Guy, on education
Someone said to me that the purpose of education is to maximise the chances that you will be ready, when the time comes, to die without regret. To be able to live your life adventurously, without fear of failure or of being thought weird; to dare to love and lose and love again; to have fun making your living - that's the biggest gift.
Quickfire
I’d rather develop: Knowledge / Dispositions
Students learn best when: They do stuff / Relationships are strong
The best food for building a class culture is: Chocolate / Popcorn / Convivial challenges
Assessment should: Be mana enhancing / Show kids where they need to get better
The most powerful presence in the room should be: What needs to be learned / The student's dreams
Student imagination: Upends my best plans / Makes learning exciting
My #1, never-fails strategy is: Chatting with students / Smiling
The best phrase to start the school year is: I'm so pleased to see you all! / This class is about learning, not assessment
Completed thoughts
School is like a park bench, it's ... a place to make new friends and have fun together.
When I was getting started in education, I wish ... I'd been braver.
I sleep well at night when ... I've had a good meal and a good wine.
To make learning an empowering experience, teachers should ... listen to kids and be a bit weird.
What sticks out for Guy is
Getting a very uptight, anxious perfectionist 10 year old girl to draw a "bad horse" - and scream with delight at discovering the freedom to be 'bad'!
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Guy’s latest book, The Future of Teaching and the Myths that Hold it Back, is available to buy now.