Category Archives: Leadership

School Based Instructional Rounds: a progressive book club discussion (Ch 1 & 2)

Posted on June 4, 2015 by mwalker

In an earlier post I wrote about personal teacher professional learning. One of our teachers is doing a leadership course at Bastow Institute this year and her research project is using instructional rounds at the school level with teachers. One of … Continue reading →

Posted in Instructional Rounds, Leadership, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The pendulum conundrum of strategic planning.

Posted on March 3, 2015 by mwalker

Over the past 18 months we as a school having been reviewing our performance as a school through the student, teacher and parent lenses. There was lots to celebrate which we have. However human nature is a curious things for … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, Leadership, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

What might Benjamin Franklin have to say to our young students?

Posted on August 19, 2014 by mwalker

  At Monday’s school assembly I used Benjamin Franklin’s story to talk about the importance of effort and persistence as we strive for personal excellence. “energy and persistence conquer all things” Benjamin Franklin I talked about his childhood days in … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Leadership, Reading, school, Teaching, Video Clips | 1 Comment

Alberta and Victoria: separated by two great oceans but close in educational thinking.

Posted on July 16, 2014 by mwalker

I have just finished rereading a 2012 research paper on transforming education in Alberta Canada. I found it a great read. I didn’t know for example that Alberta has been Canada’s highest performing province for over a decade. Andy Hargreaves … Continue reading →

Posted in curriculum, Leadership, school, teacher efficacy, Teaching | 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

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

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 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

Understanding defined by measurement?

Posted on April 4, 2014 by mwalker

“It is important to measure performance because if you can’t measure it, you can’t understand it; if you can’t understand it, you can’t control it and if you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.” The Times of India I … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Leadership, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

student leadership can promote a sense of belonging

Posted on February 26, 2014 by mwalker

Recently I was given the honour of presenting the special year 6 rugby top, to all our year students. The rugby tops, which have all the students names on the back, is one of the key symbols of student leadership … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, school | 1 Comment

Keeping earlier improvements alive – a constant juggling act for school leaders.

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mwalker

Have you ever wondered how you keep earlier improvement work on the slow boil whilst undertaking more recent deeper work? I know this is a constant challenge for school leaders particularly as new teachers who often unfamiliar with the earlier … Continue reading →

Posted in Feedback, Leadership, Reading, Teaching | 1 Comment

Data Stars

Posted on August 11, 2013 by mwalker

At a recent staff meeting we were busy celebrating some new data which showed improved student learning results for the first semester this year. This clip shows a small part of those celebrations and I think the importance of humour.

Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Leadership, school administration, Video Clips | 4 Comments