Category Archives: school

Another article tells the same story – postcodes predict education performance.

Reading an article in the Australian newspaper this morning (School system fails ‘fairness’ test, as PISA results show learning gap) which show lower academic performance in areas of socio economic disadvantage, rurality and indigenous communities. Here are some quotes: It … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, school, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

What I consider a balanced article to the issues around learning to read and reading to learn.

Why we’re failing to build the knowledge students need Age Newspaper 15/12/2023. In the early years of school, teaching should focus on systematic instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics, exposure to rich literature through read-alouds, and explicit teaching to build … Continue reading

Posted in Deakin Teachers in training, Deakin University, Harvard, Instruction, Reading, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Changes to Teacher Training

Newspapers (e.g. Age , Sydney Morning Herald)are reporting that an “expert teacher education panel” recommendations have been accepted by the various States education ministers to reform initial teacher education. The report identified several perceived weaknesses with initial teacher education includes … Continue reading

Posted in Deakin Teachers in training, Deakin University, Feedback, Instruction, professional learning, school, Teaching, trainee teachers, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lesson Timing

Often I speak to pre service teachers (PST’s) during their placements in schools/classrooms and the feedback they are receiving is that their lesson timing needs to be tightened or a goal. This is fine if there is a shared understanding … Continue reading

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Parents want more than jobs out of education for their children.

The Australian Newspaper features an article by Chris Mitchell “Parents want education system to prep kids for jobs, not political activism”. In the article he makes a number of claims and offers solutions which I think need a response. Mitchell’s … Continue reading

Posted in parenting, politics, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What does back at school look like?

. As schools in Victoria resume face to face teaching over the next 2 weeks there might be a temptation for a period of testing to see where students are up to, what gaps may have occurred and know what … Continue reading

Posted in curriculum, Instruction, parenting, school, Technology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lilydale High School

During November I worked with the leadership team at Lilydale High School on collaboration. Some of the resources we used: https://hbr.org/2002/06/a-survival-guide-for-leaders Lilydale HS Meeting Rolling Agenda.docx http://mwalker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Inventory-of-Instructional-Initiatives.xlsx

Posted in Data Wise Program, school, school structures, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Dirty Data!

Well I’m now officially retired as a school principal – no really! I’m sleeping well, planning holidays and of course playing more golf. But what about my mind – it’s not ready to give up as an educator. So I’m … Continue reading

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

features of a wise leader

I was recently going through my email and found this from a close Scottish colleague. THE TEN FEATURES OF A ‘WISE’ LEADER Holds unshakeable values which define their being; Translates their ‘way of thinking’ into the ‘way they do things’; … Continue reading

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Why become a teacher? part two – my story

Some people can pinpoint a single incident or person that answers this question – for me I need to tell a story as I came to my moral purpose quite late. I went as a young 5-year-old to Corpus Christi, … Continue reading

Posted in reflections, school, teacher efficacy, Teaching | 2 Comments

You start a round trying to perfect your swing and end up thinking about leadership – how does that happen?

There are times when you are blinded by a parallel scenario as I was recently playing golf. I had played badly the previous round and wasn’t overly confident as I started on my first hole. The ball just didn’t seem … Continue reading

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

Don’t take yourself too seriously!

Each year the students set the school leadership a dare challenge if they raised significant funds for the school in the annual walkathon. I was reminded of this when I stumbled on the photo of one challenge they set me … Continue reading

Posted in Leadership, school, school administration | 16 Comments

Choosing Schools

Parents choosing schools based on the ‘vibe’ and community rather than test scores and fancy facilities This newspaper article attracted my attention over the weekend as it resonated with my experience as both a parent and school leader. In my … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Leadership, parenting, school, school structures | 8 Comments

A School Farewell

This week I was very humbled to attend my farewell assembly at school. There were students, teachers, parents and some returning parents of former students, former and current colleagues, representatives from the Department of Education and my family. Farewell’s are … Continue reading

Posted in Leadership, reflections, school, Video Clips | 29 Comments

Small classes are still being sold as the “golden” goose!

I’ve just finished cooking omelettes for breakfast and I open the daily paper (Age) and stumble across the Independent Schools Guide. It’s a 16 page full colour advertising features that doesn’t appear online. The last thing I’m wanting to do … Continue reading

Posted in school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 10 Comments