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Principal's Column

Dear Reader,

I would like to share a weekly column that I write for The Telegraph, Botswana's newest newspaper which is published every Wednesday. My aim is to write about teaching and learning both here in Botswana and in the world beyond. The column is called "Great Expectations".

If you have the time or inclination, please feel free to give me feedback or to give me suggestions on topics that you would like to see explored.

All the best,

Andrew Taylor, Principal

Poppy's Lessons

Submitted by admin on Thu, 24/06/2010 - 10:07
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Our Cup Runneth Over

Submitted by admin on Thu, 24/06/2010 - 10:00
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Our Cup Runneth Over

 
School’s out in South Africa, but World Cup classes are being held from 1:30 – 10:30 pm. Life lessons abound and we all have much to learn:
 
1. Don’t Blow Your Own Horn Too Often. 

Please Don’t Raise Your Hand

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/04/2010 - 08:22
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A story from 43 years ago ...
Please Don’t Raise Your Hand
 
Some teachers have “it.”  They enter a room and are instantly in command. Students who, moments before, seemed beyond the appeal of reason suddenly take their seats to await instructions.
--Doug Lemov, Teach Like a Champion
 

The Soul of a Student

Submitted by admin on Thu, 01/04/2010 - 07:40
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The Soul of a Student
 
 
"One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity."

The Intimacy of The Desert

Submitted by admin on Sat, 27/03/2010 - 15:30
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The Intimacy of The Desert
A Reflection on the Global Connections Seminar at King’s Academy: March 16-21, 2010
 
It was an unlikely setting for a business meeting: the spectacular desert landscape of Jordan’s Wadi Rum. Flickering flames illuminated the faces of school leaders from around the globe.   Above, a chilly night sky filled with the smoke of roasting lamb and the glimmer of previously unseen stars.
 

Great Teaching As Conducting

Submitted by admin on Sat, 27/03/2010 - 15:27
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How can a teacher, who sits at a desk throughout a lesson, call what they do, “teaching”? It strikes me as sitting down on the job. How can teachers remain seated if they are truly worked up – as indeed they should be – about their subjects?  
 

A Teacher’s Guide To Talking With Parents

Submitted by admin on Sat, 27/03/2010 - 15:24
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It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most
disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful.
Roald Dahl, Matilda
           
In parent-teacher conferences, beyond all the banter and pleasantries, parents and guardians are looking for evidence that the teacher believes two things:

How To Praise Kids Without Ruining Them

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/03/2010 - 12:13
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Do you tell your children how smart they are?  Well, stop it, before you ruin them.

 

The Awful Secret About Life’s Bad Stuff

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/03/2010 - 12:11
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Everything that comes into our lives, we’ve attracted magnetically…. You have to avoid giving your attention to bad stuff … because you’re just attracting more of that stuff.  Seriously.  Think about it.

Rubber Rooms & The Dance of the Lemons

Submitted by admin on Wed, 10/03/2010 - 12:04
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What if your child was taught the same lesson over and over, eight times in fact, by a teacher called “Mars”?   What if you found out the principal had reported Mars to the local education authorities, noting: "He just didn't teach. He did the same thing every day. He confronted kids and pushed them out of the classroom.