Who are our heroes ?NZATE conference 2009
Facilitator Trish Holden
Secondary English and Literacy Advisor
UC Education Plus
The job of education
is to strengthen students’ “ability to be good choosers, skilful problem solvers and powerful learners.”
“Doing well at school does not make you a better thinker.”
Guy Claxton, Expanding the Capacity to Learn: a new end for education
Learning intentions for this workshop
To enhance your ability to be a good chooser and a skilful problem solver through your powerful learning
To build understandings about how a thematic approach can link all sections of the NZC in a seamless and relevant way.
To consider how the topic of heroes could be used to connect with students’ curiosity and to make them ‘better thinkers’
To share approaches that would give all students relevant, ‘real life’ contexts for their learning
“The change is as much about reviewing how we teach as what we teach.” [Rose Hipkins]
A thematic study offers
teachers a chance to provide a choice of texts suited to students’ needs, backgrounds and interests, rather than one set text
scope to address the intertwined natures of visual, oral and written texts, to provide a more holistic approach
opportunities to stimulate students’ engagement and enjoyment
students a chance to make deeper conceptual connections within, between and beyond texts, and across learning areas
opportunity for differentiated approaches to meet the needs and interests of diverse learners
Our English Learning Area (p. 18) requires us to offer programmes that help students to "deconstruct and critically interrogate texts". Developing a conceptual understanding of society, in relation to a range of texts, allows for deeper, more connected learning to occur. We also need to look at ways to assert the "interconnected" nature of the two strands, Making Meaning and Creating Meaning. A thematic approach offers one way to begin to do that.
Of course, we all know, too, that, to encourage such deep, connected thinking, the pedagogy of the classroom needs to support the thematic planning. A thematic programme, therefore, will most likely include the kinds of teaching approaches described on pages 34-35 of the revised curriculum.
Karen Melhuish, English online
Planning for a thematic approach
Need to consider
• Why this theme? What do we know about our students that suggests that this could be a suitable theme to engage and support learning?
• What big picture ideas do we want to consider?
• How does it link to the vision and principles of the NZC?
• What values, KCs and AOs would be appropriate to foreground?
• What effective teaching approaches could we use to engage and support learning?
Who is a hero?
A person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage and outstanding achievements.
Oxford Concise Dictionary 2001
To have no heroes is to have no aspiration... [Charles Horton Cooley]
You cannot be a hero without being a coward [George Bernard Shaw]
It was involuntary. They sank my boat. [John F Kennedy on being asked how he became a war hero.]
The current reality for some
friends
mothers
none
Isaac Ross
fathers
Barack Obama
Taylor Swift and grandmothers
Travis Pastrana and Michael Jackson
What does this show us about their view of the world? Their values?
Groupings and reasons
friends
family members
sport stars [motor bikes, rugby, netball, rowing, soccer]
arts/entertainment [writing, music, comedy, film, model]
world figures
funny, supportive, close, awesome
brought me up, loving, kind, successful,strong, talented
best, first to do something
pretty/beautiful, new way of doing something, best
changed history for the better
Recurring words/ideas
best, successful, really good at
change
inspiring
role model
beautiful, pretty
always there for me
loving
Fictional heroes
superheroes –Spiderman, Batman, Superman, Catwoman [save people]
heroes from children’s books/ TV programmes e.g. Barney
[helped me learn]
characters from Twilight [kind, romantic, nice, friendly]
Exceptions
Trevor – Pay it Forward [great idea that inspires]
Harry Potter [good and brave, takes risks for others]
Artemis Fowl [saves the world]
Lara Croft [saves lives]
Where are the fictional characters that embody the qualities of a hero that students can learn from? Ones they have read recently?
Ideas worth exploring?
Celebrities v. Heroes
How many of the qualities that you identified earlier also apply to celebrities?
What qualities might be found in celebrities that are not present in heroes?
Can you think of people who are both celebrities and heroes? Can you give reasons for this?
Courage
types of courage – physical, moral
real v. false – examples around school, community
List of issues that people have spoken out for e.g. racism, 1981 Springbok tour
Do you know the names of any people who have stood up for these causes? What are the usual things that they risk?
What gives people real courage?
Gender stereotyping
Can females be heroes? List five women that you regard as heroes? Do they have the same qualities as male heroes?
If you look at any lists of awards, honours etc, there are more men than women. Why do you think that is? What does that suggest about our society?
Does a heroine have the same qualities as a hero?
Different cultural perspectives
Samoan idea of finau ma Ia toa lou loto [stand on your ground]
Important qualities in their culture
- service
- education
- leadership [family, village, constituency, island]
- humility [not about me]
- perseverance
Chiefs always male but there are strong women [NaFaNua, Salamasina]
A Maori view
Mana is ascribed to someone, grows over time
Important are:
knowing whakapapa
keeping relationships [whakawhanaungatanga]
knowing where resources are
oratory
having one highly developed skill
All heroes
unsung/everyday/unheralded heroes
local heroes – school, town, area, province – work for the good of a section of that community
small, seemingly powerless person [David] who takes on the giant [Goliath]
national heroes whose deeds/works have national impact
international heroes whose deeds/works have international impact
‘accidental’ hero – in the wrong place at the right time
‘just doing their job’
Qualities of local heroes -people whose achievements have put the town ‘on the map’
person has lived most of their life in Christchurch
person is readily identified by Christchurch citizens as having contributed something of major importance to their sense of pride in their city and its achievements
person’s achievements derive from hard work and persistence as well as talent
person’s achievements are complete, or of such a nature as to make it unlikely that their status in the eyes of the local community will subsequently be damaged
Twelve Local Heroes – a celebration
Differing viewpoints in times of war
active soldiers e.g. Upham, Apiata, Maori Battalion
conscientious objectors e.g. Archibald Baxter
pacifists e.g. Rita Angus
war poets – different/changing views
non violent action in times of war – Parihaka, Mau movement in Samoa
women who took on roles at home in absence of men
Are these all heroes? What qualities do they have in common?
Who are our heroes and why?
Who were the heroes of your parents or grandparents generation? Why were they heroes? How are they similar/different to today’s heroes? What does that suggest about values at the time?
Research Sir Walter Buller. Why was he given a knighthood and honorary degrees? Would he be similarly rewarded today? Reasons?
Do an analysis of the NZ Order – what sort of people are recognised? Why have they been acknowledged? What qualities do they have in common? Are there any that do not seem to ‘fit’?
Who does our school acknowledge – prizes, certificates, honours boards, articles in magazines, newsletters? What does this suggest about the values of our school?
Who does our community acknowledge – newspapers, local awards, displays, memorials [inc street/building names]
Who does our country acknowledge – newspapers, honours awards, bravery awards. What does this suggest about the values of NZ?
Creating meaning
What sort of a hero do we need in our community to ‘fix’ a particular problem? Identify the problem/issue. Describe their personal qualities, lifestyle, relationships, goals, ways of working.
A number of local bodies hold annual awards for local heroes e.g. Waitakere, New Lynn, Wellington City Council [safety in the city]- submit a nomination
Enter the NZ Herald unsung hero competition
Class presentations on people who have been researched – class votes on top 12 heroes using agreed criteria
Who should your council honour as its local heroes? Outline who they should honour and why. In what way do you think that these people should be honoured?
Does your school community honour its heroes? Are there issues of equity? Prepare a submission explaining why the practice should change.
Flexible programme planning across a year
How do you provide choice but still
ensure that students cover a range of text types across years 9 and 10 and still provide choice?
ensure that students produce a range of text types across years 9 and 10 and still provide choice?
Is it feasible to give students a list of text types that they must produce across the year and let them choose when they make these choices?
How does this fit with the big picture of NZC?
Vision – confident, connected, actively involved, life-long learners
Values Key competencies English learning area
Principles – high expectations, Treaty of Waitangi, cultural diversity, inclusion, learning to learn, community engagement, coherence, future focus [citizenship]
Websites Resources
http://www.giraffe.org [US – you tube clips]
http://www.myhero.com/myhero [US recognises a range of heroes]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjTyyn5hVh8 [Royd Kennedy]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sUdvlrRka0 [Apiata]
www.the99.org [first superheroes based on Islamic culture – creator’s letter to his sons]
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/03/27/heroes.sandra.andersen.cnn
www.nzedge.com/heroes [range of NZ heroes written, images]
www.royalhumanesociety-nz.com
http://www.gg.govt.nz/node/1809
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/onz.html
http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/mzon.html
http://www.ppta.org.nz/index.php/resources/curriculum-support/curric-resources/cat_view/147-curriculum-resources/163-learning-areas--subjects/153-english
References
Julie Mitchell, Worlds of Difference: Exploring Worldviews and Values in English Texts published by CCES
Julie Mitchell, Worlds of Difference 2: Exploring Worldviews and Values in English Texts
Twelve Local Heroes – A Celebration published by Local Heroes Trust
Guy Claxton, Expanding the Capacity to Learn: a new end for education; opeming key note address British Educational Research Association