Report on Jonathan Jansen on 'What school reform can learn from the rhythm method in sex' – lecture at UCT 2 February 2011
These are the main points of the lecture:
- High expectations – set high expectations – not a 30% pass level!
- Lucid analysis – know why the school is underperforming – have data at hand – need data to do planning – must be able to analyse it so CAT teachers can show principals how to create simple graphs and pivot tables / graphs
- Clear goals – must be measurable – communicate goals – measure them regularly
- Critical mass – use those teachers who want to change – get help from them for turn around strategy
- Sharp strategy – know how to alter the behaviour of people in order to achieve your goals
- Inspiring example – be an inspiring example – live life as a teacher
- Ask – are we there yet
Recommended book 'How to change 5000 schools' by Ben Levin
Bottom line – to connect with title – do all 6 points – keep regular – Rhythm cycles of school. Teachers can take many of these points and apply them in the classroom for improvement.
Used these key concepts and spoke / told stories to enforce ideas of each point. I could not get any decent pictures of him as he never stood still long enough for me to focus and click. Brilliant speaker!
He has a wonderful memory – after the talk I went up to him to say … and he greeted me by name. I showed surprise that he knew me and he indicated that I was friends with him on Facebook. Yes I am, but he has 784 friends but he still remembered my name! I had wanted to remind the man that he hit me on the head / capped me with my PhD at the University of Pretoria years ago. He is a man to be reckoned with!
