E-News 13th May - Vol 4, No 3
Edited by Keith Redman
Topics covered in this edition include:
- ANSN workshops – far and near
- Report on a Dimensions of Learning (DoL) workshop in Queensland
- Report of a DoL workshop focusing on Habits of Mind (Dimensions 1 & 5)
- Hanan a critical friend, as St Stephens College extends its work with DoL
- Summary of Term 2 and 3 opportunities in 2009, for ANSN Dimensions of Learning and Setting the Stage
- Embedding Interactive Whiteboards in the curriculum: New IWB Hub, for advanced users, starts Term 2
- Developing Wonderful Readers – a workshop for early years educators (QLD)
- Two Bee Bots workshops in Tasmania – Register now
- Big Picture Education Australia – Programs in Tasmania
- New report from the Brotherhood of St Laurence
- Some further interesting reading
- Reminders of ANSN activities, introduced in previous editions of E-News
ANSN workshops – far
and near
Viv White, ANSN National
Coach, has just returned to Victoria after running a workshop in
Queensland. She reports that it is pleasing to see so many of our
members coming to the variety of programs that ANSN offers. Sometimes
this involves considerable travel by the participants. In this case
Viv’s workshop was held at Mooloolaba Primary School on the Sunshine
Coast – one of the schools that provides an “action site” for our work.
As well as attracting participants from the local area, the workshop
included teachers from Corinda High in Brisbane and, from interstate,
folks from Wodonga Catholic Secondary College in Victoria, as well as
from Melbourne and Adelaide. That’s a long way to go to build your
professional learning. Perhaps, as this workshop was scheduled with
school holidays in mind, there was the promise of mixing work with
pleasure. However, based on past experience, we also believe that some
teachers like to work nationally, while others are drawn by a
particular topic or workshop that suits their interests and needs.
However, Viv comments, some folk also say they wish that a particular
workshop of interest was not just being offered in Mooloolaba, a state
capital or some other specific location – they would like to go, but
it’s too far away. For those people, Viv has a message:
“If you like the ideas or topic and can arrange for 20 or so local
colleagues to come, we can almost always (with enough lead time) come
to you. So, when you read of an upcoming event, want to attend but
can't go because of where it is, contact us and we’ll see what we can
arrange. If you are interested in this possibility for your school or
group of schools, email viv.white@bigpicture.org.au
Report on a Dimensions
of Learning (DoL) workshop in Queensland
Tina Doe, ANSN Networker
(below, left), reports that she has been working with staff from the
Senior Campus of Forest Lake College in Brisbane (below, centre). Over
two days, staff rotated through DoL planning sessions (below, right) in
eight faculty-based groups.
The focus was to unpack the Dimensions of Learning as a pedagogical
framework for planning teaching and learning. Feedback included the
following.
It explained exactly what DoL means and why it is so important.
It was hands on!! We could make it relevant as we went along.
The session allowed us to take our units and make them working DoL documents.
Unpacking the Dimensions into simple forms that make sense (helped us) to achieve a deeper understanding of the framework.
Participants said they
appreciated the “realistic hands-on help”; and personalised attention
from the workshop facilitator, in both their individual and group
planning contexts. They reported that the workshops were “engaging”,
“zippy”, “not boring” and “relevant”. They made a point of thanking the
Forest Lake College Head of Science/Dean of Curriculum, Glenn Johnson,
for his understanding of “where they were at” in their DoL journey and
helping to tailor this opportunity for them to plan collaboratively, in
their faculty teams, under the guidance of a Critical Friend.
If you are interested in exploring the Dimensions of Learning with
Tina, please refer to the table of scheduled workshops, dates and
locations (Summary of Term 2 and 3 opportunities in 2009 …), later in
this edition of ANSN E-News. Alternatively, contact tina.doe@ansn.edu.au to discuss
the possibility of organising sessions in your area.
Report of a DoL
workshop focusing on Habits of Mind (Dimensions 1 & 5)
Tina Doe also reports
that she worked with more than 100 staff members at Kenmore SHS in
Brisbane, on the Term 2 Student Free Day. A variety of sessions made
the day successful, reflecting substantial pre-planning to provide a
custom-designed package for the school. Initial activities were led by
the school’s administration team and DoL leadership members, who
focused work on Habits of Mind (HoM, Dimension 1) teaching and learning
strategies (see below). In the middle session Tina facilitated an
in-depth exploration of the HoM, where participants were offered
opportunities to share their stories through a series of activities.
The final session was dedicated to feedback and reflection in groups
(below, left) – including teachers from all faculties, so different
perspectives could be shared about how the HoM strategies play out in
classrooms. Feedback showed that the most effective elements of
professional learning were:
sharing with colleagues – getting involved, rather than just sitting and listening;
deepening my appreciation of the need to teach to the Habits of Mind and my understanding of what they seek to achieve; and
opportunities to interact and listen to stories from around the school and share experience about what works and what doesn’t
Some participants
particularly enjoyed a HoM “chain” activity where participants had the
opportunity to be creative with “jewellery” design (below, right).
Overall, however, the standout comments were about:
modelling of key ideas and links with research – I like facts and figures to support ideas; and
making links – talking about HoM as a transdisciplinary metalanguage for Kenmore SHS.
Tina reports that
Kenmore SHS continues to work, through its Lighthouse Team, to explore
and contextualise the Habits of Mind specifically, and the Dimensions
of Learning in general, as their common school pedagogical framework.
For further details or queries, contact Tina at tina.doe@ansn.edu.au
Hanan a critical
friend, as St Stephens College extends its work with DoL
As reported in the previous edition of E-News, Hanan Harrison has been delivering a customised DoL program for St Stephens College, a P-12 campus in Queensland. Initially, she worked with the steering team (a group of 20 curriculum leaders), helping them build their capacity and a deeper knowledge of DoL, so they could lead future discussion with their colleagues. She reports that on 20 April the college used its student-free first day of term to broaden this work, involving the whole staff. Hanan worked as a critical friend alongside the team, helping the participants develop their awareness of DoL as a framework for aligning curriculum, assessment and curriculum. Below left, staff members share ideas at the session and, right, complete their reflective journals.
If your school is interested in finding out about working with Hanan as
a critical friend, or if you are interested in her designing a
tailor-made workshop for your school, email her at hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au.
Summary of Term 2 and 3
opportunities in 2009, for ANSN Dimensions of
Learning and Setting the Stage
Scan the following dates
to see which of the scheduled sessions might suit you. Note, by the
way, that the Advanced DoL Hub sessions at Nudgee College in Brisbane
start in May, so if you want to attend, you will need to act now
and click
here to register.
| Dates of sessions | Dimensions of Learning |
Setting the Stage (Dimensions 1 & 5) |
| Term 2 | ||
| 19 & 20 May & 27 July |
Advanced 3-Day Hub Nudgee College, 2199 Sandgate Rd Boonadall, Brisbane, QLD click here to register. |
|
| 28 & 29 May | Darwin Middle School, Darwin, NT click here for details |
|
| 02 & 03 June | Introductory workshop Professional Learning Institute Oxford St, Leederville, Perth, WA click here for details |
|
| 09 & 10 June | Introductory workshop Canberra, ACT, venue TBA click here for details |
|
11 & 12 June |
Introductory workshop Canberra, ACT, venue TBA click here for details |
|
16 & 17 June 04 & 05 Aug 25 Aug |
5-Day Hub Trinity Catholic College Lismore, NSW click here for details |
|
| Term 3 |
||
20 & 21 July |
Introductory workshop, Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD Email tina.doe@ansn.edu.au for details or to register |
|
| 22 & 23 July 04 Sept |
Introductory hub Nyanda, Brisbane QLD Email tina.doe@ansn.edu.au for details or to register |
|
28 & 29 July 17 & 18 Aug 06 Oct |
Introductory workshop Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD Email tina.doe@ansn.edu.au for details or to register |
|
| 10 & 11 Aug 14 Sept |
Advanced 3-Day Hub Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD Email tina.doe@ansn.edu.au for details or to register |
|
| 12 & 13 Oct 11 Nov |
Advanced 3-Day Hub Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, QLD Email tina.doe@ansn.edu.au for details or to register |
Embedding Interactive
Whiteboards in the curriculum: New IWB Hub, for
advanced users, starts Term 2
Kate Cooper (below), ANSN National Networker for the ANSN Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Hubs, reminds readers that a new Hub for advanced users of IWBs is starting in Term 2 – based at St Albans South Primary School in Victoria. Kate will be co-presenter for this Hub’s activities with Deborah Vietri, who is author of The Essentials – A Series for Enhancing an Integrated Curriculum and co-author of the Mathematical Developmental Framework.
This Hub is
designed for teachers who are already using a Promethean IWB with
students from Prep to Year 9, to help them develop their skills and
practices further. The Hub workshops will address ways to design
engaging and rigorous learning experiences for students. As part of
their work with the Hub, participants will develop a work unit that
incorporates rich IWB activities. You need to register now, as an
individual or a team, because the Term 2 Hub sessions are on 14 and 15
May (with additional sessions in August and October). Click
here for more details and to register
Developing Wonderful
Readers – a workshop for early years educators (QLD and VIC)
ANSN is launching a new
professional learning opportunity for early childhood teachers, under
the title Developing Wonderful Readers. The presenter, Lynda Page
(below, left), is an ANSN Networker who has taught at all year levels
from Pre-school/Prep to Year 7, has led professional learning programs
for Queensland’s Negotiated Curriculum program, and has been a tutor at
Central Queensland University. In 2008, she worked with Keith Redman
(E-News Editor) to produce Integrating Technology in the Early Years
Classroom, an ANSN Digi Kids Snapshot – click here to
read or download a copy. The illustrations below, centre and right,
are from that Snapshot
Lynda’s two-day workshop (now being offered for the first time, in
Queensland and Victoria, with other states and territories to follow)
focuses on
powerful strategies to engage readers with purposeful and meaningful
texts, to support and challenge their literacy skills. During the two
days, participants will develop skills and knowledge in the use of
technologies, to assist young learners in developing their reading and
writing skills. Participants will share practice and reflect
critically on their own ideas and beliefs around imbedding technology
into their current language programs.
The inaugural two-day Queensland workshop will be held at Mooloolaba SS
on Friday 5 June and Friday 19 June, both days from 9.00am to 3.00pm.
And in Melbourne on June 12th and June 15th at Williamstown Primary,
Cecil Street, Melbourne.
For
further details and to register, click here.
Two Bee Bots workshops
in Tasmania – Register now
Regular readers of
E-News will know that Bee Bots can introduce young learners to simple
robotics. Teachers who have attended ANSN training sessions are using
Bee Bots to engage children in contexts ranging from creative story
telling to simple dance routines. Participants also report that,
through their use of Bee Bots as a learning tool, early years students
are incidentally developing spatial awareness and skills in sequencing,
problem solving and directional language. Below, left, students use Bee
Bots as a tool to learn and practise sight words. Below, centre, they
use them to help gather the pieces required for making various 3D
shapes. Below right, they develop problem solving skills and direction
as they navigate a racing track.
Two workshops are coming up in May for Bee Bots in Tasmania – one in
Launceston, on 25 May, and one in Hobart, on 26 May. To
register for either of these workshops, click here.
Big Picture Education
Australia – Programs across Australia
Big Picture Education
Australia is offering several programs for Australian educators.
- Big Picture foundation and intensive workshops Queensland April 2009
- Big Picture advanced and intensive workshops South Australia April 2009
- Big Picture introduction in Wodonga 27th May 2009
- Big Picture Foundation and Advanced programs - Tasmania
- Big Picture Two Day Personalised Learning Program - VIC
Programs will be
led by Viv White (below left), Director of Big Picture Education
Australia and National Coach for ANSN.
The Programs range from foundation and introductory ones for those
interested in Big Picture in
general – from principles to practice in schools (see example above,
right) and communities to the Advanced Program for educators who have
experience in Big Picture Education and see themselves as future
candidates for training and coaching in Big Picture practices. For
details of dates and registration, click here
New report from the
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Janet Taylor, from the
research section at the Brotherhood of St Laurence writes to say that
they have a new publication relating to the Brotherhood of St
Laurence's longitudinal study of children born in 1990. Entitled
Stories of early school leaving: pointers for policy and practice (PDF
file, 329 KB), it’s available on their website, at
http://www.bsl.org.au/pdfs/Taylor_stories_of _early_school_leaving.pdf
Janet comments that the stories of eight young people who left school
early, interviewed when aged 17, illustrate their complex lives as they
consider employment, training and other facets of their future. Their
experience leads to recommendations for policies to ensure that young
people are not excluded from appropriate opportunities. Part 1 of the
report discusses policy issues arising from the case studies. Part 2
presents the eight stories in detail and, Janet says, provides a useful
source of qualitative data on the experiences of young people in
transition. Previous reports of the study are also on the website. If
you would like a hard copy of the new report [A4, 75 pages, $12.00],
contact publications@bsl.org.au
Some further
interesting reading
In the previous edition
of E-News, Hanan Harrison noted that a recent blog post by ASCD asked
readers how they would rewrite Classroom Instruction that Works today.
If you want to be part of an on-line discussion or forum, go to the
ASCD site at
http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2009/02/classroom-instruction-that-works-for-the-21st-century-learner.html
Keith Redman found Joanna Mendelssohn’s article, Synergy and
Serendipity interesting. Writing in the Griffith Review, she argues
that as Australia inches towards a national curriculum, arts education
is being put in the too-hard box. She comments that the challenge of
designing a curriculum to cover the visual and performing arts, music
and screen at varying levels of skill and analysis is daunting. Given
the patchwork of different approaches that has evolved in Australia –
some world leading – she believes that “the national curriculum needs
to draw on the best, and find a way to navigate the jealously protected
differences between states”. To read or download the full 6-page
article, via Australian Policy Online, go to http://apo.org.au/node/1842
You might also be interested in Dean Ashenden’s article for the Inside
Story site, entitled They Say They Want a Revolution. He argues that
while there's plenty of scope for the federal government's "revolution"
in schooling, there are few signs of the ideas and resources that it
would require. To download the article, go to http://inside.org.au/they-say-they-want-a-revolution/
Reminders of ANSN
activities, introduced in previous editions of E-News
Digi Kids Hubs
planned for Darwin
ANSN is inviting applications or expressions of interest for
participation in a Digi Kids Hub in the Northern Territory (Darwin).
If your school is interested, send an email to hanan.harrison@ansn.edu.au
or call Hanan’s mobile on 0407 464 472.
New Hubs in 2009 for Improving Science Literacy
ANSN Hubs are being planned for all states and territories across
Australia, to bring together research, theories of learning and
practical activities in the area of science literacy. For further
information, or to register your interest, click
here and download the flier.
Cognitive Coaching – Research Circle
The 2009 Cognitive Coaching Research Circle, now operating, is designed
to help schools build reflective communities, using action learning and
cognitive coaching to support changes in teacher pedagogy. For further
details, click
here or email the Research Circle Co-ordinator at gavin.grift@ansn.edu.au
Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) Hub, Victoria – Reminder of dates
For the three IWB Hubs that started in Term 1, the remaining session
dates are:
Group 1: 21 May, 27 August, 12 November 2009
Group 2: 28 May 2009; 3 September; 19 November 2009
Group 3: 2 April, 4 June 2009; 10 September, 26 November 2009
For further details, contact andrea.federico@ansn.edu.au.
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