Change gives hope

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
― Barack Obama

Change is not only necessary; it gives us hope for the future. But embracing change is not easy. It takes time, determination and perseverance. Real change is never immediate; which is why one-shot approaches to change never succeed. Real progress, true reform is slow. But in time, with a change in mind set and accompanying changes in behavior, success is possible.

As educators, as parents, as individuals of this society, what are YOU doing to bring about positive change?

“We don't ask you to believe in our ability to bring change, rather, we ask you to believe in yours.”
― Barack Obama

Six Fallacies of Education Reform

At the 25th International Congress on School Effectivenss and Improvement, held in Sweden from 5th - 8th January 2012, Professor Andy Hargreaves spoke about the six fallacies of educational reform. These are as follows:

1. The Fallacy of Speed: Effective turnarounds can and should be quick.

2. The Fallacy of Substitution: Effective turnarounds require wholesale changes of leadership and staff.

3. The Fallacy of Numbers: Tough targets and bottom lines matter most.

4. The Fallacy of Standardisation: Standardisation and prescription yield better outcomes.

5. The Fallacy of Competition: High stakes competition raises standards and improves results.

6. The Fallacy of Extremes: Overall performance is improved by remedying or removing defects at the bottom and replicating excellence at the top.

You can view his presentation here.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy of cognitive objectives is one of the best ways to differentiate the curriculum to meet the needs of students. Because of its six levels of thinking, Bloom's Revised Taxonomy can provide a framework for planning lessons that incorporate low to high-level thinking activities.