Monday, January 02, 2006
Back to work
Two movies watched recently here, both with educational connections:
“Radio” with Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding doing an amazing job portraying a developmentally disabled young man. A story of redemption, both for the title character but also some redemption for everyone that tries to help him. If you want to understand why people choose to work with the severely disabled then see this movie.
“Mad Hot Ballroom”, a documentary about a program in the NY school districts that teaches 5th graders ballroom dancing; leading to a competition. This is the kind of thing that would drive a “traditionalist” a little mad hot, why are schools teaching kids how to dance? The answer is that there are a lot of important social lessons here; cooperation, respect, politeness. The kids are a great study but I found the teachers equally interesting.
…
I am looking for another word to describe the teaching method that is the opposite of constructive. I don’t like using “traditional” for this since it implies that traditionally teachers never used constructive methods; good teachers have always used constructive methods. My reaction (and I am not alone by any means) is curriculums in math that are almost completely constructive. Suggestions gratefully accepted.
…
School starts tomorrow, are you ready?
“Radio” with Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding doing an amazing job portraying a developmentally disabled young man. A story of redemption, both for the title character but also some redemption for everyone that tries to help him. If you want to understand why people choose to work with the severely disabled then see this movie.
“Mad Hot Ballroom”, a documentary about a program in the NY school districts that teaches 5th graders ballroom dancing; leading to a competition. This is the kind of thing that would drive a “traditionalist” a little mad hot, why are schools teaching kids how to dance? The answer is that there are a lot of important social lessons here; cooperation, respect, politeness. The kids are a great study but I found the teachers equally interesting.
…
I am looking for another word to describe the teaching method that is the opposite of constructive. I don’t like using “traditional” for this since it implies that traditionally teachers never used constructive methods; good teachers have always used constructive methods. My reaction (and I am not alone by any means) is curriculums in math that are almost completely constructive. Suggestions gratefully accepted.
…
School starts tomorrow, are you ready?
// posted by Old Math @ 8:33 AM 
