Category Archives: school

young people’s anger – here’s one thought.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by mwalker

I’m fortunate as a school leader that my teachers share their ideas and thoughts with me. This is one teachers share last week that resonates so strongly with me – how does one promote young people’s conversations about dealing with … Continue reading →

Posted in curriculum, school, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | 1 Comment

Anzac Day Service at School: Lest we forget.

Posted on May 5, 2015 by mwalker

Recently our year 3 and 4 students led the school in the annual Anzac Day commemoration service. The service which dates back 100 years is to acknowledge those men and women who served in our armed services in conflicts and … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, curriculum, school | 1 Comment

The pendulum conundrum of strategic planning.

Posted on March 3, 2015 by mwalker

Over the past 18 months we as a school having been reviewing our performance as a school through the student, teacher and parent lenses. There was lots to celebrate which we have. However human nature is a curious things for … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, Leadership, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Speaking at the Monday School Assembly: A Principal’s Message.

Posted on March 2, 2015 by mwalker

First of all I should say I’m invited by our year 6 leaders who run the weekly assembly to speak. I’m allotted about 5-6 minutes in a busy 25 minute program that has students singing the national anthem, reciting the welcome … Continue reading →

Posted in school, school administration | 1 Comment

An Indigenous Experience!

Posted on December 7, 2014 by mwalker

Last month we had a visit from some students who live in a remote indigenous community in Western Australia. The visit was organised by one of our former teachers, Nicole. The students were a little overawed initially by the size … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, school | 1 Comment

Student feedback to teachers – just ask them we did!

Posted on December 1, 2014 by mwalker

We were working with Kath Murdoch this afternoon on using our student feedback to adjust the 2015 curriculum plans. Our students provided the followed recommendations to teachers which I thought were worth sharing: less teacher talk: which we are thinking … Continue reading →

Posted in Feedback, Instruction, school, teacher efficacy, Teaching | 2 Comments

Ice Bucket Challenge

Posted on October 21, 2014 by mwalker

Recently the students at my school set the school leaders a challenge. If they walked more than 6000 laps during the school walkathon and collected their sponsors money we had to do the ice bucket challenge. Well they walked 9000 … Continue reading →

Posted in school, Video Clips | 1 Comment

School timetables are factors in lesson structures!

Posted on September 3, 2014 by mwalker

I have a wondering whether a school timetable influences the way instruction is planned in classrooms? Now I know the answer is obviously yes from a practical perspective but the deeper question I’m pondering is do those timetable influenced instructional decisions … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, school, school structures, Teaching, Video Clips | 1 Comment

A twist on parent teacher interviews

Posted on August 28, 2014 by mwalker

This week we completed our 2nd round of parent teacher interviews. They were held in August, which is just over half way through the academic school year. So what’s different you might ask? The students 1/2 year written reports were … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

What might Benjamin Franklin have to say to our young students?

Posted on August 19, 2014 by mwalker

  At Monday’s school assembly I used Benjamin Franklin’s story to talk about the importance of effort and persistence as we strive for personal excellence. “energy and persistence conquer all things” Benjamin Franklin I talked about his childhood days in … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Leadership, Reading, school, Teaching, Video Clips | 1 Comment

What about measuring learning found through cultural travel experiences to counterbalance missed schooling and lower national test scores?

Posted on August 6, 2014 by mwalker

At the recent ACER conference in Adelaide Stephen Zubrick presented a paper on school attendance and the effects on academic performance. The Sunday Age in Melbourne picked up the story with a headline “No safe level of missing school, study … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, politics, school, Travel | 1 Comment

Spending too much time after lunch in early intervention conversations?

Posted on July 27, 2014 by mwalker

Recently we had Marg Armstrong do a refresher at our staff meeting on the need to continually build relationships in classrooms and across the staff. We sat in a circle at our staff meeting and Marg regrouped us according to … Continue reading →

Posted in curriculum, school, Teaching | 3 Comments

Alberta and Victoria: separated by two great oceans but close in educational thinking.

Posted on July 16, 2014 by mwalker

I have just finished rereading a 2012 research paper on transforming education in Alberta Canada. I found it a great read. I didn’t know for example that Alberta has been Canada’s highest performing province for over a decade. Andy Hargreaves … Continue reading →

Posted in curriculum, Leadership, school, teacher efficacy, Teaching | 1 Comment

Mandarin the 4th most popular language in primary schools! (updated)

Posted on July 9, 2014 by mwalker

I woke up yesterday to read from a local newspaper that Mandarin is now the fourth most-popular choice for primary school pupils in Victoria. The article went on to say: The news comes as schools prepare for the introduction of compulsory … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Chinese Language, curriculum, school | 1 Comment

EPS data wise team reflections

Posted on June 27, 2014 by mwalker

This is the last post in the series by the 4 teachers overseas inquiring into the data wise process. As our trip draws to a close, we spent time reflecting upon and synthesising our learning both from the Data Wise … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Instruction, Observation, reflections, school | 2 Comments