I am listening to a podcast where some ‘virtually’ high profile educators are discussing how to encourage change in the educational environment. In preparation for an OZNZ Teachers meeting using Flashmeeting on Sunday night.
http://www.thethinkingstick.com/ondeck/2008/04/10/shifting-our-schools-episode-8-how-to-shift/
It is interesting listening to the talk from the administrators point of view. I feel that it is time to move on from this global picture now. I am after practical solutions, strategies that have worked, handouts or sites that we can adapt to our own contexts.
From my perspective, there are three groups that we need to be communicating with.
- Administration so that we know that they know what we are capable of and the tools that we need to work to our potential and for students to learn to their potential.
- Colleagues, share the skills, encourage the development of a shared knowledge base. I write “Mrs B’s Little Bytes” each week and email to friends who are interested and post on this blog.
- Parents, offer explanation of what is covered in class. I use a Learning Place project room as a class blog which includes a general overview of what is happening and it also contains links that we use at school and Learning Objects to practice what we cover in class.
Recommeded Texts
LeaderTalk blog
“A Mind at a Time” Mel Devine – Brain research, looking at each child and investigating how they look through their mind’s eye. Looking at the research to see how to help them.
Staff in Australia’s Schools
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations performed a nationwide study in 2007 on 13,000 secondary and primary schools to “characterise the teaching profession to support workforce planning”.
http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/profiles/sias2007
I have heard that a pay rise is in the offing for senior teachers (that’s me!), I suppose this would be some of the back up research to justify decisions to be made. As I was contemplating the pleasant thought of using cash instead of credit cards it occurred to me that we would of course be expected to be ‘on campus’ for longer hours. If this is suggested I would be against it on the grounds that I prefer to work with my superior machine at home for planning, research, PD etc.
1 response so far ↓
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David Carpenter
// Jun 9, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Speaking of your number one group “administrators” needing to be involved in the shifting of our schools, our next SOS podcast will have 3 administrators talking about what the barriers are to moving their schools towards 21st century learning outcomes. It should be interesting.
And you are spot on about the need for practical instructional strategies that teachers can use in their classrooms to move the learning towards inquiry and project focused learning. That will be a big focus of the podcast come September as we bring on more teacher practitioners.
Thanks for listening.
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