Guides on the Side
You might be familiar with the traditional lecture by "workshop leaders" or trainers. We call ourselves "guides on the side" for the continuous learners (you). The model that Free Workshops for Schools uses includes:
the flipped classroom (you get the information ahead of the workshop, then each of you takes time to present what you learned and the Guides on the Side check your understanding.)
"students" (trainees and continuous learners) take turns making the presentation for each session. (HOW DO WE DO THAT? By meeting with individuals BEFORE the workshop so that some people are pre-trained to deliver the info or check the understanding of the participants)
If you want the traditional Lecture by Trainer" workshop, we can deliver it. Studies shoe that lectures are a outmoded delivery method.
See Eric Mazur and "Turn to your neighbor" and the Peer Instruction Network.
8 minutes of your life. Why not? This is one of the techniques and one of the core documents (videos) that we askontinuous Learners to watch before the workshop. In fact, before the Guides on the Side meet with (or email or talk by phone) each Continuous learner, this video is part of the preparation.
Here are some backgrounds of the Guides on the Side. You can click MORE to get to a subpage with more info
Matt Blazek
Dennis Yuzenas
See his 9 minute video on Vimeo. Go and watch it. www.TINYURL.com/Yuzenas9minutes3 He has been admissions director, high school teacher (public and private) and a manager of a website www.whatdoyaknow.com for over 25 years. Ask him about "Dig In" at Seminole Middle School and you will get two hours of descriptions, especially about an exemplary principal, Robert Parrish, who supported teachers and their techniques. His students got on CNN with their call for a new person on the $20 bill (goodbye, General Jackson). He can be reached at FreeWorkshopsforSchoolsdy@gmail.com
Steve McCrea
These quotes highlight some of my influences and bias.
“Until we learn what the student’s passions and interests, it’s just school. After we start teaching to the student’s passions and interests, there is nothing to stop them from wanting to learn more and to connect the schoolwork to their future lives” (Littky, 2004, page 34).
You can get the same infection that I received by reading two chapters from Littky’s book The Big Picture: Education is everyone’s business (2004)
www.TINYURL.com/LittkyChapter1
www.TINYURL.com/LittkyChapter4
www.TINYURL.com/LittkyRadio the interview on National Public Radio
Matt Blazek