Author Archives: mwalker

EPS visits Jefferson Elementary School in New York

Posted on June 26, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 25, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 24, 2014 by mwalker

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.

Posted on June 23, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 22, 2014 by mwalker

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.

Posted on June 22, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 20, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 19, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 18, 2014 by mwalker

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 →

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

Data Wise: Summer Institute: Day 1

Posted on June 17, 2014 by mwalker

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?

Posted on June 16, 2014 by mwalker

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.

Posted on June 16, 2014 by mwalker

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?

Posted on June 10, 2014 by mwalker

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

Posted on June 10, 2014 by mwalker

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

start where they are at?

Posted on June 5, 2014 by mwalker

Recently I was sent these pictures from a proud mum of her 4 year olds drawings about one of his passions – footy. Yes that’s right a 4 years old – and if we to diagnose what’s his next steps … Continue reading →

Posted in school, Teaching | 1 Comment