Author Archives: mwalker

Parents Be There!

Posted on June 7, 2008 by mwalker

I was reminded this week of the importance of being there in the momentwith your children when I was at my daughters netball game and a chap well dressed in a business suit sat near me and proceeded to scribble … Continue reading →

Posted in parenting, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Teachers ahaa moments

Posted on June 7, 2008 by mwalker

I was visiting Don Ledingham’s site this week where he had a short clip of a film that moved him as a youth to laugh and cry and perhaps inspired part of him to  become a teacher.  It got me to reflect on … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Principal’s unhappy with “deal” and stop work.

Posted on June 5, 2008 by mwalker

On Wednesday the Australian Principal’s Federation [APF] called a stop work over the proposed industrial agreement. Its the first time anyone could remember principal class officers taking industrial action as a group. I took this image at the stop work … Continue reading →

Posted in Industrial Issues, Leadership, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Young Australian of the Year – Khoa Do

Posted on June 2, 2008 by mwalker

The opening keynote speaker of the conference was Khoa Do a young film maker who left Vietnam as a two year old with his parents on a fishing boat to seek a better life. His messages were simple yet powerful- … Continue reading →

Posted in Geelong Conference, Leadership | Leave a comment

No cup of tea leadership here please!

Posted on June 2, 2008 by mwalker

Last week at the regional principal conference I was fortunate enough to introduce one of our key note speakers, Vivane Robinson a professor from the University of Auckland. Vivane gave an insightful presentation on school leadership and student outcomes, what works … Continue reading →

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Personalising learning at Bellaire Pimary School

Posted on June 1, 2008 by mwalker

Whilst attending the principal conference at Geelong this week my assistant principal and I visited Bellaire Primary School in Geelong. The picture is from the senior unit which has been remodelled so that no teacher teaches in isolation. The unit has 5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Geelong Conference, Leadership, Teaching, Technology | 1 Comment

Feeling the beat!

Posted on May 17, 2008 by mwalker

Last Friday I was in a lift listening to the chanting of the latest hip hop song by a group of youths. One had just downloaded the song and was telling his friends that it a nerve … I think? Translate – … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Uncategorized, Walkthroughs | Leave a comment

National Literacy and Numeracy Tests: Useful information or a waste of time?

Posted on May 14, 2008 by mwalker

   This week students in Years 3,5,7 and 9 are completing, for the first time, national tests in literacy and numeracy, NAPLAN. Whilst this has been common place in America, England and other countries its the first time in Australia … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Reading, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Kew Primary School’s Quest to Personalise Learning

Posted on May 13, 2008 by mwalker

I recently posted this comment on an online inet conference. Like you Natalie [Natalie Nelson KEW PS Assistant Principal] we have looked at this journey to personalise learning for students as multi dimensional : enriched curriculum, professional learning, schools structures, leadership … Continue reading →

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Teaching and learning coaches in schools

Posted on May 9, 2008 by mwalker

At this weeks district Principal’s meeting we heard a report from one of DEECD’s appointed teacher coaches working in our local public schools. She spoke about frustrations over the system’s need for accountability data  verses the need to just do it … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Protocols, Teaching, Walkthroughs | Leave a comment

Are your helping others use new media?

Posted on May 9, 2008 by mwalker

I found this short clip courtesy of John Connell.

Posted in Teaching, Technology, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Help for students with language learning disabilities

Posted on May 5, 2008 by mwalker

Over the past 12 months we have received support for students with language learning difficulties from Dr Carl Parsons and his team of trainee speech pathologists from the University of Melbourne. Dr Carl Parsons is supported by the Andrew Dean Fildes Foundation … Continue reading →

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Fishbowling protocols that look at student work

Posted on May 1, 2008 by mwalker

This week we took the second step in learning to use protocols to look at student work.  At the staff meeting the leadership team modelled the process using a fishbowl technique. Teacher feedback from last weeks introduction to protocols indicated more learning experiences … Continue reading →

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150 years on and still Darwin’s theories cause debate!

Posted on April 29, 2008 by mwalker

“Given sufficient time, the non-random survival of hereditary entities will generate complexity, diversity, beauty, and an illusion of design so persuasive that it is almost impossible to distinguish from deliberate intelligent design.” It’s hard to believe that it’s 150 years … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Leave a comment

Teen Writing – some positive research

Posted on April 28, 2008 by mwalker

  I was reading a recent research report titled: “Teens, Writing and the Internet”. The summary which I have linked makes for easy reading and quotes in my view some positive information: 85% of teens engage in social forms of … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Reading, Teaching, Technology | Leave a comment