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I am currently being bombarded with information about brain research. In particular, many of the articles that land in my inbox are about the teenage brain. Yesterday I attended a workshop about how we, as teachers, can keep our adult brains in top shape to enhance both our teaching and our lives. Here is a list of twenty things we need to keep our brains in great shape (as outlined by Gary Anaka)…
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I have discovered that I love writing blogs. They lend themselves to always sharing fresh information. I have, however, discovered a drawback in that older posts tend to be easily forgotten or buried. As a result, I have decided to create an index of a few of the key topics that I have written on during the last two years. Here are some of the more popular posts grouped by topic area…
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Approximately every 7 years, a new curriculum guide is released for each IB subject. Anthropology is just beginning its next ‘curriculum review’ process, with the aim of teaching a new subject guide in 2016. While this may seem far in the future, the opportunity for teachers to begin shaping what the new guide will look like begins now.
Here is a brief overview of the process:
Many IB teachers would agree that the introduction of the learner profile to the program has added depth to both our courses and to the broader ways in which schools develop contexts and cultures for learning. In many ways, the learner profile partners with the core curriculum to create learning environments that foster a broader set of competencies and outcomes linked to “21st century learning”. As classroom teachers, what are some of the ways that we can use the learner profile to enhance student learning? Here are four suggestions:
1. Be a teacher-leader in making the learner profile part of the school culture.
All teachers need to be aware of the profile and have it in mind when guiding students in all aspects of their learning experience. For example, all six areas of the profile could be easily integrated into practices and policies regarding student behaviour. Additionally, in considering their overall program, are students approaching their learning as inquirers who are balanced and reflective? If not, how can we facilitate this?
One of the most challenging things in creating a piece of writing is being selective about what to include. For IB students, their examination essays are a good training ground for developing the skill of selectivity. With this in mind there are 5 things for teachers to think about in preparing students to write concise, selective essays in response to Paper 2 and Paper 3 questions:
While Occupy camps have been dismantled worldwide, their effect is likely far from over. For teachers of IB Anthropology, the phenomenon of ‘Occupiers’ can also act as a catalyst for classroom discussions in regards to both anthropological theory and current events.
For example, much of the discourse around the Occupy camps has centered on notions of inequality: exploring issues of inequality has always been central to anthropological studies. For any teacher emphasizing theories of political economy and globalization, the Occupy phenomenon can provide excellent material with which to work. An interesting starting point is to look at the impact of anthropologist David Graeber on Occupy Wall Street camp in Zucotti Park. Graeber’s wrok has been celebrated bu both anthropologists and non-anthropologists, his book Debt: the first 5000 years being particularly noted. According to Businessweek, “Graeber was a key member of a small band of activists who quietly planned, then noisily carried out, the occupation of Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, providing the focal point for what has grown into an amorphous global movement known as Occupy Wall Street.” Democracy Now also interviewed Graeber about his role as an organizer. Graeber himself recently wrote an article about Occupy Wall Street in the Guardian. Graeber, and his role in Occupy Wall Street, can lend itself to an interesting discussion of both his theories and the role of anthropologists outside of the university setting, as both activists and educators.
This week we are very lucky to hear from another student voice. Vivien Sin is a third year economics major at the University of Chicago. She describes herself as passionate in creating ventures to solve problems and trigger changes; currently focused on developing tech ventures and EnvisionDo; enjoying biographies, and books on alternative investments and psychoanalysis; and devoting a significant amount of time catching the latest performances, painting, and screenwriting. Here are her thoughts on her studies in IB anthropology…
When I first selected anthropology as one of my IB subjects, I had
little idea what anthropology actually means. What I expected to get
out of it was a great dose of random facts about various “exotic”
cultures to show off at social gatherings. Two weeks into the course, I
realized that intellectually, anthropology is way beyond just learning
a dose of facts. Two months into my college experience, I also
realized that anthropology has impacted my viewpoints and attitudes
beyond academic setting. Here, I’d like to focus on three main aspects
of how anthropology has been significant for me.
Please join us for
the next online Social and Cultural Anthropology workshop that will begin in February.
The six-week workshop is suitable for beginners and for those who have already been teaching this course for a few years. The workshop will allow us an opportunity to delve into the Social and Cultural Anthropology subject guide; discuss and learn about selecting ethnographies, texts and other resources; share and learn about approaches to teaching this subject; practice and develop a better understanding of external and internal assessment; develop outlines for our courses; and be introduced to some online learning tools.
A student perspective is often much more valuable than any advice we can offer each other as teacher colleagues. This week we are very fortunate to hear from Benjammin Reid-Howells – an IB graduate now in his second year of university studies at Dalhousie University (Canada). Reid-Howells offers the following reflections on his studies in IB Anthropology and on his current studies in environmental anthropology…
Sixteen years into life, concepts such as “the Other”, “agency” and “ethnocentrism” don’t hold much significance (let alone Malinowski’s “biopsychological functionalism, whatever that is!). However, it was at this age that I was introduced to Anthropology: IB Anthropology, at Pearson College to be specific. To say that my two-year, intensive study of Anthropology changed the way I see things would be an understatement, as, in reality, it actively formed the way I see things today.
Anthropology teachers are aware that ethnography is the core of the course. However, many find it challenging to strike the balance between organizing the course around ethnography and ensuring that themes are directly addressed. In fact, the syllabus emphasizes ethnography so strongly that one might wonder what the role of a textbook is in the course. Rest assured that these resources can be used in tandem, and that a successful balance can be struck. Here are three things to keep in mind in developing a balanced course…
1. Selection of ethnography
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