Blogs
Transformation into happy students
As a learning adviser at SML college I have been amazed by some of the personal transformations that have taken place in students since joining. One particular student anxious, low in confidence and motivation has in the space of 8 eight weeks, started their own project, developed a group of friends and...
Students following their own interests
At SML College because we don't have a forced curriculum, students are allowed to follow their own interests, which results in wonderful examples of creativity. These have included a range of projects on a variety of subjects such as hedgehogs, wild cats, technological impact in medicine and bughouse making, to name a...
Making a computer game
SMLG’ (Self Managed League Gaming) is a game creation project that has been supported by learning advisor Louis since March. Its goal is to create a small 2d platform game, made entirely by students on the team. There is a real range of skills between them, and it’s been brilliant to see...
“Machine learning and human intelligence. The future of education for the 21st-century.”
The title of this review is the title of Rose Luckin’s latest book and Rose delivered our Presidential Lecture on July 8 at SML College on this topic. Her chair at UCL Institute of Education is in Learner Centred Design. It’s in that capacity that we have worked together in the past and in her latest book she does...
A Spanish reaction to SML College
My name is Esther Russo and I work as a Vocational and Education Training teacher in the CIFP (El Centro Integrado de Formación Profesional) of Lorca in Murcia, Spain. In recent years my interest on new approaches to learning has grown, especially seeing the results that we have in our classrooms: lack of motivation, problems with managing time and...
A discussion about education with comedian Mark Watson
I went to see the comedian Mark Watson doing a stand-up gig at a local club. One thing he likes is interacting with his audience. This time he left cards on tables for us to write on it any opinions we had individually that were seen as odd. I wrote that schooling should be abolished – this was a...
Education, work and learning
It was common in my school, and I believe still is, for teachers to chide pupils who were not working. Working meant working at a prescribed task from the teacher. Also in modern parlance, there is reference to having pupils ‘on task’. If you are not working at a prescribed problem or...
SML College is exactly what "teaching" should be
As a trainee teacher in mainstream education, I found teaching the subject I love, very difficult. The essence of learning is curiosity, expressiveness and freedom and unfortunately, the Science curriculum is being taught at young people instead of being engaged with, in an exciting and critical way. At SML, young people have the freedom to explore and inquire into a...