Author Archives: cpaterso

I have been thinking about the relational and affective aspects of inquiry learning. How important is it to be present and enthusiastic, and work really hard to find out what a learner’s thoughts and feelings are? What is my role … Continue reading →

We don’t want to cover a subject, we want to uncover it. Simply telling students information does not allow them to develop their understanding. I have come to realise that my role is to design learning experiences that engage learners … Continue reading →

When a pedagogy of ‘teaching by mentioning’ rewards formulaic learners, it can be easy to ignore that teaching is contextual and situational. When I teach I am often unaware of the value of my own experiential knowledge and, due to … Continue reading →

I have some questions. Why are schools so resistant to change? Is it because of the entrenched patterns of institutionalised social relationships in schools? Is it due to the separate culture that grows within a school, binding personalities together and … Continue reading →

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, a bird sings because it has a song. ~ Maya Angelou I wonder about the connection between a desire to grade and my personality? I question the role my own ego … Continue reading →

I teach in a school that requires me to hand in three classmarks each semester for Grades 7-10. These marks are totalled and then used in conjunction with the school-based common examination results each semester to sort the students. On … Continue reading →

Last year I had the inspirational opportunity to take a class with Eleanor Duckworth at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Professor Duckworth views learning as developing understanding, and teaching as helping learners construct their own understanding. Just as Piaget argued … Continue reading →