Technolandy

Day 33 (of SOL 2025) Dear @shanesafir & @sjeducate 1/10 “spoilers” of education toxins in Pedagogy of Voice

Dear Shane and Sawsan… in Pedagogies of Voice, you bring up “10 Toxins” carried in the form of signature practices and dscourses – here is a thought on:

1. Teacher-as-expert

Lots of discussion and debate in the social medias about this toxin – teachers are experts, but they need to use that mindset to be aware how we influence the student experience… we need to be experts in teaching and learning rather than content delivery and presentation/testing/assessment approaches. To start simply, we can see this through ‘talk time’ – how much time does the teacher ‘talk’ vs the learners? Whether questions lead to more questions or are about determining ‘a right answer’… and the shift that can happen when students feel they too can be an expert… as I once herd, a student told me, ‘I love learning, but school makes me feel stupid,’ I knew I had to rethink what my expertise was really for… so here is some more on Shane and Sawson’s first education toxin in their new release: Pedagogy of Voice

Signature Practices

Over reliance on lecturing (still supporting the positives in sharing through story…)

Planning a year of curriculum over summer with no room for student input (as principal, when asking for year plans, I have always made it clear that my hope is that upon review at the end of the year, the plan has altered and changed completely)

Content gatekeeping

Discourses

• We can’t keep insisting that I, as educator, know what’s best for you, as learner – so much to unpack in terms of ‘success’ and what ‘has to ‘ vs ‘needs to’ vs ‘feed to’ be known – and for how long… is it needed to be known for a compliance test/activity and then no further check-ins? Or is it core and needs to be re-enforced in an ongoing practice and performance?
• We can’t continue to determine that “I” can choose the texts for the course that I am sure you’ll enjoy… I have favourite books and texts… I have friends who hate them… and ones that they love make me go hmmm??
• Why would we/have we/will we determine “this is what we need to learn this year. No negotiations.” <— why can’t the learning plan be open to discussion and debate?
• Ugh: I have shared books I think others will like (as librarian, that’s part of the job) but never this discourse: I have chosen this book for you because it represents your experiences <— as I have said about mental health – I may have empathy, but I don’t have ‘your’ experiences… and assumptions… well,….