In a speedy world, slow learning gives students a chance to go deeper. By Daryl Pellizzer
INTERESTING start to our year. I know some think that learning a language, or anything else, should be done as quickly as possible, so that time is not wasted. So the box can be ticked and people can get on with the important and necessary matters they need to attend to in their lives.
Well, yes and no.
I’ve been reading Slow Knowledge and the Unhurried Child, a book about slow pedagogy in early childhood development. The idea is in the vein of the slow food movement. It talks about timefulness, where the students get time to be themselves and have time to be with each other, their place, their thoughts and feelings. And to feel, reflect and express their own questions and play with whatever emerges and whatever materials are available.
INTERESTING start to our year. I know some think that learning a language, or anything else, should be done as quickly as possible, so that time is not wasted. So the box can be ticked and people can get on with the important and necessary matters they need to attend to in their lives.
Well, yes and no.
I’ve been reading Slow Knowledge and the Unhurried Child, a book about slow pedagogy in early childhood development. The idea is in the vein of the slow food movement. It talks about timefulness, where the students get time to be themselves and have time to be with each other, their place, their thoughts and feelings. And to feel, reflect and express their own questions and play with whatever emerges and whatever materials are available.
It’s not about going slow but going deeper. The class room is an atelier.
Language is a tool for communication. It’s limited, of course, in relation to many other aspects of communication, including body language, gesture, tone of voice, expressive intention, contextual awareness, etc. In studies of human interaction, particularly regarding the communication of emotions and attitudes, research often cites a breakdown where roughly 7% of the message is conveyed through spoken words, while over 90% is communicated nonverbally (gestures, body language, and tone of voice, etc.). AI told me so.
Sketch Noting is a way of thinking and expressing through marking, writing and image making. This is a way of knowing that is often denigrated in our society.
Language is a tool for communication. It’s limited, of course, in relation to many other aspects of communication, including body language, gesture, tone of voice, expressive intention, contextual awareness, etc. In studies of human interaction, particularly regarding the communication of emotions and attitudes, research often cites a breakdown where roughly 7% of the message is conveyed through spoken words, while over 90% is communicated nonverbally (gestures, body language, and tone of voice, etc.). AI told me so.
Sketch Noting is a way of thinking and expressing through marking, writing and image making. This is a way of knowing that is often denigrated in our society.
*****
Yesterday we had our first day at school for 2026. We studied speaking, listening, dancing, singing, reading and writing. Laura taught us her song.
Everyone is Welcome.
Chorus: Every season, every year
Everyone one is welcome here
Verse:
Blessings on this place
gather in this meeting space
Famililes come from far and near
Everyone is welcome here
Blessings on this place
Work and play around this space
Stories come from far and near
Everyone is welcome Here
Blessings on this place, Songs and dances fill this space
Music comes form far and near
Everyone is welcome here.
We went out into the garden area and practised standing in a beautiful circle, facing inwards: this I thought can symbolize PLACE. Then we turned outwards and held hands in the circle: this I thought can symbolize PEOPLE. Next I will look for poetic symbols of PRAYER and PAST. These choreographic elements are part of our learning and of our celebrations of Cultural Diversity and Harmony Day on March 23.
The four Ps come out of an idea from the book Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth.
Everyone is Welcome.
Chorus: Every season, every year
Everyone one is welcome here
Verse:
Blessings on this place
gather in this meeting space
Famililes come from far and near
Everyone is welcome here
Blessings on this place
Work and play around this space
Stories come from far and near
Everyone is welcome Here
Blessings on this place, Songs and dances fill this space
Music comes form far and near
Everyone is welcome here.
We went out into the garden area and practised standing in a beautiful circle, facing inwards: this I thought can symbolize PLACE. Then we turned outwards and held hands in the circle: this I thought can symbolize PEOPLE. Next I will look for poetic symbols of PRAYER and PAST. These choreographic elements are part of our learning and of our celebrations of Cultural Diversity and Harmony Day on March 23.
The four Ps come out of an idea from the book Against the Machine by Paul Kingsnorth.
*****
We went to the local library to continue our work. We used the brilliant art work that Lisa Kennedy gave us, along with some words from the book Against the Machine that Laura masterfully matched with Lisa’s work.
I let this sit with the students and tutors and they lit a fire of conversations and learning and sketch noting. I had to stand back. I made some word matrices on A3 and threw them into the flames. Up they went too!
All sorts of stories and memories emerged. We looked at the big atlas to feel the maps of the places where these came from.
How wonderful! Soon I’ll see which way the wonderful students’ work might move.
Daryl Pellizzer is co-ordinator of Bass Coast Adult Learning’s English as an Additional Language (EAL) Program.
I let this sit with the students and tutors and they lit a fire of conversations and learning and sketch noting. I had to stand back. I made some word matrices on A3 and threw them into the flames. Up they went too!
All sorts of stories and memories emerged. We looked at the big atlas to feel the maps of the places where these came from.
How wonderful! Soon I’ll see which way the wonderful students’ work might move.
Daryl Pellizzer is co-ordinator of Bass Coast Adult Learning’s English as an Additional Language (EAL) Program.
Mac and Max played a well-known Asian number and Click Go the Shears.