Catastrophes and primary school drawing course design for moral education in China

Abstract

This paper examines how drawing classes can contribute to moral education in primary schools. This paper uses class observation, interviews with teachers and students, and analysis of students’ work to highlight how the students articulate moral concerns by drawing and designing future-oriented architectures, which aims at preventing natural and social catastrophes. It suggests that the design of this drawing class provides new possibilities of doing moral education in China’s primary schools. The drawing class made possible the articulation of becoming moral subjects, which is able to integrate ‘harmony’ into the younger generation’s value system, world views and the possibilities they envision for themselves and human-nature relationships.     

Urban primary school headship in England: an emotional perspective

This paper explores some of the reasons that primary head teachers in urban schools give for staying in a highly complex and demanding professional occupation. The paper is divided into two sections. The first section contains an overview of what is involved in primary headship in the English setting and what is distinctive in the urban setting and its impact on headship. The second section of the paper draws on a small exploratory study to consider some of the key factors that influence urban primary school head teachers to stay in their posts. The paper details the emotional complexities and costs involved in this work, focusing on resilience, commitment, and the rewards of doing what is seen as a worthwhile job, which all contribute towards retention in a challenging profession.     

Group work in primary school science: discussion,consensus and guidance from experts

Research suggests potential problems when group work is used in school science to support the integrated acquisition of conceptual understanding and testing procedures. Yet integrated acquisition is promoted by current policy, and is a popular classroom strategy. Work by Howe et al. (Learning and Instruction 10 (2000) 361) indicates that the problems may be overcome if pupils: (a) discuss conceptual material in small groups and reach consensus; (b) subject consensual positions to guided empirical appraisal. The present paper reports a study with 9–12-year old pupils, which tests the proposal of Howe et al. using heat transfer as its topic, in contrast to the shadow size of Howe et al. In broad terms, the results are consistent with what Howe et al. report, although there are subtle differences in both outcome and process. Nevertheless, the similarities are such as to indicate a robust technique, with clear relevance to classroom practice. To facilitate application, the paper outlines what the technique requires in terms of group organisation and teacher support, and suggests that in both cases there is consistency with current practice.     

Mathematical discussion and mathematical understanding

A longitudinal study is being undertaken into the question of whether or not discussion in the mathematical classroom is an aid to understanding. Preliminary analysis shows that, while the hypothesis that discussion aids understanding is very attractive, evidence to support the hypothesis has been limited. Classroom observations during the first year of the study have led to a method of classification of mathematical talk in the classroom which we expect will prove useful in investigating links between mathematical discussion and mathematical understanding.The ability to say what you mean and mean what you say should be one of the outcomes of good mathematics teaching .... Pupils need the explicit help, which can only be given by extended discussion, to establish these relationships (between different mathematical topics); even pupils whose mathematics attainment is high do not easily do this themselves. (Cockcroft, 1982, England)In all other topics, we saw teachers there (Kitamaeno School in Tokyo) using peer group dialogues ... (they) justified their use of group dialogue because of their large classes (35–43) and the unusually independent spirit of many of the 600 pupils. Mathematics achievement was very high by American standards. (Easley, 1984, on a Japanese project)We need to recognise the importance of verbalisation. Putting thoughts into words requires students to organise their thinking and to confront their incomplete understanding. Listening to others affords them the opportunities to contemplate the thinking of others and to consider the implications for their own understanding. (California State Department of Education, 1987)This article is based on the first year of a longitudinal study intended to shed light on the question of whether or not discussion in the mathematics classroom is an aid to mathematical understanding. Before looking further at the research context in which this project is set, we wish to offer our definitions of the two notions in the title.     

后现代课程观下的小学语文阅读教学

现代课程观下的小学语文阅读教学强调知识是教师传输给学生的,学生要做的就是接受教师传给的单一性的知识,这样的教学方式已经不适应新课改理念.后现代课程观包括:丰富性、回归性、关联性和严密性四个特点.本文以后现代课程观的几个特点为逻辑起点,提倡小学语文阅读教学应该以一种开放的、多层次性的观点来对待课文和学生,使得学生在学到知识的同时,能力和技巧都得到提升.     

Time to go back to the drawing board: organisation of primary school reading development in South Africa

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 findings highlighted concerns about reading literacy teaching quality in South African primary schools (Howie et al., 2007 Howie, S.J., Venter, E., Van Staden, S., Zimmerman, L., Long, C., Scherman, V. and Archer, E. 2007. Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 summary report. South African children's reading literacy achievement, Pretoria, South Africa: Centre for Evaluation and Assessment, University of Pretoria.  [Google Scholar]). In response, the national Department of Education (DoE, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2008d) has emphasised instructional practice improvement. However, little emphasis has been placed on the role of school organisation in learners’ reading success or failure. This article presents school organisation findings from a mixed methods study that explored South African Grade 4 teachers’ instruction practices and schooling conditions for reading literacy development. The analysis considered is based on the reclassification of the PIRLS 2006 sample according to class achievement levels on the PIRLS benchmarks and instructional language profiles. Findings from the PIRLS 2006 school questionnaire data are reported together with findings from case studies to illustrate differences and similarities in school organisation for reading literacy across a range of low- and high-performing schools.     

机械制图课程教学改革探索

机械制图课程是机械专业、近机类专业的技术基础课程,随着时代的发展,教师、学生以及教学条件、教学环境都发生了巨大变化,如何在变化中创新教学方法,使学生更好地掌握这门课的知识与技能成为摆在各位教师面前的一个新的课题。     

国际化视域下的小学教师职前培养模式探究

小学教师的职前培养模式越来越得到重视,不仅发达国家在转变观念,积极探寻小学教师培养的有效模式;发展中国家也在努力改变传统的教学模式,力求培养出更优秀的小学教师以推动基础教育事业的不断发展。发达国家小学教师职前培养模式类型多样,特色鲜明,可以为我国小学教师培养模式的改革提供诸多获得有益的经验和启示。     

Mathematical induction: A pedagogical discussion

It is observed that many students have difficulty in producing correct proofs by the method of mathematical induction. The notion of a correct proof by this method is analysed mathematically. Subsequently, the topic is analysed into behavioural skills and subjected to a conceptual analysis. Common misconception of induction are considered, with recommendations for their remediation. Finally, criteria for the analysis and evaluation of textbook treatments of induction are evolved and applied to a selection of texts.     

小学数学"自主学习"模式的理论探索与实践

本文对以促进学生自主创新能力发展为宗旨的数学课堂教学"自主学习"模式进行了探索,提出了模式构建的理论依据、基本原则、结构、特点及应用.     

基于建构主义学习理论视野下的小学教师培训

建构主义是20世纪80年代中后期在西方兴起的学习思潮。本文在分析建构主义学习理论的基础上,对当前小学教师培训中出现的问题进行探析,并以建构主义学习理论为指导,提出有效改善小学教师培训的几点建议。     

建筑学手工作图课教学改革探讨

建筑学手工作图课培养的不仅仅是一种技巧,更重要的是要培养学生深入观察和分析事物的思维能力、综合运用各种知识的创新能力以及与同行进行良好沟通和交流的能力．它是一门非常重要的基础课程,教学改革应该在工艺性、直观性、完整性和形象性四个方面进行大胆的探索和创新．     

从中小学教师的专业成长需求看高师教育改革

师范院校是培养中小学教师的主阵地，其教学质量直接影响高师生的素质与水平，继而影响其日后专业发展。本通过对中小学教师专业发展需求的研究，分析当前制约中小学教师成长的内在因素，进而反思我国师范教育在培养目标、课程设置、师资培训、教育实习等方面存在的问题，提出一些相关的建议。     

当前部分中小学教师失“德”行为透视及原因分析

教师是教师失"德"行为的主体,其客体包括教育事业、教师同行、学生以及家长,因此师"德"失范也就相应的表现为这五个方面的失"德"。教师失"德"的原因可以概括为社会逐"利"薄"名"、教师的"人性"压迫"神性"以及家校之间"交易"频繁和冲突不断。要解决教师师"德"问题,必须要"引导"教师的思想、"提高"教师的知识素养、"保障"教师的权利以及"规范"教师的行为。     

论色彩教学中存在的几个问题——以绘画专业与设计专业为例

色彩是造型艺术中一门重要的基础课,它的基本原理贯穿于专业学习的始终,色彩基础教学的好坏直接关系学生专业的发展。不同的专业的色彩教学既存在共同的一面,又有所差异。本文就绘画和艺术设计专业色彩教学的共性与个性及存在的问题进行了思考和分析,寻求出解决问题的办法和建议。     

Challenging perceptions of school councils in the primary school

As part of citizenship education, school councils have been set up in primary schools based on adult models of democratic committees. This article looks at children's and teachers' perspectives on their school councils and goes on to analyse the ways in which alternative strategies for addressing the constraints identified were developed in three Norfolk primary schools.