TASK 7COMPLEXITY AND RELATIONSHIPS

Nmero 1

Task 7

Complexity and
Relationships

CHAPTER 1: THE COMPLEXITY OF SCHOOLS

Through this piece of news we can
identify how teaching and learning
depends on the multilevel structures
of a concrete school, in other words,
the boundaries of the levels in an
organization are connected because
of their participants. In this example
there is a school of Extremadura
which organizes a "culture week"
during which students can get
familiar with different local things.
This happens because of the specific

network of local teachers, students,

and parents, who can exchange
information about that topic in this
event. Doing this activity, the
experiences, culture and knowledge
from each participant, levels and so
on
are
shared
and
transferred among them and to
others levels.

20/04/2016
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION AND RESOURCES

Hoy comienza la Semana

Cultural del colegio Camilo
Hernndez
El colegio Camilo Hernndez como
viene siendo habitual por estas
fechas, va a celebrar su XXVI
Semana Cultural, que en la presente
edicin va dedicada a la comarca
serregatina de Sierra de Gata, bajo
el ttulo de Conocemos Sierra de
Gata.

TASK 7COMPLEXITY AND RELATIONSHIPS| NMERO 1

2

Con este fin, se realizarn

actividades
previas,
con
el
conocimiento de esta comarca
mediante trabajos, vdeos, juegos,
manualidades y otros. Tambin los
escolares elaborarn bolas de arcilla
rellenas de semillas de cereales y
bellotas para donarlas a la
Asociacin Rama Apoyo Mutuo
destinadas a repoblar parajes
arrasados por el fuego en la Sierra
de Gata.
Cabe resaltar del programa
cultural la Jornada de Puertas
Abiertas, que tendr lugar el prximo
mircoles, da 16 de marzo, donde
se contar con un buen nmero de
stands de promocin y venta de
productos de Sierra de Gata. Se
contar en esta jornada con
exposicin de fotografas cedidas
por Adisgata, taller sobre anidaje de
aves
por
parte
de
Misierradegata.com, taller de Nendo
Dango y concurso y degustacin de
empanadas.

patrocinados por la Asociacin de

Madres y Padres Nova Cauria,
triangular de ftbol-sala en el
Pabelln de Deportes; y el ya citado
concurso del Juego de la Oca sobre
Sierra de Gata para alumnos de
Primero y Segundo.

de la Generalitat involucraron a los

responsables de los centros en la
consulta independentista. Tambin
form parte de las listas de
Ciudadanos en las elecciones
autonmicas.

The context
of a complex
organization

Catalana e hija de trabajadores

manchegos, Agenjo acaba de
publicar un libro -Sos! Secuestrados
por el nacionalismo (La Esfera de los
Libros)- donde denuncia en primera
persona el progresivo avance del
independentismo, desde su infancia
by Frisky Hedgehogs
en los aos 50 hasta la actualidad.
Repasamos aqu 10 momentos que
han marcado su profundo rechazo a
Through this piece of news it is la causa nacionalista y que, de una
explained that because of the forma u otra, la llevaron a tomar la
circumstances of each school a decisin de no abrir su centro el 9-N.
different knowledge is created, this
means that, for example, the 1. SU PRIMERA PALABRA EN
personality of the leader of a school CATALN
would
probably
affect
the
relationships between the teachers Qu dolenta ets, Maria Dolors!, le
and, furthermore, to the information gritaban sus profesoras cuando se
emerged by the connexion of enfadaban (Qu mala eres, Mara
knowledge.
Dolores!). Eran tiempos de Franco:
las
clases
se
impartan
en
castellano, pero cuando le rean,
"Murcianita" y "espaola de las maestras lo hacan en cataln.
mierda": la maestra que dijo Dolenta fue la primera palabra que
no al nacionalismo de Artur aprendi en cataln. Casi una
premonicin de lo que algunos le
Mas
diran despus del 9 de noviembre
De ciudadana annima a ser de 2014, escribe Agenjo en su libro.

Excursiones
a
diversos
municipios de Sierra de Gata, rutas
senderistas,
talleres,
teatro,
deportes, concurso Juego de la Oca
sobre Sierra de Gata y visitas
guiadas, entre otros, forman parte de
un extenso programa cultural, que
ha sido elaborado por el claustro de
reconocida como Agustina de
profesores del Centro, con la
Aragn para unos y 'musa del
colaboracin de toda la comunidad
espaolismo' para otros. El 9 de
educativa.
noviembre de 2014, el da en que
Artur Mas convoc el referndum de
Da del Centro
Catalua, Dolores Agenjo alz la
voz y dijo no. Era directora en un
La Semana Cultural tendr como eje
centro de Hospitalet de Llobregat,
central el Da del Centro, con
en Barcelona, y se neg a entregar
diversas actividades entre las que
las llaves del instituto para que all
destacan la representacin de la
se colocaran las urnas.
obra Sanchijote de la Panza por
alumnos de Educacin Primaria en
la Casa de la Cultura, la obra Tuto Fue la nica que no claudic ante la
Circo por alumnos de Educacin Generalitat y se enfrent a sus
Infantil, espectculo Infantil El ltimo superiores jerrquicos. Despus se
reto para alumnos de Educacin convirti en testigo de cargo y su
Infantil, Primero y Segundo; reparto testimonio fue determinante para
de zumo y bocadillo para todos los esclarecer hasta qu punto los
alumnos del Centro, elaborados y servicios territoriales de enseanza

2. EL CATALN NO ES UN
DIALECTO
Despus, Dolores se cambi de
colegio. Dej atrs a las damas
apostlicas y empez a estudiar en
una academia cuyo director era un
hombre cataln y catalanista, segn
describe la autora.
Aunque las clases se daban en
castellano, el maestro trataba de
fomentar el inters de los alumnos
por el cataln. No es un dialecto, es
una lengua al mismo nivel que el
castellano, les deca.

TASK 7COMPLEXITY AND RELATIONSHIPS| NMERO 1

3

3. LA MURCIANITA

Catalua (1958), cuando se refera

al andaluz como un hombre que
Dolores conoci a Joan en la vive en un estado de ignorancia y
biblioteca de su barrio. Fue su primer de miseria cultural, mental y
amor. Era un chico cataln, barbudo espiritual.
y melenudo al estilo hippie de los
aos setenta, recuerda. Al principio
le hablaba en castellano, pero 5. NO SOY ESPAOLA, SOY
despus pas
a
hacerlo CATALANA
exclusivamente en cataln.
Pronto le present a sus padres. Y
con la madre de Joan no congeni
nada bien: la vea 'poquita cosa' para
su hijo. La tpica madre posesiva.
Un da, Joan le cont que su madre
se refera a Dolores como 'la
murcianita'. Un comentario que
daara
irremediablemente
la
relacin con su 'suegra'.

Su primer viaje fuera de Espaa fue

a Pars. Dolores se fue con sus
amigas del instituto. Tena 18 aos y
eran los ltimos de la dictadura
franquista.

Un da, una docente se refiri al

chaval como facha. Pensaras
tambin que es facha si llevase la
bandera catalana?, le pregunt
sorprendida Dolores, a lo que la
profesora le respondi que no era lo
mismo.
La adhesin al patriotismo espaol
era visto como smbolo de fascismo.
Algo parecido le ocurri a una nia
en un colegio de Sabadell. La
pequea llevaba la bandera catalana
en el cuaderno de cataln y la
espaola en el cuaderno de Lengua
Castellana. Ella lo vea como algo
normal. Sus compaeros no, y por
eso la insultaron: T no eres
catalana, espaolita de mierda, y
deja de hablar en castellano o te
vamos a tirar por la ventana.

Hubo un comentario que hizo una

de sus compaeras que la dej
helada. Durante su excursin a
Versalles, conocieron a unos chicos
franceses. Les dijeron que eran de
El rechazo hacia los obreros Espaa y hablaron de Mallorca y de
7. SE DICE CASTELLANO, NO
procedentes de otras regiones en que ellos solan veranear all.
ESPAOL
Espaa era algo comn entonces,
segn cuenta la exdirectora. El uso A la maana siguiente, comentando
despectivo del gentilicio "murciano" o las impresiones que les haban Lleg un momento, en la dcada de
el trmino "charnego" se utilizaban causado aquellos jvenes, Eva sac los ochenta, en el que sus propios
para sealar a todos aquellos que no el tema y dijo que a m, cuando me alumnos la corregan cuando
hablaban cataln.
preguntan de dnde soy, nunca digo utilizaba la palabra Espaa en sus
que soy espaola, digo que soy lecciones de historia. Para ellos,
catalana. Sus compaeras no Espaa no existi hasta la era
Sus
intentos
para
4. NO SON COMO NOSOTROS
respondieron. Pareca como si, moderna.
explicarles
que
siglos
antes
los
adems de reivindicar una identidad
romanos ya hablaban de Hispania
Ellos
no
tienen
nuestras nacional, nos recriminase a las
para referirse a Espaa fueron
costumbres, hacen comidas raras y dems nuestra falta de conciencia
intiles.
no hablan nuestra lengua. No son nacional, relata Agenjo al hablar de
como nosotros. As pensaba una aquel episodio.
Tambin
intentaron enmendarla
compaera de clase de Dolores, que
cuando
hablaba
de la lengua
contaba a sus amigas cmo sus 6. EL ALUMNO FACHA
espaola
y
no
del
castellano.
padres no aceptaran que se casara
Resultaba
penoso
tener
que
aclarar
con un murciano.
En sus primeros aos como a aquellos alumnos de origen
profesora en el instituto de
andaluz, extremeo o castellano que
Cuenta Dolores que el odio al no Pedralforca en Hospitalet de
la Constitucin admita las dos
cataln tambin lo sufri su madre. Llobregat, a Dolores le llam la denominaciones
'espaol'
y
Durante una temporada trabaj en atencin cmo una profesora
'castellano' para nuestra lengua; que
una fbrica de botones y, segn le calific a un alumno, lex. lex era el castellano era la lengua romnica
cont a su hija, entre sus un chico que acostumbraba a llevar
que dio origen al espaol; que con la
compaeras haba una que se al colegio una banderita de Espaa
palabra espaol referida al idioma
quejaba de que haban llegado los en su camiseta. No esconda su incluamos todas las variedades
murcianos a Catalua para quitarle sentimiento espaol. Era un nio
geogrficas a que haba dado lugar
el trabajo a los catalanes. Ese que quera entrar en el Ejrcito, y el castellano en su expansin; que
desprecio hacia la inmigracin as se lo manifestaba a sus
fuera de Espaa nuestra lengua era
lo
que
generaba
tambin lo comparti el propio Jordi profesores,
conocida
mundialmente
como
Pujol en su libr La inmigracin, rechazo entre algunos de ellos.
'espaol, no como 'castellano', y que
problema
y
esperanza
de

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en el fondo la denominacin oficial

de castellano haba sido motivada no
tanto por el respeto a los orgenes
de la lengua como a un intento de
contentar a los hablantes de otras
lenguas espaolas.

8. EL ESPAOL NO EXISTE
Agenjo recuerda que incluso un
empleado de Hacienda le corrigi
cuando pidi a la Administracin que
le remitiera una informacin en
espaol. El funcionario le tach
'espaol' y en su lugar escribi
'castellano'.
-Qu hace? Por qu me cambia lo
que he escrito?
-Porque el espaol no existe.
-Pero qu me est diciendo usted?
Me est diciendo que la Real
Academia Espaola es la academia
de una lengua inexistente? Me est
diciendo que mi ttulo de funcionaria
del Estado acredita que soy
profesora de una lengua que no
existe?
El hombre se apellidaba Prez y ni
siquiera hablaba cataln. La autora
lo define como un ejemplo viviente
del triunfo de la propaganda
nacionalista.
9.
EL
LENGUA

CATALN,

NUESTRA

Durante una reunin de padres en el

colegio de sus hijos, Dolores pidi
que a los nios tambin se les
ensease en espaol. Era 1992, y
entonces los alumnos ya reciban
toda la enseanza en cataln. Tras
su propuesta se hizo el silencio, y
otra madre, visiblemente enfadada,
habl y dijo que le pareca increble
que se plantease esta cuestin,
porque lo mejor para los nios era
que se les ensease en cataln
porque era la lengua de Catalua y

que pedir enseanza en espaol era international league tables for

sembrar divisin y atacar a nuestra literacy and numeracy.
lengua.
Only far eastern countries such as
Singapore and China outperform the
Nadie
replic,
pero
Agenjo
Nordic nation in the influential
necesitaba una aclaracin. Si al
Programme for International Student
decir nuestra lengua aquella mujer
Assessment
(PISA)
rankings.
se refera al cataln, el espaol no
Politicians and education experts
era su lengua?. Ya te he
from around the world including the
contestado que nuestra lengua es el
UK have made pilgrimages to
cataln, zanj la mujer.
Helsinki in the hope of identifying
and replicating the secret of its
10.
BRUJA,
RETRASADA success.
MENTAL
Which makes it all the more
Al negarse a colaborar con la falsa remarkable that Finland is about to
consulta del 9N, y sobre todo embark on one of the most radical
despus de su declaracin ante los education reform programmes ever
tribunales como testigo de cargo undertaken by a nation state
contra Artur Mas, Dolores Agenjo scrapping traditional teaching by
recibi toda clase de insultos. Bruja subject in favour of teaching by
que mereca ser quemada en una topic.
hoguera como en tiempos de la
Inquisicin, pasar a mejor vida en This is going to be a big change in
el Valle de los Cados, retrasada education in Finland that were just
mental,
inculta,
analfabeta, beginning, said Liisa Pohjolainen,
desequilibrada, que no est bien who is in charge of youth and adult
de la cabeza, reprimida, una education in Helsinki the capital
vergenza de profesora que no city at the forefront of the reform
programme.
mereca ejercer su profesin
Pasi Silander, the citys development
Las amenazas y tambin las manager, explained: What we need
injurias son el pan de cada da para now is a different kind of education to
el que disiente de los dictados del prepare people for working life.
Gran Hermano, critica en su libro,
estableciendo un paralelismo entre Young people use quite advanced
el nacionalismo cataln -ese ojo que computers. In the past the banks had
todo lo controla- y el mundo que lots of bank clerks totting up figures
but now that has totally changed.
describe George Orwell en 1984.
A Agenjo los insultos le traen sin We therefore have to make the
cuidado. A fin de cuentas, la changes in education that are
disidencia siempre tiene su precio. necessary for industry and modern
Pero lo que s valora son las society.
felicitaciones. Y que su gesto no
Subject-specific lessons an hour of
haya cado en saco roto.
history in the morning, an hour of
geography in the afternoon are
Finland schools: Subjects
already being phased out for 16scrapped and replaced with year-olds in the citys upper schools.
'topics' as country reforms its They are being replaced by what the
education system.
Finns call phenomenon teaching
or teaching by topic. For instance, a
For years, Finland has been the by- teenager studying a vocational
might
take
cafeteria
word for a successful education course
system, perched at the top of services lessons, which would

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Even in Finland, the reforms have

met objections from teachers and
heads many of whom have spent
their lives focusing on a particular
subject only to be told to change
More academic pupils would be their approach.
taught cross-subject topics such as
the European Union - which would Ms Kyllonen has been advocating a
merge elements of economics, co-teaching approach to lesson
history (of the countries involved), planning, with input from more than
one subject specialist. Teachers who
languages and geography.
embrace this new system can
There are other changes too, not receive a small top-up in salary.
least to the traditional format that
sees rows of pupils sitting passively About 70 per cent of the citys high
in front of their teacher, listening to school teachers have now been
lessons or waiting to be questioned. trained in adopting the new
Instead there will be a more approach, according to Mr Silander.
collaborative approach, with pupils
working in smaller groups to solve We have really changed the
problems while improving their mindset, he said. It is quite difficult
to get teachers to start and take the
communication skills.
first step but teachers who have
Marjo Kyllonen, Helsinkis education taken to the new approach say they
manager who will be presenting cant go back.
her blueprint for change to the
council at the end of this month, said: Early data shows that students are
It is not only Helsinki but the whole benefiting too. In the two years since
of Finland who will be embracing the new teaching methods first
began being introduced, pupil
change.
outcomes they prefer that word
We really need a rethinking of to standards have improved.
education and a redesigning of our
system, so it prepares our children Finnish schools are obliged to
for the future with the skills that are introduce a period of phenomenonbased teaching at least once a
needed for today and tomorrow.
year. These projects can last several
There are schools that are teaching weeks. In Helsinki, they are pushing
in the old fashioned way which was the reforms at a faster pace with
of benefit in the beginnings of the schools encouraged to set aside two
1900s but the needs are not the periods during the year for adopting
same and we need something fit for the new approach. Ms Kyllonens
blueprint, to be published later this
the 21st century.
month, envisages the reforms will be
The reforms reflect growing calls in in place across all Finnish schools
the UK not least from the by 2020.
Confederation of British Industry and
Labours
Shadow
Education Meanwhile, the pre-school sector is
Secretary Tristram Hunt for also embracing change through an
education to promote character, innovative project, the Playful
resilience and communication skills, Learning Centre, which is engaged
rather than just pushing children in discussions with the computer
games industry about how it could
through exam factories.
help introduce a more playful
But there would currently be little learning approach to younger
appetite in the UK for going as far as children.
ditching traditional subjects.
include
elements
of
maths,
languages (to help serve foreign
customers),
writing
skills
and
communication skills.

We would like to make Finland the

leading country in terms of playful
solutions to childrens learning, said
Olavi Mentanen, director of the PLC
project,
The eyes of the education world will
be upon Finland as it opts for
change: will it be able to retain or
improve its showing in the PISA
league tables published by the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
If it does, how will the rest of the
education world react?

Computers 'do not improve'

pupil results, says OECD.
Investing
heavily
in
school
computers
and
classroom
technology does not improve
pupils' performance, says a global
study from the OECD.
The think tank says frequent use of
computers in schools is more likely
to be associated with lower results.
The OECD's education director
Andreas
Schleichersays
school
technology had raised "too many
false hopes".
Tom Bennett, the government's
expert on pupil behaviour, said
teachers had been "dazzled" by
school computers.
The report from the Organisation for
Economic
Co-operation
and
Development examines the impact of
school technology on international
test results, such as the Pisa tests
taken in more than 70 countries and
tests measuring digital skills.
It says education systems which
have invested heavily in information
and communications technology
have
seen
"no
noticeable
improvement" in Pisa test results for
reading, mathematics or science.

Unplugged

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"If you look at the best-performing

education systems, such as those in
East Asia, they've been very
cautious about using technology in
their
classrooms,"
said
Mr
Schleicher.
"Those students who use tablets and
computers very often tend to do
worse than those who use them
moderately."
Annual
global
spending
on
educational technology in schools
has been valued at 17.5bn, by
technology analysts Gartner. In the
UK, the spending on technology in
schools is 900m.
The British
Association
have 619m
95m spent
content.

Educational Suppliers
(BESA) says schools
in budgets for ICT, with
on software and digital

But Mr Schleicher says the "impact

on student performance is mixed at
best".

The report says:

Students who use computers very
frequently at school get worse
results.
Students who use computers
moderately at school, such as once
or twice a week, have "somewhat
better learning outcomes" than
students who use computers rarely.
The results show "no appreciable
improvements"
in
reading,
mathematics or science in the
countries that had invested heavily in
information technology.
High achieving school systems
such as South Korea and Shanghai
in China have lower levels of
computer use in school.

students is not narrowed by "It is endemic in society now, at

technology,
perhaps
even home young people will be using
technology, there's no way that we
amplified," said Mr Schleicher.
should take technology out of
He said making sure all children have a schools, schools should be leading
good grasp of reading and maths is a not following."
more effective way to close the gap than
Microsoft spokesman Hugh Milward
"access to hi-tech devices"
said: "The internet gives any student
He warned classroom technology
access to the sum of human knowledge,
can be a distraction and result in
3D
printing
brings
advanced
pupils
cutting
and
pasting
manufacturing capabilities to your
"prefabricated" homework answers
desktop, and the next FTSE 100 business
from the internet.
might just as well be built in a bedroom
The study shows "there is no single in Coventry as in the City."
country in which the internet is used Head teacher John Morris also
frequently at school by a majority of strongly rejected the idea.
students and where students'
"We're preparing our children for jobs
performance improved".
that don't yet exist," said Mr Morris,
Among the seven countries with the head of Ardleigh Green junior school
highest level of internet use in in the London Borough of Havering.
school, it found three experienced
"significant declines" in reading "We're training them to use
performance - Australia, New technology which hasn't yet been
Zealand and Sweden - and three invented. So how can you possibly
more had
results
that
had divorce technology from industry or
"stagnated" - Spain, Norway and from teaching and learning?
Denmark.
"When people say too much money
The countries and cities with the is being spent on technology in
lowest use of the internet in school - school, my response is 'Nonsense'.
South Korea, Shanghai, Hong Kong What we need is more money, more
and Japan - are among the top investment."
performers in international tests.
The government's behaviour expert
The study did not gather a figure for Tom Bennett said there might have
the UK's internet time in class, but been unrealistic expectations, but the
the UK has among the highest "adoption of technology in the
classroom can't be turned back".
levels of computers per pupil.
England's schools minister Nick Gibb
said: "We want all schools to
consider the needs of their pupils to
determine how technology can
complement the foundations of good
teaching and a rigorous curriculum,
He gave the example of digital so that every pupil is able to achieve
textbooks which can be updated as their potential."
an
example
of
how online
technology could be better than
traditional methods.
But Mr Schleicher says the findings
of the report should not be used as
an "excuse" not to use technology,
but as a spur to finding a more
effective approach.

Singapore, with only a moderate

use of technology in school, is top for
Mark Chambers, chief executive of
digital skills.
Naace, the body supporting the use
"One of the most disappointing of computers in schools, said it was
findings of the report is that the unrealistic to think schools should
socio-economic
divide
between reduce their use of technology.