Author Archives: mwalker

What drives your classroom coaching program?

Last year I caught up with Barrie Bennett in Toronto and had the chance to talk through his framework for classroom improvement. It was one of those light bulb moments when it became clear for me what the missing focus was in both … Continue reading

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Leaders talking teaching and learning!

At this week’s leadership meeting I set the context for our reading of John Hattie’s article on building teacher quality. The article lists a number of key strategies [e.g. feedback] that have the greatest effect size on student learning. It concludes: “expert … Continue reading

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Raise the Bar and Close the Gap

At last weeks principal network meeting we briefly talked about this notion of raising the bar on student achievement. Michael Fullan defines moral purpose for schools in terms of raising the bar and closing the achievement gap. The conversation was started from … Continue reading

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Principals turn to booze to cope

Today a report is being released on principal workload. The report based on a national survey of 1,100 principals shows that while most love their job many are finding that “endless paperwork, dealing with abuse or grievances from angry parents, and … Continue reading

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Student Leadership

I was talking to the senior students at school this week and used this clip to start the discussion about leadership changing the world We often start in our own backyard so to speak in small ways and the students said by being kind … Continue reading

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Classroom Rules

I found this clip may just in a fun way create a converstaion with students about classrooms rules.

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Multiplication by lines

John Connell and Stephen Heppell are on fire this week with this interesting mathematical problem. I can see it works but I’m still trying to see how.

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Tests are everywhere but this can only be in America!

Thanks to John Connell from Cisco I came across this article on the testing business in America. Businesses make huge profits from selling tests to school districts or states as a result of the NCLB legislation and as it now … Continue reading

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A hoe is that what you want? or Why teach Speaking and Listening skills.

This week I was casually listening to a teacher explain something of a technical nature to colleague and it reminded me of the need to be careful in our use of language in schools particularly when trying to explain a new … Continue reading

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2006 PISA results from an Australian Perspective

ACER has just published a national report on the PISA results from an Australian perspective. Schools from all sectors and states are selected to complete the tests. Overall the results are very good in scientific, reading and mathematics literacy and compare … Continue reading

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head teachers

I was looking at a colleagues blog from the UK recently and saw this cartoon attached to an entry about why head teachers were paid more than teachers. http://libertonheadsblog.blogspot.com/

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We only think when we are confronted with problems.

The title of the article comes from a quote by John Dewey [1859 – 1952] an American philosopher who is widely renowned as a leader in the progressive educational reforms of the 20th century. At this week’s leadership meeting, the first … Continue reading

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England extends school leaving age to 18.

I have just watched on teachertv the Queen announce a bill being introduced that will extend the compulsory age of schooling to 18 over the next few years. The move is receiving mixed reactions accrding to the report. Given that … Continue reading

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Filling up the Energy Tank over Summer Holidays

This picture was taken on one of my long walks near Point Leo in low tide. Point Leo is an ocean beach in Western Port, Victoria. Each year we teachers seem to cross the line at the end of the school … Continue reading

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A New Years Resolution

Ever thought around new year that you just want to get a little better this year and start the new year at school a little more in control of the learning in the classroom? Well here’s  a site I just … Continue reading

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