The Language of Uncertainty


Educational Futures - Working the Edges




On Wednesday 8th April, I attended an Edge Work Seminar  This was a one day seminar for educators and anyone else interested in thinking differently about schooling in the 21st century.

"Tell a story about what ever you are doing (or thinking about,) in your context, to contribute to the development of education’s future?"  -  Jane Gilbert 

See notes below:
Time limit: 5 -10 minutes
No slides - nothing flash - just talk...

The Language of Uncertainty

1. WHY?
Closed down conversations
New meaning of knowledge. 
Its not what you know its what you can do with what you know.

2. Uncertainty:
I’ve been thinking about working with uncertainty because:
·      Interrupts the teacher as the knower of information.
·      Interrupts the students believing the teacher is the knower
·      Creates conditions where we can stay in the Question
·      If the future is uncertain then getting a bit of practice at working with what ever uncertainty looks and feels like might to be a smart move!

3. Questions:
·      I wonder…
·      Is it possible…
·      I am curious…

·      Where a question becomes a conversation piece
·      The question is an anticipated direction

4. Context:
a) Twitter
b) Student Inquiry
d Guinness Book of Uncertainties

5. I am learning:
a)The system values knowers more than I thought
b) That balancing certainty & uncertainty in the classroom is alot like slow cooking
c)That a curious kind of question, much like ideas, has an ability to smoulder.

He manako te koura i kori ai.
No use wishing for a crayfish.

He manako te whakahanga te matauranga i kore ai.
No use wishing for knowledge building.