Comments on: Dr David Whitehead Development Day

By: Cherryl

Cherryl — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 07:51:53 +0000

A great report about a very worthwhile day Allanah. I enjoyed Davids presentation and the fact that he had slides prepared to suit each teaching level represented by all the seminar participants.I took away several ideas that I am already able to relate to what I am presently doing. Some ideas we are already using successfully, so it was heartwarming to affirm we are on the right track. I also really liked the links from thinking tools to text type- very useful for planning.
Keep up the good work. We can assess that you are able to stay on task all day. (Gold star for you!)

By: AllanahK

AllanahK — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 03:21:19 +0000

Thanks for your comment Janice. Hope you had a good first day back at the chalkface. Please remember you were going to lend me David’s book when others aren’t using it. I had a close look at Paul W’s links and found those templates to be useful. It’s a pity though that they are as pdf’s which make them difficult to personalise. I like a nice title and graphic to make my organisers look pretty!!!

Maybe if anyone does make a template in WORD or something editable then we could share that on the wiki as well.

By: Janice Gulbransen

Janice Gulbransen — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 09:36:54 +0000

Hi Paul, Paul and Allanah
I am interested to read your comments on Heryle’s thinking maps. I too heard him a couple of years ago and was so impressed with the maps as tools for helpng our children think that we have spent some staff time developing our knowledge of them and using them in pur literacy and inquiry Learning programmes. The double bubble maps are excellent. Flow maps have been excellent for supporting writing, circle maps are great fro brainstorming and sometimes we use cause and effect maps for children who are having soime disagreements int he palyground…helps them to try and see what actually happened rather then listening to emotional blamimg! I have david heryle’s book about the Thuinking maps and find it an excellent resource.

By: Paul Harrington

Paul Harrington — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:58:19 +0000

It sounds as if I missed much of the discussion due to the time difference – I really hat the 11 hour difference between Wales and New Zealand – someone will have to come up with a way to solve it!!!!! Great discussion and I very much enjoyed the snippet of David speaking – saying all of the things that we know and understand about the ‘new world’ post industrial revolution model… thanks again for the invite.
Paul

By: Paul Wilkinson

Paul Wilkinson — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:38:45 +0000

Just remembered this link
https://freevilleflyer4.wikispaces.com/Thinking+Tools

might be useful

By: Paul Wilkinson

Paul Wilkinson — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:33:46 +0000

I’ll have to take a photo of one of the displays in my room. It is all about building your learning muscles. Based on the work of Guy Claxton. The kids are starting to get the idea that there are things they can do to help them become better learners. Great stuff.

By: Paul Wilkinson

Paul Wilkinson — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 01:34:22 +0000

Oh Great questions. I love questions that challenge my thinking.

I’m not sure what you mean by the question, Are all types of thinking equal? Do you mean of equal value, utility, power for change? It all depends on your purpose. A lot of deBono’s references to thinking are related to problem solving. Lateral thinking for example is most often discussed in terms of solving problems. 6Hat thinking is almost always represented in the light of solving problems. David Hyerle’s Thinking maps I think are more about describing or categorising the world. My understanding is they are designed as tools to describe thinking in a certain way. The tools might then be used to help solve problems, tell stories, generate new ideas etc etc. Yes definitely I think we need as many tools as we can to help us make sense of the world and to help us meet the challenges we face. It is a significant challenge to understand the tools well enough and have them so ingrained that we pull them out at the most appropriate times. This is where I am all in favour of specific explicit teaching of thinking as a skill.

By: Allanahk

Allanahk — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:38:59 +0000

Love them. Like to think (joke) that we might use maps that align with different text forms and types of thinking. We then (as teachers) need to decide the types of thinking (and therefore map we choose to use) that we as a society value. Are all maps equal? Are all types of thinking equal, or are we in a position to select those types that meet the real and present dangers we face as a species. Whatya think?

David

By: Paul Wilkinson

Paul Wilkinson — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 23:13:18 +0000

Ask him what he thinks of David Hyerle’s Thinking Maps.

http://thinkingmaps.com/

David Hyerle claims (with some research backing) that they enable you to graphically represent all the ways we think about the world. Suitable for all ages and across curricula. I heard him speak a couple of years ago and thought it was the most amazing, practical learning idea I had come across in a long time. Enjoy the day.

By: Allanahk

Allanahk — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:49:49 +0000

Hi David here taking a break fron teaching with these very difficult teacher LOL
I think the world needs more future focussed literate thinkers. Our survival depends on it. This means breaking down the subject fortresses, silo mentalities of tradiotional curriculum. Thinking provides the adhesive for interdisciplinary learning – it is the super set (sorry for that aweful pun) of learning.

Must have a coffee and separate this umbilical link with Allanah.

By: Paul Harrington

Paul Harrington — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:45:42 +0000

The world is indeed a much smaller space with new technology tools – Flat World Rules : )

By: Paul Harrington

Paul Harrington — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:30:25 +0000

Hi Allanah a great instant blog – it all sounds very exciting…