The king method

The King Method, otherwise known as The King Teaching Method or King Daryl's Method, is a well known teaching method that has been used in Taipei over the past 8 years. The main point of The King Method of teaching is to have some student centered creative activity in every class.

History

The King Method was invented by a distinguished Englishman, Dr. King Daryl Billimoria in the early 2000s while working in a KOJEN school in Taiwan. It quickly spread and other notable teachers in KOJEN picked up and followed the lead. Notable followers of this method include the venerable Ben Bawden, Nick Su and Kevin Dam.

Billimoria and Bawden then took their method to Kang Hsien Kindergarten in Hsindien and developed the practice with younger students. Dam took the method to Happy Marion SongJiang Branch where it exceeded all local expectations. In both these locations the local staff praised this method as it was seen as a breath of creativity that can reach previously unreachable students.

It must be noted that this method is also a form of classroom social ideology. It is based on the pretense that all human beings are unable to escape the "mob effect". By having the teacher become part of the mob and then leading them rather than dictating from an ivory tower increases the teacher-student bond.

Currently the method is being spread at a reasonably rapid pace throughout Taipei.

Method

The method in it's most simple form is as follows:

1. Subject matter is introduced.

2. Teacher centered guided activity follows. This activity is usually brief.

3. Student centered guided activity. Sometimes this is omitted if the last step is far reaching.

4. Student centered open extension activity which utilises the creativity of students.

The general idea is that students should have as much creative input as possible. It is also encouraged wherever possible to have the teacher take part in the open extension activity and do the work as if he or she was one of the students. This reinforces the idea of classroom social ideology.

References

"Teaching?", Dr. David Plum-Mage, 2002

"The King Method Manifesto", Daryl Billimoria, 2001

"Kobe Is King! If You Don't Agree You Are Just A Hater", Brian Benedictus