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Mark's Learning Log
- Harvard Data Wise Institute in Melbourne January 28, 2024Last week 19 school teams came to Melbourne during the last week of school holidays to attend a 5 day Harvard Data Wise Institute. There were long 8 hours days of intensive learning where participants shared their ‘why’ stories with … Continue reading →mwalker
- Jez – the old chestnut – ability grouping or streaming – is still being touted as a solution to falling standards! January 5, 2024Sorry Natasha, education editor for the Australian Newspaper, wrote a recent article on the state of education in Australia using the results of the recent PISA tests to say that our students are bored out of their brains at school, … Continue reading →mwalker
- Harvard Data Wise Institute in Melbourne January 28, 2024
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Category Archives: Teaching
Why aren’t us parents seeing any benefit in smaller class sizes?
I have just responded to this post by a parent: As a parent, the Bloomfield Public School system has sold smaller class sizes as part of their narrative. The experience of my two children has been a DECREASE in group … Continue reading
Why are you a teacher?
Ever had that questions posed to you? I have and its often followed by the popular quip: “because of the holidays?” What do the numbers say? More often then not it’s the story behind the numbers or data that inspires … Continue reading
Posted in teacher efficacy, Teaching
8 Comments
You start a round trying to perfect your swing and end up thinking about leadership – how does that happen?
There are times when you are blinded by a parallel scenario as I was recently playing golf. I had played badly the previous round and wasn’t overly confident as I started on my first hole. The ball just didn’t seem … Continue reading
Posted in Leadership, school, Teaching, Uncategorized
4 Comments
Politics aside we need some truths to accept the challenges we face as a nation. That’s the election message we are sending!
Well its election time here in Australia and we may have a tie. I don’t normally stray into politics but the situation calls for some commentary. For my overseas readers we have 3 levels of government (Federal, States and local … Continue reading
Posted in Community, Leadership, politics, Teaching, Uncategorized
5 Comments
Small classes are still being sold as the “golden” goose!
I’ve just finished cooking omelettes for breakfast and I open the daily paper (Age) and stumble across the Independent Schools Guide. It’s a 16 page full colour advertising features that doesn’t appear online. The last thing I’m wanting to do … Continue reading
Posted in school, Teaching, Uncategorized
10 Comments
Prioritising your workload
I recently read a short article in the January ASCD “education update” by Elena Hegland, an English teacher in New York, on the topic of prioritising work. It got me thinking about principal’s priorities. Elena lists her top 5 priorities as Student … Continue reading
Posted in reflections, school administration, Teaching, Uncategorized
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Transitional Vocabulary – one process of effectively teaching grammar.
I realise there are times when I might show a little bias however I had to show this photo of a teacher at my school teaching grammar in ways that both engage and support students transferring the understanding to their … Continue reading
Posted in Instruction, Teaching
1 Comment
When art inspires reflection!
My son and his girlfriend have just returned from 5 weeks in Europe and one of their photos was of the Pietà in St Peter’s Bascillica in the Vatican City AND before anyone starts NO it wasn’t the old slide … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Leadership, Teaching
1 Comment
tips on changing teacher practice
Looking for some simple advice on why you change your practice from Dylan Wiliam. Focus on one or two things (max) till they are automated, take a risk, take the time (when offered by your school leaders) and do this for … Continue reading
Posted in Instruction, Teaching
1 Comment
“Rounds being like a dipstick” part two of a book discussion – Ch 3-5
Well this is the second instalment of our discussion as some points to comment on. The first being I just love the image of “rounds being like a dipstick” (p.110) Comment: there are just so many ways you might … Continue reading
Posted in Instructional Rounds, Leadership, school, Teaching
3 Comments
How do we scaffold what we teach in grammar to student writing?
I often hear teachers complaining or just plain confused about why students don’t transfer what they learn in one context or lesson to their performances in another. They have taught something in grammar (e.g. dependant clauses) or spelling (e.g. letter combinations … Continue reading
Posted in Assessment, Instruction, Teaching
2 Comments
An authentic purpose for learning – a makers market.
Tonight our Year 1 and 2 students ran a “makers market” as their last performance for their technology based unit of learning “how do you make”. As you can see by the photo the market was well attended with hundreds … Continue reading
Posted in China, Instruction, Teaching
3 Comments
DataWise – the community grows at the 2015 on-campus Institute.
The final challenge from the first day of the Data Wise Summer Institute (DWSI) here at Harvard was to encapsulate my learning experiences thus far, in only five words. Mine was; Similar challenges towards systemic improvement. I wanted to share … Continue reading
Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Teaching
3 Comments
Diving Deep to Build Assessment Literacy – Step 2 of the Data Wise Improvement Process – Day 2
The focus of Day 2 of the Summer Institute is the work around both Organising for Collaborative Work and Building Assessment Literacy, (which comprise the Prepare Phase). At Elsternwick PS with new teachers joining the team and the existing staff … Continue reading
Posted in Assessment, Data Wise Program, Harvard, Teaching, Travel
5 Comments
Meaningful Reading Comprehension – students doing the work!
This is a year 2 boy’s attempt to infer the meaning of words in a non fiction book of his choosing. Both the teacher and I thought this a really good artefact to show his reading comprehension development. The first … Continue reading
Posted in Instruction, Reading, Teaching
1 Comment