I’ve been reading Simon Sinek’s “The Infinite Game” during
my morning reading session with my sixth formers.
Occasionally, I’ll read
excerpts to them as it’s such an insightful book on long-lasting success. One particularly powerful chapter
is chapter 2, “Just cause”. Sinek argues that every company and every leader
that wishes to have sustained success needs a just cause - a vision for the future. Sinek states that a
just cause must fulfil five criteria:
- For Something – affirmative and optimistic
- Inclusive – open to all those who would like to contribute
- Service oriented – for the primary benefit of others
- Resilient – able to endure political, technological and cultural change
- Idealistic – big, bold and ultimately achievable
In some countries, teachers have to write an educational
philosophy. I was asked to write one for a job application once and I have
attached it to the end of this post. However, the more I read Sinek's book, the more
motivated I felt to write my own just cause. Why do I do what I do, what is
it that I believe in and what is my ideal future. My just cause is as follows:
I believe in developing a world where more people know how to use computers to make their lives easier, better and more productive. I aim to teach computing to as many people as possible and I will do this by sharing my resources, knowledge and skillset - primarily through my books, blog, digital and physical resources and videos. Whilst I teach in a secondary school; I want to also help teachers, adults and younger children discover the beauty, fun and utility of computing.
For too many people, computing and computer science in particular seem daunting. Many people timidly or proudly admit to “not being good with computers”. I was once one of these people and I can confidently say that this can change. Everyone can learn about computing, everyone should be exposed to computing and given the opportunity to learn how to use computers to improve our lives.
The process of learning should be straightforward, accessible and involve achievable stepping stones. We should be able to learn about computing regardless of age, gender, race or income. We should be able to learn about computing without the fear of being labelled as a geek. Geeks are great, we should love them. It should be everyone’s aim to be a bit more of a computer geek and I’m here to help you achieve this.
Educational Philosophy – William Lau
From Nanotechnology to Synthetic Biology, from Wearable Computers to
Self-Driving Cars; Computing will continue to shape the future that we live in.
Computing teaches us how to solve problems by breaking them
down into manageable components. In developing our own original solutions,
Computing requires us to be both logical and creative. Computing enables us to
develop a skillset and mindset which will be useful in literally every
other discipline.
As a teacher, leader and student of Computing, I believe
that being a digital native and a mere user of technology is not enough.
Technology is changing at such a rapid pace that in order to thrive and succeed
in the Information age, we need to understand how computers work. One of my
primary aims is to transform users of technology into creators of technology by
giving all students the opportunity to think, create, persevere and grow.
To achieve this aim, we must strive to:
- Create an environment in which all pupils enjoy Computing and feel they can do well in Computing.
- Create well rounded users and creators of Computer technology with a focus on independent problem solving skills.
- Engage pupils and expose them to a wide range of Computing tools and skills which will empower them in whatever career path they choose.
Too often, students come into our classrooms with a fixed
mindset; the belief that ability is innate and static (Dweck, 2006) .
As a result some students have got into the habit of giving up easily or not
attempting difficult tasks due to a fear of failure. Inspired by the work of
Carol Dweck, I believe that the growth mindset is fundamental to teaching and
learning Computing. We need to help our students realise that they can achieve great
things if they persevere and are resilient when faced with challenges and
setbacks. There is a risk of students believing that as digital natives, they
have little to learn and that everything they want to do with a computer has
already been created or will be invented by someone else. There is also a fear that
Computer Science is difficult and too technical. However, by eliminating these
misconceptions, our students will be able to push themselves and learn to enjoy
the learning process despite the many challenges that they will encounter.
Computing lessons should not just be about ‘doing’; the
focus should always be on what the pupils are thinking about. Lessons should
aim to teach pupils the real-world relevance of Computing; this relevance comes
ultimately from a Fertile Question which feeds into every lesson question.
My teaching methodology revolves around meticulous planning,
modelling, formative and summative assessment, feedback and putting the
individual learner at the focus of all interactions. In order for a student to
understand the standard of what is required, it is important that the teacher
models how an expert in the subject should think and perform. This expert may
be the teacher themselves, or they may use their students as experts. Having
modelled the thought processes and explained the tasks, students should be
given an opportunity to demonstrate their skills either through joint
construction or independent tasks. It is at this point that formative
assessment and monitoring is most crucial. Unless the teachers can visualise
student’s thinking, identify misconceptions and mistakes and correct these, a
student is not going to make good progress over time. Through regular intervention
and feedback, these interactions with the group and the individual allow the
teacher to address common errors and help students improve their learning.