Education On Fire - Sharing creative and inspiring learning in our schools

Today Men of Abundance podcaster Wally Carmichael and his son Dalton talk to me as I continue to ask ‘What do children think about their schooling? We get some great insights from Dalton about selling old toys to create income and Wally talks about his own experiences and those of his older sons. We discuss practical learning as well as traditional academia and how this can help learning skills for trade jobs and not just degrees. The different ways  that we all learn and how the personalised approach is supportive for everyone not just those who seem to be struggling. How education can still be linked back to the ideals of the industrial revolution and what is needed to help children prepare for the workforce of the future . I am using the 10 questions below in each episode to try and find any themes that may keep recurring.   1. If you could design your own classroom what would it look like? Eg Large open plan loft style, small rooms, sit in rows or groups? Anything goes be creative! 2. How would you create your day and spend your time? Eg How much time inside/outside, how much studying, exercise, time on your own/with others, playing, games, projects. Anything goes be creative! 3. How do you assess your progress? What do you do everyday to move forward towards your goals and dreams? 4. How often do you discuss and think about – what you eat, exercise, breathing, sleeping, mindfulness, gratitude, volunteering? 5. How often do you discuss and think about life? Babies being born or people dying. 6. How often do you discuss money, budgets, savings, financial planning? 7. Do you work with a mentor? Do you know what a mentor is? 8. How often do you lead a team of people? 9. Do you like working on real projects that are relevant to you? Eg Fundraising, events for the local community, school productions, concerts, sports events? 10. Of the things you enjoy most – do they happen in school time or are they after school clubs?

This week on the Education on Fire podcast I chat to my daughter and her friend as they both give us their thoughts about learning in a village school. Jodi (11) has just finished her last year of primary and is transitioning to secondary school, while Katie (10) is about to start year 6.   I am using the 10 questions below in each episode to try and find any themes that may keep recurring.   1. If you could design your own classroom what would it look like? Eg Large open plan loft style, small rooms, sit in rows or groups? Anything goes be creative! 2. How would you create your day and spend your time? Eg How much time inside/outside, how much studying, exercise, time on your own/with others, playing, games, projects. Anything goes be creative! 3. How do you assess your progress? What do you do everyday to move forward towards your goals and dreams? 4. How often do you discuss and think about – what you eat, exercise, breathing, sleeping, mindfulness, gratitude, volunteering? 5. How often do you discuss and think about life? Babies being born or people dying. 6. How often do you discuss money, budgets, savings, financial planning? 7. Do you work with a mentor? Do you know what a mentor is? 8. How often do you lead a team of people? 9. Do you like working on real projects that are relevant to you? Eg Fundraising, events for the local community, school productions, concerts, sports events? 10. Of the things you enjoy most – do they happen in school time or are they after school clubs?

As we continue our exploration of what children think about their schooling, today I welcome Anderson and Addison who are the children of Ramona Rice from Podcast Websites . Anderson (5th Grade) and Addison (4th Grade) are from Virginia in the USA and offer their thoughts about what school life is like for them. During the summer holidays Anderson and Addison are working on their own podcast called The Tiny Potters! Ramona and the team at Podcast Websites do a fantastic job of looking after people like me and enabling us to create shows that are helping listeners around the world in a whole range of subjects.   Here are the 10 questions about schooling I am using to frame the season around. 1. If you could design your own classroom what would it look like? Eg Large open plan loft style, small rooms, sit in rows or groups? Anything goes be creative! 2. How would you create your day and spend your time? Eg How much time inside/outside, how much studying, exercise, time on your own/with others, playing, games, projects. Anything goes be creative! 3. How do you assess your progress? What do you do everyday to move forward towards your goals and dreams? 4. How often do you discuss and think about – what you eat, exercise, breathing, sleeping, mindfulness, gratitude, volunteering? 5. How often do you discuss and think about life? Babies being born or people dying. 6. How often do you discuss money, budgets, savings, financial planning? 7. Do you work with a mentor? Do you know what a mentor is? 8. How often do you lead a team of people? 9. Do you like working on real projects that are relevant to you? Eg Fundraising, events for the local community, school productions, concerts, sports events? 10. Of the things you enjoy most – do they happen in school time or are they after school clubs?

Welcome to Season 3. I am asking 10 questions to students from around the world to find out ‘what children think about their schooling?’ Today I chat with pupils from Overstone Primary School, Northampton, UK. You can also listen to episode 003 where I interviewed Janice Mardell the Headteacher of Overstone and get a real insight into how the ethos of the school is having such a positive effect on pupils. Listen to me explain more about season 3 on episode 031   Here are the 10 questions about schooling I am using to frame the season around. 1. If you could design your own classroom what would it look like? Eg Large open plan loft style, small rooms, sit in rows or groups? Anything goes be creative! 2. How would you create your day and spend your time? Eg How much time inside/outside, how much studying, exercise, time on your own/with others, playing, games, projects. Anything goes be creative! 3. How do you assess your progress? What do you do everyday to move forward towards your goals and dreams? 4. How often do you discuss and think about – what you eat, exercise, breathing, sleeping, mindfulness, gratitude, volunteering? 5. How often do you discuss and think about life? Babies being born or people dying. 6. How often do you discuss money, budgets, savings, financial planning? 7. Do you work with a mentor? Do you know what a mentor is? 8. How often do you lead a team of people? 9. Do you like working on real projects that are relevant to you? Eg Fundraising, events for the local community, school productions, concerts, sports events? 10. Of the things you enjoy most – do they happen in school time or are they after school clubs?

Mark Taylor has the tables turned when Bruce Langford, host of the Mindfulness Mode Podcast, interviews Mark about music, education and podcasting. Get an inside look on why the Education on Fire podcast is so important to Mark. www.EducationOnFire.com http://mindfulnessmode.com/  

You can be involved with season 3 by talking to the children in your class about the 10 questions listed below. If you teach children aged 5-13 anywhere in the world this is for you! I’m looking for children and teachers to be on the podcast. Let me know if that’s you and we can record your answers for the show! Write down your own answers, send them to me and I’ll include them on the Education on Fire blog! Write your own blog or record a video for your school and send me the link. I will then share it with other teachers. Let’s get to know what our students think about their school life. 1. If you could design your own classroom what would it look like? Eg Large open plan loft style, small rooms, sit in rows or groups? Anything goes be creative! 2. How would you create your day and spend your time? Eg How much time inside/outside, how much studying, exercise, time on your own/with others, playing, games, projects. Anything goes be creative! 3. How do you assess your progress? What do you do everyday to move forward towards your goals and dreams? 4. How often do you discuss and think about – what you eat, exercise, breathing, sleeping, mindfulness, gratitude, volunteering? 5. How often do you discuss and think about life? Babies being born or people dying. 6. How often do you discuss money, budgets, savings, financial planning? 7. Do you work with a mentor? Do you know what a mentor is? 8. How often do you lead a team of people? 9. Do you like working on real projects that are relevant to you? Eg Fundraising, events for the local community, school productions, concerts, sports events? 10. Of the things you enjoy most – do they happen in school time or are they after school clubs? Have fun and explore you imaginations. Remember nothing is impossible just think about what you would like your school to be! www.EducationOnFire.com

Round up of the computing and Edtech season. Plus how to get your school involved in season 3.   www.EducationOnFire.com

Peter shares his thoughts about season 2 and gives his insights into how teachers can implement them in their school. Peter has been in education professionally for 35 years, teaching in middle schools in Oxford, doing advisory work, teaching higher education and as a Primary Headteacher at Harwell Primary School. He retired from that post in September 2014, but has continued as Chair of OPHTA (Oxfordshire Primary Headteachers’ Association), was elected to become Chair of the National Network of Chairs of Headteachers’ Groups in June 2014 and was delighted to have become a NAPE council member this year, serving on the editorial board for Primary First. In January of 2015 he co-founded the Oxford School of Thought, an independent education think tank. He is a trustee and chairs the management committee of another charity, Full Circle, which is well regarded for its ground breaking intergenerational work. http://www.mantleoftheexpert.com/

The week before SATs – Mark talks about how to make each child feel special and understand what they have achieved. What are the 2 things you can do today to make a difference for a lifetime? www.EducationOnFire.com  

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