Monthly Archives: November 2009

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Broadcast: 11/11/2009

Reporter: Tony Jones

 ‘The Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister, Julia Gillard, joins Lateline to discuss the Governments self-proclaimed education revolution.’

 ‘And Tony, of course, we’re also making profound reforms on the question of teacher quality and school leadership. We understand the most important thing to learning is the transaction between a teacher and a student, and if we can increase the quality of that, we can increase what’s happening quality-wise in our schools. That’s why, once again, we’re investing more than half a billion dollars in improving teacher quality and school leadership, including some reforms people thought this country would never see.’

 Now this is interesting! Julia Gillard has made a point here that I totally agree with and I think we’ve known for a long time. What makes a difference is the transaction between teacher and student. Improving teaching and learning in classrooms will ‘increase what’s happening quality –wise in our schools’. I agree!

 ‘Our new reforms for teacher quality have already started to deliver in NSW a system where a teacher can accredit as a leading or accomplished teacher, a teacher with special skills and they will be paid six figure salaries to go to disadvantaged schools to teach in those classrooms that need them the most because the kids are most at risk of falling behind – literacy and numeracy and the educational benchmarks we need them to attain.’

 Ok, so where am I going? To become a Leading Teacher in a Victorian school is near impossible. There just aren’t many positions, and if you want your speciality to be teaching and learning in a classroom, because that’s what you love to do, then it’s even harder. This  makes sense and I sincerely hope this happens. Lets value quality classroom teachers and give them access to promotion.

 I’m not so sure about other issues brought up in this interview, because I really need to know more, but I felt a ‘tinge’ of hope when I read this. All students, regardless of demographics have a right to reach their potential, to be literate and numerate. Australia is not third world, we have no excuse.

Cheers Nina  Come on, share your thoughts with me! Follow the link to read the full transcript – it’s interesting reading…

My Preps have been learning about patterns and symmetry in nature. Each child was given a butterfly outline and asked to create a pattern on one half of their butterfly. They had to plan their pattern in grey lead and then brightly color their design. When they had finished their side of the butterfly, it was named and passed to another child who had to match the existing pattern. The children loved this activity and the results are stunning. I’ve included photos of their work and one must remember this is the work of 5 & 6-year-old children. We’ll be visiting symmetry again, but ‘hey’, they’re beautiful anyway.

Cheers Nina

I have been reading an article written by Dr Patricia Edgar and I’ve decided to share what I believe are her key beliefs and what I found reaffirming. What caught my eye was this statement: ‘Media literacy education should not be seen as just another burden on an already crowded curriculum.’

I’ve been hearing this a bit lately and I’m beginning to think that many teachers feel so over whelmed by Web 2.0 that they don’t take that first step, asking someone for help.  I’m using the statement, ‘From Little Things, Big Things Grow’ a lot lately, because it sums up my learning experience and one I’m now sharing with others.  Web 2.0 for me has been about baby steps and a mentor. I have immersed myself in everything, made mistakes along the way and grown professionally. I’m far more patient which has been an interesting outcome from my experience. I actually understand how hard that first step is.

The key points I have taken from this article are:

• ‘We now live in the information age with young digital natives accepting digital technology as casually as we did pencil and paper.
• Media literacy education should not be seen as just another burden on an already crowded curriculum, using technology effectively is fundamental to life today as traditional literacy skills.
• Experts are calling for media literacy in four main areas, covering children’s ability to: access the media; understand the media they access; create their own media content and learn through the media-
• Building on media content to enhance learning.
• As children are spending more and more time online, education policy needs to embrace the positive potential media offer
• Incorporating what students are doing into the school curriculum holds the promise of keeping students engaged in learning. ‘ 

Any statement relating to student engagement always grabs my attention because we all know students who aren’t engaged will not maximise their potential.

Dr Patricia Edgar’s latest book is The New Child: In search of smarter grown-ups.  

I’ts report writing time, but I’m still hoping to post regularly. Thanks for the comments and e-mails. I hope you find Dr Edgar’s ideas as  interesting as I have.

Cheers Nina