Category Archives: Uncategorized

Homework: good or bad?

Posted on January 11, 2013 by mwalker

The French President is the latest in a growing line to suggest a ban on homework. In a recent BBC article he was cited as saying homework is not fair as it advantages the wealthy parents who have time to … Continue reading →

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Michael Fullan meets the new EPS Leadership Team

Posted on January 3, 2013 by mwalker

Towards the end of 2012 I took a large part of the New Years leadership team to hear Michael Fullan speak on the use of technology in his change theory for schools. He has published a new book called Stratosphere … Continue reading →

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A Walker Cup Event

Posted on January 1, 2013 by mwalker

I have just returned from the Annual Walker Cup Golf event which is in its 31st consecutive year. The event which is played over 72 holes has players coming from interstate: Perth and Brisbane. This years singles winner, Alan Roberts, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Travel, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

A New Years Thank-you

Posted on January 1, 2013 by mwalker

The 2012 WordPress Annual Report on my blog has prompted me to acknowledge and thank all my readers over the year. In 2012 there were 14,000 views of my blog. People from over 105 countries visited the site with the … Continue reading →

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Shanghai Calling!

Posted on November 6, 2012 by mwalker

Elsternwick Primary was invited to join 6 other schools from the Southern Victorian Region in Australia to travel to Changzhou City in the Jiangsu Province in China to establish a sister school. I believe the invitation recognised the efforts of … Continue reading →

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Walking along the Beach

Posted on October 5, 2012 by mwalker

I took this photo while walking along Sunshine Beach with my iPhone 4. I really liked the cloud formation and the contrasts. PS I made it back to unit before it rained.

Posted in Holidays, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lessons from Steve Jobs

Posted on October 1, 2012 by mwalker

I’ve just finished reading the authorised biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. I bought the book while travelling to the States in June of this year where everyone seemed to be reading it and finally made the time while on … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Technology, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Leave a comment

A thank you to teachers!

Posted on September 30, 2012 by mwalker

To be called a teacher was once associated with being held in high regard. Like lots of professions this has slipped over recent years. One can speculate reasons as to why or how this has happened. This clip I think … Continue reading →

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Instructional Rounds and Data Wise.

Posted on September 16, 2012 by mwalker

Last week I facilitated an Instructional Round at a neighbouring school and tried to embrace some of the principles of Data Wise into the evidentiary analysis of the observations. The initiative was well received so I thought I would share … Continue reading →

Posted in Data Wise Program, Feedback, Harvard, Instruction, Instructional Rounds, Observation, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Is there a social agenda that pushes the use of data in schools to a more summative view?

Posted on September 2, 2012 by mwalker

Over recent weeks I have pondering concerns raised by teachers and a few parents on the use of data to report to parents (summative assessment). Last week three of my staff attended a briefing on the new National Curriculum due … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Tracking or Streaming: ability groups need to disappear whilst learning to differentiate instruction.

Posted on July 25, 2012 by mwalker

Do you remember the wombat group? (that’s a slow-moving Australian marsupial for my o/s readers) You would if you were in that group in an Australian elementary classroom for they were often the slow or dumb students. You wouldn’t forget … Continue reading →

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“Ability alone does not lead you to success – you have to work for it!”

Posted on July 12, 2012 by mwalker

Thanks to James Nottingham’s Facebook page I came across an article by Carol Dweck , author of Mindset, where she talks about how she was influenced by and connected to 5 different published works. People may remember 2 prior posts ( mindsets , … Continue reading →

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Schools hit by Principal Shortage

Posted on July 10, 2012 by mwalker

I don’t often copy an article published by a local newspaper but on this issue, one I’m passionate about and not just for self-interest reasons, I feel its important to it put out there for general community discussion. VICTORIAN government … Continue reading →

Posted in Industrial Issues, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Dysfunctional Teams

Posted on July 5, 2012 by mwalker

Thanks to Greg Carroll, a principal in NZ, I found this clip on dysfunctional teams which seems to make some sense. We often hear about how to build teams and make productive meetings well this clips comes from the other … Continue reading →

Posted in Collaborative Communities, Leadership, school structures, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Appreciative relationships in schools.

Posted on July 4, 2012 by mwalker

I’m writing this post with a few reservations. My intent is not stir up the vast majority of parents (I am one too) for I feel they (or should I say we) generally have good relationships with our child’s teachers … Continue reading →

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