einstein’s blackboard

Originally uploaded by rich_w

If you make a theory…you must also put down all the facts that disagree with it….the idea is to give all of the information to help others to judge the value of your contribution; not just the information that leads to judgment in one particular direction or another.”

Richard Feynman

As teachers we all have theories about what makes a good curriculum, what makes for effective learning, what makes some children more challenging than others.Subject or interdiscipinary? Setting or Mixed ability? Chalk or laptop? The current paradigm emphasises the development of lifelong skills, but surely content is vital if learning is to be rooted in a body of acquired knowledge and generations of expertise. Learning can be hard work, repetitive and sheer graft; understanding is not like an instant message; revelation and enlightenment must be earned.

It is the job of all independent minded teachers to question othodoxy and ask difficult questions. What’s the evidence? Where’s the beef? Who says this is a good idea, and why? Are they doing the same in other countries; why? why not?