Category Archives: Uncategorized

Shirley Clarke says tell students the truth if their work needs work.

Posted on September 25, 2014 by mwalker

  I’m re-reading Shirley Clarke’s book first published in 2008 on active learning and formative assessment. One of the points she makes in the book is the link between higher self-esteem and a growth mindset. We need to show enthusiasm … Continue reading →

Posted in Feedback, parenting, Teaching, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

A twist on parent teacher interviews

Posted on August 28, 2014 by mwalker

This week we completed our 2nd round of parent teacher interviews. They were held in August, which is just over half way through the academic school year. So what’s different you might ask? The students 1/2 year written reports were … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

What do you remember of the first 100 days of your school experience?

Posted on July 30, 2014 by mwalker

  This week I was invited to visit the foundation years classrooms where they celebrated the first 100 days of their schooling experience. Each child had to bring a collection of 100 things to share with the other students. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

A crash course in Chinese History.

Posted on July 4, 2014 by mwalker

As crash courses go and allowing for a few mistakes like the great wall was started by the Qin dynasty and the Ming dynasty, like the others, just expanded and fixed the Wall or that Chinese recorded history is 5000 not … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Instruction, Teaching, Uncategorized, Video Clips | 1 Comment

flipping classrooms?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by mwalker

I’ve been thinking about the concept of “flipped classrooms” now for a while and the great thing about holidays is that it frees up time to do just that – think and in this case write, share and hopefully promote … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Teaching, Technology, Uncategorized, Video Clips | 1 Comment

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

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

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

the strap!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by mwalker

I was searching my back storeroom at work recently I came across one of the original straps used by Principals and some teachers who were delegated to “dish out” corporal punishment. Corporal punishment (that is legally striking a student with wooden … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, parenting, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 8 Comments

Teachers Overseas: professional learning opportunities that also serve as an acknowledgement of effort.

Posted on April 20, 2014 by mwalker

  I couldn’t help post these 3 images taken in New Mexico last week. The first is a group of teachers and principals from two neighbouring schools Elsternwick and Elwood Primary Schools who share a common belief that relationships build … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Networks of Schools, professional learning, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Stop bashing public education for the tsunami effect will be big and long lasting.

Posted on April 18, 2014 by mwalker

I’m indebted to Greg Whitby for provoking me to write this post when he wrote on a quality education for all. Greg, I think was stirred by Prof Dinham when he recently wrote in the Age newspaper about what he perceived … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Community, Instruction, Leadership, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Michael McQueen on navigating around student engagement.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by mwalker

This is the second post from that Principal’s conference I attended last term. The theme if your read the first post (McCrindle) was on social trends and their impact on education, schools and teachers. We were fortunate to have two … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment