In news that surely would make Hermione proud, the Daily Mail is reporting today about a school in the UK that has experienced a significant turnaround in the academic performance of their students after introducing a Harry Potter curriculum this year. While the use of Harry Potter in schools is nothing new, the paper reports that a primary school in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, England "has jumped from the bottom 25 per cent of schools nationally to just outside the top 5 per cent over the last three years after deciding to let pupils pick a theme for the curriculum each term." A recent inspection of the maths lessons where "the children were motivated to learn about subtraction by pretending that it is a magic formula created by Harry Potter. Pupils were not allowed to answer questions without first saying a spell - "numerus subtracticus", which they devised themselves.The official report describes achievement at the school as "outstanding."
Headteacher Donna Chambers said: "Other schools do topic-based learning, but not to the extent we do."With maths, the teacher will say 'today we are learning how to do inverse operation'. They put on their Harry Potter hat and wands, and work it out in their books."
Other examples of the Harry Potter cirriculum include the following:
Art: imagine what Harry Potter would do if he painted a version of Vincent Van Gogh's 1889 masterpiece The Starry Night. The Potter-inspired versions featured witches, dragons and other beasties.
History: the history of flight, starting with a discussion of Harry Potter's broomstick, then discussing if that is real and tracing the real development of aviation, including the Wright brothers.
Geography: comparing the children's home town of Arnold, Nottinghamshire, with Goathland, North Yorkshire, where the scenes of Hogsmead Station were shot for the Potter films.
Science: put a stick of celery in a beaker of blue dye and see how it takes in the fluid, turning the celery from green to blue. Discuss whether Harry Potter could use this to turn one of his foes a different colour. _________________
I think that is an absolutely brilliant idea. I especially love the history and geography samples. And I really love that it has helped students improve themselves. _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan Team Cucumber, FTW!
although i imagine theyre only for tiny little kids no older than third grade. otherwise there would be a problem with their education. _________________
I think its awesome that it has worked but I don't see how (through the examples they gave) it works. It would seem to be somewhat of a distraction to them actually getting the concept. But hey, numbers don't lie and they have improved considerably. _________________ Amor Vincit Omnia!
I agree^ They force kids to read lots of books, what difference would it be to make them read Harry Potter, also. It would only benefit them. _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan Team Cucumber, FTW!
Children are only interested in science and math when they pretend to wave wands. Simply pitiful. A school of any merit has teachers that can make scince and math interesting in their own right without having to attach a completley irrelevant topic. What sad schools these are!
I dont think thats true , you really get things when youre interested and focused. If these children pay attetion cuz they can wave wands then everyone's a winner in the situation. I myself find this true , ive always found history interesting , but with my teacher now , he tells things in a way you want keep listening and my grades have greatly improved !! _________________
But does this history teacher compare presidents to ministers of magic, or is he actually talking about history in an interesting way? I'd be very disappointed if my children were only interested in the mysteries of math wehn they chanted math problems like witches and so...
You cant argue with me that children need motivation to study ?! If this actually helps them I can only be happy with that.
(and no my history teacher doesnt compare presidents to ministers , he's just really convincing and is a great speaker) _________________
hmmm... sometimes, kids are interested in school and math and stuff. othertimes, they just think it is useless and still insist on playing. so for those kids that need extra persuasion to study, harry potter-ize it for them to get their attention.
but for high school and college kids for instance, it would be utterly stupid to harry potter-ize education and will just lead to backward education. harry potterization is just for kids. up to a certain extent you can be creative and incorporate general lessons with hp. but as time goes by, as your lessons become more intensive, you need to get real.
there is nothing wrong with making basic education harry potter-like, critic, so i dont see what is your problem unless you just simply like to criticize everything you see. youve been getting on my nerves. _________________
But does this history teacher compare presidents to ministers of magic, or is he actually talking about history in an interesting way? I'd be very disappointed if my children were only interested in the mysteries of math wehn they chanted math problems like witches and so...
I still think its pitiful.
Actually, this school is located in England. So the Ministry of Magic would be a really good comparison for them and completly relevant.
Some kids need to be motivated in certain subjects. This is just another way to do it. If the teacher used Lord of the Rings it would be the same way. _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan Team Cucumber, FTW!
hehe... we had a harry potter class and everything was conducted that way. well of course it ought to since the class was all about harry potter. i was in slytherin house.
and guess what? the teacher mentioned that the slytherins now were most likely to win the championship since we were an active bunch of snakes, trying to score points in any manner possible. and yes, we did win the championship. now i know why slytherins have been winning the house championship for how many years in a row. hehehhe!
i miss that class. it was totally fun. _________________
I understand that some children, younger children, need motivation outside of learning for learnings sake. With todays exciting video games, action adventure movies, and mind boggling computer games its esay to see why kids think learning is boring. After all, why add two and two when they could be saving the world from the comfort of the couch. I teach preschoolers in a child development class and we associate math with frogs and apples, not just numbers, to grab their attention. It makes sense. And so, to attach a theme to learning isn't always bad. It can help benefit children by making learning more interesting. However, I do find that a an entire Harry Potter based cirriculum is a little much. To attach all subjects to a single theme, a fad, because that's the only way to get your low-rating school some achievement shows a lack of competence on the part of the teachers. If a teacher can't make their subject interesting without attaching a fad, they obviously aren't interesting...they have to steal interest from another topic. Furthermore, I don't find all, although I do some, of the Harry Potter activities a good idea. I agree that this technique is probably for young children and how they learn now will effect their future learning. If they can't at least on some level learn to appreciate a subject for its real life application at this young age...what will happen when the harry potter celery is replaced by an examination of capillary action? When magical chants become quadratic equations? They'll be bored all over again. School can be fun in its own right and any good school will make efforts to do so. Imagine, years from now, young students bent over their SAT exams chanting as they learned to do so durning the fundamental years. I find it sad that real life can't compete with video games. Video games, imagination, all of that is fantastic...I'm a writer so I appreciate imagination. But the solution to the problem of educational deficiencies can't be to deck out all elementary schools like Hogwarts.
hehe... we had a harry potter class and everything was conducted that way. well of course it ought to since the class was all about harry potter. i was in slytherin house.
and guess what? the teacher mentioned that the slytherins now were most likely to win the championship since we were an active bunch of snakes, trying to score points in any manner possible. and yes, we did win the championship. now i know why slytherins have been winning the house championship for how many years in a row. hehehhe!
i miss that class. it was totally fun.
That sounds like so much fun! (I wouldn't want to be in Slytherin though) _________________
Wand:8" Cedar with Unicorn Hair
Animagi:Squirrel
I understand that some children, younger children, need motivation outside of learning for learnings sake. With todays exciting video games, action adventure movies, and mind boggling computer games its esay to see why kids think learning is boring. After all, why add two and two when they could be saving the world from the comfort of the couch. I teach preschoolers in a child development class and we associate math with frogs and apples, not just numbers, to grab their attention. It makes sense. And so, to attach a theme to learning isn't always bad. It can help benefit children by making learning more interesting. However, I do find that a an entire Harry Potter based cirriculum is a little much. To attach all subjects to a single theme, a fad, because that's the only way to get your low-rating school some achievement shows a lack of competence on the part of the teachers. If a teacher can't make their subject interesting without attaching a fad, they obviously aren't interesting...they have to steal interest from another topic. Furthermore, I don't find all, although I do some, of the Harry Potter activities a good idea. I agree that this technique is probably for young children and how they learn now will effect their future learning. If they can't at least on some level learn to appreciate a subject for its real life application at this young age...what will happen when the harry potter celery is replaced by an examination of capillary action? When magical chants become quadratic equations? They'll be bored all over again. School can be fun in its own right and any good school will make efforts to do so. Imagine, years from now, young students bent over their SAT exams chanting as they learned to do so durning the fundamental years. I find it sad that real life can't compete with video games. Video games, imagination, all of that is fantastic...I'm a writer so I appreciate imagination. But the solution to the problem of educational deficiencies can't be to deck out all elementary schools like Hogwarts.
Most critics do not believe HP is a passing fad. It's lasted for ten years already. That's longer than most "fads" last.
You use apples, other teachers use Harry Potter. That doesn't make you better than them, which is how you are making it sound. It is simply a different teaching method.
Children have been putting down their video games to read Harry Potter, why not take it one step fiirther and introduce the books into the classroom? We aren't saying it's the only solution, just a solution that has worked in this school.
The method of applying a popular book to classes is not a new thing. Teachers have been using this method for decades. Some teachers use books for vocabulary words and lessons on morals and themes.
The Magic School Bus series are books that can help teach about reading, math, and science. What makes using any other books different from using Harry Potter? _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan Team Cucumber, FTW!
wow i wish i had a harry potter theme curriculam in school... it wud hav made maths so much more tolerable _________________
Love's not love if not painfully absurd.
<-- <-- Straight but not Narrow!!!
Please do not assume that I find my teaching techniques better. I'm not ignorant or proud enough to say I'm better. And, additionally, I'm not even a real teacher. I'm in a class only. I only gave that example to prove that I agree attaching themes to learning is good, as many of you mentioned. And, please. I would appreciate if your disagreement with my opinions stayed disagreements with my opinions instead of becoming an anlysis of my character. But, then again, its only a request.
Now, to move on...The points brought up were very good. Yes, other book themes are often involved in learning. Th magic schoolbus was mentioned. The difference is that, in Magic School Bus, actual science and math are made fun through catchy song and exploration of human body as tiny sub, ect. ect. Magic school bus explains math and science with actual math and science. Attaching magic to subjects like science and math takes away from the actual reasons behind which capilary action occurs, for example. Do I have a problem with students pretending to be in different Hogwarts houses as they compete in a math contest? No, absolutely and wholeheartedly not. Do I have a problem at looking a Harry Potter as literature in a reading class... not in principle because it is english. Do i have a problem with asking a student how harry potter could turn opponents blue with a spell? Yes, there isn't any actual science involved in that. And science, unlike harry potter magic, is complex and involved. My main problems are in math and science. I would support, likewise, a LOTR theme, which I adore the series, but only in certain subjects. Magic and math and science don't mix well for good education. My opinion.
Do i have a problem with asking a student how harry potter could turn opponents blue with a spell? Yes, there isn't any actual science involved in that. And science, unlike harry potter magic, is complex and involved. My main problems are in math and science. I would support, likewise, a LOTR theme, which I adore the series, but only in certain subjects. Magic and math and science don't mix well for good education. My opinion.
Wait, obviously you misunderstood...
The teachers aren't teaching kids magic. Magic isn't real, not the kind of magic in Harry Potter, anyway. Turning kids blue? That's not whatt he teachers are doing. The teachers are just doing things like, fun experiments and pretending it's a Potions class.
It's no different from when a class read The Secret Garden and the teachers turn that into a full curriculum.
Just because you have a problem with Harry Potter, doesn't mean that it's a bad idea. _________________ Blame it on a simple twist of fate ~ Bob Dylan Team Cucumber, FTW!
yes. the point is, not really to teach kids so much stuff. teachers dont expect young students to grasp and comprehend everything. whats more important is that you get them interested and engaged. thorough understanding is for higher-level students. you wont really miss much if you didnt understand the basic concepts of chemistry in your younger years; all these are repeated and reviewed anyway when you get to your higher years. whats more important is that you value education, and love learning, and develop good study habits (while youre still a kid, of course. as you become older, thoroughly understanding your lessons becomes more important. _________________
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