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JULY 2015 EDITION - VOL 2 For your FREE monthly subscription, go to www.teachertalk.com.au or like us at www.facebook/teachertalkaus
magic behind
SESAME STREET
Give a Gonski?
Making Time For Great Teaching
Watch Your Language When Talking About Autism
CIRQUE AFRICA
10
Great Ways to Keep Students Engaged
Teacher TALK
From the editor
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Dear Reader e received a fantastic response to our first edition, with more than 2,800 teachers reading the magazine. Thank you to all for your enthusiasm and for the wonderful messages and feedback we received. As I mentioned in the previous edition, the aim of the magazine is to act as a portal for the sharing of educational trends, news and ideas, as well as the broadcasting of events and initiatives in the schooling arena. We have sought to keep the articles relevant and informative, as well as encompassing a focus on teachers’ lifestyle. In this edition, we have included various articles addressing issues impacting the education environment, ranging from the
current Gonski debate, to the need for time out during the school day for teachers. In addition, we have included articles that will hopefully offer practical benefit to your classroom and to your career. And lastly, we have some great lifestyle articles covering healthier living habits, recipes, theatre and film reviews, and travel. We have limited the magazine to 28 pages, and made our print easy to read. So please feel free to print it out and leave it in your staff room for your colleagues to peruse! We are always open to new ideas, and would love to hear from you, at tania@teachertalk. com.au. And the more teachers read Teacher Talk magazine the more of a community we become, so please do share our editions with your colleagues at www.teachertalk.com.au. Happy Reading! Tania
about us Editor Tania Cohen tania@teachertalk.com.au Art Director Toni Bernal production@teachertalk.com.au Marketing Director Liz Green advertising@teachertalk.com.au
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INSIDE
04 making time for great teaching 05 are all ideas equal? 06 watch you language 08 single sex schools 10 magic behind sesame street 12 ways to keep student engaged 14 teaching & testing suicidality 16 setting up for your career 18 healthy lamb shank 21 ant-man 22 cirque africa 24 squeezing in healthy habits 26
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Sophie Berman 0410 667 447 sophie@teachertalk.com.au
using skype in the classroom
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Give a Gonski? POLITICS & EDUCATION By Glenn C. Savage
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he past few weeks have seen some wild twists and turns in the politics of Australian school funding. Debates were re-ignited when Fairfax obtained a leaked discussion paper from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet that advanced a number of radical ideas for reforming school funding. The Coalition swiftly distanced itself from the most extreme options in the paper, including charging high-income parents to send their children to public schools. In the heat of political fallout from the leaked paper, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) released a rigorous review of school funding in Australia. The report echoed growing arguments that school funding arrangements in Australia’s federal system are increasingly messy, inequitable and unsustainable. The report also showed federal increases in school funding have risen more sharply for non-government schools than government schools since the 1970s. Advocacy group Save Our Schools released an analysis of funding data from 2009-2013, arguing state/territory funding for schools has fallen for public schools but risen for independent schools. Unsurprisingly, each of these reports has been accompanied by heated and often polarised debates in the media, twitter-sphere and among experts. Can’t see the wood for the trees? It is often hard to get clarity over the state of Australian school funding. While funding has always been a perplexing area of policy, it has descended into a hazy quagmire since the release of the Gonski Report in 2011. This is ironic, given the Gonski review was designed to clean up school funding in our nation. School funding is hard to grasp because it is made up of a complex set of policies and formulas that differ across states, territories and sectors (public, Catholic and independent). The confusion in recent debates, however, owes just as much to misleading political and public debates, which further obscure this already complex policy field. Indeed, some statements and opinion pieces about Gonski border on fantasy – distorting the facts of the report so heavily that the “net effect” is a grand artifice of debate built upon non-truths and heresy. Current debates are handicapped by a number of myths, which need to be overcome if the funding debate is going to evolve towards greater clarity. Myth 1: Public schools versus private schools There is a wealth of quality data that reveals important differences between the funding of
Funding myths and politicking derail schools debate
government, Catholic and independent schools. These differences need to be taken seriously and rigorously scrutinised to determine whether school funding arrangements are equitable. The problem is, such data is often misconstrued or simplified down to an argument that pits public and private schools against each other. A common misconception is that Australia has one “public” sector (funded by taxpayers) and one “private” sector (funded by parents).
Frequently, for example, I am asked the question: Why should parents pay taxes to send other people’s children to public schools when they already pay to send them to a private school? This question reflects a wide-spread misunderstanding about how schools are actually funded. The truth is, there is no such thing as a purely “private” school in Australia. All schools here receive money from governments. The key issue at stake is the amount and proportion of funds that come from either federal or state/territory governments, and from “private” sources such as parental fees. All schools, therefore, are publicly supported. Rather than pitting public and private schools against each other, the debate should instead focus on whether or not “the mix” of funding provided to schools, regardless of state or sector, is fair and maximises opportunities for all young Australians. This is exactly what the Gonski report sought to do in making recommendations to develop a funding model that is “needs-based” and “sector-blind”. In other words, a model that funds schools based on need, rather than whether schools are government, Catholic or independent. Myth 2: Labor is the pro-Gonski party We hear a lot these days about how federal Labor committed to funding schools for six years based on a Gonski-inspired model, but the federal Coalition will only fund the first four years.This is true, but does not tell the whole story. Often ignored in this “six vs four year” debate is that federal Labor never produced a funding model that faithfully represented the core principles of the Gonski report. Instead, the principles of the Gonski reform were compromised from the word go, when Labor promised that no school would lose a dollar under the plan. Instead of a “needs-based” and “sector-blind” model, therefore, Australia was delivered a model that protected the vested interests of Catholic and independent schools. The Victorian Labor government has also distorted the principles of Gonski, by passing a curious piece
of legislation that ensures a minimum of 25% of state government funding for government schools will be allocated to the independent and Catholic sectors. Leader Bill Shorten has also refused to commit to the last two years of the Gonski reform if elected. These crucial facts are often forgotten by proGonski supporters, who paint Labor as the “Gonski party”. The reality is Labor governments have shied away from the bold reforms called for under Gonski. This is not to suggest the Coalition has a better plan. It doesn’t. It is not only clear the Coalition has no intention of pursuing Gonski-based reforms, it also appears to be considering a range of other weird and wonderful options. Myth 3: ‘How much?’ is the key question While school funding is clearly important, it is by no means the “magic bullet solution” to fix Australian schools. Gonski is not the messiah. A myth that has circulated since the Gonski report has been that the greatest equity question in Australian schooling is about “how much” cash schools get. By focusing on “amounts of cash”, debates have obscured the equally important question of “what schools do” with the cash. We could give a school all the money in the world, but if there is bad leadership, an incoherent curriculum or poor teaching practices, it is simply wasted money. By focusing on “how much”, the school funding debate promotes a very narrow vision of what “equity” means in schools. We constantly hear debates about the inequitable distribution of money, but how often do we have a debate about the inequitable distribution of quality teachers or curriculum options? Any injection of cash into schools, therefore, needs to be accompanied by monitoring and accountability measures that ensure money is “well spent”. The Gonski report was a landmark moment in the history of Australian school funding and an unprecedented opportunity to develop an equitable funding model. Unfortunately, the politics of distraction, fuelled by political leaders afraid to disrupt the status quo, has ensured the principles of Gonski remain unfulfilled. It is time, therefore, to revisit the future proposed by Gonski and to stem the flow of bad ideas that are driving school funding into a political mess.
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Making time for great teaching
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT By Ben Jensen
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chools must make time in their day to help teachers develop or Australia will continue to slide in international school education rankings, according to a new Grattan Institute report. Making time for great teaching finds that Australian school systems and schools are struggling to allocate the time and resources needed to put teaching and learning first. The world’s highest-performing school systems provide time for teachers to be mentored, research best practice, have their classes observed and receive constructive feedback on their performance, says Grattan School Education Program Director, Dr Ben Jensen.
“The world’s best systems are relentless about teacher development. We are committed to it in principle but struggle in practice. This report shows how schools can do it,” Dr Jensen says. Making time for great teaching examines the timetables and budgets of six diverse schools across the country to identify ways they can change their practices in order to free up time for teacher development. It recommends, among a range of options, that schools make this time by reducing teacher presence at meetings and assemblies, extra-curricular events and professional development days that do not improve teaching. Yet Dr Jensen says that while schools can make substantial changes, governments
and school systems must lead the way by changing regulations in order to give teachers time to improve their classroom practice. “Right now we’re going the opposite way – schools are being asked to take on more subjects, more student welfare support, more extra-curricular activity and smaller classes,” Dr Jensen says. “We cannot expect teachers to lift our students to the best in the world while also insisting they undertake child minding in the playground and on busses on the way home from school.” “The best way to improve schools is to make the time to improve teaching. We know it. Now we have to do it.” Source: grattan.edu.au
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All Aboard
- using Skype in the classroom
TECHNOLOGY By Ryan Tindale
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icture it: two teachers are about to launch a new writing unit where students will write a research report on a marine animal. Class A has 21 twelve year olds, and the teacher launches the unit with a 20 minute trip to the library. Afterwards they head back to the class to start writing on an ocean animal they discovered in the library. Class B has 23 twelve year olds and their teacher launches the unit with a live Skype conversation with a marine biologist from London, England. She’ll do a live 15 minute talk on a variety of ocean dwellers followed up by a 5 minute q/a, answering nine questions from the excited and inquisitive tweens. Students will then start writing and will be given library passes to visit the library at recess. If you’d rather be in class B, check out Abbie Hine from Wise Oceans on Skype Education. Here’s another thought: I’m about to launch a narrative writing unit that asks students to add a new character into a present or past Disney movie. Eventually, they’ll add their new, imaginative character and the characters from the original into a new narrative. Beginning with a mini lesson I chose Peter Pan and had students brainstorm new characters to add
to a story. Some thought of adding a sister for Peter, while others added a brother for Hook. The next day, there are two options to continue the lesson. The common route, and one I’ve travelled down many times before, was to share their new stories with a peer and get helpful feedback. Cue Skype! Instead I had students share their stories with a published Disney-Hyperion author over Skype to receive her helpful feedback. If the second option tickles your fancy, then contact Heidi Schulz on Skype Education who is the author of Hook’s Revenge, which tells the story of Hook’s long lost daughter who returns to Neverland to avenge her father’s death. As teachers, we are experienced in teaching units about the solar system, reptiles, and fictional writing, but we’re not experts, right? Why not find someone who knows more about the unit? View the expert as the helper! Why not have a zoologist, astronaut or author offer their experiences about the very unit you’re teaching. I was standing in a lunch line at a conference and an older teacher came up to me and leaned in and whispered, “Thanks for encouraging us this morning in your Skype workshop to ask for help. Teachers shouldn’t feel like they need to be experts in everything. It was refreshing.”
Here are 5 ways I’ve asked for help: • My 10-year-old French immersion students learned about Parisian French from 10-year old students in France. • We learned watercolour painting from an artist that painted with her right hand, held her camera enabled phone with her left hand and narrated using the Skype app. • We learned about decimals from renowned Math educator and textbook writer Dr. Marian Small. • For persuasive writing, exploring whether it’s okay to keep exotic animals as pets, we called a monkey rescue centre in Cornwall, England. • After studying animal adaptations, we had an interactive conversation with the Director of Virtual Education at the North Carolina Museum of Civilization, where she introduced five live animals with HD cameras and took questions along the way. If I’ve sparked some curiousity about Skype, then step one is to make a Skype account and explore Skype Education (https:// education.skype.com). It’s home to thousands of teachers, experts, authors, scientists, astronomers, and others who are willing to help you teach in your classroom. In three years, I’ve used Skype nearly 40 times, and 30
Teacher TALK times in the 14/15 school year alone and once you start, teachers tell me over and over that ideas keep coming. There are three main parts to the Skype Education world each listed as a tab at the top of the screen. They are ‘Find a Lesson’, ‘Find a Teacher’, or participate in a ‘Mystery Skype’, which I’ll explain first. A great way to wet your feet is to try your first call with a grade partner. In May 2015, I helped four grade 2 classes do a Mystery Animal Skype call. The classes split off and each pair chose one animal such as a hippo or a lion. Then, they took turns asking yes/ no questions to see who could discover the their animal first. “Is yours a mammal?” “Does your animal walk on 4 legs?” “Is your animal a herbivore?” While a Mystery Skype call has an element of surprise, it can centre on anything. Typically, it focuses on geography, finding out where the other class lives. It serves has a great teacher of hemispheres, continents, countries etc. If you’re interested in connecting with other teachers, then you would ‘Find a Teacher’. It’s where I found my pen pal teacher who lives 800 km away. For the last three years, our
students have written to each other 3-4 times per year, but Skype let them meet each other face to face. You could find another teacher across an ocean or across your city inside Skype Education. If you only want a short, one time visit, and don’t want to carry a long term connection, the ‘Find a Lesson’ tab is where you’ll visit. If you’re looking for an expert on reptiles, maybe an author of the novel study you’re doing, a visit from a TED speaker, or Skype’s latest project of teaming up with an entrepreneur, then this is where you’ll start. Remember to narrow your list using filters. There are over 1900 lessons to choose from. When I narrow it down to ages 6-11, and Science, for a possible grade 5 Science lesson, the list drops to 66 lesson ideas. To recap, I’ve outlined the Skype Education website and served up a few ways I’ve used it personally in my classroom. I’ll end off by encouraging you to just ask. Teachers always ask me how I find these speakers. At first, I started exclusively within Skype Education, but as I grew in my comfort, I started searching for my own experts. I used a doctor for the
TR I V I A Madness Has your school looked at running a fundraising trivia night, but don’t know where to turn? What about the kids themselves? Do they want to be entertained and informed at the same time? Contact Wayne Shapiro at Trivia Madness on 0407 155 099 or wayne@triviamadness.com.au. With over 13 years’ experience running hundreds of quizzes throughout Sydney, we can help your school raise some much needed funds, or we can entertain your students with tailor written quizzes that are guaranteed to keep them engaged.
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Human Body unit with a q/a session from a local family doctor. We had a tour of a fire station and a farm, from a firefighter and a farmer parent of students in my class. But Dr Marion Small, a leading Canadian educator? A principal asked me how I managed to get her to teach my class. I simply asked! She did a full day workshop for our school district for 200 teachers. At the end of the day and the room had cleared, I went over and asked her if she’d be interested in teaching students via Skype. She curiously offered, I excitedly accepted, and we went from there. Just keep asking and keep teaching smarter! Ryan Tindale is a teacher in Ontario, Canada, who was a self-admitted disengaged student growing up. Now as an elementary school teacher, he loves to hook andfascinatehisstudentswithcreativityandtechnology. Skype is one of the many interests and tools he uses in his classroom. He was recently featured on the Digital Human Classroom website for his use of Skype in the classroom (http://bit.ly/DHLBLOG). For more ideas, check out his website at http://teachingsmarter.wix. com/homeoremailhimatteachingsmarter@gmail.com
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We need to stop pretending that all ideas are the same. Flickr/ LiverpoolHopeUniversity
TECHNIQUES
Are all ideas equal? Not in the classroom By Peter Ellerton
here is a widespread belief amongst teachers that it is part of their duty of care, even a defining aspect of their of professionalism, that all views expressed in the classroom are to be treated equally. I take it as one of my first duties to challenge this. The right to have a view is indeed equally shared, but this is does not imply the same for the idea itself. If all ideas are equal, then all ideas are worthless. If we accept this, then we can meaningfully ask questions about how these views might be evaluated – true grist for the educational mill.
Central to a liberal society is the right to discuss things. Not being able to do this is totalitarianism - the banning of unsanctioned ideas. So where on the continuum of controlling public discourse, if it is to be done at all, can we comfortably sit? The further we move away from unfettered public speech the murkier the waters become, with calls of and for censorship beginning after the first paddle stroke. Where this boundary lies for and within individuals is highly significant in an educational setting. Let me make the point in a broader social context, one that involves exploring that most cherished of hurts, the pain of being offended.
find it most often? No, such offence seems the end-point along a path of least resistance for those whose most strongly held beliefs are challenged. They claim for their ideas what rightly belongs to people: respect. We naturally adopt a respectful attitude to people. At this basic level, people have to work hard to lose our respect, and even then we may choose not to leave them at the last because we value human life and dignity. We appreciate that they contribute in some way to the social norms we all enjoy, and that they, like us, are creators of society as well as a participants in it.
A FINE LINE An American bill, defeated ultimately by the Oklahoma Senate this year, attempted to legislate that students were not to be “penalised in any way because the student may subscribe to a particular position on scientific theories”. Obviously this is terrain that must be carefully negotiated in the context of developing minds, but there is a core principle here that requires articulation.
THE TRUTH HURTS What happens when you are offended by something someone says but no one around you seems outraged? Well, first you’d best establish that you’re deeply offended. Don’t be very offended: be deeply offended, or even offend to the core of your being. And what could cause such offence? One might imagine a threat to the physical safety of you and your loved ones, but is this where we
PEOPLE AND IDEAS Ideas have no such empathic traction. Unlike people they cannot suffer, they do not know joy and they do not contribute by themselves to the happiness of others in any social sense. That is not to say there are no really good or really bad ideas, but that they need to stand or fall exclusively on their merits, and often within their own contexts. They should be subject to critical scrutiny
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Teacher TALK and survive only though articulation and argumentation. The point is, ideas are not people. And people are not just their ideas. This is certainly true, at least, in that I am not my patented, self-cleaning bathtub, but is it just as true that I am not my political ideology, or
and, like all ideas in a free society, it must be permissible to subject it to inquiry. THE FALLACY OF DEEPEST OFFENCE To assume that an idea may not be questioned because it is a part of your identity, and that an
If you want to believe that the world is made of snow, that women are inferior to men or that homosexuality is morally wrong then go ahead. But the instant you take that belief into the public arena, your ideas will be rightfully tested. that I am not my religious belief? These latter examples may not be quite so neatly teased apart: when does my idea become my creed, and when does my creed become my identity? For the individual, there is a distinct difference between a casual idea and a core belief. We may claim that without that core belief we would be other than who we are, but that other ideas can be considered just as an intellectual exercise (I am aware that I have simplified the nature of belief, but it will do to serve my point). Here is where we need to acknowledge the painful fact that what is a core belief to us may be simply an entertaining idea to someone else
attack on it is an attack on you, equivalent to a denial of human respect, is a fallacy, and I name it here the “Fallacy of Deepest Offence”. It is a blurring of the line between people and ideas. It is a device by which ideas are rendered immune to critical inquiry. If you want to believe that the world is made of snow, that women are inferior to men or that homosexuality is morally wrong then go ahead. But the instant you take that belief into the public arena, your ideas will be rightfully tested. The minute you suggest others should believe it too, you will be challenged. When you ask that the taxes of your fellow citizens
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support your beliefs, you will be resisted. This is exactly how an open society operates and should operate. You are not immune because you are sincere. To not recognise this fallacy within us, and to not permit students to learn of it, creates two problems at the very least. The first is that we lose the ability to reflect on our own internal processes. If we do not look inwards and question what we see, we fossilise, led more by our creed than by our critical faculties. The second is that we become less tolerant of others, less willing to work collaboratively, and less able to comprehend arguments. Both of these diminish our ability to contribute and to co-exist. To make the claim of offence in this way is to not only commit the fallacy, but is also to utterly disrespect the right of your fellows to engage in honest inquiry, and that is a very deep offence indeed – particularly when it carries over into the classroom.
Peter Ellerton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above. Source: theconversation.com
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TECHNIQUES
Watch your language when talking about autism By Liz Pellicano
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ords matter. The way we use them to communicate with or about others can have a huge impact on people’s lives. This is especially the case when it comes to disability. Handicapped. Retarded. Mad. Activists have campaigned hard to eradicate such terms, which are offensive and perpetuate a negative view of disabled people – one as passive, unable to take control over their own lives. Responding to this demand, recent government guidelines have encouraged clinicians and teachers to use positive and inclusive language, including the use of language that does not define people by their disability. “Person-first” language has become what’s called for: that is, calling someone a “person with autism” – describing what a person has, not what a person is. This has become the recommended way to speak with or about disability – in the press, journal articles,
hospitals and schools. It is difficult not to see the good intentions behind this approach. But perhaps it is not really as inclusive as it claims to be. Many disabled people have argued vehemently against the use of “person-first” language, instead preferring “disability-first” language, such as he or she is an “autistic person”. Nowhere is this issue more hotly debated than the field of autism. Many autistic activists argue that person-first language is dehumanising, as if they can somehow be separated from their autism, that there is a “typical” person affected by autism, rather than a person whose life is in part defined by being autistic. These are difficult questions. But it is surely not difficult to argue that truly inclusive language should be defined by the people who are actually autistic. Not by well-meaning outsiders, no matter how powerful. Take a look at the #actuallyautistic and #describingautism twitter handles to see some of these debates.
Not right for everyone Recently, together with the National Autistic Society, my colleagues and I asked 3,470 autistic people, parents and their broader support network, about the words they use to describe themselves, their children or the people with whom they work. Did they prefer to use “autistic person”? Or “person with autism”? Or “person who has autism”? The results clearly showed that people use many terms when talking about autism. The words “autism” and “on the autism spectrum” were clear favourites among all the groups added together. But there was much disagreement on the use of several words and phrases. Professionals preferred to use “person with autism” while autistic adults and family members preferred on the whole to use “is autistic”. They thought that the term allowed them to describe the centrality of autism to their lives.
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One autistic woman said: In describing someone who’s autistic as ‘a person with autism/person who has autism/ (or worst of all) person who suffers from autism’ you imply that autism is separate from a person, and behind their autism is a ‘normal’ person. Agree to disagree But these preferences were not unanimous, of course. Instead, for autistic people, family members and professionals, the words they used often hinged on what people believed autism to be. Those who felt that autism is one trait of many in a person tended to prefer person-first language. Others, who felt that autism is central to their or their child’s identity, opted to use “autistic”. Others still noted the need to use different words depending on whom one is speaking to. There is no one way of describing autism on which everyone can agree. There never will be. In order to answer who the question of who gets to decide which terms should be used, first, everyone connected to autism needs to come to accept the fact of disagreement and to respond to it with openness, flexibility and
tolerance of divergence of opinion. We should always seek to establish how people wish to be described – by asking them directly, if possible – and not impose external views or guidelines upon them. Perhaps even more importantly, we need to create the conditions for debate and conversation between all of the people who are touched by autism and work in the field. It
is, after all, only when we listen to each other that we discover what individual words are taken to mean and why they often matter so much. Liz Pellicano is a reader in Developmental Cognitive Science at UCL Institute of Education. Source: theconversation.com
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Single-sex schools: we wouldn’t segregate kids by race, so why do we still do it by gender? OPINION
By Anna Dabrowski
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t was recently announced that for the first time in its history, The Armidale School of NSW would allow female students to enrol. The prestigious school is one of several single-sex institutions making a move towards coeducational education, reflecting a trend in Australia and the United Kingdom. The Armidale School’s announcement is a welcome decision, particularly given there is little evidence to support the segregation of students on the basis of sex or gender as a means to promote academic achievement. In fact, single-sex schooling has the potential to cause more harm than good. Single-sex schooling doesn’t promote achievement. To date, research has failed to demonstrate that single-sex education produces better academic outcomes when compared to coeducational schooling. Proponents of singlesex schooling argue that girls flourish in calm environments, free from the sexual pressures represented by their “disruptive” male peers,
and boys benefit from energetic, girl-free spaces. Yet studies argue that any perceived academic advantages of single-sex schools disappear when other variables, such as socioeconomic background and parental education levels, are considered. A number of analyses have examined the impact of single-sex education on academic achievement. In 2014, a large-scale study of more than 20 nations examined the extent to which single-sex schooling led to superior academic outcomes. It found the difference between coeducational schooling and singlesex education to be negligible. This finding echoes many other studies conducted in Australia and other countries around the world. Similarly, when education researcher John Hattie examined the effect of gender separation on student outcomes in his well-known metaanalysis of influences on learning, there was little to suggest that gender-based segregation offered any academic advantage. Results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) further support the
lack of evidence of any link between single-sex schooling and academic outcomes. Female and male brains are different – but gender is a more complex matter. While it has been argued that boys and girls have different “learning preferences”, there is little evidence that this is sex- or genderspecific, and no evidence that teaching to those supposed differences makes any difference to students’ learning outcomes. Female brains do differ from male brains, both anatomically and developmentally, but this differentiation is minor, not directly related to the child’s ability to learn and arises not only from genetic factors, but also sociocultural and environmental factors. These differences are often used to support the claim that single-sex schools are necessary to provide differentiated education which better accommodates those neurological differences. This is a reasonable hypothesis, but the real test of its validity is not the mere existence of those brain differences, but whether teaching to those differences actually leads to improved educational outcomes.
Teacher TALK In the case of academic outcomes, such differentiation does not. In fact, in the case of social, emotional, psychological and socialand gender-equity outcomes, it is clear singlesex schools can produce worse outcomes and may actually be harmful to children. Opponents of single-sex schooling in the United States have argued that separation on the basis of sex and gender is akin to racial segregation and facilitates inequity between students. Like the outdated practice of segregating students based on race, sex- and genderbased segregation ignores the complexity of students, their sexuality and gender and sexual identities, facilitating a culture of sexism stereotypes and discrimination. Single-sex schools also contribute to the construct of a false dichotomy between male and female gender. Forcing students into categories of boys and girls ignores how students perceive and talk about themselves in terms of their gender. Single-sex education also perpetuates the myth that gender is synonymous with sex. It is
not. Sex is predominantly but not exclusively binary, and is biologically determined. Gender and gender identity, however, are complex phenomena arising from an interaction of many ideological, psychological and sociocultural factors, all of which are culturally and temporally relative. Delineating schools on the basis of this artificial dichotomy perpetuates the myth of both a gender binary and a gender-identity binary. For students who do not fall within these relative norms, or whose gender identities do not align with their biological sex, significantly higher rates of suicide, suicide attempts, selfharm, depressive illnesses and bullying are the tragic outcomes. This is a notable indictment of singlesex education systems, as education has the power to undo these ill-founded and biologically inaccurate stereotypes. While increasing awareness of adolescent sex and gender issues is a step in the right direction, segregation based on students’ sex or gender is not. There’s no place for single-sex schooling in
13
the Australian education landscape. The decline of institutions offering singlesex education in Australia and Britain reflects a welcome movement towards inclusive forms of education. Just as it is not acceptable to segregate students on the basis of socioeconomic status, race or culture, there is no place for segregation on the basis of sex or gender. While parents and carers have the right to select programs designed to enhance educational opportunities, Australian students also deserve an opportunity to interact and engage with each other, regardless of perceived and socially constructed “differences”. Promoting such opportunities prepares students for life beyond the classroom, a skill that is more important than the purported myth of academic achievement driven by advocates of single-sex schools.
Anna Dabrowski is a Research Fellow, Melbourne Graduate School of Education at University of Melbourne Source: theconversation.com
The male and female brains do have subtle differences, but there’s no evidence to suggest this affects learning.
14
Teacher TALK
What is behind the magic of Sesame Street?
EDUCATION By Travis Wright
W
hat is it about the long-time
dedicated Sesame Street viewer during my own childhood in the 70’s, I am well
acquainted with the show’s power to
understand what makes Sesame Street such a powerful teaching tool.
Screen time alone does not lead to
influence children.
learning.
influence generations of viewers?
children growing up in the context of urban
appropriate. Research on child development
Kearney and Phillip B Levine concluded that
educational experiences of preschool-aged
presented in a way that is appropriate for
favourite television show, Sesame
Street, that has allowed it to
A recent study by economists Melissa
children who watched Sesame Street in the 1970s fared better in school than peers who did not tune in to the iconic program.
The study found that children who lived in
areas with greater Sesame Street coverage
I have spent the last 15 years working with
poverty. Presently, I am investigating the children who are homeless.
These experiences inform my perspective
on why Sesame Street, in particular, has had such a positive impact on young viewers.
What I am concerned about is the
(Marcin Bajer, CC BY-NC)
First, Sesame Street is developmentally
informs the show and concepts are
young learners. Research shows when
instruction is aligned with children’s capacity
to understand it, they willingly engage the material and develop self-confidence.
Second, education trumps entertainment.
in 1969 were significantly more likely to be at
conclusion of the authors of the Sesame
On Sesame Street, children are engaged
This effect was particularly pronounced
media more generally can be leveraged to
repeat, respond, and to think about what is
the age-appropriate grade level.
among boys and black, non-Hispanic
children. The study found that the likelihood of these children being left behind was reduced by 16% for boys across race and
13.7% for black, non-Hispanic children, in areas with strong reception. Sesame Street’s magic
As an educational researcher, early
childhood educator, psychologist, and
Street program study that “TV and electronic address income and racial gaps in children’s school readiness.” Perhaps.
But we should proceed with caution in
advocating blindly for an increased emphasis on children’s television and screen time as
a potential remedy for America’s persistent
as partners in learning – they are asked to occurring on the screen.
Third, Sesame Street honours children’s
lives and engages them in discussions about
things that matter to them, including diversity and difference. Children see people like them living and learning on Sesame Street.
Moreover, over the years, Sesame Street
achievement gap. And we must understand:
has not shied away from difficult topics such
learn all these years? For this, it is important to
incarceration.
why is it that Sesame Street has helped children
as death, homelessness, discrimination and
Teacher TALK
15
As important is that Sesame Street helps
children who have not experienced these
things relate to them. This helps foster empathy for others. In short, Sesame Street
relates to children and helps them feel as if they matter.
Screen time is not a remedy However,
increasingly,
these
crucial
elements are being overlooked both in children’s classrooms and in media targeted at them.
Even though children are spending many
more hours in front of the television than
children did during the 1970s, there is much greater disparity in academic achievement and other indicators of learning.
The gap in standardized test scores
between affluent and low-income students
has grown about 40% since the 1960s and
is now double the testing gap between white and black students. A separate study found
who may be parked in front of a television
more attention and retain more information.
5.5 hours per day using sedentary screen
disengage from them.
advocating blindly for an increased emphasis
their personal lives are often not supported
as a potential remedy for the persistent
that low-income boys who spend more than media are the lowest-performing students.
Learning has lost its fun for children.
Young children are being asked to master content that is beyond their appropriate
or computer screen so that others might
Thus, children experiencing challenges in
in developing coping skills.
In building on the findings of this recent
developmental level. This makes learning
study, it is important to keep in mind that
Frequently, screen time is used to entertain
its approach, not just because the television
frustrating and leads children to feel insecure. and/or manage children, shifting them into
the role of passive observer. In my work as an educational researcher and clinician, I have found this is especially true for children
whose behaviour is viewed as challenging,
Sesame Street made a difference because of was used to deliver it.
Children are willing to tune into Sesame
Street and pay attention because it is
relevant. When learning occurs in a context that is relevant to children’s lives, they pay
We should proceed with caution in
on children’s television and screen time achievement gap.
Most of all, we must understand the magic
that is Sesame Street in order to replicate its impact.
Travis Wright is the Assistant Professor of Multicultural Education, Teacher Education, and Childhood Studies at University of WisconsinMadison.
Source: theconversation.com
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Teacher TALK
16
Teaching and Testing Suicidality MANAGING BEHAVIOUR
By Keith Harris
T
he WHO reports many millions of people die by suicide or are affected by the devastating consequences of suicidality each year (www.who.int/mental_ health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/). Unfortunately, most school communities have also suffered from the unfortunate repercussions of suicide among students and staff. Classmates, colleagues, family and the community frequently respond to these tragedies with the questions “why?” and “what could we have done?” There are no easy answers to those seemingly simple questions. However, there are many dedicated community workers, school staff, parents, and professionals who work hard to take small but meaningful steps forward to understand, treat, and prevent this complex problem. One educator, Dr Keith Harris of the University of Queensland, took the long road to work in this area. After several years teaching English as a second language (ESL) at the secondary and tertiary levels in Japan, he decided to change
course to try to better understand the suicides of several colleagues and try to help others. Now he teaches and conducts research in psychology, with several studies on suicide prevention. It may come as a surprise to some that both students and staff alike have flocked to his courses on suicidality and suicide prevention programs. His suicidology courses were among the most popular psychology electives at two universities he taught at. Students and staff were also eager to connect with his Suicide Study Group, which includes a Facebook page by the same name, to work on suicide prevention efforts. That school community effort produced important dividends. After several years of discussions, research, and hard work, Dr Harris, with the help of his colleagues and students, recently produced a new suicide risk instrument and methodology. That team effort resulted in a state-of-the-art, and brief, self-report test called the Suicidal AffectBehavior-Cognition Scale (SABCS). Dr Harris’s ABCs of suicidality recognize the importance of a person’s feelings (affect) in addition to
their behaviours (such as making suicide plans and attempts), and thoughts (cognition), as encompassing a more complete totality of the suicidal mind. And, like any good educator, his work emphasizes the importance of diligence, paying attention to small details to get things done right. That meant doing a lot of homework, reviewing best practices on test development, learning seldom used statistical procedures, and conducting the work over four independent studies to ensure the results were consistent and the instrument the best it could be. It is hoped that the SABCS will lead to improved understanding of suicide risk, through research efforts, better detection of those currently or potentially at risk, and save time and money with this public domain measure. His paper “The ABC’s of Suicide Risk Assessment” and the SABCS can be found at the public access journal PLoS ONE: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/ article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0127442
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18
Teacher TALK
Setting
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
By Michelle Gleeson
T
here is no doubt that starting out as a teacher is an exciting, challenging, and at times overwhelming period. Whatever role and position you’re in, it’s important to develop and maintain a ‘big-picture’ perspective in your first few years of teaching. The routines, practices and behaviours that you instill in your professional life now can put you in good stead for the years ahead. Be actively engaged and pro-active Now, active doesn’t mean volunteering to take on the dance group, soccer team and the debating club all at once. In that regard, be quite selective about additional roles that you take on and work to your strengths. Remember, your primary responsibilities are to the class or group of students whom you teach every day. Instead, engage in practices that will support and enhance what you do in the classroom. Ask questions, seek out teachers who you feel you can learn a lot from (chances are they might learn from you, too). Be willing to be open about your practice and share what you’re doing, even if this isn’t the custom or habit of those around you. Collegiality builds the strongest support in schools. Be reflective and willing to adapt and experiment. The most effective teachers are those who continuously review what they are doing, and evaluate it in light of current ‘bestpractice’ and what is best for students. Maintain your love of learning There has to be something said about a person who spends 13+ years of their life in education to then take up a career in that very profession. Think about what got you into teaching in the first place. Was it a passion for ancient Rome? Being curious about physical phenomena? A fascination about how children learn to read and write? Whatever the impetus, we’ve all come from a place of being totally absorbed in our area of interest that drove us into becoming a teacher. Throughout your career, recognise areas where you can further your learning. Keep your teaching fresh, interesting and engaging by keeping up with content knowledge and current pedagogy. Your students will appreciate and value your teaching when you maintain your love of learning throughout your teaching practice. Build professional networks Connect with teachers and teaching beyond the school gate. Chances are there are teachers in the school down the road and in schools in the far west of the state who are facing similar experiences and can relate to you. There may be a wealth of experience in your workplace, and
certainly a mentor is a great point of contact to debrief, but it is also important to get out of the ‘bubble’ and take an outside perspective. Read professional journals, join a professional association, attend a union association meeting, and interact with professional learning networks through social media. Involvement in these activities can also lead to fantastic professional opportunities that can further support your growth as an educator. Develop your own professional plan Whilst it’s often the case that early in your career teachers are consumed by managing the day-to-day aspects of teaching, take time to think about factors that will affect your professional life over the longer term. Set yourself realistic goals and review them regularly. The end of each term is a helpful marker for reflection and review, especially when the busyness of the term sets in. If there are parts of your teaching that you want to improve or refine, focus on mastering one area of your teaching at a time and develop a set of aims and resources that can support you to get to where you want to be. Similarly, if you need to attain Proficient Teacher accreditation with BOSTES, use the given timeline wisely and work in a process of continual review and reflection. Leaving this process until 3 months out from the due date will only result in unnecessary stress for yourself and for others who are supporting you in this process. Balance life and work This seems like commonsense, but far too
often early career teachers find themselves feeling overworked as they work through trying to prioritise the range of tasks that come with the job. Teaching can very easily become a 24/7 job. Creating the perfect resource, finding a strategy that might work with the student who finds a particular concept challenging – these are the things that keep our brains whirring when we should be resting. Establishing work and life routines by setting yourself boundaries around what work you take home can help curb burnout behaviours. And for the times when you do tire and get sick, take care of yourself by staying home because you’ll be better for it in the long run. Finally, the core of effective teaching is built on relationships.Positiverelationshipswithstudents, parents and teacher colleagues, and also the relationships that exist between students, build trust for learning to occur. Modelling the teacher who you want to be from the start of your career will impact not only your students but also influence those who work with you and the community who observes you. Stay positive, be persistent and keep growing and developing your professional persona. And above all else, love the teaching.
Michelle Gleeson is a teacher at Castle Hill Public School. For the last five years she has run many workshops and conference presentations including for the NSW Institute of Teachers and the Centre for Professional Learning.
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20
Teacher TALK
10 DISCIPLINE TIPS
By Ronald Morrish
S
tudents who are engaged in learning are not misbehaving. Your ability to keep students productively engaged will determine much of your success in the teaching profession. Here are ten ways to keep your students engaged in learning. 1. Infect your students. No, not with a virus—with your enthusiasm. It’s always been said that a teacher must be like an actor on the stage. It’s actually a very basic rule: No student gets excited about learning something that the teacher is not excited about teaching. For every lesson, bring your passion for teaching. It’s infectious and it gives the students their passion for learning. 2. Keep your voice on the lesson. When you interrupt your lesson to comment on student behaviour, all the other students lose their focus and go off task. Teachers who use “best practice” techniques use their voice to keep a lesson flowing and ensure everyone stays engaged. For behaviour, they use mostly non-verbal techniques such as prompts and cues, eye contact and proximity. When they use their voice, it’s for questioning, not scolding. In effective classrooms, learning is the focus, not behaviour. 3. “Wrap” your topics. Many topics in the curriculum are boring—but that doesn’t mean the lesson has to be boring. The trick is to wrap up the lesson in something that makes it engaging. Don’t tell your students that today’s topic is the format of a formal business letter (yawn). Tell them that the lesson is about writing to the city’s mayor and inviting the mayor to visit the school. Designing a French cafe is far more exciting than “now we’re doing lesson 46 on page 93,” even though the learning may be exactly the same. There’s always a way to make a topic interesting and that’s why great teaching is an art.
Great Ways to Keep Students Engaged
4. Question everyone. Someteachersweretaughttoonlyinteractwith students who raise their hands. This technique is part of maintaining orderly control of the learning environment. The problem is that some students never raise their hands. They just sit there completely detached from everything that is going on. That’s why best practice teachers question every student in the classroom, not just the ones with their hands up—and they are particularly quick to ask questions of those who start talking to their neighbours or looking out the window. 5. Variety is the spice of life—and lessons. It’s actually okay to do a lecture-style lesson every so often. Every teacher does. But if you teach that way all the time, the students will be asleep. So mix it up. Get the students out of their seats measuring, building, researching, interviewing, debating. Use all the different modalities—kinaesthetic,oral,visual,tactile,etc. Interchange individual work and group work. Change the pacing of your lessons. 6. Connect lessons to real life experiences and student interests. It’s one thing to read about climbing Mount Everest; it’s another thing to Skype someone who’s actually accomplished the feat. Similarly, arithmetic becomes more meaningful when the students are calculating the costs of an upcoming field trip. When lessons are meaningful and relevant, the increase in student engagement is dramatic. 7. Use technology as an everyday teaching tool. Today’s students have never known a world without electronic wizardry. To them, texting a friend is as natural as getting a drink of water. There’s no point arguing about whether technology is good or bad for education. Like it or not, it’s part of the real world. Whenever appropriate, weave it into your lessons. Use it as an everyday tool, not as a special privilege.
8. Assignment “menus.” Different people learn in different ways. That’s why differentiated instruction is so important, but it doesn’t just apply to the way lessons are presented. When possible, give students a variety of ways to demonstrate that they have learned the material. One student may decide to do a multi-page written assignment. Others could decide to work as a group and produce a multimedia presentation. And someone else could take on the role of a reporter and do interviews combined with the writing of a mock newspaper column. Students are far more likely to be engaged when they are given some choice when it comes to assignments. 9. Like the actors say, “What’s my motivation?” Some students are motivated by marks. Others aren’t. That’s why best practice teachers weave various types of motivation into their lessons. Challenges, competitions, beat the clock, recognition, rewards and special incentives are all part of the mix. Into every lesson, add a spoonful of motivation and your results will be improved dramatically. 10. Model the engagement you want from the students. If you disengage from the lesson to do another task, the students will do likewise. When students are working on an assignment, move around the room, ask and answer questions, check work, and redirect those who are losing their focus. Be available. If you sit at your desk to mark the work from the previous class, you may find yourself getting annoyed with your present class.
Ronald Morrish is an educational consultant and speaker from Fonthill, Ontario. He has written two books, “Secrets of Discipline: 12 Keys for Raising Responsible Children”, and, “With All Due Respect: Keys for Building Effective School Discipline”. For more information, visit his web site at www.realdiscipline. com or contact him at ronaldmorrish@bell.net. Source:www.canadianteachermagazine.com
Teacher TALK
21
Keeping up a Healthy Lifestyle During the ColderMonths
RECIPE By Alix Toynton, The Shrinking Hubby
I
t is definitely harder to maintain a healthy lifestyle in winter. We tend to crave comforting food during the colder months – and more of it - plus it’s harder to get out of bed early to exercise in the cold. And let’s face it, the winter wardrobe can be very forgiving – jumpers, coats and long pants are very good at hiding our winter culinary sins! I know my taste buds change in winter. I no longer wish for fresh crispy salads for lunches. The soups and stews I crave in the colder months take longer to prepare than a tossedtogether salad, so I find that I need to be more organised with pre-cooked meals to take to work for lunches. It doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated though. My delicious Lamb Shank recipe below is one of our winter staples. It is so easy to throw together and if you double the quantities you will have plenty to freeze for future dinners or lunches. As a self-confessed fitness addict, even I struggle to get out of bed early in winter time. Those early mornings are bitingly cold at the moment and the warmth of bed is very seductive. It is important however to fight the urge to turn your alarm off, as exercising, especially throughout winter is so important for our physical and mental health and once you get going, you never regret a workout! Here are a few tips for you to help you stick to your early exercise programme this winter: • Find a friend to be there with you it’s much harder to stand a friend up than it is to stand ourselves up. • Get everything ready the night before –
and I mean everything – clothes all out, water bottle/s filled, car keys handy. I know of people who actually sleep in their gym clothes – at least they will be nice and warm when you wake up! • Acknowledge and accept that it simply won’t be easy to get out of bed at 5.30 in the middle of winter and prepare for that little voice in your head! I have been getting up at 5.30 am for years without fail and I can tell you it never gets easy but I’ve never regretted it – never. • Finally, do not press snooze, it will spiral out of control and you’ll end up rolling over and going back to sleep.
THE SHRINKING HUBBY’S SLOW COOKED LAMB SHANKS
This is a wonderfully comforting recipe for winter time. The best part is you can throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and not think about it until dinner time when a tasty, nutritious meal will be ready to be enjoyed by the whole family! INGREDIENTS 4 lamb shanks 2 cans organic diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves 2 cups stock or broth 1-2 tablespoons of coconut or rapadura sugar (optional) Sea salt and cracked pepper (to taste) METHOD Throw the whole lot in the slow cooker. Cook on low all day or on high from lunch time until dinner. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook these for a couple of hours on a low heat (160°C/320°F) in the oven, turning the shanks after about 45 minutes.
Notes: You can add a cup of brown lentils to the slow cooker at the beginning. You may also wish to add a couple of cups of chopped vegetables (e.g. zucchini, carrot, cauliflower). These shanks are delicious served with mashed sweet potato or cauliflower rice – lower carb options for traditional rice or mashed potato. Watch the liquid level in the slow cooker and add more stock or broth if needed. This is really tasty, family friendly and freezes well.
About Alix After helping her husband lose 60 kilos while enjoying clean, healthy and delicious food, Alix Toynton created The Shrinking Hubby to share her passion for good quality food and exercise and encourage others to enjoy a healthier way of life. Alix has recently released her first cookbook ‘Healthy Food We Love To Eat’ following her online success and it is filled with over 50 delicious, gluten free and refined sugar free recipes. Many are also dairy free and Thermomix friendly. All these recipes are loved by her family, friends and followers and are sure to impress even the most uninspired palate. She is not a qualified nutritionist, however the information and recipes she shares are a result of countless hours spent researching and practising in her kitchen and her achievements are a testament to this. She is dedicated to communicating everything she has learned and continues to learn on her journey in an effort to encourage others to embrace a healthy lifestyle and live and eat to be their best too. You can find Alix online at: W: www.theshrinkinghubby.com F: www.facebook.com/theshrinkinghubby I: @theshrinkinghubby T: @shrinkinghubby P: www.pinterest.com/alixtoynton
22
Teacher TALK
Ant-Man (PG) MOVIE REVIEW By Alex First
A
n engaging script, a strong showing by two of the leads and good humour are hallmarks of this picture, which introduces us to a founding member of The Avengers’ universe. Marvel Comics first introduced Hank Pym/ Ant-Man in 1962 in “Tales to Astonish #27” and the following year Pym appeared alongside The Avengers in the team’s debut in “Avengers #1”. Pym became Ant-Man after discovering a chemical substance – The Pym Particle – which allowed him to alter his size and possess superhuman strength. With the development of another of Pym’s technologies, Ant-Man also has the ability to control armies of ants. This new action adventure introduces master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd – I Love You Man, Role Models) as the present-day Ant-Man. It is Lang who is armed by Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas – Wall Street, Behind the Candelabra) with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale and increase in strength. Now he must embrace his inner hero and help Pym protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang need to plan and pull off a heist
that will save the world. I was skeptical going in, but pleasantly surprised coming out, a sure sign that I had enjoyed what was on offer. Marvel is building a hell of a reputation for being able to turn comic book stories into crowd-pleasing actioners. Its group and individual Avengers films invariably claim hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, at the box office. Think Age of Ultron, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man, to name but a few. The first step in the process of creating a new franchise was deciding how the story of Ant-Man fitted into the ever-expanding Marvel cinematic universe. The filmmakers decided to play with the history of the character and create a plausible back-story. Even though Scott Lang has been in prison, he was an “intelligent” burglar, jailed for a crime without violence. He is also estranged from his wife and gorgeous young daughter, the apple of his eye and the main reason he wants to go straight. Paul Rudd brings his usual charm and swagger to the role. He is eminently likeable, but also seems to cross effortlessly into the more physical demands of his alter ego. I was also impressed by Michael Douglas, who brings credibility and gravitas to his
performance as the scientist with a conscience that has had a prickly relationship with his daughter, Evangaline Lilly (The Hurt Locker, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, TV’s Lost). He is extremely concerned that his inventions are likely to fall into the wrong hands, something his moral compass simply won’t allow. The plot ensures the Ant-Man characters are cleverly interwoven with players to which we’ve already been introduced in The Avengers. So, in other words, while Ant-Man stands alone, it is patently clear that he is part of a much larger family. The comic interplay between Rudd and his ex-prison buddy mate Michael Pena makes for some entertaining moments, while Bobby Cannavale is cast as a cop who has taken Rudd’s place in the family home. Rudd is not only the star but one of four writers, while you should also watch out for Stan Lee, one of the three comic creators, in a cameo as a bartender. Direction is from Peyton Reed (Bring It On, The Break Up, Yes Man) and he hits the right notes. Remember to stay on until the end because further plot elements are revealed during the credits. Rated PG, Ant-Man is another Marvel winner that is sure to do well at the worldwide box office and scores an 8 to 8 ½ out of 10.
Your Easy “No-Dig” School Garden Greenfingers at School Those who discover the joys and benefits of gardening early will reap its rewards throughout their lives. Having a garden at school is a gift.
T
he ‘growing-food-in-schools’ movement is expanding. Research and practice has provided the multi-sided developmental and educational benefits of this earth-grounded and hands-on activity. Wise educators increasingly see gardens as essential parts of a school’s infrastructure. It seems there has never been a child who couldn’t find something to enjoy in a garden. Here are two key reasons why you should incorporate gardening into your school:
the garden in ways that are appropriate for purpose and which are sustainable in the long-term. at School The Greenfingers at School series published by User Friendly Resources provides teachers and learners access to specialised knowledge and guidance that is vital to meet this challenge.
Sustainability: Organic horticulture practised in a school’s food garden provides an on-site working demonstration of environmental management. This meets part of the requirement in schools for a cross-curriculum emphasis on sustainability. A garden and gardening programme may also work well in meeting other sustainability imperatives – for example, in the area of recycling.
The series demonstrates how: • Getting active in a garden provides physical exercise. • Mastering horticultural skills fosters self-confidence. • Food knowledge builds a foundation for sound nutritional habits.
Community involvement: With its high visibility and virtually universal interest, an organic food garden on school grounds can become a place for building the bonds between school and community. There are many opportunities for people from outside the school to become involved in a garden project. Managing this aspect in a positive way is covered in the published resource The Essential School Garden.
Here is how you can design, build and plant your own school garden: Preview my Greenfingers at School series online and get access to a step-by-step process to setting up a school garden that will produce edible plants throughout the school year. Ideal support for introducing school gardening projects this spring and summer. – Pauline McKelvey
For teachers and administrators in a school, the challenge is to develop and sustain a functional teaching garden that will fulfil its purpose, justify the investment of time and money and not cause problems. Success depends on setting up, developing and maintaining
Pauline is the author of Greenfingers at School series published by User Friendly Resources. She is a technical journalist, writer and editor. She now works extensively in school and community gardening as a facilitator and resource person.
What we do and what makes us different? User Friendly Resources specializes in creating and developing high quality supplementary curriculum and teacher support materials. They are designed with diverse learners in mind, and provide engaging and innovative ideas to supplement your teaching programmes. We know about curriculum, teaching, learning and learners first-hand because our books are written by teachers for teachers. With over 700 teaching resources and
25 years of experience, we’re worth checking out! We are looking for teacher authors. We are always looking for new authors. If you are from a teaching background, keen to share your idea on what has worked for you in the classroom, or perhaps have a resource in mind or paper that needs a platform then we would love to hear from you. Just send us an email – info@userfriendlyresources.com or give us a call on 1800 553 890.
TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES
Greenfingers
Important developmental needs of children are met simply by them being allowed to be in close contact with biological processes of growth.
Wr itten
BY TEACHERS, FOR TEACHERS
To place your order or to find out more go to: www.userfriendlyresources.com.au or call 1800 553 890
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Teacher TALK
THEATRE REVIEW By Alex First
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nergy, heart, joy and fun are the ingredients of the latest circus to hit town. This year, more than any other in recent memory, has been the year of the circus, and we are only at the half-way point! Show after show has showcased (pardon the pun) feats of athleticism, dexterity, strength and endurance. Some have a theme, others are risque, while still more are purely about skill and showmanship. Cirque Africa fits neatly into this latter category. The cast consists of 38 of Africa’s finest aerial artists, jugglers, stilt dancers, contortionists, clowns and more. They hail from Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, the Ivory Coast and Ghana. I counted 24 performers the night I saw it, along with an excellent rhythmic nine piece band from Zanzibar and Zimbabwe that perform music specially composed for this Australian tour. It is a celebration of African culture, theatre, song and dance. Cirque Africa travelled to the USA, Germany, Costa Rica, Italy, France, Romania, Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain before venturing Down Under (their first time here). Although they profess to run a 90 minute show, excluding interval, we got every bit of two hours worth and there was so much to enjoy and applaud wildly.
Cirque Africa
I am happy to report that even after my surfeit of circus-related performances, during which I believed I had seen every kind of act – many, many times over – there was some fresh material here. Admittedly, I had been spoilt for choice and variety, but even if you have seen acrobats and jugglers before, these guys (and I use the term generically) push it to the limit. There are more hula hoops, bowls and balls, more routines, higher pyramids, stronger men, even a male torso contorted to such an extent that you couldn’t conceive it is humanly possible. And that is without any mention of the glorious and richly colourful African-themed costumes – numbering more than 200 – which are such an important part of the overall package. The designers should take a bow, because all I need say about that is ‘brilliant’. For the first time, Cirque Africa is staged in a 12-metre high big top or tent, providing elevated seated for up to 1,100 people at any one time. Among my personal favourites was The Amazing Hakuna Matata Acrobats, the world’s largest African acrobatic troupe. There are 10 of them and they are as nimble as they are spectacular. While I can’t say the dancers rocked my boat (one of them was the first act and I thought that fell flat), some acts are stronger than others and overall Cirque Africa lacks the sophistication of a Cirque du Soleil, there is still much to commend it.
Part of that has to do with the audience connection. There appears to be a greater intimacy. Clearly this lot is out to please and impress, and in spite of the reservations I have just expressed, in large part they do. And what would a circus be without crowd participation, which we get with much mirth and merriment in both the first and second acts. Overall, kids and adults alike will be mesmersed by what is served up, even if they have seen as much circus as I have. Produced and directed by ‘Papa Africa’, aka Winston Ruddle, he has extensive experience in stage performances and serves as Cirque Africa’s ebullient ringmaster. Ruddle founded and directed the renowned Mama Africa shows as well as Cirkafrika 1 and 2 in French-speaking countries. When scouring for talent for Mama Africa in Tanzania, he founded Mama Africa’s acrobat school. The artists from Ruddle’s school have performed in venues on five continents, including on Broadway. He is the first black African in the world to own, direct and produce a circus show in a big top. Cirque Africa will be in Australia for two years. Buy your tickets to Cirque Africa at cirqueafrica. com.au. It is well worth doing! My ulimate test is whether or not I would see it again and the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.
Teacher TALK
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HAWAII for Cruising, Dining & Shopping TRAVEL By John Pond
W
hether you travel alone, with a group of friends or with the whole family during school holidays, Hawaii continues to have that magic ingredient that calls me constantly to its shores. I have lost count of the number of times I have vacationed there, and on every visit I find something new to enjoy. If you wish an active holiday, or one where you do nothing but relax, eat and shop, I can think of no better destination. Even with our dollar sinking to new lows, it’s still great value. 3, 4 and 5 star hotels are in abundance with great deals to be had. For those with 3 or more travelling together, why not consider some of the
great apartments on offer, their full kitchens allow for easy meal preparation and the reduced cost per head for the apartment makes it very reasonable. The Aston group is one of my favourites. I love cruising, so no trip to Hawaii would be complete without a 7 day cruise around the islands on Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Pride of America”. This popular cruise departs Honolulu every Saturday and cruises to Maui (overnight), Hawaii, the big island, for Hilo and Kona, then Kauai (overnight) before returning to Honolulu. The nationality of passengers is mostly American, with Aussies coming in a close second. The most economical and best way to do this cruise is to buy a package including air, cruise and Waikiki stay, gratuities, taxes and more. Speak with your local cruise agent. When docking at the various islands, most Aussies head for the local mall, where great bargains can be had. I wanted to buy a sit on lawn mower, but I don’t think the ship or plane would have been impressed.
Back on the main island, Waikiki has so much to offer, shops, restaurants and bars, just promenading along the main street each evening, enjoying the sweet smelling fresh air is a delight. If you are a XL or XXL size, like me, one can actually find clothes that fit, and there are some quality Hawaiian shirts in the stores. Designer brands are often half the price we are used to paying. If you would like to cruise to or from Hawaii to Australia, remember that many of the large ships based in Australia for our cruise season have repositioning cruises as they head to home ports on the US mainland. Good deals on pricing can be had, talk to your authorised cruise agent. TIP: Although all cruises can be purchased direct from the shipping lines, it costs no more to buy from an agent. Their extra knowledge and advice costs no more.
Family Deals from CH Cruises for Teacher Talk Readers
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA LUXURY RIVER CRUISE. 11 NIGHTS Ship: Cruiseco Adventurer Cruise Line: Cruiseco Departure: 06 December 2015 Duration: 11 Nights Ports: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Sa Dec, My Tho, Saigon, Kampong Chhnang, Tan Chau, Kampong Tralach Vietnam & Cambodia FAMILY DEAL! KIDS FLY FREE! Take the family these Summer School Holidays on an adventure on the Mekong onboard luxury river cruiser Cruiseco Adventurer. As a family enjoy learning and experiencing an array of culture, rituals and ruins in Vietnam and Cambodia. FAMILY DEAL Cruiseco Adventurer 11 night tour includes: Return airfare from Australia* 2 x Adults FREE return airfare from Australia* 2 x Children (18 years or under) 2 cabins onboard Cruiseco Adventurer for 7 night luxury cruise with soft drinks, local beer, wine (with lunch & dinner), spirits, and on board gratuities Deluxe accommodation: 2 nights at Raffles Hotel danker, Siem
Reap with all 4 guests in a Landmark Room and 2 nights at Caravelle Hotel, Saigon with 2 hotel rooms. Breakfast daily, lunch and dinner as specified in the itinerary. Extensive sightseeing with expert local guides, all transfers and taxes. FOR DATES AND PRICING Australia Wide Phone Pauline 02 9369 4466 HAWAII includes Fly/Cruise/Waikiki Stay Ship: Pride of America Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line Departure 12 December 2015 Cruise Duration: 7 Nights Ports Of Call: Honolulu, Kahului (Maui), Hilo, Kona, Nawiliwili (Kauai), Honolulu Departure/arrival Port: Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Package Includes: • Return full service airfare from Sydney to Honolulu return • 2 night pre-cruise at Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, Honolulu, room only • 7 nights cruising the 4 main Hawaiian Islands on Pride of America Port charges, government fees, air taxes plus onboard
gratuities. Ameriacn Visa (ESTA) required. Wakiki stay at Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, directly across from the most scenic section of Waikiki Beach. Purchase of additional accommodation may be required, depending on flight schedules & airfare inventory availability. Package Price: Air/Accomodation/Cruise: Inside cabin from $3100 pp. Outside from $3350. Balcony from $3550 ALSO AVAILABLE ON OTHER DATES Fares are per person based on two persons sharing a stateroom. Prices subject to change and stateroom availability.
FOR DATES AND PRICING Australia Wide Phone Pauline: 02 9369 4466
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Teacher TALK
35 Realistic Ways to Squeeze Healthier Habits Into Super Busy Schedules LIFESTYLE By Tara Fuller
healthy too.
o matter how much you may want to make healthy choices, it can feel like there simply isn’t time. When running out the door, it’s easier to grab a pre-packaged granola bar than whip up a veggie scramble. And when faced with the decision to work an extra hour or head to yoga, it can be tough to convince yourself to get up and break that productivity stride. But what if we told you it’s actually possible to be both the busiest and the healthiest version of yourself? It’s always easier said than done, but the impact a few changes can have on your mind and body are totally worth it. Our advice: Start small and build from there. And if some of these tips aren’t for you, ignore ‘em! With 35 ways to squeeze healthier choices into that jampacked schedule, we’re sure at least a few tips will stick—and all of them will help.
3. Fill up on iron. Not eating enough iron can cause fatigue and even depression. Keep energy high by chowing down on oatmeal, lentils, and lean meats. Bonus: Iron boosts muscle strength, making it that much easier to get through the workday and your workout.
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NUTRITION 35 EASY HEALTH TIPS FOR BUSY LIFESTYLES: MICROWAVE MEALS 1. Befriend the microwave. Microwave meals may conjure up images of frozen vegetables and scary-looking meat, but the tool does way more than heat TV dinners. Make a one-minute quiche in a mug, cinnamon breakfast quinoa, or even a flaky salmon dinner. No complicated, timeconsuming prep work necessary! 2. Make three-ingredient meals. Peanut butter and jelly on whole-wheat bread is an obvious choice here, but there’s an entire world of easy and delicious combinations out there. Take stuffed sweet potatoes, pancakes, and chilli, for example. Minimal grocery shopping and preparation, maximum flavour. Plus these meals can be super
4. Turn to soups and stews. Besides being one of the healthiest comfort foods out there (sorry, mac and cheese!), soups are a great way to save time and money. Make a large batch at the beginning of the week, freeze leftovers in singleserving container, and thaw as needed. And don’t worry about getting bored—healthy soup recipe options are endless! 5. Prep on the weekend for seamless weeknight meals. Sure, salads are simple enough to put together. Chop veggies, sauté some protein, toss with some dressing, and viola! But in reality, all that chopping, cooking, and mixing can take serious time. Spare yourself the salad agony by loading up on veggies, chopping them all and storing in the fridge, precooking protein and grains (we love quinoa), and making a large portion of dressing to use all week. Assembling will take five minutes tops. 6. Prepare pre-packaged smoothie bags. Smoothies are a great way to fill up on tons of nutrients with minimal effort. To make things even easier, add berries, spinach, protein powder, and other non-liquid ingredients in a sealable bag so when you’re ready to puree, all you have to do is dump the contents in the blender. If you’re making smoothies all week, keep bags of pre-sliced frozen produce in the freezer. 7. Don’t hate. Caffeinate! The amount of conflicting data about whether
or not coffee is good for you is enough to make anyone’s head spin. But there are some facts that don’t go disputed: Getting a daily dose of java helps rev your metabolism and provides a much needed energy boost. To keep your wallet healthy too, keep a French press and ground coffee at your desk so you can fuel up any time of day. 8. Eat meals instead of snacking all day. When you’re crazy busy, it can feel like there’s no time to sit down and enjoy a full meal. Instead, it seems easier to grab a handful of trail mix here, a string cheese there, a bag of pretzels between meetings, and various other nibbles before calling it a day. Although it may not feel like you’re eating as much, all-day snackers often end up consuming more calories than their meal-eating counterparts. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy meals to put together quickly and eat on-the-go. 9. Eat mindfully. With deadlines rearing their ugly heads, we often end up scarfing meals in front of our computer screens, forgetting to breathe, let alone be mindful of how our bodies feel. No matter how stressed, slow down, breathe between bites, and take note when you’re full. Odds are you’ll end up eating much less (and feeling much better)! 35 EASY HEALTH TIPS FOR BUSY LIFESTYLES: USE A CROCK-POT. 10. Embrace the Crock-Pot. The only thing better than a slow cooker is one you can control with your smartphone. If you don’t own one already, now’s the time. The multi-tasking tool cooks anything from soups to meats to oatmeal— and all you have to do is throw the ingredients in and let it do its magic. It’s basically a busy person’s dream come true.
Teacher TALK 11. Spice up your life. We’re not shy about our love for all things ‘sriracha’. But the chili-based hot sauce does more than torch our taste buds—it also torches metabolism. Instead of topping eggs with extra cheese or wraps with mayonnaise, add some spicy flavor. Tip: Mustard is another great, low-calorie condiment alternative.
FITNESS 35 EASY HEALTH TIPS FOR BUSY LIFESTYLES: TRY INTERVAL TRAINING
12. Let someone else do the legwork. OK, a little time in the kitchen is still required. But how awesome would it be to have your groceries delivered to you in perfect portions? While some of the recipes can be a little complicated, they’re super fun to make, and you don’t have to dig through cookbooks or Pinterest to find new recipes!
20. Try interval training. Busy schedules often mean working out gets left to the wayside. But you actually don’t need more than 20 minutes to get a great workout. In fact, short bursts of high-intensity exercises can actually be more effective. So instead of promising to hit the gym tomorrow, hop on the treadmill, do some sprints, and enjoy the post-workout energy boost. Bonus: Regular exercise even helps you sleep better.
13. Add veggies to...everything. Spinach in smoothies is a pretty common addition. But what about sweet potato brownies? Or cauliflower scrambled eggs? Whether baking dessert, looking to beef up morning muffins, or giving a healthy makeover to mac and cheese, sneaking nutrients into otherwise ordinary eats is a delicious (and smart) way to multitask.
21. Deskercise. Some days, there simply isn’t time for a workout. But that doesn’t mean you can’t exercise at all. Though it may feel funny at first, doing exercises at your desk is a great way to sneak fitness into your day. Our favourite moves: stapler curls, shoulder shrugs, and “crunch time” crunches.
14. Pump up the protein. It’s easy to opt for the less healthy option when hunger strikes and packaged goods are the only thing in sight. But even decadent snacks, like cookies and potato chips, won’t keep you full for long. Avoid snack urges by loading up on high-protein meals, which will fill you up and keep you satisfied for at least a few hours.
22. Rent a gym locker. Though packing a gym bag really doesn’t take long, it’s an easy task to dismiss when running late. Here’s the hitch: Before you know it, one morning of leaving sneakers behind can turn into a month-long gym plateau. If this sounds familiar, renting a gym locker may be a smart move. Though it can be a tad expensive, it gets rid of any excuses (and helps prevent back pain from carrying overly heavy bags).
15. Keep a secret stash of snacks. Schedule changes and delays are inevitable, which means sometimes your 30-minute lunch window can disappear completely. And while grabbing a slice of pizza isn’t necessarily a bad option, having an emergency snack supply is healthier and ensures you always have something on hand. Our go-to favorites: DIY trail mix, unsweetened dried fruit, and select granola bars. 16. Say no to bar bites. After a long day, wings and beer may sound like just the thing you need. But instead of loading up on both booze and bar food, stick to one. If heading out for a night of drinking, eat a small, filling meal beforehand so those French fries are less tempting. If noshing is inevitable, fill up on a soup or salad, and pick one item to splurge on. 17. Stick to the real deal. Juice may seem like a healthy breakfast option (it’s fruit, after all), but store-bought varieties are often packed with hidden sugars and have little nutritional value. Most places that have juice will also have bananas or apples on hand, so choose one of those and get your hydration from water. 18. BYO-lunch. Preparing and packing lunch may feel like a timeintensive task, but it’ll help you both make healthier choices and save money. Stick to simple creations like veggie wraps, quinoa salads, or hearty soups, which can be made in bulk and enjoyed all week. No morning cooking required! 19. Outsmart menus. When eating out or ordering in, it’s easy to opt for the most delicious (and sometimes least healthy) thing on the menu. While we’re all for treating yourself, we’re also all for tactics that help keep your nutrition goals on track. If you know the restaurant you’re dining at, check out the menu online to see what the best options are. If ordering online, choose at least one item that’s veggie-based and comes with a lean protein. You can always order the fried chicken next time.
23. Squeeze in a quick strength workout. Morning workouts can be tough to wake up for. Sometimes hitting the snooze button feels so worth it. But that can also lead to skipping exercise altogether, as it’s just as easy to head home early at the end of the day. (Who wants to fight for a treadmill during post-work, gym rush hour?) If carving out 45 minutes to an hour simply isn’t feasible in the morning, do a 15-minute bodyweight workout at home. A quick yoga session is another great option. 24. Walk it out. The average job requires sitting in front of a computer for a majority of the day. Add that to sitting down for dinner and driving or taking the train to work, and that means you’re on your butt for 70 percent of an average workday. Sneak in some exercise by running errands on foot, taking the stairs, parking farther away from your destination, or getting off the train a stop before you actually need to. All those extra steps add up! 25. Turn TV time into fitness time. When faced with the option of watching another episode of Orange Is the New Black or going for a run, hitting “Next Episode” often feels so much easier. But you actually don’t need to choose one or the other. If watching from home, stretch and do bodyweight exercises while enjoying the show. Most cardio machines at the gym also have entertainment, so go ahead and binge (on TV, that is). 26. Stick to full-body moves. If time is of the essence, try a routine that targets your entire body instead of just one area. We love using kettlebells, experimenting with push-up variations and burpees, and jump roping. Swimming is a great alternative too—especially if you’re partial to cardio. 27. Variety is key. If you’re bored with your workout, it’s much less likely you’ll make it to the gym. Keep things interesting by trying different classes and workouts in general. Is running your go-to? Try a spinning class. Love hitting the weight room? Challenge yourself with
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Pilates. Bonus: Signing up for classes will help keep you accountable! And boutique studios often offer discounted packages for newbies.
WELLNESS 35 EASY HEALTH TIPS FOR BUSY LIFESTYLES: TAME STRESS 28. Reduce stress stat. Stress can have an insanely negative impact on health—and addressing it is something many people neglect. Instead of turning to unhealthy outlets, master super-quick stress reducers like breathing and sipping on green tea. Other easy wins: smelling lavender, doing a few quick stretches, or taking a stroll around the block. 29. Stay hydrated. Eight glasses of water a day can help keep the doctor away. Getting plenty of H2O also helps keep you full, energized, and extra focused. To help remind yourself to drink up, keep a water bottle at your desk or set reminders on your phone. Even more incentive: Drinking water also helps cure hangovers (or avoid them completely) and keeps colds at bay. 30. Meditate before bed. Stressful days can turn into sleepless nights. And while it may be impossible to complete your to-do list every day, you can work on mellowing out at the end of the day. Before turning out the lights, dedicate five minutes to meditation; it’ll help you wind down for a better night of sleep, which means a more productive tomorrow. 31. Turn off tech. With all that online buzz (Twitter, Facebook, Reddit...to name a few), it’s hard to turn off—even more so thanks to pop-up notifications on phones and computers. At work, put your phone in a desk or turn off pop-up notifications to help you stay focused. At home, turn off tech entirely. Instagram will still be there tomorrow. 32. Stay organized with to-do lists. Drop off laundry, pay bills, clean room, call home— the little things can add up. And when you don’t write them down, it’s easy to forget what needs tending to. Stay on top of it by keeping a notepad on hand to write everything down. Your parents will thank you. (And so will your boss.) 33. Set realistic goals. Whether personal or professional, setting goals is a great way to grow. Just make sure they’re realistic! Instead of aiming to lose 10 pounds, start with five. Want a promotion? Take on one project at a time instead of several new responsibilities. Tip: Schedule monthly check-ins with your boss, friends, or even yourself to assess (and reward!) progress. 34. Become a productivity hero. Most people are aware of what gets them sidetracked. If social media is a time-suck for you, schedule 30-minute periods twice a day to check in. If you get easily roped into socialising, book time in a conference room or head to a coffee shop when you need to be in the zone. Simply identify trouble areas and try to find a solution. And if you need a little help, don’t be afraid to ask—friends and coworkers are great resources. 35. Take a vacation. “But I just don’t have time,” is the excuse we hear (and use) far too often. But taking a vacation and getting much-deserved time off will help you be healthier, happier, and more productive. No matter how jam-packed your schedule seems, book some down time—even if it’s a three-day weekend away from Wi-Fi.
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