Monthly Archives: June 2014

EPS data wise team reflections

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

EPS visits Jefferson Elementary School in New York

This blog entry is the eighth in a series from the team visiting schools in the States and comes to you from the ‘Big Apple.’ Today we visited Jefferson Elementary School (K-5), located in upstate New York in a town called … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, Assessment, Data Wise Program, Instruction, Leadership, school, Teaching | 2 Comments

EPS visit Joseph Lee and Harvard-Kent schools in Boston

Here is our new post, sent from South Station, Boston. This is the seventh post in the series from the team participating in the Data Wise Institute at Harvard. (Penny, Jess, Erin and Sarah) Today we visited two schools within … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Leadership, professional learning, Teaching | 2 Comments

Elsternwick PS meets Tobin Montessori in Boston

Continuing the series of posts written by Jess, Erin and Sarah 3 teachers attending the Harvard Institute and now visiting schools. Today we visited The Tobin School in Cambridge. This school was familiar to us, as we had read about … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Instruction, Networks of Schools, school, Teaching | 2 Comments

American History – learned over a weekend.

This post continues to be written by our four staff over in Boston – this time over the weekend exploring American history.  The weekend was spent exploring Boston’s significant history, namely its prominent place as the birthplace of American independence. … Continue reading

Posted in Harvard, history, Holidays, Travel | 2 Comments

teaching trades and technology

This post is written by Malcolm Dawson, Carpentry Trade Teacher, Holmesglen Institute, Victoria. Bob Dylan must have known something when he wrote the song “The times they are a changing” and there certainly has been a shift in the way things are … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Teaching, Technology | 3 Comments

Data Wise: Summer Institute Day 5.

Well…it’s over. Today was a celebration of our journey so far. We spent some time-sharing our insights and dilemmas with another school, and used something called the “consultancy protocol” to give and receive feedback around our journey to date. We … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, history, Teaching | 4 Comments

Data Wise: Summer Institute Day 4

Today all the 8 pieces of the Data Wise Improvement Process came together. We  collaborated with teachers from other Elementary schools on a case study about a school in Texas. We used real data, student work samples and videos of … Continue reading

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Networks of Schools, professional learning, Teaching, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Data Wise: Summer Institute Day 3

We are now officially over half way through the course, and what a whole lot of learning has taken place. We feel that in a sense there has been growth on four different levels – personal, team, school and beyond … Continue reading

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

Data Wise: Summer Institute Day 2

Today was a significant day for new learning, during which the ideas we had established in the morning session, had dramatically changed by lunch time. Following the morning session, in which the Principal of the BART Public Charter School, Ben Klompus, … Continue reading

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Data Wise: Summer Institute: Day 1

This series of posts are being written by three teachers Erin, Jess and Sarah and Penny the Assistant Principal who are all attending or part of the teaching team at the Harvard University Data Wise Institute.  Well, we’ve just finished … Continue reading

Posted in Data Wise Program, Harvard, Instruction, Teaching, Video Clips | 1 Comment

Eldership: Is this self conceit by a few or are we in education constantly losing this to retirement?

This post is a little introspective so I apologize in advance if the topic is not of interest. Last week was a little strange for me and it started with my regular Monday night viewing of the ABC’s show Q&A. … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Leadership, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

‘The Arts’ an essential part of the curriculum.

I couldn’t resist posting this TV clip about my school. The clip was shown on a community TV station last week about an Art Reach Program that Elsternwick P.S., Monash University and National Gallery work together on. I think my … Continue reading

Posted in Art, curriculum, Monash University, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Extended family holidays – an opportunity or a threat to learning?

Last week I was engaged in my school’s peer review process and we tossed around a question on extended student absence from school for family travel purposes. You see extended family holidays are close to the number one reason why … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Holidays, parenting, school, school structures | 4 Comments

hire people who believe what you believe

I was listening to this Ted Talk by Simon Sinek on inspiring leadership and one line he said was the title of this post “hire people who believe what you believe”. He talked about a connector between inspiring leaders being “they answer … Continue reading

Posted in teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | 1 Comment