Experiment: Explain a few of the problems with current thought I recently saw this advertisement on Facebook for an event in Bristol. I have a little bit of trouble deciding if they are 100% serious or if it is supposed to be kind of funny. Maybe I just want to find a bit of humor in my…
Experiment: Follow the trail. There’s a really interesting collection of research comparing cultures on a set of dimensions. The idea is that it is not very informative to study a single culture. Instead, the intrigue comes from comparing the differences between cultures. I might be tempted to write about all of these in an education context…
Experiment: Have a little bit of fun and learn something too! This is my new favorite video: I laughed and I cried. It is seriously amusing and has some serious issues with measurement! My biggest complaint is the questions. Here is the list of questions that are asked during the video. Positive questions: Which one seems…
Experiment: Explaining the different experiences possible under a single, umbrella term. As I began writing the series on distortion (check them out starting here), I received a lot of response from teachers. Interestingly, it was not just about the Hattie research, but often how Hattie’s research was embedded into forms of accountability. Although I’m not directly researching the effects…
Experiment: Explaining the rational, thoughtful allure of neoliberalism. Neo-liberalism is not just a trend in government, it is a global cultural shift. Even though I would not consider myself a neo-liberal, it is still embedded into how I think about the world. And even though I think it is a destructive mentality, I can understand the appeal. Neo-liberalism…
Experiment: Tell the story behind the story. So, long story short, my son has a school to go to now. In Nottingham, the system for schools allows parents to choose which school their child goes to. It is not a completely free market but generally, schools that are popular and in good, child-friendly neighborhoods fill up.…
Experiment: Find the “bright line” between two public figures who agree. In the past few years, I’ve watched too many TED talks. Here are two that I highly recommend: Roxane Gay – Confessions of a Bad Feminist Sheryl Sandberg – Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders Gay’s talk really speaks to me and…
Experiment: Defending my version of something I don’t really like. This post is largely my opinion and some personal history. If you are interested in other research and expert commentary, check out: Differentiation Doesn’t Work or Differentiated Instruction Reexamined This is a spillover from Planning differentiation in the classroom where you can read my criticism of differentiation. This…
Experiment: Critique something assumed to be amazing. I’ve always been a bit resistant to the trend toward planning differentiation. I attributed my own skepticism to the fact that the push for planning differentiation came from administrators, especially those peddling the Charlotte Danielson teacher evaluation (or some offshoot), which I hate with every fiber of my…
Experiment: Explain an example of when the “worst case scenario” actually happens — the repercussions of distortion. The most important chapter of this — the effect of distortion on teachers. Check out the less important, introductory chapters 1,2,3, 4 and 5. This entire series of posts could be perceived as overly critical of John Hattie. But, the source of…
Emily Winchip 