tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.comments2024-03-15T23:26:26.319-07:00Teacher TomTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger10291125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-32092919729368859832018-04-21T06:30:30.064-07:002018-04-21T06:30:30.064-07:00Yes, yes, a thousand times YES!Yes, yes, a thousand times YES!Nancynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-38856504500243806212018-03-20T07:03:37.581-07:002018-03-20T07:03:37.581-07:00Round of applause! So true.Round of applause! So true.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02725416246446575902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-91774379243011991742018-02-21T00:41:23.644-08:002018-02-21T00:41:23.644-08:00I had a complicated pregnancy with my first baby, ...I had a complicated pregnancy with my first baby, with multiple hospital stays for a couple of nights each time. I'd already been an educator with babies for a couple of years, and I was good, but part of my experience with a complicated baby honed those skills significantly. And the first thing that changed, was in noticing the difference inside myself with how I was greeted by the nurses when I was stuck in hospital. <br /><br />The nurses on the ward would come in the door, they were just doing their job, the same bland routine that they just wanted to get done so they could do the same again for the next mother on the ward. And then my birth centre midwives would visit me, and they'd step in the door and smile, and they'd use my right name rather than the name on the paperwork. They were sincerely happy to see me, every time, and it made an enormous difference.<br /><br />So I have adopted the same. I greet every child, every day, with a smile, and I tell them I'm happy to see them, and it's true. I mean it every time. Even when they're a child who seriously challenges my patience. I'm happy to see them, to see their family, to welcome them into this space we share. I use their preferred name and strive to pronounce it right. When I change a nappy we chat, we play games, I pull faces and talk them through what I'm going to do next as a matter of respect. <br /><br />It's such a humanising thing. A personal greeting. I am happy to see you. I want to connect with you as a person I care about. I care about who you are, and I want you to know that I enjoy your company and you're safe and loved here. I am happy to see you <3 Pixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08711387263388968923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-40540626895093126212018-02-08T12:24:40.429-08:002018-02-08T12:24:40.429-08:00Teacher Tom,
I recently found your blog and am al...Teacher Tom,<br /><br />I recently found your blog and am already drawn into your posts. I truly enjoyed this one, I Want Them To Question My Authority, because I too feel that we should teach our students to question until they find the answer that satisfies them. I work with a wide age range as of now, 6 months to 11 years, in a child care center and am also currently pursuing a degree in teaching to work with students from preschool to third grade. I encourage my center kiddos to look at and question things around them, when they cannot generate the answer themselves we investigate together. It is a fascinating moment when you realize that the students have learned to question something so deeply that even when you provide an answer they continue to question and investigate until they find a concrete answer that satisfies everything that they pondered. I look forward to reading many more of your posts!<br /><br />--Morgan Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04464021565551544459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-60261637612214344782018-01-26T14:16:01.219-08:002018-01-26T14:16:01.219-08:00I'm sorry I missed that one! Might have to sw...I'm sorry I missed that one! Might have to switch from Tuesday work day to Thursday one of these rainy weeks...<br /><br />RFRRafer Nelsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01805847856852183645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-40722670660995531762018-01-03T07:24:00.527-08:002018-01-03T07:24:00.527-08:00Very sweet. Wonderful.
ChristyVery sweet. Wonderful.<br />ChristyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-53147105610668686782017-10-23T08:41:17.640-07:002017-10-23T08:41:17.640-07:00I'm so happy to have your book and to have bee...I'm so happy to have your book and to have been connected to your blog. It has taught me so much. I do want to put a good word in for (at least my) public school. I was worried about it not being a nurturing environment - too much desk time, too much rote learning. I've been so pleasantly surprised. Lots of outside time with an increasingly complex playground and garden, learning math in a more play based way, and free time to explore their own ideas throughout the day. My daughter comes home so excited about what she's learned. You are not screaming to the wind. Good schools are working hard to re-incorporate natural learning environments and get rid of the desk environment. Keep up the good work! Suzannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17694269681729504061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-17704557528716489082017-10-23T05:19:51.700-07:002017-10-23T05:19:51.700-07:00Yes. I frequently say that our local public school...Yes. I frequently say that our local public school experience felt like we were sending our son to "kiddy jail." (He's no longer there – we founded our own progressive nature elementary school as a direct result of that experience). He and 600 other children were kept inside of a large brick and concrete-block building with florescent lights for 7.5 hours a day, allowed outside for 17 highly supervised minutes (minutes which were frequently taken away for cold weather or if the class was being "punished"), told how to behave at every moment, punished in isolation for misbehavior (our quiet son was never subject to this, but louder children – especially boys – were made to sit in a corner with an hourglass, away from the group, for "misbehaving"), made to walk in lines and stay quiet and obedient all day, and forced to perform rote, menial tasks. Of course, some of the teachers were wonderful and were trying their best to work within this system. Some were terrible and felt more like prison guards. The overall experience truly felt like prison for children. I believe we should start using this emotional metaphor to make change. <br />Emily Patersonhttp://www.riverfarmcooperative.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-35634215809594472632017-10-22T22:10:32.752-07:002017-10-22T22:10:32.752-07:00Just discovered your blog here after my wife linke...Just discovered your blog here after my wife linked to your Facebook page. Excellent, excellent post. I don't know where my daughter picked it up from, but by the time she was 18 months old she was spontaneously standing in front of the mirror trying on clothes. We didn't instruct her to do so, but she knew instinctively that this was an important thing to think about. I actually consciously tried not to inject any notions about femininity because I wanted her true femininity to be what came forward, and it did and still does, without any definitive direction from us. Now that we have a second child she often role plays as the mother in her play, having her own babies, caring for them, sorting out conflict; which makes me melt every time I see her do it. It's so amazing to see them unfold their inner beauty right before our eyes. <br /><br />You should consider switching platforms or cross posting your content to Steemit.com by the way. It's a great new blogging platform using decentralized blockchain technology. People can contribute to your content simply by upvoting a post, and there are no gatekeepers for monetization. The platform is fairly censorship proof (unless you're a jerk or a plagiarist, which tends to get your posts flagged). It's filled with freedom-oriented bloggers of various stripes. I think you would fit in quite well over there. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts in the future.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03251590581428495448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-48323254720648219762017-09-27T06:10:35.501-07:002017-09-27T06:10:35.501-07:00Q&A
University students fooled by robot TA
Art...Q&A<br />University students fooled by robot TA<br />Artificial intelligence behind supercomputer Watson used to create TA for online AI course<br />By Dan Misener, for CBC News Posted: May 17, 2016 1:25 PM ET Last Updated: May 21, 2016 11:46 A<br /><br />So appropriate that your article should appear today, as I caught the above Doc Project CBC Radio program yesterday. All through the show I kept thinking, "Is this for real?" Do some people fear human contact that much that a robot would be preferable? In the name science, we need to keep up with human interactions, that are real, emotive, allow for touch and face-to-face questions and debate, and adventure of the body, mind and soul. Touche Tom! Happy to see you today!!<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06708581631409950539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-13867439861677454952017-09-22T06:42:54.628-07:002017-09-22T06:42:54.628-07:00Another "spot on" blog post. Thank you,...Another "spot on" blog post. Thank you, so much Tom Hobson. I do believe you are in the head of many early childhood educators. Thank you for your candid and humorous posts. Roseann Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07642268889134830641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-8317009049696216502017-09-15T11:11:03.785-07:002017-09-15T11:11:03.785-07:00another brilliant one, TT!another brilliant one, TT!Arthur Battramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01447923181344013487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-65044090797604261742017-08-30T15:40:55.716-07:002017-08-30T15:40:55.716-07:00This is an incredible post: listen to what they ar...This is an incredible post: listen to what they are saying. I have to allow things to get messier, when my daughter's friends come over. We just moved here, they haven't started yet--but when they do ....Thank you for this incredible post. MarianAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-38759933109307930942017-08-07T18:20:46.663-07:002017-08-07T18:20:46.663-07:00This is a beautiful example of how parents / adult...This is a beautiful example of how parents / adults can and should be present when young kids play, not to be intrusive or controlling but to provide tiny bits of information that support and facilitate the child in their own self-discovery process. As Teacher Tom so well puts it "loitering with intent." Love it!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686640432548263827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-38540238110997934812017-07-20T20:48:10.122-07:002017-07-20T20:48:10.122-07:00I've read some research connecting ADHD to pos...I've read some research connecting ADHD to possible early trauma. As in the signs of PTSD for very young children manifest as similar symptoms of ADHD. Interesting read. My mother always say she thought ADHD was a fraud and that is just how kids are... <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-21878956934077070372017-07-20T20:03:25.970-07:002017-07-20T20:03:25.970-07:00Sorry, this is long...
Thanks for bringing up thi...Sorry, this is long...<br /><br />Thanks for bringing up this topic. Like the issue of learning disabilities ADD/ADHD has had its share of difficulty convincing the public, and some of the diagnosticians, exactly where the line in the sand is drawn. I feel it all comes down to the struggle. When does it become something that gets in the way of functioning so that learning and living isn't overly compromised. Inattentive? We are all distracted at times. Impulsivity? Lots of people have a problem with being impulsive. Commercialism plays to that weakness. Hyperactive? Aren't all kids that way? True, but not always true. When being so distracted that it is hard to read an article through to the end without starting over several times then it is a problem. When someone has so much energy that they have to move around even in a setting where that isn't appreciated, that's a problem. Impulsivity, same thing. Does this mean we have to medicate our children into docility? No.<br /><br />Speaking as a seasoned educator, what we do know is that outdoor nature-based education works better than medication for kids labeled with ADD/ADHD. Maybe they are hyper-sensory, or maybe it is related to environment, but we have to do something different for them. Few schools are equipped with ADD/ADHD science teachers that can pick up on what the children need and run with it. Not enough schools have outdoor classrooms and project based learning approaches. In other countries there are outdoor schools where the kids are outside year round - sun, rain, snow... outdoors. I am a proponent outdoor nature-based education.<br /><br />I was diagnosed with ADHD and learning disabilities almost 2 years ago. I see it from the inside. It explained a lot to me about the way I think, I react, I behave. With this new insight I became more aware of my behaviors and I look for ways to have more control of myself without drugs. I like the way I am, with my creativity and quirks, and only want to change what doesn't work. I have always loved outdoors and see that as part of the solution. As a teacher I have a built in radar to recognize the struggle in my students. I don't want to label them but I do want to support them. Outdoor activities puts them in a place where they are deeply engaged. Its so full of all kinds of stimulus that they are rarely bored.<br /><br />I don't know if diagnoses are as important as finding a better fit. We are not all designed for school in a box. Students need to be able to see themselves and their struggles in a better light... natural light. Time to throw open the doors and teach outside the box.<br /><br />Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17234006343923470556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-60332507877255636462017-07-20T16:49:24.809-07:002017-07-20T16:49:24.809-07:00I've just finished an ever in the western subu...I've just finished an ever in the western suburbs, but stay tuned. It looks like we will be adding a Sydney event in early August!Teacher Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-23327193320079315862017-07-20T16:08:26.043-07:002017-07-20T16:08:26.043-07:00What about Sydney? I would love to come but all th...What about Sydney? I would love to come but all those places are far from Sydney and I have 2 small children. I can't travel that far. :(<br />Alliehttp://theurbanmom.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-55135081645544037742017-07-17T14:24:08.730-07:002017-07-17T14:24:08.730-07:00This is THE 'invisible skill' that was imp...This is THE 'invisible skill' that was imparted most strongly to me by my mentor in the classroom when I came to this calling. She made the way the children's behaviour reflected the limits' parameters as too broad or narrow, explicit for me, and it was mind blowing. It is still amazing to me that this skill is so intrinsic to our work,and I feel like it may even be The Work I do; preparing that third teacher before getting out of the children's way. It's almost like we're captains, reading the tiny signs of wave and weather and adjusting our ships accordingly.Aphiehttp://www.facebook.com/smalljoysfdcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-19223653118218316042017-07-16T16:38:22.182-07:002017-07-16T16:38:22.182-07:00Glad you were able to experience the play space. A...Glad you were able to experience the play space. As a local it's favourite of ours. I hear what you are saying about the not entirely natural space and how it is still somewhat managed. I like to think of this area and other like it around Perth as a starting point. Once parents, carers and children have experienced a taste they will want the 'real deal' and head to the regional parks for some real exploring, armed with their beginning ideas formed here. Naamahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-64027548009567518462017-07-11T06:18:31.287-07:002017-07-11T06:18:31.287-07:00You are totally right! Confidence comes from exper...You are totally right! Confidence comes from experience and experience is gained through mistakes. Some time ago I was afraid of making mistakes because of being confused.<br /><br /><a href="https://elitewritings.com/" rel="nofollow">student</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17602828623216631540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-22287221308123140072017-07-10T20:03:58.351-07:002017-07-10T20:03:58.351-07:00Hey Teacher Tom, have you heard of Type 2 fun? It&...Hey Teacher Tom, have you heard of Type 2 fun? It's fun because you did it. It was introduced to me by a climbing magazine. When I worked at Tinkering School Gever worked with the kids to create all kinds of fun types of "fun." I don't remember them all, but it was something like this<br /><br />Type 1 fun - Just plain fun. Fun at the time, fun after the fact.<br />Type 2 - Hard at the time fun after the fact (hiking up a steep hill, climbing, any strenuous activity you're glad you did)<br />Type 3 - Fun you regret. Fun at the time, but has consequences (eating a tub of ice cream)<br />Type 4 - Fun that might kill you (adrenalin seekers)<br />Type 5 - Fun you didn't think would be fun. Begrudging fun.<br />Type 6 - I forget type 6 fun...<br />Type 7 - Fun because it is hard and you are good at it (surfing, jazz improv, problem-solving, focused application of a skill you are proud of)<br />Jrothhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17001317952705576389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-27627670901796587422017-07-05T18:49:02.021-07:002017-07-05T18:49:02.021-07:00I've always felt that Shakespeare is an import...I've always felt that Shakespeare is an important component of our school curriculum, but that students should get used to reading contemporary American plays first, to become familiar with the layout of playscripts before being thrown into language from a different time and place, on top of the unique (speaker name, then text) format. [As I wrote that, I realized that young people today may not find that format as unique as I did in high school, as texting is organized similarly.] We are perhaps scaring off potential theater patrons by giving them the complexity of Shakespeare as a first impression. That is such a shame, as theater has always been a valuable tool for education, political discourse, and stress-relieving fun.<br /><br />I would also argue that educators need to consciously share a love of works by people across a range of diversity, whether or not they are doing so with a diverse group of students. Playwrights aren't all dead (straight) white guys. Try August Wilson, Maria Irene Fornes, Jordan Harrison, or Suzan-Lori Parks, to name some of my favorites. <br /> Viv Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-74982344783733922222017-07-05T15:16:54.234-07:002017-07-05T15:16:54.234-07:00As a substitute for not being able to see Shakespe...As a substitute for not being able to see Shakespeare on the stage, I would suggest the Chop Bard podcast. The guy who presents it knows Shakespeare inside out - he explains all the lines and gives the context of the play as well as making modern parallels. His passion really shines through. http://www.inyourearshakespeare.com/chopbard.htmlStuart Lloydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15100216520313336932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-68922619423713927482017-07-05T08:50:57.399-07:002017-07-05T08:50:57.399-07:00I didn't remember this history of the repercus...I didn't remember this history of the repercussions to the signers. It does make it that more important to reflect on our beginning as a country.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01002896325823928609noreply@blogger.com