Author Archives: mwalker

Twitter – what for?

Posted on April 9, 2009 by mwalker

Thanks to Chris Betcher, a teacher I found this clip on twitter which is one of the more popular social networking tools out now. PURPOSE. PURPOSE. PURPOSE is everything. Without a purpose lets not rush into this – I’m still … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaborative Communities, school, Teaching, Technology, Video Clips | 1 Comment

Reading Comprehension Strategies made explicit in classrooms

Posted on April 4, 2009 by mwalker

I visited Matthew Needlemans blog and really like the way his is trying to get his students to anchor their reading comprehension skills through the creation of posters that students can connect to. Often charts displayed in rooms don’t provide … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Latest 2008 edition: Did you Know?

Posted on March 30, 2009 by mwalker

Worth a look at the latest edition of Did you know.

Posted in Leadership, Technology, Video Clips | Tagged | Leave a comment

Will Lyon’s Bites

Posted on March 30, 2009 by mwalker

Thanks to John Connell I found this fantastic resource for teachers by Will Lyon on his Flickr site should they need an image for their lesson. This one struck me as I was writing my next post.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

assessment for learning

Posted on March 29, 2009 by mwalker

At last weeks leadership meeting we struggled for some time with the question how to best use the latest assessments we had of students mathematical understandings. During March we had all our 350  Prep – Year Four students individually tested … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, Leadership, school, Technology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Why a Master’s Degree now?

Posted on March 20, 2009 by mwalker

“You did it… You did it”, the words of Professor Higgins from My Fair Lady were ringing in my ear as I drove home from University this afternoon – yes I did it – I’ve enrolled and started my Masters … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Masters in Education Course, Monash University, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Learning Walks on improved relationships and engagement.

Posted on March 19, 2009 by mwalker

Near the end of February my Assistant Principal and I went on a series of learning walks or walkthroughs with a focus on classroom rules and norms of working. We spent a short time in each classroom listening to students and teachers … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Teaching, Uncategorized, Walkthroughs | 4 Comments

Typealyzer, a tool to promote dialogue about blogs

Posted on March 12, 2009 by mwalker

I stumbled upon this site, typealyzer, that looks at your blog and tries to analysis the type of blog it represents. There are many different types and when I typed in my blog address it looked at several entries I image … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Star Fish Story

Posted on March 11, 2009 by mwalker

This video reminds me of a former school council president, John Stafford who would each year thank the teachers for their service to the community. John would present each of them with a star fish he would make and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, school, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Tagged | Leave a comment

social networking possibilities in classrooms

Posted on March 8, 2009 by mwalker

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/nzpix/3332094759/  I was reading Will Richardson’s article on the use of social networking sites in classrooms. Will was quoting the research of Christine Greenhowa doctoral student at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Yes, some of you might say that … Continue reading →

Posted in Harvard, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Old Man Take a Look at Yourself – Graduation

Posted on March 4, 2009 by mwalker

At the start of each school year we, in the broadest sense of community, plan a series of activities and events for the coming year that are connected – connected to students, their learning, their families and some of the challenges … Continue reading →

Posted in school, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Tagged | Leave a comment

Interactive Whiteboard Sites

Posted on February 27, 2009 by mwalker

Tonight I stumbled upon Bill Gaskins blog which lists some tremendous sites for teachers who have interactive whiteboards. I really like the edheadsites as well as the national geographic sites – they are well worth a visit – thanks Bill Sites … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaborative Communities, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Tagged | 9 Comments

Fires continue to burn amid questions what if that was a school day!

Posted on February 20, 2009 by mwalker

Every meeting I attend recently at some point has conversations about the ongoing – yes that right, 2 weeks later and I still say on going – bush fires. Today was no exception at the first network principals meeting where … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, school, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Shiftables: A part of the future with us now

Posted on February 17, 2009 by mwalker

  http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/457 Thanks to Mrs Durff’s blog I found this TED talk by David Merrill from MIT who has made these small interconnected computerised blocks that enable us to explore and create. Just watch!

Posted in Leadership, school, Technology, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Breaking down silos to make sense of networks.

Posted on February 17, 2009 by mwalker

As a principal of a school we all know about the benefits of breaking down the walls of classrooms or silos so that the teachers can learn from each other and question each other so that we build the collective professional … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaborative Communities, Leadership, Networks of Schools, school, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment