The Australian Education Times March 2015 by The Australian Education Times

EC IA

STY LEARNIN LES G

Issue 15 • MAR 2015 • www.educationtimes.com.au

FREE

SELECTIVE HIGH SCHOOLS,

DOES IT MATTER? K HIGH

MOOREBAN

LS BAULKHAM HIL YS NORTH SYDNEY

H SEFTON HIG

CHATSWOOD

KARABAR HORNSBY GIRLS GIRRAWEEN HIGH FORT STREET HIGH KOORINGAL

SMITHS HILL

GRAFTON HIGH SCHOOL

JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL

HURLSTONE AGRICULTURAL JAMES RUSE AGRICULTURAL HIGH SCHOOL

PENRITH HIGH PRAIRIEWOO D

SYDNEY BOYS

ROSE BAY SECONDARY COLLEGE

PEEL HIGH SYDNEY GIRLS SYDNEY TECHNICAL

ST GEORGE GIRLS MEREWETHER NORTH SYDNEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL PARRAMATTA HIGH HIGH SCHOOL

SCAN QR CODE TO READ DIGITAL EDITION

TEMPE HIGH SCHOOL

ONLINE LEARNING PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES IF INTERACTED, USED AS A TOOL AND USED WELL, NOT JUST SOMETHING STUDENTS GO OFF INTO.

ICT FOR EDUCATION: DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

Andrew Smith, CEO of 3P Learning

SCIENCE LAB: REACTION TIME

LITERACY CORNER: ECOLITERACY

SHARPEN UP YOUR TEST TAKING SKILLS

NAPLAN TEST, OPPORTUNITY TRIAL TEST, SELECTIVE TRIAL TEST

www.onlinepreunicollege.com.au

Success Story

THE NEWS CREW

Contents News and Views:

Connected: a new way to tackle cyber bullying for Australian teens

CONNECTED A new way to tackle

CYBERBULLYING

for Australian teens.

At least 1 in 5 children are or have been the target of a cyberbully and it is estimated that some 463,000 young

Outstanding School of the Month:

Australians were targeted by cyberbullies in 2013.

Selective High Schools, does it matter?

re cyberbullies just traditional schoolyard bullies with access to computers and mobile phones? The answer to this is yes and no. There is a large overlap between the two groups of bullies. Many young people who bully in the schoolyard also do so online. However, there is a substantial group of young people who engage in bullying online who have never bullied anyone else in the traditional sense. Thus, technology has created a whole new breed of bullies who would not have otherwise engaged in this harmful activity. Bullying of this nature can manifest in wide and varied forms such as offensive, derogatory or threatening messages sent via ever-increasing communication lines - texts, IM’s, email, computer games, school websites, YouTube, social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter), blogs, chat sites and bulletin boards. Then of course there’s the issue of embarrassing or elicit pictures being posted or forwarded without consent. Damaging rumours spread like wildfire online. Most people who are cyber bullied do not know who their bully is which can lead to feelings of fear and paranoia as they confront the outside world. Imagine arriving at school after receiving abusive emails not

Success Story: Andrew Smith, CEO of 3P Learning

knowing if 1 or 100 students are involved and even what has prompted the emails. Students who are bullied suffer from higher rates of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, reduced concentration and helplessness. It is also a contributory factor in youth suicide. The Australian Government commissioned a study in 2014 which revealed that the best form of addressing cyberbullying for teenagers is via the school environment. This was the primary driver for the creation of a production to tour to NSW schools in 2015 as a new way to start the conversation about cyberbullying and to explore the dangers and consequences of the interface between life and the online world. CONNECTED – The Cyberbullying Musical will resonate throughout schools and households everywhere. Cyberbullying is often a covert activity so it can be difficult to detect – by playing out the acts of cyberbullying on stage, the team behind CONNECTED will bring these actions and their effects to the forefront to give the targets of cyberbullies the opportunity to start a conversation.

8 News and Views Connected: a new way to tackle cyber bullying for Australian teens

Creator and former teacher Craig Christie wrote CONNECTED after the daughter of a friend was involved in a cyber-bullying incident. The script and story is frighteningly relevant. “What we wanted to do with this was to create a piece of theatre first and foremost about the topic,” Craig explains, “So it’s not a theatre-in-education piece in which we’re trying to be didactic or wave the finger. What we want to do is present the most engaging and exciting professional theatre piece for the schools and then the subject matter therefore engages the students and that becomes the springboard to discussion.” The production has also received widespread support: “CONNECTED is critically important because it’s about helping to start the conversation – a simple conversation to let your kids know, to let your parents know about what cyberbullying really is and, most importantly, what help is available,” said Matt Lean, State MP for Hornsby.

CONNECTED is a memorable and powerful method to start the conversation in the school environment and educate Australia’s youth about being cyber smart and staying safe online. With the addition of student/ parent performances in the evenings, the team behind CONNECTED are hoping to reach even more NSW students in 2015. With the raft of online formats available – Snapchat, Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. WhatsApp. Messenger. - students are always CONNECTED so it’s becoming increasingly important that parents and teachers as well as students themselves are taking an active role in combatting cyberbullying. It’s tools like CONNECTED that will also help to start the conversation for those who are being cyberbullied to reach out before the consequences get out of hand. See www.connectedthemusical.com.au for more information on this new and exciting initiative, including information on how to get CONNECTED in your school.

And from Dr Rachael Murrihy, Director of the Health Psychology Unit at UTS: “This play is written for young people, and acted by young people, to highlight how small, seemingly frivolous actions, can translate into devastating effects on the person being cyberbullied. Ultimately this play seeks to generate discussion about the social mores of our new, exciting electronic world.”

Focus on Universities: 10 “Online learning provides a lot of opportunities if interacted, used as a tool and used well, not just something students go off into.” Andrew Smith, CEO of 3P Learning

Starting university: the first couple of weeks

ICT for education:

Special Pull out: Learning styles

JOIN US DIGITALLY VIA OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS…. FOLLOW US facebook.com/theaustralianeducationtimes

Career of the Month:

ADVERTISE email: advertise@educationtimes.com.au

Literacy corner:

University

Online University Degree Tips for a good choice

Ecoliteracy

Magic maths:

Let’s celebrate Pi day

Science Lab: 33 Magic Maths How fast are you?

When you see this symbol, check out our website for real life interviews and more info!

17 Focus on

Counsellor

@TheAusEduTimes CONTACT US email : editor@educationtimes.com.au Phone: +61 2 8883 0750

How online students learn to become digital citizens

Let’s celebrate Pi day

www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

| 1

The Australian

Education Times

t feels like 2015 has only just begun and yet, we are already in March! Students are now well back into studies and adults are back to work. While this seems like a comfortable time for everyone, there are always educational events happening throughout the year, which could be stressful for everyone. With the Selective Schools Entrance Test coming up, parents, teachers and young students have been feeling pressurised to succeed. We have dedicated an article to this issue and whether it actually matters in the long run. Our Focus on University section offers important information for new students studying in Australia, in order for them to get the best marks possible and live a happy student life.

The ICT for Education and Science Lab section continues to offer fun ways to incorporate science and technology in the classroom in order to have fun, while still educating students. Finally, a huge thanks to Andrew Smith, CEO of 3P Learning for your story about your role in developing an online educational program. Your story is incredibly inspirational and your work is very beneficial to our current and future generations. If you would like us to focus on something specific in our future issues or just give us feedback on our current issue, please email us at editor@educationtimes.com.au. Your opinion matters to us.

The Editorial Team

Letters to the

editor

Dear editor, I’m starting Uni this year and your focus on university section made me a lot less stressed out than I was so thank you for that!!

Dear editor, Thank you for your table of TAFE courses that are similar to University ones. I missed out on my course by a few marks so it’s really good to know I still have options to get somewhere in life.

Robert, Penrith

Sarah (Kellyville)

Dear editor, Your whole pullout section was great this month. I’m glad I have a cute lunchbox planner for my kids up on the fridge and the checklist to make sure I’m keeping them healthy.

Laural, Parramatta

Acknowledgment The Australian Education Times would like to acknowledge the Darug people who are the traditional custodians of this land. I would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present of the Darug nation and extend that respect to other Aboriginal people present.

The Australian Education Times is dedicated to providing relevant and up-to-date news and resources that can be used in the classroom or at home. If you would like to contribute to our magazine, please write to Noelene at editor@educationtimes.com.au All contributions are to be 300 words long and to include a photo that is saved as a jpeg.

2 |

The Australian Education Times

secure your future

ICICI Education Loan

CONNECTED The Australian

Education Times NEWS AND VIEWS

A new way to tackle

CYBERBULLYING

for Australian teens.

At least 1 in 5 children are or have been the target of a cyberbully and it is estimated that some 463,000 young Australians were targeted by cyberbullies in 2013.

The Australian Education Times

| 5

The Australian

Education Times OUTSTANDING SCHOOL

elective High Schools have always been the superior choice while deciding what educational institution to send oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child to. While this often leads to a high ATAR and a more prestige reputation for oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resume, there are also several disadvantages that may outweigh the perks. 6 |

The Australian Education Times

This year, it is estimated that 100,000 students will not be accepted in a selective school of their choice. The competitive nature and difficulty in succeeding often puts pressure on parents, teachers and students. However, if a child scores high marks and gets accepted, the perks are unlimited!

Selective High Schools offer a wide Parents have also risen issues range of subjects and activities based regarding sending their children to on skill and knowledge, to ensure selective high schools that are generally every student’s ability is strengthened 90% Asian based. This creates issues as and appreciated. Students are able to students of other backgrounds may feel make friends easily as all children have isolated or have a difficult time fitting something in common. To get accepted in to schools with such a high ethnic into a selective high school, marks must popularity. be gained in the exam. So this means, The matter of ‘removing their every student in a selective school, childhood’ by forcing selective students achieved a high mark and have a similar to study harder than most other skill level to one another. students is also a topic of concern over Universities offer bonus points for the past few years. It is argued that students studying in selective schools, while selective high schools do ensure a which ensure a higher place whilst prospective future for students, it also applying for university. ATAR’s are minimises their ability to have fun as determined by 50% mark and 50% children. While there are opportunities ranking. By attending a selective school, in terms of activities such as chess a high ranking clubs, math clubs, is automatically sporting clubs and ensured, which opens several others, this several university could also mean opportunities. there is no time A lot of people think To get accepted for children to just getting into a selective into a selective have fun doing school is going to be good, school, students must non-educational the reality is that it will be undertake an exam, activities. mixed.” @MRNYOIKE which determines Selective whether they have schools do have its the standard of a perks and flaws. I remember what I said selective school There are several to myself after the student. Tuition and opportunities that selective school entrance external learning arise as a result exams. Don’t aim too high or systems are available of succeeding in else you’ll get slammed to to strengthen a selected schools, the ground.” @turtlewat student’s current which generally skill and expand on revolve around a Rich kids get the their knowledge. high ATAR, several The hashtag university offers and advantage while lower #coachingischeating allowing a student classes don’t. #coaching is has been used in to reach their full cheating ” @BonnieR several articles over potential. There are the years. A minority also several flaws, of individuals view such as segregating tuition as equivalent to cheating, while children based on ability and the costs of preparing for the selective high school preparing a child for the exams. entrance test. Coaching is seen as So, to answer the question of whether preparation, which is only offered to selective schools matter or not, yes it those who can afford the best tuition. matters. But of course, a student can do This gives ‘the rich’ a superior position great simply by working hard, regardless over lower class students, who may not of attending a selective school or not. be able to afford such coaching. Keeping on top of things is the key to On the contrary, other parents believe a prospective future, as well as having coaching is effective, as students should fun and not letting big things matter as be told what to expect in the entrance a child. Extra curriculum activities and test and how to do their best. It is also experiences also matter in ensuring a important to understand a student’s promising future. strengths and weaknesses in order to In conclusion, yes selective schools determine whether they need extra help matter, but only to an extent. Try your or assistance. best and just let nature take its course!

TWEETINGS

“ “ “

The Australian Education Times

| 7

The Australian

Education Times SUCCESS STORY

Andrew Smith Please tell us about your journey from an educator to a CEO. I’ve been working in the education business for 10 years. Prior to that, I was a primary school teacher for 20 years. I started with 3P Learning when the company was very small. I’ve had to ask questions to a lot of people who have been CEO’s before and do a lot of hard work. It’s like in school, if you’ve got an assignment, you have to put a lot of hard work to do well, it’s exactly the same being a CEO.

What inspires you the most in your life? My family and the team that I work with. In 3P Learning, the way they work as a team, inspires me. And thirdly, people like you (the community) who use our resources.

How do you think online education has changed the face of learning in today’s time? It has given teachers, students and parents more access to more resources. E.g. teachers have a range of resources on what they want to teach, and on the spot data about student(s) results, so that enables them to target more 8 |

Andrew Smith, CEO of 3P Learning, has over thirty years of experience in the education industry. Andrew shares his passion for online education and his dedication to drive his vision of his business through any challenge ahead, with our two young News Crew members Tarnish and Hannah. Watch the complete video on our website www.educationtime. com.au to find out what Andrew thinks about 21st century learning. efficiently in areas students need help. Online learning is also open to the whole world. You can connect with someone in London or play live with students all around the world so it brings the world much closer. There are some dangers that I’ve seen, such as: teachers can put students on an e-learning resource and not engage with them, so the resource is doing the work, not the teacher. Online learning presents a lot of opportunities if interacted, used as a tool and used well, not just something students go off into.

Do you think the education in the 21st century will help students better prepare for the future? Yes, if used well. If students go to work in the online environment, education needs to follow the trend in the working world. Using textbooks, looking at the class and sitting in rows would not prepare as much as working with technology would.

What steps should parents take to help their kids in online learning? Parents should tap into what their children are learning. Sit

The Australian Education Times

and work with them to know what they’re doing. Parents should also make sure their children are accessing safe materials and connect with the school to find out what is happening.

Which core subjects do you think are most important for students to learn and why?

and achievement. We apply those motivators to our resources when we design. We basically try to take the good things from gaming and apply them to education.

As an educator and a CEO, how do you motivate others?

Looking at traditional curriculum, probably literacy and numeracy. It’s important to write, read and know how to work with numbers. Empathy, teamwork, tenacity and creativity are outside the traditional subjects, but just as important. Science is also important, particularly in Australia, as there is a decline in the number of students going into math and science in university.

I try to get people to work as a team. Back when I was teaching, we used to collaborate and support each other, and call it, ‘peer teaching.’We try to do that with business as well. Everyone has got a lot of skills and if we share that in a team environment, then those skills come forward. I set a problem for the team and ask for their ideas on how to achieve a solution. It’s the teamwork that motivates others, not me alone.

What is the importance of digital game based learning?

What advice would you give to other 21st century educators?

Our company has looked into the gaming industry and then applied that with education. The four common motivators for gaming are: exploration, competition, socialisation

In one sentence, use 21st century learning resources as a tool and not as a thing students do on their own.

To watch the full interview visit www.educationtimes.com.au

The Australian

Education Times FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY

ONLINE

UNIVERSITY

E E R G E D TIPS FOR A

E C I O H C D O GO

owadays, when our lives have changed so much and when we have so little free time, it has become difficult to attend university. But, there is a solution for this problem, online universities! An online university degree is as good and legitimate as a regular one and it has advantages that allows you to organise your study according to your schedule. From many points of view, online university degrees are preferable because you are the master of your time

and you decide when and where you want to learn. Any student who wants to learn cannot be conditioned by the presence of teachers or the study classrooms. On the contrary, teachers and their way of examining students sometimes inhibit our process of thinking and the marks we get do not reflect our knowledge or recompense our hard work. When you are deciding to get an online university degree, there are a few aspects that need to be taken into account.

First of all, you have to ensure that the online university you intend to study through, is accredited and has a good reputation, otherwise your online degree could not be of any help for you. You should also check if the online university program satisfies your needs. There are universities that are not among the top online universities, but offers certain online programs that better fit your educational needs. There are also some universities that offer real-

time instruction via the Internet, allowing students to listen to a lecture, just as they would be doing if they were attending a traditional university. You must review the courses offered by each program and choose the right for you. Another issue is the cost of the online program. You must consider how much the entire online program will cost, including the books and some other university taxes. Ask people who graduated that university program, the hidden taxes you will discover during the process of learning. Then you have to find out what facilities the online university program will offer you. There are some institutions which offer appropriate services to their students like library access, interaction with fellow students, technical assistance, tutoring, discussion threads, reference links and a variety of other features. Another problem is the class quality, because the quality of the lecturers and the educational methods used by them will influence your performance greatly. Another aspect is the proportion studentslecturers because when a teacher has fewer students for guidance and attention, the level of education is higher and the students are better trained. Online university is the method of the 21st century to complete your education when you do not have time to attend the courses of a traditional university. This is a good option for people with time constraints, but you have to pay attention to the traps in order to be successful with your professional life.

The Australian Education Times

| 9

The Australian

Education Times FOCUS ON UNIVERSITY

Starting University The First Couple of Weeks

ongratulations! You are going to uni! It is time to enjoy a new start, a new you and possibly a new city. All this is great new found self-sufficiency. You will need to get organised in order to pass exams, stay away from debt and still have the time of your life at uni. There is no more mum to do your dirty washing and you can forget dad to help

HERE THEY ARE:

fixing your mountain bike. Student life is just not like that. It’s time to party, make your own food and fend for your self. A new you will start to emerge as you travel through the journey of university life. Consequently, there are three parts of your life that you have to get sorted whilst you are a student.

Your academic life. The real reason you are a student at university is to learn a subject at a very advanced level! Hopefully, you have chosen a degree that you will get pleasure from and which you will appreciate. The good thing about the very first year of university is that tutors understand you are making a dramatic change from school to university, and therefore, you only need to pass to get through to the second year. You do not have to worry about high distinctions just yet! Subsequently, you can go somewhat crazier in your first year. On average in Australia, most students change their course atleast twice before finding their ideal course. Universities also have students of all age groups. This means, you do not have to rush finding your perfect area of study. There will always be someone in the same position as you, whom you can go through the change with, together.

Your student social life. University is a substantial melting pot of people. There is likely to be more than 5,000 people at your university (probably many more). It is impossible to meet all of these people and neither will you get along with all the people you do meet. The best part is, there is going to be loads of students that you will get along with and you will make some unbelievable friends that you are bound to know for life after university.

oney, money. l-being. Money, m el w al ci an fin al ly true when Your person d this is especial an ey on m e or m t all students We all want said that, almos ng vi Ha t. en ud e same boat, you are a st ) are in exactly th ds ki h ric e th y. (apart from h this collectivel u can fight throug yo ns ea m ch hi w

u enjoy o y e r u s e k a M . un Student life is f ost of your time as a m it and make the only happen once. student, it will 10 |

The Australian Education Times

STEVE J BURFORD

Author of ‘Defeat Student Debt’

Automated online marking Correlated to the Australian Curriculum Differentiated interactive activities Motivational travel-theme

Start a FREE Teacher Trial and discover why 30% of Australian schools are on board with the program.

www.wordďŹ&#x201A;yers.com.au/freetrial

The Australian

Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION

How Online Students Learn to Become

Digital Citize

hen you start your first online class, you are usually not introduced to the concept of digital citizenship. You are expected to follow a code of conduct and your instructor may provide the rules of Netiquette, which describe acceptable behaviour in the class. However, becoming a responsible digital citizen means more than following the rules. You need to manage your online presence and reputation, while becoming responsible 12 |

The Australian Education Times

and ethical. The approach you take to interacting with others in a virtual classroom can influence how you create all online posts, including social media.

Ethics and Morals The first determination that needs to be made is your personal code of ethical behaviour. Ethics are a set of standards that guides our behaviour and

interactions with others. For example, your school has a code of conduct that must be followed and that establishes a set of ethical principles for all students. You then decide to either act in an ethical or unethical manner by following or disregarding the code. This is different than morals, which are used to make a determination of right and wrong, based upon your personal belief system. Your morals may have been influenced by what

Interactions with Others

zens

Privacy

There are steps you can take as a student The purpose of having a student code of to protect your privacy within the online conduct and implementation of the rules classroom. First, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t include personal of Netiquette is to create a classroom information such as your phone number environment where appropriate in email signatures or classroom posts. communication occurs and students Second, if you want to stay in contact with maintain respect as they interact with other students, be sure to use your school each other and their instructors. The email address. Be careful about sharing online classroom typically consists of your personal information with others a diverse student and let your instructor know population; however, if you believe your privacy has diversity involves been compromised in any way. more than cultural You may also want to or location-related consider your social media differences. A privacy settings. If your diverse class may profiles and posts are publicly viewable, consider how other include students with physical disabilities, students, your instructor, or generational a potential employer might differences, and view that information. All of learning disabilities, this electronic information leaves a digital footprint along with religious Dr. Bruce Johnson has and educational and it represents who you had a life-long love of differences. are to those who do not learning and throughout There are know you. Recruiters and his entire career he other classroom human resources employees has been involved in actions that can frequently check social media many forms of adult prompt further websites as part of the online education; including consequences. hiring process, that means you teaching, training, The first is need to monitor what you post. human resource development, career cyberbullying. coaching, and life This means a Be Responsible coaching. student had Becoming a digital citizen harassed someone means you are managing your else through the activities and interactions in the online use of technology. Cyberbullying classroom. What you post establishes typically occurs when the potential your reputation and some behaviour victim is perceived as being different. may have consequences. As a digital There are numerous states that have citizen, you need to adapt your personal enacted anti-bullying laws that include set of ethics to an electronic form of cyberbullying. The second action that communication and be responsible for has stern consequences is sexting or your reputation. Your posts leave a digital sending photos of a sexual nature via a footprint so be mindful of the content cell phone. There have been no known of your posts and the manner that you incidents involving online students; interact with others. however, that is not to say it is not a possibility and that is why your privacy as an online student must be protected.

DR. BRUCE JOHNSON

you have been taught by society, religious affiliations, and your parents. An ethical issue that frequently occurs is plagiarism, which means a student has used the words of an existing source without making any attempt to acknowledge the source. This includes copying and pasting information from a website, article, or other source such as an essay website. Becoming highly ethical as an online students means taking responsibility for the work you have submitted and you learn to utilize sources correctly. A student who does not act ethically and is charged with an incident of intentional plagiarism may receive a zero for the assignment, a failing grade for the course, or other academic sanctions that can include suspension from school.

MARCH 13, 2015 IS A DIGITAL LEARNING DAY

The Australian Education Times

| 13

The Australian

Education Times ICT FOR EDUCATION

DISMONSTER:

App Review Quiz Flick Jr: This app offers an opportunity for children to learn about shadows, how they come about and the precision of them. A highly recommended app that teaches children from the ages of 3 to 8, while remaining fun and interactive.

The perfect app to hold family game nights, classroom parties or even office games for your break. Appropriate for all age groups, this app provides trivial games that are bound to increase your knowledge.

Adventure:

KIDS: The official YouTube kids app allows children of all age groups to discover educational videos on YouTube by restricting inappropriate data and advertising knowledgeable videos. It is a perfect app for parents wanting to ensure Internet safety. 14 |

The Australian Education Times

ROUTER: communications device that chooses the route by which information should travel through a network SCROLL: to move up or own or from side to side through a document or window to view or access its contents SEARCH ENGINE: software, often found on websites, which searches for information on the World Wide Web or text based databases. TELEMATICS: combining information and communications technologies and services

Sudoku Dragon YouTube

METALANGUAGE:

An excellent app to im prove logical thinking, conc entration and reasoning. This ga me is great for elder children an d adults. The more levels you increa se, the more your dragon grows!

UPLOAD: to transfer data from a small computer to a larger or main one. The opposite of download.Also the transfer of data from a storage medium to a computer. WIZARD: Onscreen step-bystep guide that helps a user perform a particular task. ZIP: to compress files to reduce the storage space they occupy.

MiniChess by KASPAROV:

Teach your kids how to play chess with this great app. This app is in a puzzle theme that allows young children to reveal mysteries while still critically thinking in a game of chess.

The Australian

Education Times PROMOTION

Kindle for

new app that gives you access to the world’s largest selection of eBooks on your compatible Samsung device is here*. Kindle for Samsung is great for Australian primary, secondary and tertiary students who want to read on the go. In partnership with Amazon, Kindle for Samsung has everything students can expect from the standard Kindle app, plus they can download a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection. **

Samsung So why use Kindle for Samsung? Kindle for Samsung can provide students with the opportunity to read from virtually anywhere, with downloaded books available offline. Kindle for Samsung can be downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Apps store on compatible Samsung smartphones and tablets^. Existing Amazon users simply use their Amazon account details to login and begin exploring. For new users it’s easy and quick to create a new account.

With the Kindle for Samsung app, you can choose a free book every month from the Samsung Book Deals selection!** Access the world’s largest selection of eBooks Time to Read estimates how much time it will take to finish a chapter or a book based on your personal reading speed. Whispersync synchronises your reading across your compatible devices^. Worry-Free Archive automatically backs up your Kindle books in the cloud,# including all your previously purchased Kindle eBooks. There are several benefits to using Kindle for Samsung in classrooms and in education: -Students are able to download books at virtually any time on their compatible device* -Students are able to focus on the vocabulary within the book or article they have selected, as they are a click away from finding out the definition of the selected word -Learning new vocabulary can help support improvement in reading comprehension skills, as well as understanding more difficult texts.

* Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Content within Kindle for Samsung must be purchased and is subject to availability. ** Internet connection required. Data charges may apply. Kindle for Samsung app only available on compatible Samsung devices. Samsung Book Deals only available to customers who sign in with a Samsung Account. ^ Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. # Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. Usage is subject to cloud provider agreement.

The Australian Education Times

| 15

2015 March Calendar

My Reminders:

The Australian

Education Times

Take complete advantage of the unique way your brain works!

Develop your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s genius right brain/ left brain coordination

How to benefit from knowing your learning style

Lecture note taking-learning scan/skim listening and summarising skills

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

Develop Your Child’s Genius Right Brain/Left Brain Coordination

o matter how old your children are, you have an immense power to affect their growth, development and success in life. By actively pursuing activities that contribute to the better development of their brain, you provide them with an advantage over all other kids, and increase their chances to be successful in life. By doing that, you also make sure they will have plenty of experiences of success and achievement, so that they become self confident, positive and optimistic.

There is a lot of talk recently about the “Right Brain/Left Brain” issue. Basically, researchers have found that the human left brain is “responsible” for completely different functions than the right brain. Researchers have concluded that in every person, one of these hemispheres of the brain is dominant. According to this theory, the left brain is the analytical one, responsible for measurement, logic, math, analysis and the right brain is responsible for creativity, art, intuition and the use of words. Some people even claim that men are left brain dominant, while

Improved balance between the two hemispheres, improves peace of mind, harmony, reading and comprehension, and develops better concentration and focus. The activities that have been shown to develop and improve the brain hemisphere connectivity are usually the ones that use both sides of the body in concert. The cross pattern we all use while walking or swimming and babies use when they crawl, develops and strengthens the connection between the brain hemispheres. By cross pattern, I mean the movement when we bring the right arm and the left leg forward, and then the left arm and the right leg. It has been shown that some brain injured children who did not crawl, developed severe handicaps, and by practicing the activity of crawling, they have shown surprising improvements. As we know, most people have a dominant hand. Statistically, most people are right handed, but there are many left handed people. In the past, (a few generations ago), it was common practice to force children to use their right hand for writing, tie their left arm behind their back, if they attempted to use it for writing. Children were punished for using their left hand for writing, cutting with scissors, playing ball etc. 18 |

The Australian Education Times

women are usually right brain dominant, and proceed to explain that men think in pictures, while women think in words. No wonder, they claim, there is such a big gap in communication between men and women! Research has shown that it is very important to increase the communication, or the connection between the 2 hemispheres of the brain. If we do that, we increase the functionality of the brain. This can be done in all ages, and has proven to be beneficial.

For school age children, an exercise has been shown to create wonders: practice writing using your weak hand. If you are left handed, practice writing with your right hand, and if you are right handed, practice writing with your left hand. This can feel very awkward at first, and takes some practice. So I recommend turning it into a game. Do it with your child, take turns and compete. The person who writes clearer, or faster, wins. For example, every word earns a number of points, and whoever earns most points gets an award. Invent some games, and turn it into a fun activity. Another activity that is amazingly productive for your child: drumming. I know, this is not for everybody. If you cannot stand the noise, maybe it is not the right activity for you. However, when your child learns how to drum, he is using both hands in turn, and is also learning a pattern. Only a few minutes of practice a day, will make a big difference. And remember - by doing this you are giving your child an advantage many other children do not have. Esther Andrews

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

Which side of your

brain is dominating? When you read a book of short stories...

A. You progress in order from the first to the last story B. You start with the story which has the most appealing title

You are better at remembering...

If you had two homework projects at the same time, you would proceed by...

A. Finishing one and moving on to the next B. Doing a little bit on one until you get bored, then move to the next

A. Names B. Faces

When you are studying you prefer...

A. A silent environment B. Music (of your choice) in the background

In the morning you get dressed according to...

A. The outfit you planned B. Whatever looks best at that moment

Someone just told you you’re psychic. You think to yourself...

A. “What nonsense!” B. “I think I really might be...”

On a multiple choice test you...

A. Review the choices and see a solid right answer B. Think too much and get confused every time

desk at home 12 Your is... A. Usually neat and organised B. Filled with many things you may need to work with

If you watch a sad movie you...

A. Control your emotions B. Cry a little

you have to 13 Ifexplain directions to someone, you... A. Tell them the directions B. Draw a map

Your teacher says you have a surprise When you have to test in five minutes. assemble You... something, do you A. Open your textbook and look read the manual or over the main points instruction guide? B. Freak out

A. Yes

You are better at...

B. No

B. Algebra

statement 15 Which describes you

10 A. Geometry

better?

you see that your I have a good sense of right 11 Ifteacher has made a A. and wrong

spelling error on the chalkboard, you...

B. Nothing is right or wrong, there are always grey areas

A. Tell the teacher privately after class B. Speak up and point it out right away

MY OVERALL SCORE IS: As_________________________ Bs________________________ SCORES:

MORE Bs: MORE As: You are more left brain oriented. You like some order in your life and in the classroom. You are comfortable listening to lectures and taking any type of test. But essay type answers and assignments that ask you to imagine scenarios are not your strong point. You want class directions to be clear. A disorganised teacher or unclear assignments will drive you crazy! You are good at analysing problems to find the right answer and you may have considered pursuing a degree in science or mathematics.

You are more right brain oriented. You probably get bored during long lectures and prefer to take classes with a lot of freedom of movement and thought. You have strong feelings and find it difficult to control your emotions at times. You like to write stories and even tell stories about your funny experiences. You are known as a day-dreamer. You have strong instincts and you solve problems on hunches and feelings. You are artistic in some way. You can believe in things based on experience, without seeing scientific proof. Some of you

may have a very small difference of one or two points between scores. This may indicate that you use both hemispheres of your brain equally well! In our upcoming issue we will talk about using brain dominance to your advantage. This will cover studying styles for left and right brain dominant students. By understanding your dominant brain type, you may be able to adjust your study methods and perhaps shape your schedule and assignments to suit your own personality type.

The Australian Education Times

| 19

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

TIME TAB TIME

20 |

MONDAY

The Australian Education Times

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

BLE SATURDAY

AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES TIME

MON

TUE

WED

THUR

FRI

SAT

SUN

SUNDAY

The Australian Education Times

| 21

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

How to Benefit From Knowing Youlre B

efore I tell you how to benefit from knowing your learning style, let me first explain the different styles of learning so that you can decide which category best suits you. Learning styles are the variation of your ability to gather and understand information. Basically, your learning style is the method that best allows you to gather and use knowledge in a specific manner. Each individual has at least one of these styles. Learning styles can be detected at a very early age. Once you know your style, you can adopt that style to the way you study to maximize on your education.

Categories of Learning Styles

Visual Learners. These are the people who learn through what they are able to see. They often describe things based on its appearance. These learners: Often need written instructions

Tactile Learners. These are the people who need to learn through moving and physical engagement. They enjoy hands-on projects. these learners: Enjoy an adventure Can master a skill through practice Tends to collect things Very good at sports

Benefits of Knowing Your Learning Style

Each of us is completely different. There are no two individuals that are alike. Hence we learn differently. Here are some of the advantages of knowing how best you are able to process information.

Academic Advantages:

Professional Advantages: Stay current with changes in the professional arena Maintain a competitive edge Better manage team efforts Improve presentation and delivery

Copy the information from the blackboard in class

Increasing your learning potential

Improve your selling skills

Watch videos to learn

Doing well in school on all educational levels

Increase your potential financial earnings

Enjoy illustrations and visual aids Auditory Learners. These are the people who learn better through sound. Recording and replaying a lecture is a great way for them to study and retain information. These learners: Find it difficult to retain information if it is not heard Benefit from audio books and lessons

22 |

Learning Sty

Understanding how you can better prepare for exams and tests Overcoming academic limits in class lessen frustration Develop more learning strategies

Personal Advantages Improve esteem and confidence Helps to learn oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness

Are very good at remembering names.

Enjoy learning

Tend to repeat information like phone numbers

Develop abilities and skills

The Australian Education Times

Above all, remember that there is no right or wrong way to learn. Everyone is unique. And even though each learning style offers advantages as well as disadvantages, learning your unique learning style can help you to increase your learning potential and work more efficiently.

Developing motivation to learn

Tiffany S Simpson

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

EXAM STUDY TIPS us M

any students rush only at the last minute to prepare for their exams, which is usually the time to relax and revise. Revision is a process of keeping the important points of a concept in the forefront of our brain, so as to be able to retrieve them easily during the exam. We are all aware that every person learns in a different way. Learning styles can be divided into 4 groups visual, auditory, active and combined learners. Since not all types can suit every learning style, it is important to come up with tips and suggestions which can help students in each group. Here are some last minute revision tips to help you gear up for the upcoming exams.

Visual learners visual learners are those who are able to understand and imprint information by looking at them. Anything which is visually appealing will help them learn better. So, here are revision tips for visual learners. Prepare notes while studying. It would be helpful if your points are noted in a spray pattern, wherein you center the main point/ theme of the chapter and follow it with the other important points.

for Vario Learning Styles

Auditory learners students who prefer to listen and understand, rather than seeing or ex ploring by self are considered to be auditory learners. They do best when they listen to a pa rticular action rather than relyin g on their vision. Here are so me tips for such learners. Read aloud while study ing. Since an auditory learne r prefers to use his/ her listening skills to understand better, rea ding aloud helps. Tape the important po ints if possible, so that you can listen to them later an d also revise. Group study can help you learn better.

ners prefer rs - active lear Active learne ning. a lot while lear to move around ey study ore be apt if th It would theref ing some other nd or while do ou ar g in ov m by e tips to help . Here are som ity tiv ac al ic ys ph l. them revise wel house. ing around the m Study by ov le pics studied whi Review the to such as ity tiv ac r y othe performing an king etc. swimming, wal

Combined learners - some people prefer to remember by reading and writing. They are known as combined learners. Her e are some tips which can help students to study better. Read and make notes. Revise using notes and if needed rew

rite the points from your memory. Using suggestions which cater to indi vidual learning styles can help you succeed in your studies and exams.

Put up posters around your room/house about the important points and chapters. This way you will get to see them as often as possible and the more you see, the better the information will be imprinted. Use colours to highlight points which are very important. These will help you remember the points well. The Australian Education Times

| 23

The Australian

Education Times

PULL OUT

Lecture Note Taking LEARN SCAN/SKIM LISTENING AND SUMMARISING SKILLS

aking notes in lectures can be quite overwhelming when lecturers talk fast or cover complex topics. The key to effective note taking is the ability to scan/skim listen and summarise significant information. It is always a good idea to have an overview of the lecture before it commences. You can look at the course guide or lecture synopsis to familiarise yourself with the subject matter. Skimming over the prescribed reading or even quickly Googling the topic will adequately prepare you for the lecture. After you familiarise yourself with the topic, create a page of objectives for your lecture. You should have both an outline and objective page before even going into the lecture theatre.

24 |

The Australian Education Times

Scan listening is crucial to pick out the relevant words and information in order to summarise and personalise the lecture. Listen for key words such as “examinable, underlying, in summary, importantly.” Also, lecturers tend to pause when they have said something important. This gives students time to catch up and note the important information. It is important to listen for these cues and take advantage of lecturer pauses. Summarise the important points in your own language. Anything worth being said can be said in a simple way. Sometimes lecturers use technical language, and key words may need technical explanations, but to understand something you should be able to explain it to someone else. This is the most integral point for note-

taking.... You need to be able to describe the subject matter in simple terms to maybe a minor or a peer who didn’t attend the lecture. You should practice doing this after each and every lecture you attend because this will make you become much more attentive and active when listening. The point is to have purpose while you do anything, so as to keep yourself awake and functioning at maximum capacity! Try summarising the above paragraph for starters.... It’s a simple message. Then tell it to someone else to get you practicing the idea. Another crucial aspect is to represent your notes in a memorable and concise way. This can be achieved through mind mapping, fish bone diagrams, recordings....etc. First you need to know your learning style and then specific methods for your style to better equip you in lectures and other areas of study. These skills are fundamental for lecture note taking and will give you the ability to become an active learner. To excel, it is important to know what sort of learning style you have and get in-depth descriptions and examples of other key skills for note taking in order to improve.

The Australian

Education Times CAREER OF THE MONTH

Counsellor Is this career path for you?

o you have a passion towards helping people? Are you motivated and goal oriented? Do you like learning about the human mind and understanding why people do the things they do? If so, this may just be the ideal career for you! Counsellors play a major role in society as they help people get through their problems, regardless of how major or minor it might be. They help people in coping through grieve and show a positive personality to let people know that they are not alone!

Desirable skills

Some skills required to succeed as a counsellor revolve around the ability to listen and ask questions, a strong sense of empathy rather than sympathy and a genuine interest in helping people.

Educational qualifications

In order to become a counsellor, there are several pathways you could take. The most common path is completing your HSC, obtaining an ATAR above 75% and doing a psychology degree in University, either through a Bachelor of Arts, social science or simply a bachelor of Psychology. With a psychology degree, there are several more career opportunities available, apart from counselling. These include working in prisons, mental institutions, researching mental illnesses or potentially studying further and getting into medicine! The University of Notre Dame offers a ‘bachelor of counselling’ course that specialises specifically on counselling rather than psychology as a broad field. Alternatively, you could study counselling in TAFE, which leads to a diploma of counselling.

Job growth

Psychology is a competitive field, allowing only a minimum to work in well-paid jobs. This does not mean it is a bad idea to study counselling courses. Since 2012, psychologist employment has grown by 12% and is expected to continue doing so by 2022. This means, if you are passionate about counselling, you should peruse it and work hard towards succeeding!

Career paths

Staying up to date

Whether you are a school student, or simply looking to change your current career, there are several things you could be doing to keep up to date with the world of counselling! Online services like beyond blue and kids helpline have online ‘chats’ with professionals who aim on helping people cope through their problems. It could be useful to look into these online websites and see what they are all about. Sometimes, services provide basic training to individuals, from which they could volunteer and potentially counsel people. This sort of experience would look great on a resume and increase your chances of working with a big company.

The average counsellor earns 43,000 pa!

Most graduates initially begin their career by volunteering for non-government services that aim to help people in distress. Once experience is gained, there are several paths counsellors could take. These include:

Family work Marriage counselling Parish and church work Rehabilitation Youth work Drug and alcohol services Private counselling agencies Hospital mental care

The Australian Education Times

| 25

The Australian The Australian

Education Education Times Times

PULL OUT PROMOTION

West End

Mazda

est End Mazda is Australia’s oldest independently owned and operated Mazda Dealership having been established and continually operating in North Parramatta since 1963. West End

WEST END MAZDA is also proud to the most awarded Dealer in NSW with: • 15 Mazda Master Dealer Awards inc 2013 • 5 times Winner of the “Martec Excellence in Dealership Operations” award • 2 Dealer of The Year awards (Pre Master Dealer Conception) • 2 Parts Dealer of the Year awards • 1 Sales Dealer of the Year award • 1 Service Dealer of the Year award • 1 Commercial Vehicle Dealer of the Year We are proud to have multiple members of our Sales & Parts teams achieving “Master Guild Member” status in the prestigious Mazda Sales Guild. In 2014 both of our Sales Managers, our Parts Manager & 2 of our Sales Consultants acheived this status!

New Cars

From the moment you enter our Sales showrooms you’ll be greeted with a friendly Zoom-Zoom smile & sales people who are provided with the best training to ensure that we meet and exceed your expectations every time you visit us. We have the largest range of new Mazda vehicles in stock, carrying over 400 cars at any given time. Both of our Sales departments carry the complete suite of fully registered demonstrators for test drives at your convenience. Our sales teams will, by appointment, even bring our demonstrators to you at any time if you are unable to visit one of our new vehicle showrooms.

26 |

The Australian Education Times

Mazda has been owned and operated by just 2 families in its time. In 1998, the current Directors of West End Mazda expanded their operation by acquiring Blacktown Mazda which further strengthened our focus and commitment to the Mazda Brand in NSW.

West End Mazda is currently the Number 1 selling Mazda Dealer in Australia and has done so on 8 occasions since 1994. We have been the Number 1 selling Dealer for Mazda Passenger Vehicles consecutivley since 2003.

MAZDA

With the largest Parts CX-9 department in Australia CLASSIC we also carry a full range 2WD of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories. We also carry large stocks of Aftermarket accessories ensuring our customers can personalise their Mazda http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/cx-9 to their tastes. All Mazda Passenger vehicles come with a comprehensive 3yr/Unlimited who are always looking for Mazda vehicles Km warranty. to meet the needs of our customers. Pre All Mazda Commercial vehicles come Owned customers can even enjoy a very with a 2yr/Unlimited or 3yr/100,000 Km special fixed price service plan exclusive warranty. to West End Mazda. Just pop in and see Click onto our New Cars page to book a either Billy @ Nth Parramatta or Glenn at test drive or give us a call on; Blacktown. North Parramatta 1300 924 584 Blacktown 1300 874 394

Pre Owned

Finance and Insurance

As with our New Cars our Pre Owned sales With access to our business partners teams are put though a rigorous training Esanda Finance, Capital Finance and program to ensure that they also meet AGI (Automotive Global Insurance) West and exceed your expectations. End Mazda is able to offer extremely West End Mazda carry ex Mazda competitive Finance packages for Leasing, Australia company vehicles to ensure Commercial Hire Purchase, Chattel that if a new car is just out of your price Mortgage’s and Consumer Loans together limits, we have the next best option. These with a comprehensive range of Insurance vehicles come with the balance of new vehicle warranty so your peace of mind is guaranteed. If you or a friend has a Mazda that you MAZDA6 are trying to sell 2.5LT PETROL please drop in for SEDAN an obligation free SPORT valuation with our Pre Owned Managers http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/mazda-6

WEST END MAZDA

IS AUSTRALIAS BEST MAZDA DEALER

http://www.westendmazda.com.au/about products including highly attractive Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Insurance. Our aim is to make doing business with West End Mazda enjoyable and hassle free whilst upholding the highest levels of Customer Service Standards in the Automotive Industry. For more information please refer to our Finance and Insurance Page and click to call one of our team to speak directly to someone during business hours 7 days per week.

Service

West End Mazda operates 2 Service centres with the latest in Mazda Electronic & Diagnostic equipment to ensure that your Mazda is running at its peak in terms of Safety, Performance and Economy. Contact details and Hours or Operation are: 3 Ferris Street North Parramatta Phone - 9633 8300 Email – pmservice@westendmazda.com.au Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12noon 3 Butterfield Street Blacktown Phone – 9622-9888 Email – btservice@westendmazda.com.au Hours of operation Mon – Fri 7am to 5.30pm and Sat 8.00am to midday. Bookings can be made online either by our i-Phone app (download via App Store) or here on this Website (just click the service tab and follow the prompts). Have you checked what your next service will cost? Log onto Mazda’s website – http://www.mazda.com.au/owners/ servicing-your-mazda/recommended-

maintenance-service-price Input your details and see what your next service with West End Mazda will cost. Both Service Centres offer a complimentary car wash at time of service, free wheel alignment check, brake check, battery check, customer waiting lounges incorporating Wi-Fi internet access, refreshments, Pay TV, loan cars at a nominal cost, as well as drop off to the nearest train station. West End Mazda has Mazda Quick Smart Serving. This is for all Mazda Scheduled Services and can be completed within an hour allowing you to get your Zoom-Zoom back on the road faster.

Spare Parts West End Mazda Parts Division is the largest in Australia and carries the most comprehensive range of Genuine Mazda Parts & Accessories. If we don’t have it then chances are noone has it. We operate from our site Monday to Saturday Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12noon 1 Ferris Street North Parramatta

All Service work is Fully Guaranteed and we only use Valvoline Premium Oils and Mazda Genuine Parts to protect the integrity and value of your Mazda and as trusted Mazda dealer we also provide the computer upgrades to your car via our MDS (Mazda Diagnostic Machine). These upgrades are from the factory in Japan and can improve fuel economy and running. The MDS also allows up to diagnose any issues you are having and repair them in a timely fashion. For your convenience both our North Parramatta Service Centre and Blacktown Service Centre are open Saturday mornings from 8am to midday. Bookings essential. Phone – 9633-8383 Email – parts@westendmazda.com.au West End Mazda Parts also offers a Crash Assistance Line open 24 hours a day/ 7days a week. We are on hand to help with arranging tow trucks and ensuring we send your Mazda to a panel shop that is approved by your Insurancer & uses only Genuine Mazda Parts.

Contact details David Hubbard Business hours - 1300 924 584 or After Hours 0418 613 758

ALL NEW MAZDA3

NEO HATCH 2.0LT PETROL (MANUAL & AUTO) http://www.westendmazda.com.au/vehicles/all-new-mazda3 The Australian Education Times

| 27

The Australian

Education Times

LITERACY CORNER

Ecoliteracy I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues…Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

(also Ecological litery)acis y the ability

referred to as ecoliterac systems that to understand the natural . To be make life on earth possible anding the rst de un s ecoliterate mean of ecological n tio iza principles of organ ms) and using communities (i.e. ecosyste ng sustainable those principles for creati human communities. literate? An How can you become eco by organizing excellent place to start is or in your an event at your school Earth Hour e rat eb community to cel y. and/or Earth Da 15 from Earth Houris March 28, 20 e. The tim al loc pm 8:30 pm to 9:30 Sydney, in ce pla k too first Earth Hour from a oneAustralia, and has grown the world’s city initiative in 2007 to planet, uniting the for largest campaign ople across hundreds of millions of pe 152 in ns tow 7000 cities and s! rie rito countries and ter can Students and teachers, you ww. /w p:/ join the movement at htt nt me ove earthhour.org/join-the-m nt eve Organise an Earth Hour your at your school and/or in community! website has fantastic The official Earth Hour ing: resources for you includ Earth Hour Video Earth Hour Starter Kit World – find out about all Earth Hour Around the ening in each country! the exciting things happ Take Action

28 |

The Australian Education Times

in Australia – has Earth Hour for Schools more! Register your a curriculum toolkit and r.org.au/schools/ school at https://earthhou 15. According to Earth Day is April 22, 20 er 1 billion people in 192 the Earth Day Network ov g Earth Day events, makin countries participate in . rld wo the in vance it the largest civic obser

OTHER WAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR ECOLITERACY: READING

Two must reads for children – of all ages- are The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor - this is an excellent introduction to environmental studies and connecting kids to nature. While it is recommended for younger children, I read it to my 4th graders, then we went on a walk and everyone followed the steps in the book for selecting their perfect rock. They kept them on their desks for the rest of the school year and took them home on the last day of school. An EXCELLENT activity!

EXPLORE THE DREAMING STORIES

outside in a flower bed or around a tree, or grow them inside in pots.

In Australia, Aboriginal stories are the bond between Earth Mother, the sea and the sky. Passed down through thousands of years, Aboriginal stories, called Dreaming stories have been told,sung and danced.

MAKE A SEED COLLAGE

autumn is the perfect time to gather seeds, from a garden or from forests or fields. Arrange the seeds in a pattern on paper using different sizes and shapes to create different elements in your art.

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

get a camera and go outside! Find butterflies, worms, bugs, wildflowers, trees and animals. Or focus on shapes, colors and textures.

GO CAMPING

PLANT A GARDEN

it can be as small as your windowsill or big enough to grow food for your home or school. You can also try “window farming”, vertical gardens or hydroponics!

VISIT NATURE

areas, zoos, botanical gardens, and animal rescue centers; become involved in field projects such as habitat restoration.

“TRAVEL”

via Google Earth to view the landscape in other regions and countries.

PLANT TULIP BULBS

enjoy being fully immersed in nature, experience the wonderment of the stars, go nature hiking, pick berries, go fishing, tell stories by the fire, go canoeing or swimming.

CELEBRATE FROG JUMPING DAY

this is a holiday in the United States celebrated on May 13. There is no reason why Australia cannot celebrate as well! Check this resource for ways to prepare for and celebrate Frog Jumping Day, and discover all the connections from literature to environmental studies, from history to cultural studies, biomedical research and more! http://curriculum21csi. weebly.com/frog-jumping-day--start-here.html

It’s autumn in Australia. Plant some tulip bulbs to enjoy blooms next Spring. Plant them

RESOURCES:

Greening the Classroom has links to recommended resources for each of these categories: (http:// greeningtheclassroom.weebly.com/ resources.html) A “must read” reading list for teachers, students and parents Documentary films

Non-documentary films “Think Green” articles “Greening the Classroom” PPT from the workshop at 21st Century Schools Videos from classroom and green school projects Recommended web sites Footprint calculators Green Glossary

RAINFOREST Classroom has many resources for you at http://www.scoop.it/t/rainforesteducation-classroom-connectionsresources-and-more

ANNE SHAW Founder and Director, 21st Century Schools

The Australian Education Times

| 29

The Australian

Education Times MAGIC MATHS

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrate, Pi DAY!

This year, Pi day is celebrated at a time that holds a strong relationship to the occasion. We all know Pi is 3.1415â&#x20AC;Ś and in the first time in history, Pi is celebrated on the 3rd month, 14th day and the 15th year of the 21st century! This calls for celebration, right? 30 |

3.1415

athematic enthusiasts around the world intend on celebrating this day by holding several fun events for people of all ages. Schools generally hold bake sales with pies as the main theme. Pie eating competitions are also a common method of celebration, especially amongst teachers and older students. Business owners hold sales and change prices to $3.14 for a few hours, and hold races that go for 3.14 miles, with $314.15 as the prize money.

The Australian Education Times

Individuals such as Archimedes of Syracuse, Zu Chongzhi, William Jones, Georges Buffon and the ancient Babylonians, who played a major role in history, for the formulation of Pi are also celebrated. These mathematicians held their own methods of finding the value of Pi, which are studied in schools and debated to find the ideal method. In addition to Pi, Albert Einsteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday is also celebrated on the 14 th of March. This means for multiple events to celebrate breakthroughs in maths and in science.

CLOCK

Did you know... Pi is the most recognised mathematical constant in the world. Pi is an irrational and transcendental number. Pi is used to find the circumference of a circle. Pi appears in many other mathematical formulas that have nothing to do with the circle. Pi is the 16th letter of the Greek alphabet. There is no zero in the first 31 digits of Pi. The earliest known records of Pi were found in Babylon, around 1650 B.C.

Transform an ordinary clock into a Pi clock. Take the back off your clock, glue this template on and you have a fabulous Pi Day Clock The Australian Education Times

| 31

Please contact Gagan Partol for attractive Home Loan Rate* Community Lending Manager Sydney â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mortgage Lending Network Phone: 02 8883 1457 Mobile: 0412 673 416 Promotion Code - AAS

Newcastle Permanent Building Society Limited ACN 087 651 992 Australian Financial Services Licence 238273 Australian Credit Licence 238273 307 King Street Newcastle West NSW 2302 PO Box 5001 Hunter Region Mail Centre NSW 2310 www.newcastlepermanent.com.au 13 19 87 * Terms and Conditions apply

The Australian

Education Times

SCIENCE LAB

How Fast Are You? W

hen you think about reaction time, you begin to wonder just how fast a person can react or if there are differences in reaction time between people. Mental chronometry is the study of the response time while completing basic tasks. This is found by the use

of measurements to determine how much time has elapsed between the stimulas and the behavioural response. That time is known as “speed of processing”. You can complete the experiment below and find out how fast your brain thinks and acts in certain situation!

What You Need: Wooden ruler

CHAIR TO STAND ON

METHOD: Ask your friend to stand on a chair and hold the ruler at the top at the 0 inch mark. Hold your fingers opposite the 18inch mark, but don’t touch the ruler! Without any kind of warning, your friend has to release the ruler and you need to try and catch it with your fingers. Notice where you catch the stick. Record this number and subtract it from 18. For example, if you have caught the ruler at 20, the difference would be 20-18=2 inches. Try it several times to see if you get the same answer. Let your friend try to catch the ruler while you drop it in the same way. Who has the quickest reaction time?

Your reaction time can be determined in terms of distance dropped as follows: 2inches = 0.10 seconds 4inches = 0.14 seconds 6inches = 0.18 seconds 8 inches = 0.20 seconds 10 inches = 0.23 seconds 12 inches = 0.25 seconds 14 inches = 0.27 seconds 16inches = 0.29 seconds 18 inches = 0.31 seconds Why do you think it takes time for your fingers to react when your eyes see the stick start to fall? Gravity is pulling down on the ruler at a constant rate. The longer it falls, the faster it goes. By measuring how far the ruler falls, we can calculate the speed at which it is moving and the time it took you to catch the ruler. The Australian Education Times

| 33

The Australian

Education Times

PUZZLE POP

Spot the

Crazy

But True !!!!!

Rainbows are actually a full circle, but we can only see half of it!

34 |

The Australian Education Times

LAUGHTER ZONE!

5 differences

Where are average things manufactured? The satisfactory Whats the best thing about Switzerland? The flag is a big plus Why does the chicken coop have two doors? If it had four, it would be a sedan Whats brown and sticky? A stick What do mathematicians do when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re scared of negative numbers? They stop at nothing to avoid them.

The Australian

Education Times

PUZZLE POP

Rainbows RAINBOWS RAIN COLOURFUL GOLD NATURE SUN

Knock Your Brains

A doctor and a boy were fishing. The boy was the doctor’s son, but the doctor was not the boy’s father. Who was the doctor? His mother. Almost everyone needs it, asks for it, gives it, but never takes it. What is it? Advice.

A man was driving a black truck. His lights were not on. The moon was not out. A lady was crossing the street. How did the man see her? It was a bright, sunny day

Record of the month Ben Mooney holds the current world record for the longest rainbow loom band ever made. It is over 750 meters long. Way to go, Ben!

How many animals id Moses take on the ark? Moses didn’t take anything, Noah did! For more info on this record and hundreds more, go to guinnessworldrecords.com *Answers can be found on our contest page at www.educationtimes.com.au The Australian Education Times

| 35

The Australian

Education Times

Book Review G

ayle Forman never fails to please. Her recent book, “I was here,” was released in January and has ensured a well-known status across the world. The novel revolves around the protagonist, Cody and the devastating journey of coping with the sudden loss of her best friend. I was here is the perfect novel that equally holds mystery, tragedy, romance and bravery. Forman’s portrayal of how death is dealt with is simply appealing and relatable for adult readers

36 |

The Australian Education Times

Libra

Some of your issues may begin to resolve themselves. Your competitors will suddenly fall, while your partners will continue to support you. March holds positive events for you which should be paid close attention to.

Scorpio

Leo

There’s a slight change of you encountering complicated situations this month. You should not relax, but instead analyze the situation and accomplish all your tasks.

Sagittarius

Cancer

This could be the month you meet a special someone. There will be several important decisions to be made that will affect you as well as everyone around you.

Be careful whilst agreeing to things. It is likely that you will be cheated on this month, whether on a formal basis or personal. Optimize your resources and focus on the tasks at hand.

Capricorn

Gemini

You will be provided with an opportunity to reveal yourself, very soon! Maybe you will be granted with an important task which will reveal your great ideas. Remember to analyse the situation and be prepared.

Your education or business will reach a positive direction this month. You will be able to analyze and structure everything, which will play a big role in helping you succeed. However, you may also be faced with some negative influences so be aware and try to remain positive.

You will start moving in the right direction this month. It is important to work hard, but not too hard and remain cautious in everything you do.

Aquarius

Taurus

The sphere of business and entrepreneurship will bring many real possibilities to improve your financial situation this month. However, there will be several competitors and you will need to work harder to maintain your top position

Seems like you will lack a lot of support and aid this month. Remain calm and work hard to reach your goals, without the help of others.

You will be given a unique change to start over this month. If you wanted to change your current job, partner or even a house, now would be a great time to do so.

Pisces

Aries

This month appears to be quite tense for you. You should pay attention to yourself and not let anybody ruin your happiness. Be careful and attentive, your problems will be solved sooner than later.

Virgo

What does March 2015 have in store for you?

There will be a few wonderful events this month. It is likely that you will be offered a new position. Some of the previous decisions you have made will come back and reward you. Pay attention to the little details and let nature play its course.

with any genre preference. The psychological component of suicide and the aftereffects left on family and friends creates a sense of empathy and forms a relationship between readers and the characters of the novel. Forman offers an examination of the fine line between life and death and the courage it takes for individuals to peruse their lives without a loved one. Hinging on a survivors determination to find answers and the struggle of envisioning the future, Forman produces a marvelous novel that is bound to leave you wanting more.

The Australian

Education Times

FEBRUARY In Pictures THE OSCARS

The 87th academy awards held, with Neil Patrick Harris as the host.

HOT AIR

balloons

fly over the beautiful landmarks of Cappadocia.

NIAGARA FALLS

has again, frozen as a result of extreme cold weather in Canada.

Chinese New Year

is celebrated across the world, commemorating the year of the goat.

A ROYAL

CARIBBEAN CRUISE

has sailed and is expected to return in two weeks time, having explored the Pacific Ocean.

MASLENITSA FESTIVAL Russian ‘pancake week’ was held, celebrating the end of winter and the beginning of summer. The Australian Education Times

| 37

The Australian

Education Times

Classifieds

MELBOURNE CHILDRENS PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC

Phone: 1800 888 320 Pager: (03) 9483 4556 (Ask for Orygen Youth Health Triage)

INFANT | CHILD | ADOLESCENT 30 Seddon St 505 Hampton St (03) 9517 6272 (03) 9521 0307

Eastern Suburbs Child Psychology W: http://eschild.com.au/ Call Us 0401 439 602

Secure your space in our school holiday feature in April 2015 issue. For details, go to www.educationtimes.com.au www.educationtimes.com.au

At PRE UNI COLLEGE We offer you A good preparation A head start on a successful school year A chance to show the world What you are made of?

www.preunicollege.com.au

ASK ABOUT OUR NEW FINANCE PACKAGES TODAY!

ALL NEW MODEL

MAZDA 3

NOW IN STOCK

BOO K YOU R TES DRI T TO D V E AY!

WEST END MAZDA

NORTH PARRAMATTA & BLACKTOWN

FOR MORE GREAT DEALS & CURRENT “E-SPECIAL” VISIT