So, here it is:
My blog: WWW.Mywishingrock.blogspot.com
I’m a retired educator. I now spend my time writing, reading, watching and feeding the birds, taking in the beauty of the countryside that surrounds my home, walking and, when I do, filling a plastic bag with the litter that the uncaring throw thoughtlessly, disrepectfully, from their cars and backpacks. Oh, and being a companion to Matilda...............
So, what did I do? Where did I teach?
My 50 years in education
included initially teaching middle school, then elementary, before being taken from the classroom and elevated to the post of Advisory Teacher in
Leicestershire, England during the Open Education era. During that period of time, I visited classrooms and ran science
workshops - in the UK and the USA. Eventually I became a principal.
Here's a thumbnail sketch of my career 1963 - 1994
1963 – 1965
My
first teaching post was in the small town of Stafford, at Trinity Fields
Secondary School, for 11 to 15 year olds. As the newest and youngest member of
the science department, I taught – and taught badly - Physics, Chemistry,
Biology and Human Biology, to 11, 12, and 13 year-old pupils, including many
recently arrived from the Asian continent, unable to speak or understand
English.
During
my two years at Trinity Fields, bringing the outdoors indoors, I eventually
learned, intrigued my pupils, especially those experiencing schooling
difficulties.
Helped
by an incredible 'awareness-raising' learning
experience with a boy nicknamed Tiger,
his disinterest in school and his fascination with a spider, I developed a
variety of engaging strategies for introducing pupils to the world of science.
Tiger helped lay the foundation for
my enduring passion and interest in teaching classroom science, using material
drawn from the ‘wild’ environment.
Thank you, Tiger.
1965 – 1967
Hearing
and reading about the exciting science and mathematics curriculum work going on
in Leicestershire Primary Schools when Stewart Mason, the Director of
Education, abolished the highly selective 11+ examination, I moved from the
Staffordshire secondary sector in 1965, joining the staff of Blaby Stokes, a
large Leicestershire primary school.
In
January, 1965, I assumed the teaching responsibility for a large class of
10/11 year old boys and girls.
Supported
by an understanding and supportive progressive Headmaster, Mr. Ted Ward, I
developed a strong 'hands-on' science
and mathematics bias to my teaching, using rocks, fossils, insects and plants, as
engaging and motivating resources for encouraging reading, writing, painting,
mathematics and, of course, science.
It
appeared to work well, enthusing me as well as my children, many of whom, I
later learned, went on to enthusiastically study science throughout their
secondary and higher education.
Whilst
at Blaby Stokes, I had opportunity to develop other school teacher skills away from the classroom. I reorganized and managed
the school library, led staff debate and discussion on the content of an
appropriate mathematics and science curriculum, ran the school football team,
and organized residential trips for the pupils to North Wales and the Isle of
Wight.
My
classroom became a visiting spot for teachers from America [1]. They came to
see progressive
schools at work, and came to my classroom to observe how I integrated
science, mathematics, reading and writing.
Len
Sealey, the Primary Schools Advisor to the Leicestershire LEA, spent several
days in and around my classroom, making a film he used in his In-Service work
for teacher education, and at conferences and workshops in Africa and America.
Later,
Bill Browse, Sealey’s successor, invited me to join the Advisory Center as a
science and environmental education specialist with the remit to ‘introduce
and develop science’ in
Leicestershire Primary School classrooms [2].
I
had been at Blaby less than two years.
Although
the Education Authority was keen to raise the level of science curriculum
interest in all its 365 primary schools, few resources were available – which,
in hindsight, was perhaps a blessing. Bill Browse gave me a few tins, a map of
the county, and, with a smile, said, “Hey, that’s it. See what you can do.”
With
a wide open brief (and a petrol allowance), I enthusiastically set out to
discover parts of the Leicestershire countryside that could be explored by
young children for investigative activity That done, my next task was
identifying classrooms and teachers with whom I could work – and, consequently,
learn more about how children learn.
- Working
with Headteachers who were keen to introduce science in their schools;
- Routinely
visiting and working in a variety of town and village classrooms with
pupils aged 5 to 11;
- Leading
outdoor and indoor workshops with teachers, using the ‘wild’ environment as a
resource. (This work, incidentally, was often observed by visiting
advisory/inspectorial staff who were involved in the current Nuffield
Science and Mathematics in other school districts, and educators from America
who were using ideas developed by Dr. David Hawkins and his staff at the
Federally funded Elementary Science Study, based in Boston, Mass, USA.)
- Identifying
those teachers who knew their teaching would benefit from attending a
meeting or ‘hands-on’ science
workshop with like-minded teachers;
- Supporting
those teachers in their classrooms as they attempted to introduce science
activities in their classrooms;
- Providing
an ear and an eye for LEA officers and administrators who were anxious to
hear of school and classroom changes;
- Taking
teachers on residential visits to the LEA’s Outdoor Pursuits Center in
Aberglaslyn, North Wales, helping them plan their trips with young
children;
- Working
with parents of very young children in evening workshop sessions led by
Marjorie Kay, the Infant School advisor, focusing on ways in which adults
and children learn together;
- Presenting
evening talks to parents about school science;
- Working
with the Secondary Schools Advisor to create an effective school
curriculum for disaffected High School pupils;
- Developing
links between schools and the city museum (a project funded by the
Carnegie Foundation) which led to the appointment of an Education Officer
– which, in turn, led to a school loans program that brought fossils, rocks
and minerals, and historical artifacts in to schools);
- Setting
up the first day visit Field Study Center for Leicestershire primary
schools. I took over a disused village primary school in the village of
Foxton, on the banks of the Grand Union canal. This was an ideal site as a
resource center for outdoor work with young children, still in use to the
present day [3];
- A
year or so after the opening of Foxton (where I ran 92 consecutive day
workshops for teachers) Leicestershire LEA opened two other centers, one
at Hoby, and the other in Thurmaston;
- Frequent
late hour education-focused discussions with colleagues Bill Browse, Tony
Kallet, and numerous visiting American educators, including David and
Frances Hawkins, Bill Hull, John Holt, Philip Morrison, Tom Justice, and
many others;
- Leading
science and environmental education workshops at the LEA’s Easter
Residential Course for Primary School Teachers, held at Loughborough
University. This was a particularly successful annual in-service education
program, led by Bill and Tony, which attracted over 100 teachers over the
Easter week;
- I
was a pioneer in developing strong links between schools and the newly
established local radio; [4]
- I
was a guest speaker at several science conferences held in different
cities across Great Britain.
1967 – 1970
The
science going on in Leicestershire Primary Schools attracted many educators in
the late 60s – all wanting to see ways in which environmental science resources
were used to motivate and engage young children. Several American educators,
including David Hawkins, Tom Justice, Charles Rathbone, John Holt and Roland
Barth, shadowed my advisory work, especially at the Foxton Field Study Center.
During
the summers of 1967, 1968, and 1969, I ran many science-based workshops with
Professor David Hawkins in Montpelier and Boston, using science ideas and
resources I had developed working with young children and running teacher workshops
in Great Britain.
1970 – 1971
In
1970, David and Frances Hawkins invited me to join them as a full time staff
member at the opening of the Mountain View Center, in Boulder, Colorado, an
education project funded by the Ford Foundation, and managed by the University
of Colorado, Boulder.
My
work at Mountain View included working closely with David [5], Frances,
Elwyn Richardson [6], Jane
Richtmyer, and Tony Kallet. The ensuing year was spent:
- Learning more and more about the education process.
- Acquiring more strategies for engaging teachers in a
workshop environment.
- Working in classrooms with children who had significant
social, cultural and learning issues.
- Learning more about the depths and delights of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics when working alongside eminent scientists and mathematicians ( especially Philip Morrison and Stan Ulam) who had been with David at Los Alamos during the second world war, creating the atomic bomb).
- Developing strong links with many teachers who were
keen to discuss, debate and exchange educational experiences, especially
on ways to engage and motivate all kinds of learners.
- Setting up and running science workshops at Mountain
View, in schools, and in other centers of learning – including Tampas,
Boston, Denver, St. Louis, and Colorado Springs.
- Talking
with teachers about early childhood education practice.
- Working
with staff of Head Start and Follow-Through projects across America,
- Running
workshop sessions at weekends on the Pine Ridge Wounded Knee Reservation
with adult Ogllala Sioux who were involved with a classroom teacher aid
program sponsored by the University of Colorado, Boulder.
- Visiting
consultant at EDC, Boston, where I led a series of workshops for EDC staff
that focused on their work with teachers who were shifting from formal to informal teaching.
- Visiting
consultant for a weeklong program at the University of Florida,
- Visiting
speaker/workshop leader in Philadelphia.
- Co-authored Yesterday I
Found, published by the University
of Colorado, 1971.
1971 – 1973
On
my return to Great Britain, I resumed my duties at the Leicestershire Advisory
Center.
Science,
now I learned, had certainly taken root in Leicestershire classrooms and I was
fortunate in reaping the harvest of my previous work. I linked up again with
Leicester Museum and became heavily involved in the Carnegie Project, aimed at
developing educational links between schools and the museum. This work brought
me in contact with The Nature
Conservancy who invited me to
talk at two conferences on the theme of children embracing the concept and
practice of conservation.
In the autumn of 1971, I spoke at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s world conference in Rotterdam. I described the exciting science and mathematical work going on in Leicestershire classrooms. The following afternoon, I was led a team of environmental ‘experts’ on a field trip in a woodland close to the conference center.
1973 – 1976
As
my advisory work began to take me away from the classrooms and more into the
secondary sector [7] as it
contemplated how to support teachers when the school leaving age was increased
(from 15 to 16), I decided it was time for me to hang up my travel boots and
return, full-time, to the classroom.
Consequently, I was appointed as teacher of a class of ten and eleven year olds and as deputy Headteacher of Warren Hills CP, a newish open-plan primary school.
During
my time at Warren Hills CP School, my classroom was featured in an educational
film, ‘What did you learn in school today?’ and I was featured as a
visiting science advisor in another film, Look
in on Learning, made in
Mary Brown’s school in Melton Mowbray.
1977
– 1985
in
1977, I was appointed Headmaster of Robert Bakewell School, a large open plan
school on the outskirts of Loughborough. My work there as Headmaster included,
- Negotiating
and agreeing clear curriculum policies and classroom practice.
- Developing
an effective partnership relationship with parents and governors that
brought them into school and into its classrooms.
- Creating
a positive image through developing evening classes for the community. (As the school offered child care, parents began to use
the building more and more during school time).
- Attracting
school TV broadcasting to make several science [8] programs (which I wrote) in
Robert Bakewell’s classrooms [9].
- Improving
the quality of teaching and learning through staff debate and discussion,
workshops, In -Service courses, and a focus on developing each teacher’s
particular strengths.
Robert
Bakewell’s reputation improved to such an extent that it was described by
Stewart Mason, Director of Education, as a ‘good stable’ – Mason speak for a school that developed teachers worthy of promotion to
positions of responsibility in other establishments - and a school that did its
utmost to provide a rich, quality learning environment for its pupils.
The
LEA continued to use me as a consultant/advisor, and, at the Authority’s
behest, I set up a primary Teachers in-service Program at the LEAs conference
center – and developed some of its outer buildings as a Field Study center for
inner-city children.
Following the 1981 Education Act which focused on creating a new policy for children with learning difficulties, I formed a working group that led to the LEA adopting an appropriate program for supporting children with learning issues in mainstream schools.
I
was seconded for a term, working at Sheffield University as the LEA’s
representative, discussing the aims of the new government’s educational
ambitions which would, eventually, bring about significant changes in
education, including the tightening of teacher contracts to a set number of
annual teaching hours.
During my time at Robert Bakewell I had 15 books published, many for Ladybird Press, including:
- Nature
Takes Shape
- The
story of the spider
- The
story of the ant
- Batteries
and Bulbs
- Simple
Chemistry
- Physics
- Biology
- Air
- Light
- The
Midlands
- Winter
- All
Around You
- Weather
1985
In
1985, I was appointed Headmaster of Ibstock Junior School, an establishment
built in 1906, and now with 265 junior pupils on roll.
An
interesting feature of this school for me was its UNIT for children with
moderate to severe learning difficulties.
Other
interesting (and challenging) features included its low self-esteem, its
run-down curriculum, [10] its disinterested staff, its
uninvolved parents [11]and
its new board of governors.
Through
staff, parents and governor debate and negotiation, significant changes in
school were introduced to meet the challenges of impending educational policy
changes.
I
was helped by the 1988 Education Act [12] which, among other things,
described an entitlement curriculum for all pupils in all
schools, and urged schools to manage their own financial affairs.
School
slowly developed a well-deserved positive reputation.
- It became popular with parents and the LEA.
- It was ambitious for its pupils and its teachers.
- It developed clear, understandable policies and goals.
- Its governors and parents were well informed and keen
to support school, its teachers and its pupils.
- Its
teachers were enthusiastic and well prepared, developing interesting,
age-appropriate learning activities.
- ALL
members of staff (teaching and non-teaching) had
ownership of - and participation in - all school policies and management
decisions.
An
inspection by local education officers and advisors highlighted the good
practice in place, particularly praising the science teaching and learning, and
the school’s program for children experiencing significant learning challenges.
As
a result of this report, the Chairman of the school governors and I were asked
to address County Councillors about the school’s science teaching – giving us
the opportunity to celebrate school’s achievements. These achievements, included:
- A
strong, appropriate, changing curriculum for all pupils.
- A
highly regarded Annual Review process of school’s (many) statemented
children.
- A
National Award for Schools’ Annual Governors Report to Parents.
- My
membership of the UK Government's Core Curriculum Interim Committee,
National Curriculum Council.
- Winning
a number of computers for the school library.
- Gaining
funding from Toyota for a school yard project.
- Creating
a staff development and routine staff meeting agenda that met teacher
needs and expectations.
In
September 1994, I visited a school in New Canaan, Connecticut, USA, for six
weeks, to work alongside Dr. Russell Firlik, giving me chance to observe at
first hand some of the teaching and learning (and management) processes in
place in Dr. Firlik’s school.
This
project was financed by the Fulbright Teacher Program and I was the first Head
Teacher in the UK to receive such an award.
Dr.
Firlik came to Ibstock and spent six weeks shadowing me.
During
that time, I met up with David Hawkins, then visiting professor at Stamford.
John
Paull December 1994
[1] Leicestershire LEA, one of three areas
in England much visited by American educators eager to see at first hand progressive schools – Oxfordshire and the West
Riding of Yorkshire being the other two.
[4] Radio Leicester was the first local
radio station set up by the BBC – a station that led the way in developing
links for teachers.
[5] Emeritus Professor of Philosophy,
first Director of ESS, consultant to the Nuffield Science Project.
[7] As
it contemplated how to support teachers when the school leaving age was
increased from 15 to 16.
[10] A bland diet of textbook and
blackboard mathematics and English, with the occasional bit of history and
geography, and no science whatsoever.
[11] Parents were not welcome in the
building and consequently had little confidence in what went on in the
classrooms.
[12] I was invited to work with Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher’s Consultative Committee, and made regular visits to London
1996 – to the present
Enticed by long
conversations with my friend, mentor and inspiration, David Hawkins, during my time
in New Haven, I decided to return
full time to the USA. After 33 years in education in the UK, I retired and took
up an offer to come to Denver and set up a Teacher Preparation Program at the
Stanley British Primary School, financed by a five-year grant from the Colorado
Commission for Higher Education.
The program was
different from the traditional teacher education model. Student teachers ('interns') were placed
four days each week in the classroom, co teaching with the lead teacher (the 'mentor').
Each Friday, the interns met with me to discuss their teaching and learning
experiences.
When the grant
expired in 2001, I agreed to stay on and make the program economically viable. Then,
in 2004, I started another program, in Boulder, at The Friends School, and was
also appointed as senior lecturer (Research Methods for Teachers) in the School
of Education, University of Colorado, Denver, and a Site Professor in its
teacher preparation program.
In these roles,
I interacted/worked with over 450 teacher candidates (aspiring teachers) in
over 30 public, charter and private schools.
Drawing on my
background in progressive education, I
worked hard to create and implement a teacher preparation experience that was
motivating and authentic. I worked hard to inspire and engage my adult graduate
university students through a seminar process that involved active discourse about
how one engages and motivate students.
I feel honored
that the teacher preparation experience eventually impacted so many students
and so many classrooms.
I am currently
planning my next series of classes for parents and children, entitled, ‘I’m a scientist’. These classes focus on
adults working with their children on engaging, challenging science activities.
My blog, www.mywishingrock.blogspot.com, and my website, www./site/johnpaullssciencesite
describe many of the other things I do to
enrich each and every day.
My
latest book, Through My Eyes,
published by Xlibris in 2012.
John
Paull
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