Author Archives: mwalker

Composite Classes – a pressure point- at least in East Lothian, Scotland.

Posted on April 28, 2008 by mwalker

  I have just read a post and added a comment on Don’s log which I thought was worth a mention. Don is the Acting Director of Education and Children’s Services in East Lothian, Scotland. School organisation it seems is … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Teaching | 2 Comments

Why use protocols when looking at student work?

Posted on April 28, 2008 by mwalker

We posed this question at a team leadership meeting last year when we discussed the quest to personalise learning more for our students? Perhaps one answer came after we introduced the idea to staff last week – it’s a bit like … Continue reading →

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“iNet” online conferences

Posted on April 25, 2008 by mwalker

I recently posted a comment on an iNet online conference. iNet is an international network of schools committed to innovative change that supports improved student learning.   The online conference had a focus on “curriculum redesign” and posed a question … Continue reading →

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Parent Information Evening

Posted on April 21, 2008 by mwalker

Last week at our parent information evening I spoke for a few minutes on our school’s vision and why we might do things that are different from their personal images of primary school. I used this video to demonstrate how … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Technology | 1 Comment

Government’s Blueprint Summit

Posted on April 16, 2008 by mwalker

Last week I was invited to participate in the Government’s 2 day summit on the new Blueprint for Education and Early Childhood Development. The move to construct a seamless framework for early childhood education and care so that children can transition into schooling … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership | 1 Comment

A Webinar on Transforming Building Plans into Student Results

Posted on April 15, 2008 by mwalker

I recently enrolled in a webiner from The Leadership and Learning Centre which is located in Colardo, USA. I learnt several valuable lessons: In America most schools are called buildings and so the title refers to transforming school plans into … Continue reading →

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Design meets learning

Posted on April 15, 2008 by mwalker

The teachers in the Years 5/6 team at Elsternwick Primary are faced with many challenges and questions when co-designing learning environments that stimulate and promote both collaborative and individual learning as well as the environment supporting students and teachers living a set of values: … Continue reading →

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Teaching for Understanding

Posted on April 8, 2008 by mwalker

Have you ever struggled with teaching or assessing growth in learners understandings – I do? It’s easier to teach and assess skills. I like the example many people give of coaching a sports team – you teach skills that are observable – … Continue reading →

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

Easter on the Delitate River

Posted on March 31, 2008 by mwalker

Over the Easter break I was fortunate enough to spend a few days on the Delitate River. While I was cooking a bbq at night it was great to look up and see the bright stars in the sky. It was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Travel, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mentoring at Monash University

Posted on March 12, 2008 by mwalker

Yesterday at the invitation of a colleague I joined him at Monash University as he started a Masters in Education course.  As I walked from the car park I was struck by the both the number of students [I’m told … Continue reading →

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Student Writing: a focus for improvement

Posted on March 10, 2008 by mwalker

We have just completed a whole pupil free day looking at our instructional practice on student writing. Anne Hammond, our resident literacy coach had us look at persuasive text for most of the morning: where you would find it, how … Continue reading →

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What’s your vision for schooling?

Posted on March 6, 2008 by mwalker

This week after our staff meeting I have been reflecting about the dialogue on what value we as teachers bring to the deeper learning our students need in the 21st century. We watched a pod cast of Richard Elmore saying … Continue reading →

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Instructional tips that might make a difference

Posted on March 5, 2008 by mwalker

At this week’s leadership meeting I introduced John Hattie’s article on building teacher quality. We began talking as the instructional leaders of the school of our individual journeys to making a greater difference in student learning. Hattie explores this learning … Continue reading →

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“School can be like a vacuum cleaner sucking the knowledge out of kids.”

Posted on March 4, 2008 by mwalker

I am working on one of the DEECD principal focus groups for building an instructional model for teachers in Victoria. During the first workshop we listened to this video clip from Richard Elmore talking about some of the challenges.  Richard … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | Leave a comment

What lense do you use when looking at children’s writing?

Posted on February 21, 2008 by mwalker

I looked at this 6 year olds work on thinking and thought of this quote a team leader used at the annual parent information night: “We let children paint their faces, swing around poles, blow bubbles, build cubby houses, go … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment