The Learning teams in the school are teams in which members
collectively pursue professional knowledge and skills and take on shared responsibility for the success of all students.
engage in the reflective practice, collegial inquiry, collaborative work, and continuous innovation on which 21st century learning environments thrive
enable teachers to refine their knowledge and skills in [...]
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John Dewey conceived of schools as “miniature communities” mirroring the social relations and activities of the larger society.
But schools have become silos of isolation – classrooms isolated from other classrooms, teachers isolated from other teachers, schools isolated from the outside world.
Research reveals:
Positive and productive relationships within and outside an organization enable it to carry [...]
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A place and space.
In most of our experiences it is a school, a classroom, a library for some a playing field.
In today’s interconnected and technology-driven world it can be virtual, online, remote; in short, it doesn’t have to be a place at all.
Another way of looking at it is as support systems which serve [...]
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Posted in Uncategorized on Mar 5th, 2009 No Comments »
A Maths Problem
Another problem
It is so important to Talk about reasons behind decisions made in any area of teaching and learning. By talking and using higher order questioning it is possible to elicit reasons for answers being given that aren’t the obvious ones.
One of our school priorities for the next three years is improving the [...]
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What does the teaching and learning cycle look like?
Staff felt that this model of T/L was far too teacher centred. If we are going to truly personalise the curriculum, engage students in their own learning and teach them how to learn and reflect upon what it is they need to learn and know then the T/L should read [...]
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Posted in Uncategorized on Feb 21st, 2009 No Comments »
Personalising Learning
Putting the child at the centre of their learning.
Small classes means it should be easier to know students.
Testing does not let you know students, talking to them about how they reached a result is far more powerful than just a pen and paper test.
Or [...]
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A curriculum model that will act as a scaffold is the Learning Teaching Scotland Curriculum for Excellence.
We are in the process of developing our school Maths Scope and Sequence, this follows the outcomes and indicators of the NSW Mathematics Curriculum. However; the outcomes and indicators will be written in the first person thus serving as a discussion [...]
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 21st, 2009 No Comments »
This is the 3rd BETT Show I have visited in 4 years, as one from the Antipodes I guess I am lucky. Each year it has been the same or similar industry / education groups displaying their wares and achievements.
The themes have been slightly different each year according to the political requirements. This year the [...]
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 20th, 2009 No Comments »
Three Steps is a simple message for teachers put together by Jackie Halawa.
It is based on the Rule of C’s . . . create, communicate, collaborate (and don’t forget competition) which combined with Do IT! Talk IT! Read IT! Write IT! is a very powerful teaching methodology.
Provide a warm, secure learning environment, a global context [...]
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 18th, 2009 No Comments »
The year 2008 was an amazing mix of achievements and recognitions that have surprised me.
A National Quality Schools Award for Excellence in the Principal’s category; being invited to speak at a number of conferences and the year ended on an amazing note when I was named as one of the 100 influential people in Sydney [...]
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