Sir William Osler,
physician and teacher
physician and teacher
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
How Serious Are Korean Parents About Education
The following article gives a glimpse of how much Korean parents are willing to invest, and how much they are willing to sacrifice to ensure the best possible educational opportunities for their children.
Koreans' education spending defies downturn
The challenge for educators is to help parents, and not just Korean parents, to understand that education is more than just learning to speak English or just memorizing a list of facts. There are many facets to education and it is vital that we help students to develop in all areas: academic, physical, emotional, and spiritual. One should not be given priority over another because this will create an imbalance, and this imbalance may lead to destructive habits that can be very hard to break. Adding too much water to the soup can create a broth that contains very little nutritional value.
The school/home partnership is imperative in helping students to maintain a balanced lifestyle; one where they study hard, but they also take time out to participate in sports and play, as well as having opportunities to develop their EQ (emotional quotient) and their spiritual being. Leading a balanced lifestyle as a child/adolescent will lead to a balanced adult who is ready for life's challenges in the 21st century.
Koreans' education spending defies downturn
The challenge for educators is to help parents, and not just Korean parents, to understand that education is more than just learning to speak English or just memorizing a list of facts. There are many facets to education and it is vital that we help students to develop in all areas: academic, physical, emotional, and spiritual. One should not be given priority over another because this will create an imbalance, and this imbalance may lead to destructive habits that can be very hard to break. Adding too much water to the soup can create a broth that contains very little nutritional value.
The school/home partnership is imperative in helping students to maintain a balanced lifestyle; one where they study hard, but they also take time out to participate in sports and play, as well as having opportunities to develop their EQ (emotional quotient) and their spiritual being. Leading a balanced lifestyle as a child/adolescent will lead to a balanced adult who is ready for life's challenges in the 21st century.
Monday, August 10, 2009
We're Off and Running
It certainly has been an action packed first two days. We have had a welcoming assembly for our MS students, we have gone through policies and procedures in the student planner, we have distributed locks and lockers, we have helped students to decipher their individual schedules, and we have held tech boot camp sessions for all MS students. The students certainly know that they are back at school.
In amongst all this I have had the opportunity to observe teachers taking the time to build relationships with students. This has happened in a variety of ways: ice breaker activities, sharing personal information and stories, group activities, and lots of faculty/student interactions as we pause to help each other find our way.
The teachers have been very open in sharing their stories with the students which has really helped the students to see that our teachers do have a human side; one that genuinely cares for the students and wants them to do their best. This is a great way to begin our and to ensure that our students feel valued, respected, and cared for. Establishing these relationships from the very beginning creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and ensures the development of the whole child.
In amongst all this I have had the opportunity to observe teachers taking the time to build relationships with students. This has happened in a variety of ways: ice breaker activities, sharing personal information and stories, group activities, and lots of faculty/student interactions as we pause to help each other find our way.
The teachers have been very open in sharing their stories with the students which has really helped the students to see that our teachers do have a human side; one that genuinely cares for the students and wants them to do their best. This is a great way to begin our and to ensure that our students feel valued, respected, and cared for. Establishing these relationships from the very beginning creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and ensures the development of the whole child.
Monday, August 3, 2009
What's it all about?
This coming academic year will be the second year that the GSIS MS has existed as its own division within GSIS, and the fourth year that GSIS has been serving students in Suwon. This is a great time for us to begin collecting and analyzing data that will assist us in our process of growth and improvement.
During the summer I enjoyed lots of quality reading time, both personal and professional, and I took this opportunity to study ASCD's Educational Leadership journal entitled, 'Data - Now What?' I was very interested in reading some research on how schools have been using data and what sorts of data is being collected. I believe that successful schools are more than just high test scores, however, educational data is offered referred to through this narrow lense.
I found it very refreshing to read Douglas B. Reeves's article, "Looking Deeper into the Data", at the end of which he states, "Similarly, student test-score data is only one piece of a complex puzzle. There are, after all, faces, names, and real lives behind the data." As I continued to read through and reflect on the articles in this journal there was a definite recurring theme, that gathering and analyzing data without asking why can actually be detrimental to the improvement process.
As we begin this year it is very important for us to remember that each day we are dealing with real people, real emotions, and real stories, all of which can impact test scores and other numbers that our data may show. We certainly need to make informed decisions based on the data, but we also need to ensure that we have investigated the stories, emotions, and the people behind the numbers so that we are using the whole picture to make these decisions. After all, the people are what it's all about.
Reference: Reeves, D. B. (2008) Looking Deeper Into the Data Educational Leadership, Vol 66, No 4, pp 89-90.
During the summer I enjoyed lots of quality reading time, both personal and professional, and I took this opportunity to study ASCD's Educational Leadership journal entitled, 'Data - Now What?' I was very interested in reading some research on how schools have been using data and what sorts of data is being collected. I believe that successful schools are more than just high test scores, however, educational data is offered referred to through this narrow lense.
I found it very refreshing to read Douglas B. Reeves's article, "Looking Deeper into the Data", at the end of which he states, "Similarly, student test-score data is only one piece of a complex puzzle. There are, after all, faces, names, and real lives behind the data." As I continued to read through and reflect on the articles in this journal there was a definite recurring theme, that gathering and analyzing data without asking why can actually be detrimental to the improvement process.
As we begin this year it is very important for us to remember that each day we are dealing with real people, real emotions, and real stories, all of which can impact test scores and other numbers that our data may show. We certainly need to make informed decisions based on the data, but we also need to ensure that we have investigated the stories, emotions, and the people behind the numbers so that we are using the whole picture to make these decisions. After all, the people are what it's all about.
Reference: Reeves, D. B. (2008) Looking Deeper Into the Data Educational Leadership, Vol 66, No 4, pp 89-90.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
High Stakes Testing
I found this article very interesting and a timely reminder of how important it is to constantly communicate with our parents and explain why we do things the way we do them.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8088940.stm
Korean students are no strangers to high stakes testing and having their future being dependent on the results of a single test. I am sure that many of our parents also went through a system that culminated with a final test (or tests) that would determine their future.
It is important for our parents and students to understand that at GSIS we view assessment as an opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding - it is part of the learning process. That is why we gather a scrapbook of assessment evidence over a period of time as opposed to a one off snapshot piece of assessment that may not provide an accurate or valid picture of the level of student understanding.
We are very interested in taking in the sights during the journey as well as what we will see when we arrive at our destination.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8088940.stm
Korean students are no strangers to high stakes testing and having their future being dependent on the results of a single test. I am sure that many of our parents also went through a system that culminated with a final test (or tests) that would determine their future.
It is important for our parents and students to understand that at GSIS we view assessment as an opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding - it is part of the learning process. That is why we gather a scrapbook of assessment evidence over a period of time as opposed to a one off snapshot piece of assessment that may not provide an accurate or valid picture of the level of student understanding.
We are very interested in taking in the sights during the journey as well as what we will see when we arrive at our destination.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Commitment, Dedication, Passion
On Friday evening I had the honor of attending a Bonsai (Dwarf) Tree exhibit put o
n by the Father of our MS Secretary Ms Joni Cho. Before becoming Superintendent of Suwon Schools, Mr Cho taught high school students the art of raising Bonsai trees, and some of his former students had trees on display as well.
n by the Father of our MS Secretary Ms Joni Cho. Before becoming Superintendent of Suwon Schools, Mr Cho taught high school students the art of raising Bonsai trees, and some of his former students had trees on display as well. This was a great opportunity to not only view these works of art, but to also ask questions and find ou
t more about what it takes to raise a Bonsai tree. Mr Cho showed us one particular tree that he has raised from a seed and has been nurturing for 19 years! I was extremely impressed by the amount of commitment, dedication, and passion that Mr Cho demonstrated through talking about his trees, and the trees themselves. These are precisely the kinds of characteristics that we want our students to develop with regard to life-long learning and their pursuit of excellence.
t more about what it takes to raise a Bonsai tree. Mr Cho showed us one particular tree that he has raised from a seed and has been nurturing for 19 years! I was extremely impressed by the amount of commitment, dedication, and passion that Mr Cho demonstrated through talking about his trees, and the trees themselves. These are precisely the kinds of characteristics that we want our students to develop with regard to life-long learning and their pursuit of excellence.Does it make phone calls?
When it comes to using my cell/mobile phone I must admit that I am a bit of a Luddite. I still see my cell phone as a tool for simply making phone calls, often forgetting that I can access web applications, listen to music, watch video, take photos and record video, and a list of other things that I am probably not aware it can do. Our students however are fully aware that they have access to their world of entertainment and their friends (their social network) in their pocket at all times.
The question is, do cell phones have potential for educational purposes? According to this article, "iPhone to replace register at Japan university" the answer is yes. http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE54R1NE20090528
Using the cell phone to take attendance is not a powerful use of this technology, but it is a practical way to utilize some of the services that cell phones now offer. Having the ability to download a podcast of the lecture, or even watch a video of a class opens up a world of possibilities and opportunities for educators to take learning outside the walls of the classroom. I have also seen students access English dictionaries, calculators, and world time zones, all through their cell phones. In these instances this little device has enhanced learning and has not distracted the students in the process.
It is certainly time for me to open up my mind and start seeing the cell phone as more than just a device for making phone calls. It appears that we may have a tool with untapped educational possibilities sitting in our students' pockets.
The question is, do cell phones have potential for educational purposes? According to this article, "iPhone to replace register at Japan university" the answer is yes. http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE54R1NE20090528
Using the cell phone to take attendance is not a powerful use of this technology, but it is a practical way to utilize some of the services that cell phones now offer. Having the ability to download a podcast of the lecture, or even watch a video of a class opens up a world of possibilities and opportunities for educators to take learning outside the walls of the classroom. I have also seen students access English dictionaries, calculators, and world time zones, all through their cell phones. In these instances this little device has enhanced learning and has not distracted the students in the process.
It is certainly time for me to open up my mind and start seeing the cell phone as more than just a device for making phone calls. It appears that we may have a tool with untapped educational possibilities sitting in our students' pockets.
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