Mark's Learning Log- Should we worry about socioeconomic segregation in Australian schools? December 23, 2024As we enter the Christmas Holiday period in Australian Schools it’s time to reflect on some trends and wonder are we getting better. I know that’s a broader query but a recent Google link on my phone this morning got … Continue reading →mwalker
- Wondering if all teachers in training and graduate teachers are being taught to instruct all students in reading as though they were in the red? September 29, 2024I have this wondering that we are teaching all students in the class – as a whole class lesson – in the junior years as though they all needed the intensive phonic instruction and frequent repetition. Yes some explicit instruction … Continue reading →mwalker
- Should we worry about socioeconomic segregation in Australian schools? December 23, 2024
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Marketing a school to prospective parents through fortnightly tours
Today I have just finished the last of 20 group tours I have conducted in 2008 for prospective parents. It’s interesting to reflect on their value – do they answer parents questions? – do they present the school in the … Continue reading
Posted in Collaborative Communities, Leadership, sports, Uncategorized
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Stand by me
I really like this clip of various people all over the world singing with hope the classic song “Stand by Me”. In some ways it reminds me of the hope lots of people in the States shouted out this week … Continue reading
Teachers and Students blogging.
Last week I was helping a colleague create a blog for his prep class. He had made a film or vodcast of the writing process with his young students and wanted to show this to their parents. He was thinking … Continue reading
Data Conversations – worth the time?
At a recent leadership meeting we discussed several articles on the value of data conversations. One of the articles posed a question around gathering data on the different levels of implementation of curriculum in individual classrooms and the need to assess gaps … Continue reading
The Class Size Debate
I was fortunate to meet John Hattie recently who is one academic I often quote in my work. John Hattie is from New Zealand and has been researching amongst other things the effects of various strategies or innovations on student learning. … Continue reading
Ethics in teaching grammar – surely not to pass tests?
I recalled a conversation I heard between Jerry Starratt and Hedley Beare recently on how metaphors can portray or even drive our thinking about curriculum when I read an article [featured in the daily newspapers in most capital cities] about the new National Curriculum. … Continue reading
“learning that is supported by teaching”
At the recent ACEL conference in Melbourne I heard a group of young leaders from a school in Greenford High School in West London speak about their contributions to school improvement which included students being trained to give constructive feedback to volunteer secondary … Continue reading
Famous speeches that one might use with students
Last week I was wandering around Chadstone Shopping Centre looking for basketball boots for my son’s birthday and I came across this book on 50 famous speeches that changed the world. The book is now on my Christmas wish list … Continue reading
Making a difference by Douglas Reeves.
I was fortunate to hear Douglas Reeves for the second time at the recent ACEL conference in Melbourne. He is the founder and chief executive officer of the Center for Performance Assessment, an organization dedicated to improving student achievement and … Continue reading
Shift Happens: Australian Version
Readers of my blog will know how I have used the Shift Happens clip to stimulate discussion at staff, council and parent levels about futures in schools. One of the workshops at the recent ACEL conference put me onto the … Continue reading
Global Citizenship
One of the emerging mindsets of the 2008 ACEL conference was that of global citizenship started by the opening address of Jean-Francois Rischard the former World Bank Vice president who wrote the book High Noon. In his book he sets out 20 … Continue reading
Leadership Footprints
I’m on holidays in Queensland this week for a break before the final term which is usually jammed packed full of tasks. Next week Sarah, the assistant principal, and I are presenting a research paper on our instructional leadership … Continue reading
Posted in Leadership, school, Uncategorized
Tagged http://www.acel.org.au/index.php?id=684
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This is Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise calling CERN
I have been watching the live feed from CERN on the worlds first Hadron Collider. The live set in the world’s largest particle physics laboratory explains how this marvel of engineering works. I get that this is a significant moment … Continue reading
School improvement is not unlike peeling an onion – the jouney is layered and may produce tears .
At most weekly leadership meetings we agenda a discussion on a published research paper distributed and read prior to meeting and this week it was the 90/90/90 Schools: A Case Study article. The article written by two journalists was based on research … Continue reading
Coaching – Teaching – similar stories.
Anyway after the Fathers day movie my son Mitchell and I were at basketball training with the Melbourne Tigers Junior Club and a well known coach was watching me work on Mitchell’s shooting technique. There are three courts open to everyone to … Continue reading
Posted in parenting, sports, Teaching, Uncategorized
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