Punk Learning

What are you going to differently this academic year? Are you going to adapt or change your teaching style? Are you going to develop and train your students in a different way of learning?

I’ll tell you what I’m doing this new academic year……I’m doing some PUNK LEARNING!

It is Year Zero, it is time for the D.I.Y Learner, we’re going to bring constructivism back into the classroom, we’re going to do some Punk Learning.

In my role as a consultant this year I have been inspired by students, teachers, leaders, schools and colleagues. My philosophy on “Learning” has been crystallised – I have considered, shared and adapted my thinking…and have created Punk Learning.

Although constructivism has been around for decades and the idea of independent learning is not a new one – I feel that wrapping it up and publicising it as a “Youth/Social Culture” package it may hit the message home with both teachers and students alike.

So why did I come up with it? Well, like many teachers I am constantly frustrated with the lack of independent learning and constructivism that occurs in my classroom on a day-to-day basis……now please don’t misunderstand me here, I am not frustrated with my students* but with myself. I need the confidence, time and support from the class to create effective passages of “student led learning”, as a class we need to work together to become D.I.Y learners, as a class we need to become Punk Learners.

*OK, so I guess I do get a little frustrated with students not having the resilience, confidence and training to attempt and persevere with independent learning – but this new concept will surely help.

How and why did I create it?

I have spent all of this year telling teachers that they are teaching too much and not giving their students the creativity and independence that they need for outstanding learning. I have spent around five years teaching in a constructivism learning model (most of it without knowing it!). I have spent more than twenty years listening, watching and reading about Punk  – seemed obvious really!

The school I will be part of this September need to implement and drive independent learning throughout the school (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?) – in fact it has been acknowledged and mentioned in the last two Ofsted reports. I am taking this concept into my classroom in September – I will trial it with two KS3 classes at first and then….well who knows? Every peak, trough and plateaux of our Punk Learning adventure will be shared through my blog and through twitter.

If you fancy joining me in bringing constructivism back into classroom, developing a new tribe of D.I.Y learners in your school and being part of a Punk Learning revolution then please, be my guest! Just  let me know if you are doing a bit of Punk Learning in your classroom, faculty or school – it would be fantastic to keep track and record people using Punk Learning. I’ll set up a collaborative Google doc’ for people to input information in the near future.

The ten page booklet can be found in the Punk Learning page of my blog. A PDF format can also be found here. P Learning Please feel free to comment or contact me via twitter @Totallywired77

Without the following people Punk Learning would have still been a fluttering thought in my brain….

A HUGE thank you to @JamiePortman @57mason and @Textilesteacher – thanks for the support, advice and guidance.

Thanks to @chickensaltash @davidErogers and @chrismayoh – your presentations at bMoble 2011 were a real eye opener and encouraged me to develop Punk Learning.

 

Kind acknowledgements and respect go to Jim Groom and Stephen Downes – creators of Edupunk.

The following people have been and will continue to be a true inspiration to me Paul Ginnis, Alastair Smith, @billybragg and the late great Joe Strummer RIP.