This is a researcher with sensitivity and respect for pupils and their teachers.
So eloquent was she, that as I listened I wanted her to repeat phrases so that I could keep them in my mind in the way she said them. Things like,
'teaching literacy is about helping pupils in assembling dynamic repertoires of literacy practices'
She had some gorgeous metaphors ... such as 'the virtual backpack' of knowledge that children bring to school.
She talked about how over recent years teacher autonomy and good practices are being eroded, so that
'what constitutes literacy has become colonised... by teaching 'blocks' and
'hours''
She said we need to teach literacies with
currency,
durability,
consequences.
In teaching repertoires of literacy practices, she talked about enabling the young, to enter different spheres of life.
'Literacy with currency and durability. Literacy that is legal tender in a range
of sites.'
She described this as urban renewal from the inside out and talked of projects where the young worked with architect students about developing their neighbourhood, and impacting on planning and building work. She talked about how it does not take a lot to reposition children as nowledgeable, as having opinions, of being curious and active. By seeing them differently, they behave differently, and tecahing needs to shift so that there is a shared investigative approach to learning.
This was sheer music; when I see the young learning together on the Internet, in groups and projects they have set up themselves, I wonder how it is that this is not going on in all our schools. The inspiration of Barbara Comber is that she manages to empower teachers to help the children act out powerfully in schools.
Here is a key note speech she gave elsewhere, but which outlines some of these ideas.
But I also like this, 'Coming ready or not.'
5 comments:
and didn't Barbara come up with the fantastically useful phrase 'severely gifted' (though that might have been one of our drink induced colleagues - we're all serious literacy people don't you know)?
Yes, it is an excellent phrase.
Barbara told us this when we were out at our evening meal in Bath . I said I could not bear the whole gifted and talented thing and that I had fallen out with a friend over it who utterly believed the label and was behaving as if her kids were celebreties. Very damaging I think... (as well as nauseating). It lacks respect for most kids and ignores that they all have gifts and talents.
I agree with you entirely Jules on the Gifted and Talented front, it has a v catchy abbreviation though, which i love..
G&T
(It confused me well into the PGCE course; 'Why are the management having a G&T meeting, am invited? I love G&T...)
It's Sarahclem btw, but i've forgotton my password AGAIN!
Oh hello Sarahclem!!! Yes I agree G and T is a fab drink, especially with plenty of ice and lemon on a hot day.
I think it strange that DfES invented G and T and did not change it when they realised that was the acronym. They are usually so boring about that kind of thing.
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