Teacher Talk First Edition by teachertalk

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JUNE 2015 EDITION - VOL 1

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Inquiry and the art of listening

How Teachers Can Help Promote Non-Bullying Behaviour

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Why the wheels come off in communication

DOES BAD BEHAVIOUR RUN IN THE FAMILY?

Introducing Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first FREE school communication app

Teacher TALK

Welcome to Teacher Talk Dear reader Welcome to the first edition of Teacher Talk, the only free education and lifestyle magazine for Australian teachers that is circulated electronically every month to over 9,000 schools Australia-wide. 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 – basically, to keep educators informed as to what’s going on in the industry! The education market is changing faster than ever in today’s high-tech world, with the introduction of high speed internet, the plethora of e-learning apps, and the dominance of online social interaction, which presents both great opportunities for a youth’s development, as well as challenges including but not limited to cyber bullying. The rapid progression of information technology has also certainly led to unlimited access for educators to information within their industry. However, as a result, new methods are required to efficiently filter data in order to direct teachers to the most appropriate and high quality information sources. This magazine is designed to provide teachers with a guide in this regard, by bringing to the fore useful and practical tips for the classroom, ideas to consider in staff and management meetings, and feedback on the latest teaching trends. In addition, an important element of the magazine will be write-ups relaying personal experiences

and opinions of teachers. Our strategy is to get teachers to actively engage in addressing issues and challenges facing Australian schools -to give them a voice to share ideas and to prooffer practical solutions. We believe that the sharing of information and recommendations between educators will be for the benefit of Australia schools, its valuable teachers and the development of our children. Taking a holistic view of the teacher, another central focus of the magazine will be lifestyle related, as what better role model for children than a healthy, happy and balanced teacher? The magazine will offer practical guidance on everyday choices, whether it’s a healthy recipe, recommendations for a new family car, travel advice for the next holiday or just information on the latest movie or theatre offering. And we want our magazine to be an easy read – interesting and engaging, but not so heavy that your break feels like more work! To this end, we have laid out the magazine with large fonts, limited the articles to 3 columns, and restricted content to around 30 pages. This also enables schools to easily print the the electronic copy for their staffrooms should they so wish. In conclusion, Teacher Talk is centred on the sharing of useful tips and suggestions by those that live education every day. So please feel free to contact me should you wish to publish an article, make a suggestion or give your feedback. Please send this link to your fellow teachers, friends and colleagues and make this a forum we can all share and enjoy. Happy reading! Jodie

Managing Director Jodie Shapiro jodie@teachertalk.com.au Editor Dion Cohen editor@teachertalk.com.au Creative Director Toni Bernal production@teachertalk.com.au Marketing Director Liz Green advertising@teachertalk.com.au Sales Yifat Oron 0450 122 412 yifat@teachertalk.com.au Stacey Potash 0416 353 086 stacey@teachertalk.com.au Sophie Berman 0410 667 447 sophie@teachertalk.com.au Subscription accounts & enquiries accounts@teachertalk.com.au

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Teacher Talk Disclaimer: Except where expressly stated otherwise, content in Teacher Talk is provided as general informations only. The articles in this paper have been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content here are presented solely by the author, and Teacher Talk assumes no responsibility for them. It is not intended as advice and must not be relied upon as such. You should make your own inquiries and take independent advice tailored to your specific circumstances prior to making any decisions. We do not make any representation or warranty that any material in the papers will be reliable, accurate or complete, nor do we accept any responsibility arising in any way from errors or omissions. We will not be liable for loss resulting from any action or decision by you in reliance on the material in the papers. By reading the papers, you acknowledge that we are not responsible for, and accept no liability in relation to, any reader’s use of, access to or conduct in connection with the papers in any circumstance. Photographs submitted by individuals or organisations are assumed to be their property and are therefore not otherwise credited. All articles in this paper have received the expressed consent of the author to publish in this paper. Teacher Talk Publisher: Teacher Talk Pty Ltd (ABN 73130322575) Comments or suggestions to: jodie@teachertalk.com.au Article submissions to: editor@teachertalk.com.au Advertising: Liz Green e-mail: advertising@teachertalk.com.au Tel: 0416-070-404 website: www.teachertalk.com.au

Introducing Australia’s first FREE school communication app

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TECHNIQUES By Kath Murdoch

’ve been wondering a lot about listening. I am currently in the very rare position of being home for a while – recovering from surgery. My head has been too foggy to do much reading or viewing…so I have turned to podcasts to pass the time. I am a huge fan of the podcast already but have been very grateful to have so many beautiful things to listen to while recuperating. Listening has given me hours of joy and learning. As a teacher and teacher educator I DO spend a lot of time talking so it is both luxurious and enlightening to spend hour after hour not saying a word…but instead listening to the wisdom, humour, music and passions of others. Teachers, in general, are talkers. Older readers of this blog might recall the animated Charlie Brown cartoons where teacher voices were communicated only with a kind, incessant trumpeting sound as the children endured the boredom of their classroom. When I interview students about teachers, the most common criticism is simply that they ‘talk too much’ – we do! But true teaching – especially in the inquiry classroom is surely as much about listening as it is about talking. My enforced listening time recently included an interview with the great author Ben Okri. The interviewer asked him about the role of listening for him as a writer. He responds: “You have to listen – you have to listen to

Inquiry and the art of listening the world. You have to listen to the sound of people’s voices – the secret sound of people’s voices. What they are saying and what they are not saying. A lot of the world is about what is not visible and what is not said. ‘Listening’ also stands in for ‘seeing’ and for attentiveness – It is a metaphor for profound attentiveness.” If you are unfamiliar with Ben Okri and his beautiful writing, do yourself a favour. His writing is testament to the power of listening to the world . In another delightful moment of radio listening this week, I heard Erick Greene, a Montana based biologist, discuss his research into birdsong. His curiosity and careful listening has led to discovering the amazingly rich repertoire of sound each bird species has. His amazing work has its genesis in long walks in the woods as a child, where he would listen to the world… Listen Having an inquiring disposition as teachers means committing to being ‘profoundly attentive’ to our learners – and indeed to the world around and within us. This is such an enormous challenge in the average classroom dominated by distraction, urgency, multitasking, noise and busy-ness. But perhaps, by taking a moment to commit to listening as we begin each day – we can better hear the ‘secret sound’ of children’s voices – and our own internal voice. True listening is one of the best tools we have to inform our work. Here

are some reminders of things we can do to ‘attend more profoundly’ as we teach: Inquire into listening itself Spend time helping students investigate the skills of true listening. At the risk of being ‘formulaic’ it is valuable to share with children some of the ‘micro-skills’ that help us be more attentive listeners. These skills include using body language (eg. leaning in), eye contact (if culturally appropriate) some encouragement (nods, etc), no interruptions, reflecting back what has been said, etc. Both students AND teachers benefit from explicitly naming listening as a valued process in the classroom. Value moments of silence Bring some deliberate, quiet moments into the day. Suspend all talk for short periods of time – not as a disciplinary measure but rather as an opportunity to ‘attend’ to the self. Classrooms can be incredibly noisy places. Moments of silence can offer us all the chance to re-group, breathe and reflect. Small, focused groups The bigger the group, the harder it is for us to really attend to something an individual is saying. How many times have you found yourself losing focus when listening to a child in the larger group because others are becoming restless or irritable?

Teacher TALK Form a circle Think carefully about the physical arrangements when you are in discussion. Seating a group in a circle often helps us to listen better to others and brings a more equitable feeling to the conversation (rather than the teacher in the chair and students on the floor) Stay open to what you might hear. When a student shares something, be conscious of HOW you are listening. Stay open and mindful of your biases. Ask yourself ‘what are they revealing to me?’ ‘What is being left unsaid?’ Try to hold your responses/opinions back until they have really finished sharing. Sometimes our responses are unnecessary anyway! Stand back When students are busily engaged in learning tasks, remind yourself to take a back seat for at least some of the time – and focus on what you are noticing as you observe and listen. Early years teachers do this well – but close observation and listening remain powerful ways of assessing learning at all levels of schooling. Remember wait time We know the importance of wait time but we still don’t do it particularly well. When you ask a question – wait before prompting or re-asking.

And wait after the response….inevitably the child will add more when there is space and time to do so. Get comfortable with silence – it’s thinking time. Slow down Good listening needs time. Commit to spending sustained time in conversation/observation with just a few students each day. Is there a space in your classroom that is dedicated to a small group or 1-1 conversation? Is there a focused, quiet zone? Listen with your heart In some ways, this can be the hardest thing of all for the busy teacher to master. ‘Heart listening’ has been described by the wonderful, late Glen Ochre as what we do when we “consciously get into our wisest self so we can give the person our full attention and allow our hearts, not just our ears, to be open to hearing. If we do this, all else will follow. We will look and sound caring and engaged – because we are.” (Ochre 2013:59) Ask better questions Great inquiry teachers know how to encourage students to share their thinking by being skilled

listeners and by asking better (not simply more) questions. Questions – and how we ask them – can quickly shut down OR open up a conversation. The combination of the right questions and true heart-listening can yield our most powerful teaching and learning moments. I am currently working on another post about my favourite questions…stay tuned. Genuine inquiry compels us to listen – to the world, to each other and to ourselves. True listening is so often a victim of the talk-centred, busy world of teaching. How can we better ‘still’ ourselves to listen with our hearts, to hear what is said and unsaid by our students and our colleagues? Just wondering… Kath Murdoch is a teacher with almost 30 years of experience - as a classroom teacher, university lecturer and over the last decade as a consultant and presenter to schools in Australia and around the world. Kath has researched and published widely in the field of inquiry based and integrated learning about which she holds a passion for. For further details - go to www.kathmurdoch.com.au or follow her on twitter @kjinquiry.

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MANAGING BEHAVIOUR

Does bad behaviour run in the family? U

niversity of Queensland research aims to answer the age-old question of whether anti-social behaviour is passed down through families. Professor Jake Najman, from UQ’s School of Public Health and School of Social Science, said the project was Australia’s first to examine anti-social behaviour across three generations to determine whether and to what extent poor behaviour of grandparents could be transmitted to grandchildren. “While there’s a belief in society that criminal behaviour is transmitted across generations, in reality we have very little evidence to back up this stereotype and even less information about why this may occur,” Professor Najman said. “Anti-social behaviour includes a range of activities such as smoking, alcohol misuse and violence, all of which are damaging to health and well-being.” Professor Najman said he and his research colleagues would try to pinpoint whether exposure to certain factors might predict this. “The long-term negative consequences of antisocial behaviour also include poor learning, unemployment, poor health and higher rates of imprisonment,” he said.

“Antisocial behaviour is a major social problem and our efforts to understand and address this problem have been of limited effectiveness. “In particular, marriage instability, poverty and poor parenting have been linked to the development of anti-social behaviour and, by looking at three generations, this study allows us to better examine the impact of these and other critical factors.” He said the research would also explore how patterns of anti-social behaviour had changed over time. Professor Najman said the high economic and social cost of anti-social behaviour highlighted the need to know more about how and why it developed. “The findings of this study may see antisocial families, rather than individuals, targeted for early intervention programs that may help reduce the incidence and impact of this behaviour,” he said. The project will draw on data from the MaterUniversity of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), an ongoing study of women and their children founded by Professor Najman in 1981. Professor Najman will lead the study with

UQ SPH colleagues Professor Gail Williams, Associate Professor Abdullah Al Mamun, Associate Professor Rosa Alati, UQ School of Medicine Associate Professor James Scott and UQ School of Pharmacy Associate Professor Zandy Clavarino. The research is being funded through the Australian Research Council.

“Antisocial behaviour is a major social problem and our efforts to understand and address this problem have been of limited effectiveness.

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Why the wheels come off in communication LEARNING

ow can two people come up with two completely different Lego models while working from the same instructions? A University of Queensland School of Psychology study has found it can depend on who people believe wrote the instructions. Researcher Dr Katharine Greenaway said receiving instructions from someone considered ‘similar’ was more effective than following orders from someone ‘different’, even if the content and method of delivery were identical. “We explored whether sharing an identity with someone changes the way we communicate with them,” she said. “This research shows that breakdowns in communication can happen because of identity-related differences. “For example, the disintegration of the $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter and the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger are commonly cited as being caused by communication failure between two different groups of engineers, so there are wider implications.”

Building on past studies that showed people can struggle to communicate with others of different cultures, gender, age, work groups and sexual orientation, the UQ team gave two groups an unopened box of Lego. Tasked with completing 17 steps in 20 minutes, one group was told the instructions were created by a fellow group member, while the other group was told they were formulated by a member of the opposite group. The groups were then scored on the number of steps successfully followed, the number of bricks left over and their response to a series of questions measuring motivation, confidence and impressions of the quality of instructions. “In one study, participants completed Lego models with three more correct pieces on average when they received instructions from someone in their own group compared to another group,” Dr Greenaway said. “Not only did participants perceive the instructions to be better if they believed they came from inside the group, they also produced better models as a result. “The perception that we have understood someone and they have understood us – that we’ve connected, basically – is the basis of

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successful communication. “Shared identity can facilitate that feeling of connection, because we believe the other person ‘gets us’ and that improves our ability to communicate.” The findings of the research are published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, a leading industry publication. Dr Greenaway collaborated on the study with Professor Alex Haslam from UQ and Dr Ruth Wright, Professor Katherine Reynolds and Ms Joanne Willingham from the Australian National University.

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How Teachers Can Help Promote Non-Bullying Behaviour MANAGING BEHAVIOUR By Márianna Csóti

chool should be a safe and supportive environment that does not tolerate bullying at any level but tries to foster teamwork, acceptance and understanding among its pupils and staff. Here are some ways teachers can help achieve this. Promote cooperation. Ask for help in carrying books or in handing them out, clearing away after practical work, and by asking pupils to help one another. Teach prosocial behaviour to ensure that the social skill level of the whole class is raised. This can be done formally by having lessons where social situations are discussed, and informally as certain situations arise. For example, if a pupil falls out with another child, you could help the two of them to settle their differences in non-aggressive ways and to apologise. Praise all prosocial behaviour: cooperation, negotiation, compromise, conflict resolution and friendliness. Pupils could be given stickers for prosocial behaviour or have special ink stamps in their homework books: When they have collected a certain number, they could be exchanged for a certificate. Teach prosocial behaviour by example. Be kind to children generally and avoid picking on individual pupils. Be ready to listen and show respect by avoiding ridiculing wrong answers. Male teachers—and senior male pupils— can take a proactive role in stopping bullying behaviour by showing expectations of prosocial behaviour and by not using aggression when dealing with others. This can particularly help address the problem of aggressive boys. Intervene before a situation escalates. Bring any conflict to a quick conclusion to limit aggression between pupils. If the conflict arises during a lesson, you could keep the children back at the end of the lesson to talk about what happened and how each of them could contribute to putting it right. Take heed of what children say and how they look to spot trouble and show that you care. If a child has been crying or looks sad you could ask what is wrong when you are alone together—a victim may brush off any troubles if publicly asked what the problem is. Connect with pupils. Show care generally towards pupils to make it more likely that children will take on board what you say. In

return, children will show more care to you and other children in the school. Vary the seating plan of the class or have some activities where pupils are grouped randomly to help new relationships form and to enable pupils to connect with many more children in the class. Consider carefully the use of language in school so that you help prevent children being permanently labelled. Instead of having, for example, “Stop the Bully” posters, change the wording to, “Stop Bullying Behaviour.” Give children hope by taking their concerns seriously. Listen to what children have to say and follow it up either personally or by referring the matter to a senior member of staff and checking with the children to ensure that they are being given the help and support they need. Emphasise commonalities. Bullies and victims may have more in common than either of them imagine. They probably enjoy listening to the same music, watching the same TV programs or, visiting the same websites on the net. They experience the same feelings when things go well or badly. They probably have similar fears, hopes and dreams. By breaking

down perceived differences between children, you can help them connect with one another. Be careful in the way you talk to children. Try to observe your own interactions with the children you teach to avoid some common unconscious pitfalls such as making negative comparisons, failing to give children a chance to explain their side of things, forgetting to balance criticism with encouragement, forgetting to look for opportunities to give positive attention to all children and gender stereotyping. Children taught in an overtly caring community can flourish. Feeling important to, and respected by, teachers raises their selfesteem and helps them connect to the school and the education it provides. Children who believe in themselves will be more likely to seek help when things go awry—and take more care in their dealings with others in the school, thereby reducing bullying incidents. Márianna Csóti is the author of How to Stop Bullying: Positive Ways to Protect Children in Your Care from which this piece was adapted. www.mariannacsoti.co.uk.

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Achievement matters but what about tracking learning progress? TECHNIQUES Pete Goss and Jordana Hunter Grattan Institute

s school students dust off their lunch boxes and stock up on stationery, it is worth reflecting on what we want from our education system in 2015, and how to judge success. Many students will hope for great end-of-year results – a good ATAR score, or more ‘A’ grades on a report card. Others may hope just to pass. Typically, the aspirations of students, parents and schools focus on academic achievement, as measured by final results. Of course, achievement matters. The class of 2014 no doubt understands this well as they contemplate the options enabled – or blocked – by their ATAR scores. But final results are not the only way to judge success, particularly for students earlier in their schooling. On their own, end-of-year results say little about how much each student has learned during the year. Academic achievement is influenced by many factors, including prior achievement and socio-economic background. By contrast, academic progress, while not perfect, provides a better indication of how much students have actually learnt. In 2015, our focus should be on the academic progress we want students to make, rather than the final mark. Our national aspiration should be that all students make at least one year’s worth of learning across all their subjects. For students who are behind where they need to be at this stage of their learning, we should aim higher. To some, this may seem obvious. But our education system, with its emphasis on achievement, is not structured this way. Take, for example, end-of-year grades. Most schools award grades on an A-E scale. A ‘C’ grade generally means a student’s academic achievement matches expectations for their year level. An ‘A’ means achievement significantly above expectations and an ‘E’ significantly below. Hopefully, each student’s grades are a good reflection of how much they know, although there are some reasons to think schools under-report achievement at both ends of the scale. Yet while these grades provide valuable information, they do not tell us what we most need to know – how much learning is happening. Here is why. Imagine a child starting year 7 three or four years behind their peers in reading. With hard work and great teaching, they achieve two year’s worth of progress in 2015. But they will remain an ‘E’ student in their end of year report because they are still significantly behind the

expected level. Their outstanding effort may well go unrecognised and uncelebrated. Now imagine an ‘A’ student who is far ahead of their grade level in mathematics. NAPLAN results show that 15 percent of year 3 children already perform at the minimum standard in numeracy expected in year 9. They can make no progress for several years before their grade falls. Unless a school pays close attention to their progress, not just their high achievement, it will not know how much they learned in 2015. This is a serious problem. Both NAPLAN and international data suggest many high achieving Australian students stall in their learning and do not reach their potential. Tracking academic progress is vital. It tells teachers and schools when their approach is working. Recognising and celebrating great progress helps sustain motivation. It also makes it clear when it’s time to try something new. Stalled progress may mean an ‘E’ student needs help to build basic literacy or numeracy skills, or an ‘A’ student needs a more challenging curriculum or a gentle push to raise expectations. Students whose progress stalls are likely to become frustrated and disengaged, and may well become disruptive. Although tracking progress is not systematic in Australian schools, there are pockets of good practice. Some report cards show student progress alongside letter grades. This is a good start. but this approach is far from universal, and the quality of the information on progress can and should be improved greatly. Great teachers use high-quality student assessments to identify where each student is starting from. They teach based on what students are ready to learn next. They monitor

progress over time and adjust their teaching strategies along the way. This approach needs to become systematic, including being embedded in teacher training courses. Growing numbers of schools analyse student progress over time to identify and fix problems individual teachers might miss. A few schools are increasingly clear-eyed about their challenge and target two years of learning in one. They know exactly where each student is at, and track progress relentlessly to stay on target. However, many Australian schools do not systematically collect and analyse standardised data about the progress of every student. Rather than just hoping for a great end-ofyear result, we should focus on the progress we want students to make. Every school should track the learning of each student, using robust and precise measures, and include it clearly in report cards along with current achievement. Parents have a right to know how much their child has learnt. Finally, schools should use progress data to inform and improve teaching practice. Increasing the rate at which students learn is, and always has been, the best way to improve their achievement. Grattan Institute is an independent think tank dedicated to developing high quality public policy for Australia’s future. It was formed in 2008 in response to a widespread view in government and business that Australia needed a non-partisan think tank providing independent, rigorous and practical solutions to some of the country’s most pressing problems.

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Hard as engagement is to define, it remains the key to cultivating students who will succeed by pursuing knowledge their whole lives. By Margery Evans.

LEARNING

They need to love the act of learning A

cross the developed world, a consensus is emerging. Schools may have delivered in the past, but for many students, they are certainly not working as they should for today and tomorrow. For unacceptable numbers of young Australians, schools are not providing the best chance to compete and be successful in today’s global economy, or helping them live their adult lives as responsible and productive global citizens. We are not educating for a digital age or a global society. Our education system is also inequitable. The evidence shows we’re not giving all our young people an equal chance of achieving at school and beyond. We have failed to improve educational outcomes for many Indigenous Australians, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds are underrepresented among high achievers and overrepresented among low achievers. All the evidence tells us that our teachers are our greatest in-school asset. What they know, do and care about affects opportunities and outcomes for all young Australians. Teachers work tirelessly to make a significant impact on their students, but many feel disillusioned and

inhibited by the way schools and teaching are organised. In a recent article in The Australian, Greg Whitby, Executive Director of Catholic schools in Western Sydney, writes, “Australia has spent the past 30 to 40 years trying to perfect an industrial model of schooling that is no longer relevant, desirable or effective in improving student performance. In contrast, the highest-performing school systems, such as those in South Korea and Singapore, have transformed their educational models within a few generations. The common approach is the investment in the teaching profession and the use of robust evidence applied to learning and teaching within a relevant curriculum.” The consensus is that schools need to change in order to offer an education that is worth having and teachers and school leaders are keys to that change. Creating successful learners We know that education must equip all young people with the knowledge, understanding, skills and values they need to achieve and be successful. But it should also instill the desire, skills and capacities to learn continuously, so every young person can take advantage of

opportunities and face today’s and tomorrow’s challenges with confidence. If success means lifelong learners who are involved in and take responsibility for their learning, then our task is to create an education system that ensures all young Australians are deeply engaged in learning – at school, and throughout their lives – and a workforce that can challenge and support those learners in being the best they can be. What we should be striving to cultivate are students who care not just about the outcome but also the development of their learning. Ideally, this means students who take responsibility for their lessons, bring discretionary energy to their learning tasks and show a desire to learn beyond the school environment. Defining disengagement and engagement In fact, researchers and policy makers have been interested in this matter for some years, but they have tended to focus on combating student disengagement rather than on understanding and promoting engagement. Part of the issue is that engagement is a complex, internalised, psychological investment that can be hard to define and measure. Accordingly, it has been difficult to determine which strategies can aid

Teacher TALK engagement and how to measure the impact it has on student outcomes. Whilst noting that engagement is difficult to define and measure, we can nevertheless say that it is not simply about good classroom behaviour or attendance. A well-behaved student who is neither participating in activities nor completing work may be just as disengaged as a student who is talking with friends or not attending class at all. This ambiguity has driven a tendency to focus on identifying more readily observable negative behaviours and student outcomes. For instance, early-intervention strategies typically focus on identifying students who are “at risk” of disengagement by referencing easily identifiable characteristics and behaviours such as erratic attendance, poor literacy and numeracy skills, disruptive interactions, deterioration in attitudes and performance and a stated intention to leave school. We know that students who are not engaged with their learning are likely to learn at a slower pace, which is reflected in lower achievement. Although engagement is more difficult to define than disengagement, J.A. Fredericks and others have illustrated that engagement can be broken down into three components: cognitive, behavioural and emotional. Cognitive engagement is best understood as a student’s psychological investment in their own learning. It is not simply about overt behaviours. Cognitively engaged students concentrate, focus on achieving goals, are flexible in their work and can cope with failure. However, a student who is performing well may nevertheless still be disengaged if they are merely coasting and not exerting themselves. Behavioural engagement refers to a student’s positive participation in learning and classroom activities, which includes behaviours important

to high student performance, such as collaboration, communication and participation in wider school life. Emotional engagement concerns the positive cultivation of a network of relationships between students, teachers and the school, reflected in student identification with the school and learning practices. The centrality of behavioural change The experience of high-performance systems overseas, where behavioural change is at the heart of school strategy, may be instructive. Improvement in student engagement and performance comes from identifying effective learning behaviours and the teaching behaviours that develop amongst those students. Therefore, policies and programs are aligned to monitor and propel the behavioural change process. For instance, in Shanghai, classroom instructors observe one another with the aim of improving teaching and student learning outcomes. Much of the focus of observation and feedback is on behavioural change; that is, how to continually improve teaching and learning behaviours. The actions identified as exemplary of engaged learning are extolled for emulation by others. As a framework for classroom observation, a district teaching institute has outlined the learning behaviours that are expected, including: teachers’ verbal attention to and engagement with students’ work; teachers’ non-verbal (body language) attention to students; teachers’ individualised instructions to students; students’ active engagement and learning outcomes. These criteria recognise the importance of teachers stimulating student engagement on the three levels that we raised earlier: students asking questions (cognitive engagement);

student participation in activities (behavioural engagement); and students’ responses to teachers’ feedback (emotional engagement). Ultimately, these positive actions ought to have an impact upon the outcomes of students. How do we promote student engagement? The research on engagement is not definitive, but some studies have shown that student engagement is increased through flexible, individualised teaching in a supportive learning environment. Project-based learning, for example, allows students to own their selected task. Likewise, strong and trusting studentteacher relationships create a classroom where students feel safe and engaged. Carefully crafted student monitoring will be a key step for teachers to assess whether they are having a positive impact upon students. Much work remains to be done to articulate the link between engagement and learning outcomes. It remains unclear which of the three broad aspects of engagement matters most. Essentially, we need to identify the positive learning behaviours that encourage effective and engaged learning. They can then provide a framework for policies and programs that can increase engagement through good teaching. This in turn will enable meaningful student monitoring and inform development goals for teachers so they can further improve their practice. Margery Evans is CEO of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) provides national leadership for the Australian, State and Territory Governments in promoting excellence, so that teachers and school leaders have the maximum impact on student learning in all Australian schools, with funding provided by the Australian Government.

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NAPLAN online in 2016:

Everyone ready? LEARNING By Mal Lee

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by that date and ensure every student

2016.

efficiencies and the opportunities opened by

entitled to do so is able to sit the test.

The

important

point

grasp

with

going digital and online, will all parties critical

It is easy to envision the media outcry

Australia’s schools is the immense and

to the success of conducting NAPLAN online

should one school or school cohort be

increasing variability in the actual use of digital

be ready for a 2016 test? Will all Australia’s

excluded.

technology in teaching, with schools ranging

9,500 schools, 40 plus education systems

Ironically the vast majority of the nation’s

from the few that have fully integrated and

and ACARA itself be ready to implement the

students could readily sit the test at home

normalised use, to the vast majority where

test in a manner where no child is excluded?

or anywhere in the networked world outside

the use in everyday teaching is peripheral.

Taking the test online is a high-risk

the school walls with their own ever-evolving

strategy. Indeed on any risk assessment

suite of digital technology.

The scarcity of resources has been compounded by many school principals’

scale the conduct of the first national test

The concern is the network readiness of

unwillingness and/or inability to use the

online is a very high risk strategy which, if

Australia’s 9,500 schools, 40 plus education

resources at their disposal to make the

not approached astutely, has the potential

systems and ACARA.

best educational use of the technology. My

parents,

While the young, their parents and society

research (Lee, 2014) and that of colleagues

alienate teachers, embarrass principals and

in general had normalised the 24/7/365 use

in the UK, US and NZ underscores that it is

educational administrators and politically

of digital technology, Australia’s schools

the principal who in a positive or negative

damage the Federal and State and Territory

lag well behind. In 2014 there were only a

sense is primarily responsible for the level of

ministers of education.

few schools nationwide that had or nearly

digital technology usage in the school. As the

traumatise

children,

anger

Teacher TALK

CEO of increasingly autonomous schools he/

also evidenced in the array of technology

by disasters that were not adequately pre-

she, as the chief educational architect and

that the children will be looking to use on the

tested. It is vital that pre-testing needs to

financial controller, has ultimate responsibility

day of test in 2016. Tablet technologies will

occur far enough ahead for all parties to

for their school’s requisite digital eco-system

continue their rise, and the use of desktop

take any remedial action, yet close enough

and capability.

PCs continue their decline. New technologies

to mirror the actual technologies to be used.

How quickly one can redress the problem

and operating systems will emerge and

Closely allied is the importance of ACARA

of an inadequate school principal, and ready

children, who increasingly view the computer

having and clearly promoting the alternate

the school for NAPLAN is a moot point;

mouse as archaic will join the global move to

plans, should key parts of the exercise fail.

the research underscores that the task of

BYOD and BYOT (Lee and Levins, 2012) and

The running of the test assumes 100%

creating the desired eco-system is very

make use of a suite of technology and apps

network uptime, and as such 100% electrical

challenging and takes significant time.

of their choosing.

supply throughout. A Darwin like, 9 hour

How many of Australia’s near 9,500 principals can provide that leadership?

From this, it is easily seen that the Government has an imperative responsibility

The author would strongly suggest that, in

to employ an on-going online testing

the near future, the authorities responsible

approach that can cater, at no extra cost,

for every one of Australia’s schools check

for all the major technologies used by the

their schools’ ability for their children to sit

children at the time of each test.

NAPLAN online from 2016, and take the

electrical shutdown, will render all the other preparations meaningless. Conclusion Unintentionally, the Government in seeking to conduct NAPLAN online in 2016 is as

It is thus disappointing, to say the least, to

much, if not indeed more so, testing the

note in the survey sent to school principals

digital capability of Australia’s 9,500 schools

While the testing of NAPLAN online does

over Robert Randall’s name that specified

and its external school support agencies, as

oblige all schools to be prepared, it also

in point 11 “doing the tests on tablets will

it is testing the young of Australia.

requires the 40 plus education systems to

require external keyboards…”

appropriate remedial action.

It is vital that all parties understand this.

ensure their networks are up to the task

That requirement will oblige every child/

It is laudable to conduct NAPLAN online

and that ACARA can cater for the array of

school using a tablet in 2016 to outlay

but it is a very high-risk initiative that requires

technology and operating systems being

approximately $100 each simply for a one-

literally millions of variables to be identified

used by the children on the day of the test

off test that most would prefer not to sit.

and dealt with astutely if it is to succeed.

in 2016.

Those parents, schools and states that

If the risk is too great and too many

If, as surmised, all Year 3, 5, 7 and 9

have readied themselves for the sustained

elements cannot be readied in time, it might

children are to sit NAPLAN at the same

use of current technology will be financially

be wise to hold back a year or two.

time in 2016, it will place considerable extra

punished.

pressure and responsibility on Australia’s 40 plus education system networks. Assuming

One can already see the headline FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT

EXPECTS

that their school networks will still be used

PARENTS AND SCHOOLS TO PAY $100

by all the other students in the school, one

FOR EACH CHILD TO COMPULSORILY SIT

is talking about placing approximately an

NAPLAN!

additional 20% load on often unreliable

Bibliography Lee, M and Levins, M (2012) Bring Your Own Technology Melbourne ACER Press Lee, M (2014) ‘Leading a Digital School’ Education Technology Solutions Vol 1 2014

That seemingly simple little technical ‘requirement’ entails the outlay of many

Mal Lee is one of the world’s leaders in

thousands of dollars, puts the Federal,

researching and documenting the evolution

State and Territory ministers under immense

of schooling and teaching from its traditional

In readying the online version of NAPLAN,

unwitting political pressure, provides a

paper-based mode to one that is digital, and

ACARA needs to appreciate that it is not

rallying call for all opposing NAPLAN and

in turn networked, the impact of technology

merely setting a test for 2016 but is positioning

places the test itself in jeopardy.

upon that evolution and how schools and

networks. Will every one of those networks be able to deliver on the day?

the test to be conducted online for each year thereafter, and will in 2016 and every

It is imperative these kinds of unnecessary of impediments are avoided.

subsequent year need to accommodate

I’d suggest it is also imperative to conduct

the clients’ current technology. In a post

full-scale rehearsals that stress test the

PC world, Australia is well past the stage

readiness of all schools, system networks

where the users have to fit in with the

and ACARA. While it is appreciated ACARA

technology rather the technology having

is surveying the schools in 2014, it like you

to accommodate the clients’ ever-evolving

and I has no firm idea of what will be the main

situation.

technologies and operating systems used in

The kind of variability of technology

schools in May 2016. The history of major

readiness found in the nation’s schools is

public sector online deployments is festooned

education authorities might best harness the

Teacher TALK

Becoming a Better Teacher TECHNIQUES

ane Sherlock suggests some practical steps that all teachers might find useful ... We all have memories of our own school days and inspiring teachers. It may have been one of those teachers who provided you with the motivation and model to become a teacher. We should not underestimate the role, importance and significance of great teachers in our lives and in our society. While passion for teaching cannot be learnt, there are other skills and knowledge which can be developed and shared to improve our own classroom landscape and management. Who remembers a great teacher from school? There has been some interesting research which reveals the attributes of effective teaching. Experts like Steve Dinham and Wayne Sawyer have identified key characteristics of effective teachers and you will not necessarily be surprised what that reveals: • They know their subject; • They are passionate about what they teach; • They have an extensive repertoire of teaching and learning strategies; • They respect and like students; • They have a good sense of humour; • They work hard; • They are flexible and fair; • They work as part of a team. What is interesting is that when you survey students about what they prefer, you find a fascinating correlation. They want: • Teachers who respect them; • Teachers who are friendly, approachable and willing to listen; • Teachers who encourage them and help them to succeed; • Teachers who are knowledgeable in their teaching areas; • Lessons delivered with knowledge, interest and organisation; • Classroom management that is effective and genuine. So how do we ensure that we are in this category where students will remember us, and indeed be inspired to pursue the thrill and joys of learning? It is important to consider what is effective teaching. The gauge of effectiveness is when our lessons are successful, worthwhile, valuable, productive, constructive, and indeed we produce the desired or intended result. So ask yourself what is your intended result at the end of each unit and indeed in each lesson? This can be a powerful lens to reflect on our lessons, units of work and relationships with our students. It is essential that we know what we want to achieve, how

we are going to do that and above all, why do we want our students involved in this learning. If we engage our students, there will not only be fewer classroom management challenges, but there will be better and more effective teaching happening. We need to engage through our lesson’s content, the range of teaching strategies and resources we use, and understanding how we can develop our students’ skills to ensure they can be transferred to non-school environments. If students want to learn and can learn in your classroom, this is the first step to successful classroom management where we create a positive learning environment where everything is accessible and transparent. Above all we want our students to feel valued as students of your teaching and as future citizens and life-long learners. Let’s not lose sight of the genuine, and at times overwhelming challenges of day to day teaching. These range from the number of classes we might have in one day, the size of the class, teaching across varied KLAs, promises of help, too many rooms, the school culture, technology failing, lack of time, disengaged children, keeping up with the administrative tasks and having a life beyond school. Let’s consider some of the ways we can achieve this … The three key factors are what you do before you go into the classroom, what you do in the classroom and what happens after. Organisation, structure and order are not everyone’s natural state but they will help you stay sane and healthy. Above all, students like to think their teacher knows what is going on -- they will forgive idiosyncrasies only for a short time and if your lack of organisation impacts on them, your authority will be diminished. It is important to have your own plan aside from the school calendar and faculty or stage schedule Consider where you are going for the year. Then look at the semester, the term, the week, the day, the lesson. This sounds really simple. A plan and an overview will increase your enjoyment of the job, will engage your students and we all know that means fewer classroom management issues. This could be the difference between a great day and let’s find another job! It will also ensure more genuine learning in your classroom. You need to plan every lesson and be organised. Also, you need to plan when you are not in the classroom so that your time just doesn’t disappear and it is another long night or working weekend. Electronic calendars are valuable but I recommend a wall calendar such as the free one from the Teachers Mutual Bank -- a copy in your classroom and one in the staffroom. As soon

as you receive the first dates for the next school year, insert as many key dates as possible -- reports due, athletics carnival, parent interviews, assessment dates. Also include significant personal dates from your own life. Check the calendar before you set tasks for students to submit. Give yourself a clear run of time so that you don’t have a major class task at the same time as a half yearly exam to mark or an assessment task or stage programs to register when you had planned your birthday celebration. A visual representation of the term and the year will help students see what is ahead. You will have more control and less stress if you plan. It will also help you to return student work promptly which is a benefit for students and for yourself. A day book is critical and while some schools and faculties are going paperless, there will always be a place for a day book or chronicle. It is the incidental elements in a teacher’s hectic working life that an electronic system does not capture so well: the quick notes to self, a passing observation of a child who has not had their book for the past week, a few words of praise for some previously recalcitrant students, a reminder what to be doing in your RFF. One of the critical factors which has a direct correlation to student engagement is our own unit of work tailored to the needs and interests of our own class. The quality of your units will shape the quality of your lessons which in turn will lead to greater engagement and more effective teaching and thus improved outcomes for your students and you. Students deserve a lesson you would want to have had yourself or want your own child to have. In the busyness of school, the practicalities of what to teach and how to teach often take priority but it is very important not to forget why you are teaching something. Before designing a unit you need to ask: • Why is this important? • Why are we doing this? This then helps us consider our own beliefs about learning and teaching and what we think are the nature and purpose of our subject in the school curriculum. This will in turn enhance students’ capacity as life-long learners and as creative and confident thinkers. Engagement is all about being interested and feeling competent and confident, the very preconditions of mastery and achievement. Before embarking on creating your unit of work consider these two questions: • What do you want your students to learn, gain, understand or realise throughout this unit and by its end?

Teacher TALK • What do your students need to learn, gain, understand or realise throughout this unit and by its end? Can you see the difference? Once you have decided what your intention and purpose is, write a short paragraph or dot points which could become the unit’s focus for the class as introductory notes or a chart or homepage to an electronic document. Revisit this intention throughout the unit and check for mid-point understanding and progress and then reinforce and reward. Ask yourself: 1. Is this unit culminating in a significant assessment task where specific skills, knowledge or concepts will be assessed? 2. Is this unit a building block to future units in future years or stages? 3. Is this unit part of the school’s assessment and reporting process and will it impact on a student’s class placement or progress report? Allocate time to the structure and length of each unit. How many lessons in the unit? How many hours in a week? How many weeks? What other school events are scheduled at this time? Where do you want to be by end of week 1, 3, 5? Be realistic in your planning. Don’t be too ambitious but have high expectations. Within the unit incorporate a range of teaching and learning strategies and a range of student tasks with choices as well as different ways into the content and skills. Deploying variety and surprise to tap into student curiosity is effective. Try to achieve something tangible each lesson. Each lesson should be an entity on its own but part of the wider unit. Design lessons which deliver the syllabus, suit your class’s interests and their ability levels. Be sure that you are aware of the literacy levels of your students so that you do not lose them because they cannot cope with the demands of the reading or the instructions. Think of the different paths to the same destination -- a quiz, mindmap, review, narrative, analytical critical response, newspaper article, imaginative re-creation, visual representation. Mixing up our lesson structures provides for variety and will address different learning styles. Be sure to recap to the unit’s intention and if there is a significant end

point task be mindful of including strategies and processes to ensure your students are prepared and confident for this task. The content and skills within the formal assessment tasks should not be a surprise (nor a shock) and if you embed them in the unit students will feel comfortable and confident. Have you incorporated a range of resources to tap into the diversity and interests of the children in your class? Is there too much? Have you considered the Quality Teaching program in lessons? Have you embedded opportunities and skills for ICT? In creating your units consider how you will help your students make connections with the content and the skills of the unit and their own wider world. Connection and significance are keys to engagement. Research in this area reveals that teachers contributed markedly to student achievement when they • incorporated student perspectives into instruction • promoted autonomy and responsibility • provided instructional opportunities to support higher level thinking • applied instruction to real-life applications. Think about the significance of literature. Human behaviour does not change very much and books and plays and poems and stories give us a window into our behaviour as well as other places and other times. Geography, Science and Mathematics help us understand how the world works. History is vital in helping us to understand why we acted as we did at a particular time and how those actions have impacted on the present and the future. The Arts help us to make sense of ourselves as humans along with our emotions and passions; what gives us pleasure and helps us to make sense of the world in a different way. Practical subjects are always embedded in significance -- their project. We often find disengaged students find genuine interest and engagement in the practical subjects. We so often start our unit with a bang and end with a whimper! Think about the ending of your unit like a good story or film. It should be satisfying, clear and resolve the key questions. Leave time to link the end of the unit to the beginning. Has there been progress/achievement/enlightenment/ learning?

Want to share your teaching experience, promote a cause for all our benefit.

Consider student reflection: Until we looked at WW1, I had no idea…or this reading session today has shown me… or the maths we did today helped to … Back to the syllabus. Our syllabus is a significant document and we need to consult it in our unit writing to refresh and remind ourselves of content and skills. Do you have your own hard copy of each syllabus you need? A virtual copy is invaluable for cutting and pasting outcomes and content but a quick reference needs a hard copy. Effective teaching is about what you do in the classroom Consider the link between effective teaching, engaged students and classroom management. Is it about control? Having power over our students? Effective teaching is very much about the rigour of our lessons and the relationships we have with our students. How do your lessons enable as many students as possible to learn and achieve? Are you building their capacity and their independence as learners? Each lesson needs a clear structure and like that good book or film, it needs a clear exposition that establishes the direction for the rest of the lesson. The opening of a lesson has a huge impact on the success of the rest of the lesson in classroom management and effective teaching. If your school requires a roll to be marked, think about doing that once the class is on task. Have an agenda, for the lesson in a public space and consult that agenda not only for your own organisation and pace but for students to see the direction. It is valuable to have a task for students to do as soon as they arrive. It might be a recap to the previous lesson, a mindmap, a reflection or a short quiz. Be sure to have resources for previously absent students so that you reduce their opportunities to undermine your lesson. Have a folder of task sheets or samples from previous lessons for absentees so that they do not take control of the lesson. Give them a task and tell them you will help them in a few moments and suggest to them how they can catch up via Edmodo, Moodle, folder

Continued on page 16

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Continued from page 15 of tasks or information sheets. This may not be as appropriate for very young children. Consider the pace and the progress of the lesson midway and later consider if you had a strong and clear ending or did the lesson just suddenly finish because the time was up? Be sure to build a classroom culture of mutual respect and positive interaction Thank students both privately and publicly for their contribution, attitude and involvement. It is important that your students know that you have high expectations and that positive behaviour is the culture of your classroom; that praise, reinforcement and celebrating achievement are common features of your classroom regardless of the age and the ability levels of the students. Don’t wait for the assessment task or test before you reward success. Consider acknowledging progress or understanding along the path. Share your students’ success with other students, teachers, parents and the wider community. Scaffolding for end point tasks is crucial and is part of the culture of assessment as learning. There should not be secret teachers’ business or secret markers’ methods. Transparency and consistency should be your mantra. Share with your students ways on how best to succeed. Share the end point task. If you are in practical subjects you can display past projects or if it is an assessment show previous samples. It is like your favourite recipe book -- you want your dish to look just like the pictures on your journey to creating it. Build relationships with your students by being supportive and creating a positive classroom climate. Choose resources to suit your class’s interests and consider a range of resources for variety and also for engagement. Use narrative to engage and illustrate and have a repertoire of management techniques when the wheels fall off. Have plenty of material for every lesson and be prepared to dump what you are doing and

move on and mix up the lesson. Expect your students to write frequently but do not feel you must read and correct everything they do. Instead, decide what you are looking for in a specific piece that you could collect and mark so that both you and the students know what you are looking for. Mark their work promptly and return with feedback, awards and positive reinforcement. Collecting work early and often gives you valuable insight to the child’s skills. Consider the difference between note-taking and notemaking and assist students with these skills and be sure to check those notes for progress and clarity. If using Edmodo and Moodle and blogs, encourage contribution. Be sure that your students belong to your classroom. Understanding, acceptance, relationships and connections within the classroom are important in building a positive classroom culture. Know your students and what their interests are and how you can tap into these interests to make connections as they learn. Show interest in a student as a person and try to be positive about some feature of them. Talk to them alone and be genuine in your concern and interest. You are not their friend but be friendly. Smile. Avoid sarcasm. Avoid shouting. The key is to know the person behind the student. A student presenting with no equipment, books or uniform could be just the tip of many issues. You might be the only one who has provided them with a pen. or a smile. Indeed, welfare and learning are not separate but part of the whole package so seek help or information from the range of people in your school on the welfare team. Ring home with a genuine interest before the problems escalate. What you do after the lesson will contribute to effective teaching. Honest reflection of your lessons and sharing successes and failures with your colleagues are important. Seek advice and ideas from your colleagues. Consider the type of feedback you will give to your students at the next lesson. What counts in my lessons? Do I accomplish what I set

Dare to differentiate A Differentiated Subject Specific Writing Skills Resource by Jenny Dove Jenny Dove

out to teach? How do I know? Is it evidenced in the talk of the classroom? Do I use assessment information to guide my practice? Do I plan for learning opportunities where the purposes for the learning are clear and well-defined? How do I introduce the main learning goals of the lesson? Is the new learning made explicit? Do I share with students the specific nature of the task, the rationale for learning and its value to their learning? Do my students “get it”? Finally, you cannot control the wider, rigid school environment like bell times, lesson length, assessment schedules, playground duty but you can control what happens in your own classroom. Personalise your classroom environment with your tone, energy and personality. Have some fun, vary the routine. Vary your lunchtime routine. Seek out some different colleagues or locations, go for a walk, find a quiet place and read or listen to the radio or your favourite music on your iPod. Beware of low -level burnout before it intensifies. Otherwise you lose enthusiasm, energy and fulfillment. Enjoy this wonderful profession. You can make a world of difference. Jane Sherlock is a highly experienced and enthusiastic teacher having previously been English Head Teacher at Kiama HS. Jane is also a widely published author, a presenter for the Centre for Professional Learning and is project officer for HSC Student Days for the NSW English Teachers’ Association. In 2009, Jane was awarded the Australian College of Educators’ Award for her services to education. The Journal of Professional Learning (JPL) is an online professional journal that seeks to enhance the quality of teaching and of public education in NSW and Australia. It has been established as an adjunct to the work of the Centre for Professional Learning which is the professional development arm of the NSW Teachers Federation. To contact the JPL please see website http://cpl.asn.au/ or send an email tojpl@

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Author of the Applied Literacy Writing Skills series

ffective educators organise their curriculum with the view to differentiating for the varied learners in their care. As obvious as this statement is, the reality remains appropriate and effective differentiation is demanding for teachers to deliver consistently and at a high standard. Managing the various levels and learning styles in any learning environment is a constant challenge for time poor teachers. It is clear teachers are highly skilled in identifying the needs of their students. How to constantly cope with these needs and deliver appropriate, differentiated instruction is an area teachers require more explicit support. Deciding on how to differentiate, locate, and implement strategies and resources for this process remains the key. Strategies that differentiate for the various capabilities and learning styles of students need to offer rich and explicit learning experiences. An approach to differentiation begins with the careful analysis of task outcomes. For example, if you require your students to write persuasively then determine the format, language requirements and level of the task. Students require an entry point in any task that is manageable for them. Well-structured scaffolded tasks provide step by step instructions that ensure students gain a level of independence and confidence, whilst more able students

– Benjamin Franklin

are able to self-direct and work at their own pace. The language requirements of the task are a vital component of the differentiated scaffold. A list of persuasive words that suit the persuasive style are integral to the structure of the task. Finally the model; this denotes the level required, what do you want your students to achieve? Providing a model helps students work to a standard. Effectively, the less capable students can begin their journey towards the required outcome and a model that provides more able students a tangible level to strive towards. Providing this level of quality differentiation on a regular basis can be difficult to sustain. The need for quality explicit literacy resources that are differentiated is clear. Hence the development of the Applied Literacy Writing Skills series. It is aimed at offering a differentiated approach supporting teachers and students in a practical and very usable way. Integrated scaffolds, models and explicit vocabulary and language structures offer the complete package for a differentiated writing classroom. The series spans a variety of subjects and is subject specific in its nature. From constructing feature articles in Science to narrative short stories in English, The Applied Writing Series provides explicit scaffolds, writing models and task specific language to ensure students develop an array of tools for enhancing their writing and overall communication skills.

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The app’s content is driven by the IMD administrator website which is operated by the school. It is intuitive to use, is highly responsive on any web enabled device, and scales to any screen size. Schools can seamlessly post calendar events, send alerts, and publish all forms of news to their students. In addition, IMD includes functionality for the sending of personalized emails. The emailing capability also acts as a fall back for communicating with those parent that don’t have smart phones – these parents are automatically sent an email by IMD when all other parents are sent information through the app. In this way, the school is certain that all parents have been reached. With each school being a closed community within the system, all communication is completely secure. “In my diary offers a phenomenal valueadd,” concludes Tania. “It saves time, provides reliable information, ensures professional communication and is so easy to use. And it’s free!”

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Australian Education Blogs BY Aussie Educator www.aussieeducator.org.au/ Art Re-Source ‘This contemporary Visual Art Blog is in response to some of the frustration I felt as a student and then later as an artist, finding information on how to do things, who does things, and how it all comes together. Check out the info and let me know if there are things I should add or alter’ Booked Inn ‘Heroic adventures in teacherlibrarianship’. Bright Ideas ‘Encourag[ing] teacher librarians and educators to actively engage with ICT, to share tools and experiences, to network on a global scale, and to embrace dynamic teaching and learning opportunities’. Commentary from Carlton [Andrew Norton] Mostly concerned with the higher

education area, from someone with a lengthy and diverse connection to it. Dan’s Blog ‘What did you do at school today ?’ Dan Haesler. Education WA ‘If you are looking for a bit of opinion on education in general and occasionally of education in WA, this is the right place’. Education Watch International ‘Comments from Australia on the mostly parlous state of modern education by John J. Ray’. Educatorvoices Grammar Gang ‘From the University of South Australia and Purdue University’. Linking for Learning A website blog which links with a Linking for Learning Wiki’. MathsClass ‘MathsClass is about teaching and

learning in a maths classroom’. Have your say and share ideas. Maths Pig ‘It’s about FUN maths, MEDIA maths and especially DUMB maths. Anyone can tackle these problems. This blog simply encourages clear thinking with numbers’. On Line Opinion - Education The Book Chook ‘Book reviews, tips for parents and teachers from an Australian writer who’s passionate about children’s literacy, learning and literature’. The Educating Parent A blog on all things Homeschool from Beverley Paine. The Spoke Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. ‘An extensive source of articles on early childhood research, policy and practice’

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Cinnamon, Pumpkin and Coconut Soup RECIPE Serves 4- 6 A delicious twist on regular pumpkin soup, this is a perfect warming dish for the cooler months. As well as cook top directions I have included Thermomix instructions below. Enjoy! Ingredients: ½ jap or butternut pumpkin 1 large or 2 small onions, roughly chopped 1-2 tablespoons Coconut oil Cinnamon 1 litre (4 cups) bone broth (or chicken or vegetable stock) - see note ½ cup coconut milk Sea salt and cracked pepper Chives to serve Preparation: Chop the pumpkin into fairly even sized cubes and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sea salt and cracked pepper and drizzle with coconut oil. Bake in a moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 40 minutes or until well cooked. Method: Heat the coconut oil in a large soup pot or saucepan and sauté the onion with a sprinkle of salt until transparent. Add the baked pumpkin and toss through until well coated. Add the broth (or stock) to cover. You may need to add some more water. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk and blitz with a hand held blender or food processer. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with chives.

If you are using a Thermomix: Add the onion to the mixing bowl and chop speed 5 for 5 seconds. Add the coconut oil and sauté for 3 minutes, 100 degrees, speed 2. Add the baked pumpkin and broth (or stock) to cover. (You may need to add more water.) Cook for 20 minutes, 100 degrees, speed 1. Add coconut milk and blitz speed 9 for 1 minute. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with chives.

About Alix: Alix Toynton created The Shrinking Hubby to share her passion for quality food and regular exercise, to encourage others to enjoy a healthier way of life and to share her knowledge as she continues her journey of food discovery. After embracing a healthy lifestyle with her husband Andrew in 2005, Alix has helped Andrew lose more than 60 kilos (130 pounds) through clean, healthy, delicious food and by maintaining an exercise programme that he loves. Since embarking on this journey together, Alix and Andrew have been blessed with three beautiful daughters who are fussy eaters with intolerances to dairy, gluten and additives. This, combined with their desire to eat well, has presented challenges in the family kitchen and has led to the creation of many of her recipes. Alix has spent countless hours researching, testing and perfecting recipes in her kitchen and, although not formally qualified in food nutrition, she proudly shares the results of all of her hard work with you through The Shrinking Hubby – and the results speak for themselves! Nothing gives Alix more pleasure than knowing she has made a positive impact on the lives and health of others and she shares her story and inspires many more people through her blog (www.theshrinkinghubby.com and on social media www. facebook.com/theshrinkinghubby and www.instagram.com/theshrinkinghubby)

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Jurassic World (M) MOVIE REVIEW By Alex First It may be hard to believe that 22 years have gone by since Steven Spielberg directed Jurassic Park, which gave the T-Rex renewed sex appeal. Two further instalments followed in 1997 and 2001, before the dinosaurs went into hibernation. Now they are well and truly out there again. Two decades ago it was Dr John Hammond’s (played by Richard Attenborough in the original Jurassic Park movies) dream to open a theme park where visitors could experience the thrill and awe of seeing actual dinosaurs. In Jurassic World, his vision has beome a reality. Situated on an island off the coast of Costa Rica is a fully operational luxury resort where tens of thousands of guests explore the wonder and brilliance of the earth’s most magnificent living prehistoric marvels. Kids can even get up close and personal in a petting zoo. Overseeing every corner of Jurassic World is “control freak” Bryce Dallas Howard (The Help). She finds herself unexpectedly saddled with the arrival of her nephews aged 11 and 16, Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson, whom she hasn’t seen in years. They’ve been sent by their mum, Judy Greer, to spend a few days at the park. But Dallas Howard has no time for the distraction of two visiting kids and loads them up with passes, sending them off to explore. The park’s miraculous animals are created by BD Wong (Jurassic Park), a geneticist who once worked for the company behind John Hammond’s first park. Now he is in the employ of larger-than-life billionaire benefactor Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi). The commercial prosperity of the park demands regular innovations to keep guests returning. So it is that Wong is pushed beyond the

bounds of ethical science, manipulating genetics to engineer a genetically modified dinosaur that never walked the planet. The most secretive new breed developed by him and yet to be debuted in the park is the massive and mysterious Indominus Rex. Raised in isolation after devouring its only sibling, Indominus, whose genetic makeup has been classified, is reaching maturity. To help assess the creature and the security of its containment, Dallas Howard visits Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), an ex-military expert in animal behavior. Pratt is years into a study with a pack of aggressive Velociraptors, over whom he has established an alpha relationship. When the Indominus Rex, whose capacities for savagery and intelligence are unknown, stages an escape and disappears into the jungle, every creature in Jurassic World, both dinosaur and human, is threatened. The film is directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow, who was responsible for Safety Not Guaranteed that came out in 2012. Before entering the cinema, I had a great sense of expectation and excitement given that I was a fan of the original. I had the good fortune to see the movie in IMAX 3D and the sights and sounds of the dinosaurs were truly impressive. So, too, the theme park itself. It is mighty appealing and I, for one, would want to visit. Technology has moved forward in leaps and bounds since Jurassic Park. I also found the back-story regarding the artificial manufacture of “mutant” dinosaurs to hide the ever-growing public appetite for bigger and better and more thrilling highly plausible. Then there are issues of greed and making money for investors, plus, on the flip side, animal conservation, all of which are dealt with here. An extra dimension was the intelligence, not to overlook the predatory instincts and

camouflage characteristics, of the frightening Indominus Rex. Jurassic World is genuinely scary in parts and it is not for nothing that it has an M rating, because little kids would undoubtedly be fearful, whether they are into dinosaurs or not. Yes, there is a body count and blood on the walls here as the beast goes on the rampage, flinging his pursuers aside as if they were rag dolls. I liked the fact that as with the recent Mad Max: Fury Road, we have two leads – a male and a female – and neither takes a backward step. In other words, each holds their own. As far as reservations are concerned, as usual with these blockbusters, it comes down to some of the individual characters and what they are asked to do. For example, Judy Greer’s role (she is the mum of the two children) was cheesy, while her husband was virtually a non entity. So, what I am saying is that a number of characters were single dimensional and stereotypical. To that extent, I felt what was lacking was original vision. When you can’t think of anything new you end up reverting to type. Of course, you have to suspend belief when you are asked to swallow (no pun intended) that in spite of the numerous interactions Dallas Howard, Pratt and the two children have with the voracious creatures they are not quick and easy prey. But it is an age-old cinematic device to allow an audience to build a rapport with and care for the key characters. Jurassic World also has its ultimate “fight night” where the two heavyweights just go at it, but there is a surprise, which I am not about to reveal. In summary then, I am happy to be able to report that there is more than enough in Jurassic World to make it a worthy and worthwhile successor to the original Jurassic films. Rated M, it scores a 7½ out of 10.

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Hitting the Right Note on School Music Programs A

MUSIC

few years ago the committee of St Ives North Primary School’s music program were looking to move the management of the music program to an online centralised management system. However, the search for a suitable system that incorporated both the management and communication of the program, proved unsuccessful. That is when Leora Staskun, who was involved in the committee at the time, and her husband Jonathan (both IT developers) decided to create their own affordable online solution to meet this need. It took approximately a year to develop the system, as all the complexities of running a school music program were taken into account - student management, new registrations, re-enrolments, instrument hire, tuition and billing. When the music committee at St Ives North Primary started using the system they quickly realised how much easier it was to manage the music program and how much time it saved. After all, it had been developed by people who knew first-hand what was needed! Leora comments “Besides the day-to-day benefits of using the system to manage the school music program, one of the key advantages is the ability to retain music program information, activity history

and other details around the running of the music program from year to year, even when committee members change”. Since most schools in NSW operate school music programs in similar ways, Jonathan and Leora decided to develop the system further and to offer it to other schools so that they too could benefit from its functionality. Over the past 9 months, My School Music has been rolled out to over 30 schools in NSW with glowing customer feedback. Melissa Gock, CoSecretary of the P&C Band Committee at Willoughby Public School commented “My School Music has saved both our Treasurers and our Secretary an enormous amount of time. We really like that the system has everything in the one place and it has eliminated the use of multiple spreadsheets, allowing the information to be more consistent, especially parent contact details - making it a more secure way of us storing information. Jonathan has been fantastic. He has exceeded all of our expectations and has been very accommodating in meeting our specific requirements.” Looking to the year ahead, Jonathan comments “Now that the product has matured, the focus for 2015 will be to extend the client base of My School Music beyond NSW to the broader Australian market “. My School Music is therefore providing free trials of

the product to all schools as well as a full money back satisfaction guarantee on purchase. The company hopes to grow its user base to around 300 – 400 schools by the end of the calendar year My School Music Pty Limited Leora Staskun Phone: 1300 761 480 www.myschoolmusic.com.au.

Jonathan and Leora Staskun, founders of My School Music

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Suzuki Celerio A Pleasant Package CAR REVIEW By Garry Fabian

icro-cars struggle for sales in Australia. It seems it’s just a step-down too far for most new-car buyers, despite the low cost of purchase and running costs. Take the new Suzuki Celerio, which replaces the ALTO as an example of that. Four seats and a reasonably sized boot in a car that’s priced attractively. If you need a city runabout it’s certainly the right size . The package delivers a five-door, four-seat hatchback, powered by a 1.0-litre threecylinder engine and drives the front wheels via the choice of five-speed manual or continuously variable transmissions. Both versions of Celerio come standard with six airbags, electronic stability control, antilock brakes, air-conditioning, AM/FM/CD fourspeaker audio, bluetooth, power windows and a driver’s seat height adjuster. There’s even a space-saver spare tyre under the boot floor. That’s a better than expected level of equipment for the price. Another good piece of news is the Celerio drives better than you might expect too. For a start, the engine produces that typicallytriple chunky note and beat. It’s a happy, enthusiastic sort of noise and it fits the 1.0’s character well. With short gearing and only an 830kg kerb weight to pull along, the Celerio is surprisingly zippy. It has no problem keeping up on traffic light-strewn urban roads, or blending

in on 100km/h freeways. A positive gearshift and easy clutch action on the manual helps in such situations. It’s really good for around town too, allied with light electric-assist rack and pinion, and excellent outward vision. And if you’re driving takes you regularly out onto the open road then be prepared for the noisiness of the cabin (road and engine), the less than sure-footed feel that a tiny footprint and light weight delivers and for some kickback through the steering wheel on bumpy corners. It’s not bad though considering its size. Meanwhile, the ride on small 14-inch steel wheels, 165/65-series Bridgestone Ecopia rubber and basic MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension is pretty darn good. That raised seating position is one of the most positive things about the Celerio’s interior. Another is the surprisingly generous size of the front bucket seats; while flat they offer plenty of under-thigh support, a sizeable backrest and a cheery motif. There is a moderate amount of storage upfront, including narrow door pockets, two cup holders and a reasonable glove box. The look of the dash and the instrument pod is also userfriendly. Overall it can be described as utilitarian, and at this money that’s no surprise. There is no reach adjustment on the steering column, no footrest, although the angle of the firewall

substitutes just fine. Adult rear-seat passengers will find space is tight behind a medium to tall driver, but they do get lap-sash seatbelts, a headrest, doormounted cup holders, one seat-back pocket and an overhead grab handle. Exit and entry is aided by wide-opening doors. The boot is claimed to be 254 litres, which is enough to get a decent amount of shopping onboard, or a couple of suitcases. The rear bench flips forward to expand that to 726 litres and believe it or not you can fit a full-size mountain bike in there with the front wheel removed. The Celerio, does provide an attractive option that will not be too hard on the bank balance. This is a city car, built to a price and for a specific purpose but if you’re after a shopping trolley or urban runabout that will be cheap to buy and run then this is a car that can go on your consideration list . NUTS & BOLTS Engine: 1.0 lt three cylinder producing 50 kW, 90 Nm. 0-100 9.7 seconds Transmission: five-speed manual, C automatic Brakes: four-wheel drums Dimensions: length 3600mm, width 1600mm, height 1540mm, wheelbase 2425mm, track front 1420mm, rear 1410mm, fuel tank 35 lt, turning circle 9.4m Economy: 4.7 lt/100km Safety Rating Four Star (ANCAP)

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Adjusting to Winter Driving DRIVING TIPS By Garry Fabian

inter is here, and the snow is falling in copious quantities, the ski slopes calling the devotees and first timers alike. Visions of skiing down the slopes during the day, followed by nights in front of the log fire with a glass of gluhwein in your hand are a happy prospect, as you get in your car and head off to the resorts. What most drivers, particularly the relatively inexperienced, fail to realise, is that driving in winter conditions is one of the most dangerous activities we can participate in. The trek up the mountain usually takes in narrow and winding road, freezing temperatures, and icy surfaces, rarely encountered by the average urban driver. While most assume that driving a four-wheel drive is a better option than the average sedan under these conditions, this does not always follow. While four-wheel drives have been designed for rugged off-road conditions, winter driving conditions, particularly in the mountains, where snow and ice present very special conditions, need special preparation and additional care. While mos of it is common sense, it is surprising how often this is neglected. Here are some helpful hints, that will not only make your trip safer, but may avoid breakdowns, frustrating delays, and in extreme cases, considerable trauma. Before you leave home Get your car checked out and serviced. Make sure to put anti freeze into your radiator,

to prevent cracked engine blocks. Check brake fluid and brake linings, fan belts, make sure all lights are working, and that fuel injectors have been serviced. Make sure tyres are in good condition and have been inflated to the correct pressure. Check and replace worn windscreen wiper blade, check the battery, and if necessary replace with a new one, Cold engines draw extra power for starting, and a battery not at its peak could leave you stranded. Carry Chains Heading for the snow, carrying a set of tyre chains is insurance. But make sure that they are the correct size for your car, and learn to fit them correctly before you leave home. They are legally required at most alpine resorts for sedans. While there is no legal requirements for 4WD’s they are a sensible option. Slow Down and Take Extra Care A cardinal mistake is to assume that your stopping power will be the same in the snow as it is on dry suburban roads or the bitumen. This is particularly important when going downhill on snow or ice covered roads. Keep the car in a lower gear than you would under normal driving conditions, and keep that extra distance from the car in front. The other thing to keep in mind is that ABS and Traction Control (if fitted to your vehicle) will not be as efficient under these driving conditions. Taking corners too fast is another factor that increases the chances of loosing control. Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles While there is no doubt that 4WD’s are the better option when heading for the snow, they still require the same care. For as an example,

if you happen to hit a patch of black ice, there is zero grip between the tyres, no matter if your traction is on two or four wheels. The other area to watch is that while some newer vehicles are permanent all-wheel drive, those with two/fourwheel drive options, need to be changed to the four-wheel mode before you reach the area where snow and ice may be on the road. Once you start skidding, it is usually too late. Parking Correctly While this may seem a “motherhood” statement, remember some basic points before leaving your car parked at the bottom of the mountain for a weekend or longer in freezing conditions. Make sure your headlights are switched off. On level ground don’t use the handbrake, as it could freeze solid, but make sure that it is secured to avoid rolling.. Take a spare set of keys. With gloves on it is easy to drop your keys, and trying to find them in deep snow or the dark can be a nightmare, when you are ready to head home. And Finally - Keep a Sharp Lookout Keep well clear from the car in front of you. There is a good chance that the drivers have more confidence than ability and is likely to do something stupid. Keep your mind on the task of driving, stay alert so you can take evasive action if there is danger ahead. And above all keep to the speed limit, or below, as there tends to be a strong police presence during the season in the ski areas. Enjoy the snow season, and remember two cardinal rules - It is better to get there and back ten minutes later, than not at all, and keep your cool - don’t be sucked in by the behaviour of irresponsible drivers who share the road.

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Choosing A Cruise By John Pond

TRAVEL

ustralians are the number one cruisers, by head of population, in the world. We have surpassed North America and are welcoming first class ships to Australia during our cruise season, which is November through April. Several fine ships are based on our east coast year round, and we see many cruise lines calling into our ports during their world trips. When reading advertisements when looking to choose a cruise, realise that most cruise companies quote prices for inside cabins on a twin or quad share basis, so as to come up with a low advertised price. Most seasoned cruisers opt for a twin share outside or balcony cabin. I always prefer the balcony option. Here are a few tips to get the best deals. One may book directly with the shipping line, or ideally, book through a certified cruise agent. The shipping line price is no lower than booking through an agent and if you select the right agent, it’s the customer service that really pays off. If you wish to have a cabin to yourself, then in most cases, you will have to pay a single supplement, which is usually your fare’s price plus 100%. Some ships have single cabins (no single supplement) but these fill fast. Ask your

cruise agent about these options. All shipping lines want to sail with a full ship and will discount fares to that end. There are early bird specials, last minute specials and more. Again a good cruise agent will keep you apprised. Discounts of up to 50% are not uncommon. Get on the shipping lines’ mailing lists as well as some Internet agents and of course your selected travel agent. Surf the web under cruising. In my opinion, cruising offers the best value for money vacation - accommodation, all meals, entertainment and a lot more. Apart from alcoholic beverages, one can cruise without any additional charges. Tips are often in the ticket price or added to your shipboard account, these usually work out to around $10 a day per person. In ports visited, there are optional tours available, sold by the shipping line. These can sometimes be costly (average $60-$100 each). Except when in certain doubtful ports, I usually do my own tour in a taxi or with a local tour company at a fraction of the ship’s tour cost. If in a doubtful port, I choose the ship’s tour, because if delayed, the ship will wait for you, otherwise you could be waving bye on the jetty. I love cruising, so will you.

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THEATRE REVIEW

Photo by: Jeff Busby

Anything Goes at the Princess Theatre Reviewed by Alex First

uperlatives don’t do justice to the seemingly ageless national treasure of musical theatre in Caroline O’Connor, who gives one of the performances of her life in this hilarious, fun-filled new Australian production. Anything Goes is a big, bold and sassy musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. It debuted on Broadway in 1934, so we are talking the Depression era … and this was a good way to chase away the Blues. J.C. Williamson first introduced it to Australian audiences in 1936. Anything Goes played for six weeks in Sydney, ten days at His Majesty’s Theatre in Brisbane and seven weeks in Melbourne and then disappeared from Australian stages for 35 years. It was revived in 1971 and again to widespread acclaim in 1989, before The Production Company introduced it in its 2001 season and staged it again a decade later. That year Dean Bryant and Andrew Hallsworth were responsible for direction and choreography and now the pair is back at the helm with three of the stars of that show. The story concerns madcap antics aboard the ocean liner S.S. American, bound from New York to London. Billy Crocker is a stowaway in love with heiress Hope Harcourt. They spent one passionate night together and he knew she was the one for him. She feels similarly, but has become engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, whom she is due to marry in three days. The reason is simple – her family fortune is no longer and her mother sees this as a good way out of their financial predicament.

Complications abound and it is left to evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney to help Billy in his quest to win over the former heiress. Todd McKenney reprises his role (from 2011) as wealthy Englishman Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, while Alex Rathgeber has been recalled as young Wall Street broker Billy Crocker. Wayne Scott Kermond is also back as Moonface Martin, a second rate gangster. O’Connor plays Reno Sweeney, Claire Lyon is Hope Harcourt and Debora Krizak has been cast as Erma, Moonface’s girlfriend. Carmen Duncan plays Mrs Harcourt, Hope’s haughty and overbearing mother and Bartholomew John appears as Elisha Whitney, an Ivy league Wall Street banker. Gerry Connolly rounds out the principal cast as the ship’s hapless captain. The cast in total numbers 28, excluding the band. Vocally, it is particularly strong. Anything Goes introduced such songs as “Anything Goes”, “You’re the Top”, “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “It’s De-Lovely”. There are 21 musical numbers in all – 12 in the first act and nine in the second. None is better than the sensational signature tune (and accompanying electrifying tap dancing) that closes the first act and has the audience jumping to its feet, clapping and cheering in appreciation. Soon after the break, O’Connor and her bawdy dancing quartet, have a less than conventional way of encouraging sinners to repent as they belt out “Blow, Gabriel, Blow”. Another showcase number that has the crowd in raptures is the display of friendship between old mates Reno and Moonface. Todd McKenney, almost unrecognisable when he first appears on stage as Lord Oakleigh in a fawn

double breasted suit, hat and glasses, milks his floppy hair for all its worth whenever he reappears. Like O’Connor, he is a sheer delight as he captures the essence of the confounded Englishman in his limited time in the limelight. As a matter of fact, the principals all had their opportunities to shine and did so on cue, with the comic timing of Rathgeber, Kermond, Krizak, John and Connolly particular fancies. Sure, some of what they are asked to do is corny, but much of it is laugh aloud funny and witty to boot. I was particularly taken by the rapid fire action that moves along the plot, which takes place in finely tuned vignettes in the first act. It is then that the cleverly conceived central stage area rotates back and forth to reflect the amusing repartee of several of the key players in respective cabins. The imagination of set and costume designer Dale Ferguson is to be applauded, as a Manhattan bar gives way to a ship’s deck on two levels. Remaining prominent throughout is the ship’s bow, for which credit must also go to lighting designer Matt Scott. Winner of three Tony Awards during its most recent Broadway revival, Anything Goes is set to delight Australian audiences, for it is truly deserving of yet more gongs. But the real star of the piece, in every sense of the word, is the peerless Caroline O’Connor, whose range and showmanship has rightfully earned her global recognition. She is brilliant. Long may she continue to reign. Anything Goes is on at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne before moving to Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre from 28th July and the Sydney Opera House from 8th September, when Alan Jones will assume the role of the ship’s captain.

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