a few months ago a friend of mine gave me some great
a friend of mine gave me some great
a friend of mine gave me some great advice she said Gillian you need to
advice she said Gillian you need to
advice she said Gillian you need to start your TEDx off with a story
start your TEDx off with a story
start your TEDx off with a story everybody loves a good story this is
everybody loves a good story this is
everybody loves a good story this is true and what I want to look at today is
true and what I want to look at today is
true and what I want to look at today is why this is such good advice for TEDx
why this is such good advice for TEDx
why this is such good advice for TEDx speakers for all educators to do that I
speakers for all educators to do that I
speakers for all educators to do that I need to teach you a new word per thinker
need to teach you a new word per thinker
need to teach you a new word per thinker I’d like to start by telling you a
I’d like to start by telling you a
I’d like to start by telling you a little bit about my grade six math
little bit about my grade six math
little bit about my grade six math teacher his name was Mr McKay and he was
teacher his name was Mr McKay and he was
teacher his name was Mr McKay and he was a teaching wizard he evoked our sense of
a teaching wizard he evoked our sense of
a teaching wizard he evoked our sense of wonder at the mathematical world we
wonder at the mathematical world we
wonder at the mathematical world we lived in from the spiraling patterns of
lived in from the spiraling patterns of
lived in from the spiraling patterns of our thumb prints to the mystery of crop
our thumb prints to the mystery of crop
our thumb prints to the mystery of crop circles he helped us feel the majesty of
circles he helped us feel the majesty of
circles he helped us feel the majesty of math and we learned about the stories of
math and we learned about the stories of
math and we learned about the stories of so many different mathematicians that
so many different mathematicians that
so many different mathematicians that year their stories inspired us we played
year their stories inspired us we played
year their stories inspired us we played with math just like they did math
with math just like they did math
with math just like they did math mattered to me I want to share with you
mattered to me I want to share with you
mattered to me I want to share with you one unforgettable moment in that class
one unforgettable moment in that class
one unforgettable moment in that class it was a class on reciprocals and here’s
it was a class on reciprocals and here’s
it was a class on reciprocals and here’s a very boring
a very boring
a very boring definition of reciprocals a very
definition of reciprocals a very
definition of reciprocals a very forgettable definition if you’ve
forgettable definition if you’ve
forgettable definition if you’ve forgotten it’s when the top and the
forgotten it’s when the top and the
forgotten it’s when the top and the bottom number of a fraction switch
bottom number of a fraction switch
bottom number of a fraction switch places well on this particular day and
places well on this particular day and
places well on this particular day and you have to come with me to a classroom
you have to come with me to a classroom
you have to come with me to a classroom in 1985 there’s colorful things on the
in 1985 there’s colorful things on the
in 1985 there’s colorful things on the walls we all sat in rows and there was
walls we all sat in rows and there was
walls we all sat in rows and there was chalkboard at the front well on this
chalkboard at the front well on this
chalkboard at the front well on this particular day he asked me to come to
particular day he asked me to come to
particular day he asked me to come to the front of the class I was already
the front of the class I was already
the front of the class I was already there mind you because I was the
there mind you because I was the
there mind you because I was the smallest kid in the class but I got up
smallest kid in the class but I got up
smallest kid in the class but I got up and I turned around to face my
and I turned around to face my
and I turned around to face my classmates he declared he was going to
classmates he declared he was going to
classmates he declared he was going to turn me into a fraction it’s exactly
turn me into a fraction it’s exactly
turn me into a fraction it’s exactly what he did he taped a three to my
what he did he taped a three to my
what he did he taped a three to my shoulder and a four to my knees and he
shoulder and a four to my knees and he
shoulder and a four to my knees and he put a black belt around my waist I was
put a black belt around my waist I was
put a black belt around my waist I was 3/4 but then and I don’t advise you do
3/4 but then and I don’t advise you do
3/4 but then and I don’t advise you do this in 2017 he grabbed me around the
this in 2017 he grabbed me around the
this in 2017 he grabbed me around the waist and he flipped me upside-down
waist and he flipped me upside-down
waist and he flipped me upside-down I was 4/3 no I was 1 in 1/3 I’d never
I was 4/3 no I was 1 in 1/3 I’d never
I was 4/3 no I was 1 in 1/3 I’d never grown so much in one day the thing is is
grown so much in one day the thing is is
grown so much in one day the thing is is Mr McKay knew something about me that
Mr McKay knew something about me that
Mr McKay knew something about me that other teachers did not he knew that I am
other teachers did not he knew that I am
other teachers did not he knew that I am a perf incur dr. David crash coined the
a perf incur dr. David crash coined the
a perf incur dr. David crash coined the term per finger he
term per finger he
term per finger he observe that human beings never just
observe that human beings never just
observe that human beings never just think they perceive and they feel and
think they perceive and they feel and
think they perceive and they feel and they think at the same time they per
they think at the same time they per
they think at the same time they per Fink
Fink
Fink now this is profound because it puts
now this is profound because it puts
now this is profound because it puts feeling at the core of human meaning
feeling at the core of human meaning
feeling at the core of human meaning making now david crushes observations
making now david crushes observations
making now david crushes observations align with recent research and effective
align with recent research and effective
align with recent research and effective neuroscience that comes from the
neuroscience that comes from the
neuroscience that comes from the university of southern california dr.
university of southern california dr.
university of southern california dr. mary helen amor dino yang describes
mary helen amor dino yang describes
mary helen amor dino yang describes emotion as the minds rudder emotion is
emotion as the minds rudder emotion is
emotion as the minds rudder emotion is at the helm of human meaning making so
at the helm of human meaning making so
at the helm of human meaning making so the things we most remember and
the things we most remember and
the things we most remember and understand have affected us and here’s
understand have affected us and here’s
understand have affected us and here’s the thing you are per fingers to the
the thing you are per fingers to the
the thing you are per fingers to the reason you remember and enjoy stories is
reason you remember and enjoy stories is
reason you remember and enjoy stories is because they make you feel feelings
because they make you feel feelings
because they make you feel feelings teachers know the power of engaging
teachers know the power of engaging
teachers know the power of engaging emotions so they do lots of things to
emotions so they do lots of things to
emotions so they do lots of things to engage their students emotions in the
engage their students emotions in the
engage their students emotions in the classes they’re teaching they might
classes they’re teaching they might
classes they’re teaching they might reveal the heroic qualities and the
reveal the heroic qualities and the
reveal the heroic qualities and the topics they might reveal extremes and
topics they might reveal extremes and
topics they might reveal extremes and limits bizarre features dramatic
limits bizarre features dramatic
limits bizarre features dramatic tensions they help students play with
tensions they help students play with
tensions they help students play with theories and ideas and deal with
theories and ideas and deal with
theories and ideas and deal with troubling anomalies these are all
troubling anomalies these are all
troubling anomalies these are all activities that tie a learning knot they
activities that tie a learning knot they
activities that tie a learning knot they tie up students emotion and imagination
tie up students emotion and imagination
tie up students emotion and imagination with knowledge and a good knot holds
with knowledge and a good knot holds
with knowledge and a good knot holds effective teaching has the same effect
effective teaching has the same effect
effective teaching has the same effect dr. Kiran Egan describes effective
dr. Kiran Egan describes effective
dr. Kiran Egan describes effective teaching as storytelling he says the
teaching as storytelling he says the
teaching as storytelling he says the stories we most enjoy have features in
stories we most enjoy have features in
stories we most enjoy have features in them that are cognitive tools cognitive
them that are cognitive tools cognitive
them that are cognitive tools cognitive tools help us to think and remember
tools help us to think and remember
tools help us to think and remember because they tie up emotion with the
because they tie up emotion with the
because they tie up emotion with the knowledge so his work he describes in
knowledge so his work he describes in
knowledge so his work he describes in detail theoretical and practical detail
detail theoretical and practical detail
detail theoretical and practical detail different sets of tools that come along
different sets of tools that come along
different sets of tools that come along with the body with oral language with
with the body with oral language with
with the body with oral language with written language with theoretical
written language with theoretical
written language with theoretical language with highly reflexive language
language with highly reflexive language
language with highly reflexive language these are sets of cognitive tools
these are sets of cognitive tools
these are sets of cognitive tools educators can use in any context pre-k
educators can use in any context pre-k
educators can use in any context pre-k through graduate school to engage their
through graduate school to engage their
through graduate school to engage their students emotions and imaginations with
students emotions and imaginations with
students emotions and imaginations with learning this cognitive tools approach
learning this cognitive tools approach
learning this cognitive tools approach to teaching is what we call imaginative
to teaching is what we call imaginative
to teaching is what we call imaginative education so now I have one more story
education so now I have one more story
education so now I have one more story for you and this time I am the teacher
for you and this time I am the teacher
for you and this time I am the teacher it is 2015 and I’m teaching a 3rd year
it is 2015 and I’m teaching a 3rd year
it is 2015 and I’m teaching a 3rd year course on classroom assessment in a
course on classroom assessment in a
course on classroom assessment in a value
value
value at Simon Fraser University I know my
at Simon Fraser University I know my
at Simon Fraser University I know my students are perf incurs so I’m using
students are perf incurs so I’m using
students are perf incurs so I’m using cognitive tools to engage them these are
cognitive tools to engage them these are
cognitive tools to engage them these are three that relate to this particular
three that relate to this particular
three that relate to this particular event first of all I always begin my
event first of all I always begin my
event first of all I always begin my planning by seeking the story on the
planning by seeking the story on the
planning by seeking the story on the topic I’m not making something up I’m
topic I’m not making something up I’m
topic I’m not making something up I’m not creating a fiction but I’m looking
not creating a fiction but I’m looking
not creating a fiction but I’m looking for the emotional core like a reporter
for the emotional core like a reporter
for the emotional core like a reporter going down to get the story I decide to
going down to get the story I decide to
going down to get the story I decide to reveal the highly problematic roots of
reveal the highly problematic roots of
reveal the highly problematic roots of most artists of our assessment and
most artists of our assessment and
most artists of our assessment and evaluation practices and that is they
evaluation practices and that is they
evaluation practices and that is they come out of the desire to predict and
come out of the desire to predict and
come out of the desire to predict and control human learning so we spend time
control human learning so we spend time
control human learning so we spend time exploring that but I also have a giant
exploring that but I also have a giant
exploring that but I also have a giant change of context my class partway
change of context my class partway
change of context my class partway through will become an educational
through will become an educational
through will become an educational conference and my students must engage
conference and my students must engage
conference and my students must engage in a roleplay each one of them draws the
in a roleplay each one of them draws the
in a roleplay each one of them draws the name of a different educational theorist
name of a different educational theorist
name of a different educational theorist and they must come to class describing
and they must come to class describing
and they must come to class describing enroll in first-person that particular
enroll in first-person that particular
enroll in first-person that particular theorists ideas on assessment and
theorists ideas on assessment and
theorists ideas on assessment and evaluation well one of my more timid
evaluation well one of my more timid
evaluation well one of my more timid students let’s call her Trina she drew
students let’s call her Trina she drew
students let’s call her Trina she drew the name of Elliot Eisner she’d never
the name of Elliot Eisner she’d never
the name of Elliot Eisner she’d never heard of him and she asked if she could
heard of him and she asked if she could
heard of him and she asked if she could instead of this role play write a paper
instead of this role play write a paper
instead of this role play write a paper on Delia daizen er well I tried to
on Delia daizen er well I tried to
on Delia daizen er well I tried to persuade her that she had lucked out
persuade her that she had lucked out
persuade her that she had lucked out Elliot Eisner was a pioneer he had
Elliot Eisner was a pioneer he had
Elliot Eisner was a pioneer he had unwavering belief in the power of
unwavering belief in the power of
unwavering belief in the power of imagination and the arts just
imagination and the arts just
imagination and the arts just transformed learning and he made a huge
transformed learning and he made a huge
transformed learning and he made a huge impact in education in general but he
impact in education in general but he
impact in education in general but he also challenged and took on the beliefs
also challenged and took on the beliefs
also challenged and took on the beliefs of evaluation of his day so I suggested
of evaluation of his day so I suggested
of evaluation of his day so I suggested to her Trina learn one or two things
to her Trina learn one or two things
to her Trina learn one or two things that he says come to class and share
that he says come to class and share
that he says come to class and share those in first-person she gave me one of
those in first-person she gave me one of
those in first-person she gave me one of those looks and walked away
those looks and walked away
those looks and walked away highly unimpressed I didn’t know if
highly unimpressed I didn’t know if
highly unimpressed I didn’t know if she’d participate well the day of my
she’d participate well the day of my
she’d participate well the day of my conference arrived and I was gobsmacked
conference arrived and I was gobsmacked
conference arrived and I was gobsmacked first of all many of my students arrived
first of all many of my students arrived
first of all many of my students arrived early that never happens second of all
early that never happens second of all
early that never happens second of all many had props and costumes they arrived
many had props and costumes they arrived
many had props and costumes they arrived in role I had Plato talking to Parker
in role I had Plato talking to Parker
in role I had Plato talking to Parker Palmer on my left about grading I had
Palmer on my left about grading I had
Palmer on my left about grading I had damien cooper Ken O’Connor and Maxine
damien cooper Ken O’Connor and Maxine
damien cooper Ken O’Connor and Maxine green discussing the pros and cons of
green discussing the pros and cons of
green discussing the pros and cons of assessment of as in for learning the
assessment of as in for learning the
assessment of as in for learning the positive energy
positive energy
positive energy the class was palpable and yet it hadn’t
the class was palpable and yet it hadn’t
the class was palpable and yet it hadn’t even started but no Trina I figured in
even started but no Trina I figured in
even started but no Trina I figured in fact this was too much for her well I
fact this was too much for her well I
fact this was too much for her well I was wrong as I was about to start the
was wrong as I was about to start the
was wrong as I was about to start the class cane in hand wearing a saggy baggy
class cane in hand wearing a saggy baggy
class cane in hand wearing a saggy baggy gray suit and a skinny red tie in walked
gray suit and a skinny red tie in walked
gray suit and a skinny red tie in walked Elliot Eisner and boy oh boy did he have
Elliot Eisner and boy oh boy did he have
Elliot Eisner and boy oh boy did he have a lot to say so I ran into Trina a few
a lot to say so I ran into Trina a few
a lot to say so I ran into Trina a few years later and she is now a teacher she
years later and she is now a teacher she
years later and she is now a teacher she reminded me of that activity describing
reminded me of that activity describing
reminded me of that activity describing it as one of the most engaging in her
it as one of the most engaging in her
it as one of the most engaging in her teaching program but also one of the
teaching program but also one of the
teaching program but also one of the most effective for really internalizing
most effective for really internalizing
most effective for really internalizing and understanding different educational
and understanding different educational
and understanding different educational theories so in conclusion we’ve been
theories so in conclusion we’ve been
theories so in conclusion we’ve been told to keep emotion and imagination out
told to keep emotion and imagination out
told to keep emotion and imagination out of school the misconception has bleep
of school the misconception has bleep
of school the misconception has bleep has been that these are distractions for
has been that these are distractions for
has been that these are distractions for learning but we know now that these in
learning but we know now that these in
learning but we know now that these in fact are required for learning so
fact are required for learning so
fact are required for learning so educators let me offer you some advice
educators let me offer you some advice
educators let me offer you some advice always start with the story always seek
always start with the story always seek
always start with the story always seek to make your teaching story like use
to make your teaching story like use
to make your teaching story like use cognitive tools to engage your students
cognitive tools to engage your students
cognitive tools to engage your students emotions with the content you’re
emotions with the content you’re
emotions with the content you’re teaching use cognitive tools to unleash
teaching use cognitive tools to unleash
teaching use cognitive tools to unleash the imaginations of the purr fingers
the imaginations of the purr fingers
the imaginations of the purr fingers that fill your classrooms because we are
that fill your classrooms because we are
that fill your classrooms because we are all four fingers thank you
all four fingers thank you
all four fingers thank you [Applause]
”
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