Category Archives: Teaching

Reading Instruction, Yes it’s still a debate!

Posted on July 24, 2023 by mwalker

Today, I’ve stumbled upon two “texts”, one a discussion podcast and one an article around the Science of Reading. As one who has taught and led the teaching of reading for many years in and around schools I find the … Continue reading →

Posted in professional learning, Reading, Teaching | Leave a comment

Changes to Teacher Training

Posted on July 11, 2023 by mwalker

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

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

Posted on June 22, 2020 by mwalker

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

Maribyrnong Network of School Leaders

Posted on October 29, 2018 by mwalker

This post is to follow-up our network day on the first 2 steps of Data Wise. We spoke about answering the WHY question when change is being advocated – as we are about to advocate for change in collaboration in … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, differentiation, Feedback, Instruction, Leadership, Networks of Schools, professional learning, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Leave a comment

Inferencing in the early years

Posted on May 23, 2018 by mwalker

This week I’m writing about inferencing. It’s nearly 5 months into the Australian academic year for our Foundation to Year 2 students and teachers have built Reading Workshops where students build sufficient reading stamina for guided groups to run, where learning … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading, Teaching, trainee teachers, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lesson Transitions

Posted on May 6, 2018 by mwalker

About 9 months ago I started working as a casual academic for Deakin University, Faculty of Education, in Victoria. Students are placed in schools for at least 80 days, depending upon their course. They work along students and experienced teachers … Continue reading →

Posted in Deakin Teachers in training, Deakin University, Teaching, trainee teachers | Leave a comment

Why have learning intentions without success criteria?

Posted on July 24, 2017 by mwalker

John, in this 9 min clip, puts the case for why we need to explain what we intend students to learn, why and how they might self assess success. It’s hard to defend the opposite. In this clip John’s work … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, differentiation, Feedback, Instruction, professional learning, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Is Dante’s Hell a view of adaptive challenges? If so, hold onto that moral compass.

Posted on June 27, 2017 by mwalker

I recently watched a TED talk by Dan Leahy – The Dance of Learning Meets the Adaptive Challenge. In the talk Dan uses Heifetz, Glashow and Linsky’s need for adaptive change which is about facing the unknown and having to learn new skills to … Continue reading →

Posted in Data Wise Program, Harvard, Teaching | Leave a comment

Effective Lesson Planning: classroom systems and lesson sequencing

Posted on June 22, 2017 by mwalker

This is a follow up post number 2 on effective lesson planning. Now that we understand lessons should go differing lengths of time 20 – 40 minutes, what would that look like in one of the timetable blocks of 90-120 … Continue reading →

Posted in Deakin University, teacher efficacy, Teaching, trainee teachers | Leave a comment

Effective Lesson Planning: length of lessons

Posted on June 20, 2017 by mwalker

Some of the questions, concerns and issues raised by trainee teachers so far include: constantly repeating instructions to students students forget what to do students either don’t finish the tasks in the time set or finish in the first 5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Deakin University, Instruction, Monash University, teacher efficacy, Teaching, trainee teachers | Leave a comment

Working at Deakin University

Posted on June 19, 2017 by mwalker

One of the exciting opportunities that has presented itself this year is to work at Deakin University as a casual academic. What that means is that I work in the professional learning unit supporting trainee teachers in schools learn the … Continue reading →

Posted in Deakin University, teacher efficacy, Teaching, trainee teachers | Leave a comment

Dirty Data!

Posted on May 23, 2017 by mwalker

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

Why become a teacher? part two – my story

Posted on July 29, 2016 by mwalker

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

Why aren’t us parents seeing any benefit in smaller class sizes?

Posted on July 29, 2016 by mwalker

I have just responded to this post by a parent: As a parent, the Bloomfield Public School system has sold smaller class sizes as part of their narrative. The experience of my two children has been a DECREASE in group … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, Instructional Rounds, Leadership, parenting, professional learning, school structures, Teaching | 6 Comments

Why are you a teacher?

Posted on July 25, 2016 by mwalker

Ever had that questions posed to you? I have and its often followed by the popular quip: “because of the holidays?” What do the numbers say? More often then not it’s the story behind the numbers or data that inspires … Continue reading →

Posted in teacher efficacy, Teaching | 8 Comments