Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Here is some Holiday reading about Planning great Lessons -

https://headguruteacher.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/headguruteacherblog.pdf


Monday, November 14, 2016

Free Professional Learning Tuesday 6th December 2016 Full day Warrnambool

Presenter: Dawn Colcott

Dawn has had extensive experience in education. She was a primary teacher for over 30 years, a CRT in a Special Developmental School and more recently Professional Learning Manager at the Victorian Institute of Teaching for 8 years.  Her role there included the support of teachers through the facilitation of mentoring programs with new graduates, workshops for CRTs and informing teachers about professional responsibilities and Government initiatives. She worked collaboratively with network leaders in the development of CRT networks across the state. 
Working now as an educational consultant, Dawn is passionate about continuing to support the professional learning of teachers wherever and however she can.
Understanding the needs of Learners with disabilities/special needs    
This workshop delves into the facts around the Government’s Special Needs Plan and V.I.T. requirements.  Every child deserves a great education to realise their full potential.  Every teacher deserves the opportunity to learn with, and from others in areas of challenge or need.
It also taps into knowledge and understandings around students with disabilities, and explores possibilities and resources that enables teachers to implement strategies to engage and support all students in inclusive classroom settings.

Focusing on Mindfulness
As teachers we recognise that deeper learning is necessary for students of the 21st Century. They must be prepared with key life skills to manage themselves and operate effectively in the world.

This is reflected in our new Victorian curriculum where knowledge acquisition sits alongside explicit instruction in ways of thinking, working and living in the world. Transferable skills of critical, creative thinking and communication combined with character-building skills of resilience, ethics and mindfulness educate the whole person. Head, hand and heart.
Mindfulness exercises are designed to train the brain to have focus, attention and emotional regulation. Research shows that it reduces stress, increases concentration and improves overall wellbeing.

The intent of the workshop is for teachers to: -
  • Understand the benefits of being Mindful. This touches on neuroscience research into brain plasticity and learning self-control.
  • Connect it to the Victorian curriculum. The Personal and Social capability aims to enable students with a sense of self-worth & self-awareness that helps them manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing.
  • Practice mindfulness techniques themselves in a safe environment.
  • Walk away with a resource of short practices and website, You-tube links to use every day in schools.
When 9am - 3:30pm 7th December 2016
RSVP Please email Elizabeth at   warrnamboolcrtnetwork@gmail.com  for registration & catering purposes

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Upcoming Professional Learning opportunities

Visual Communication Professional Learning
8 October 2016
Saturday 08 October 2016 02:00pm - 03:30pm
4 November 2016
Friday 04 November 2016 - Saturday 05 November 2016 08:30am - 03:30pm

History Teachers association of Victoria
Professional Learning Calendar for Teachers 2016
September
Wed 28 – Fri 30 Sept
Sydney Grammar School
October
Mon 3 Oct
Wodonga Middle Years College
Tues 4 Oct
Wodonga Middle Years College
Wed 5 Oct
Goulburn Valley Grammar School, Shepparton
Thurs 6 Oct
Goulburn Valley Grammar School, Shepparton
Sun 9 Oct
Monash University, Caulfield Campus
Fri 21 Oct
CQ Functions, Melbourne
November
Tues 8 Nov
History Enrichment Program (HEP) Highlights Exhibition
Federation University, Gippsland
Wed 16 Nov
Solving the Crowded Curriculum Years F-6
Warrnambool College
Thurs 17 Nov
Solving the Crowded Curriculum Years 7-10
Warrnambool College
Wed 23 Nov
Teachers New to VCE History
Camberwell Girls Grammar School
Fri 25 Nov
Melbourne Museum, State Library Victoria, Shrine of Remembrance
Tues 29 Nov
Australian Catholic University


InAEA 2nd Biannual Virtual Conference Online

Date/ Time: September 24, 2016 (Saturday)/8:00 am PDT to 3:30 pm PDT
Virtual Venue: Second Life http://goo.gl/vQzTud 
Online Venue: YouTube Live: https://youtu.be/p2wwx_ZLxBQ


Monday, August 1, 2016

Two upcoming Professional Learning sessions in October

PD-Online is pleased to announce that arrangements have been made to run two of the most popular full day PD workshops Calm Kids-Teach Mindfulness to Students P-12 and Positive Education – Embed the Tools of Positive Psychology in your School P-12 once again in Warrnambool during term 4. 
Teachers who have attended these PDs in Melbourne and previously in Warrnambool have rated them highly. They have provided practical strategies that can be adopted in the classroom and have helped to consolidate existing thinking for most schools.
Details for both PDs can be found below.
Where & When:-
 
PD
Venue
Date & Time
 
Calm Kids –
Teach Mindfulness to Students P-12
Warrnambool

Venue TBC
 
 
 
 
19th October, 2016
9.00am – 3.30pm
Registration from 8.30am
 
‘Positive Education – 
Embed the Tools of Positive Psychology in your School P-12’.
 
Warrnambool

Venue TBC
 
 
 
 
20th October, 2016
9.00am – 3.30pm
Registration from 8.30am
 
To register for any of the full day PDs please obtain your school's permission and then register via your PD-Online account.
Calm Kids – Teach Mindfulness to Students P-12 Warrnambool
 
Workshop Overview:
Mindfulness has been shown to help children feel calmer, more emotionally aware of managing their feelings, able to make better decisions and gain improved ability to concentrate & pay attention. Understand the purpose, benefits and the techniques of mindfulness and how to integrate it into your school/classroom. An immensely enjoyable workshop full of ideas & strategies for immediate use. Give students a lifelong method to manage stress. P-12
 
Content:
 
  • The purpose of Mindfulness; research and studies
  • Relationship between mind and body
  • Stress in children
  • Benefits for children
  • Using mindfulness to improve emotional regulation, cognitive focus, decision making
  • Creating the mindfulness environment
  • How to introduce and teach Mindfulness to students
  • Techniques and practices
  • Increasing self-awareness
  • Using Mindfulness to aid conflict resolution
  • Forming a group for Mindfulness
  • Application for special groups – ADD/ADHD
  • Techniques to manage different ages
Course Cost:-          $295 incl GST
Registration: Please obtain your School Leadership's permission to register for these PDs if your school is paying for your registration.
Registration is at PDOnline.
After logging in, click 'Register for a New PD'.
In 'Title Keywords', enter the relevant keyword ('mindfulness').
Click on the name of the PD:  Warrnambool - Calm Kids – Teach Mindfulness to Students P-12
Click 'Register for this PD'
 
Positive Education – Embed the Tools of Positive Psychology in your School P-12 Warrnambool
Workshop Overview:
Positive Education aims to embed the principles of positive Psychology in your school with the goal of improved student wellbeing and academic performance. Positive Psychology has led to a number of applications and interventions used in the classroom which focuses on specific skills that assist students to strengthen their relationships, build positive emotions, and enhance personal resilience and happiness. Understand the science of Positive Psychology in Education and arm yourself with a toolkit of strategies for your school. An interactive and lively PD. Suitable for leadership, teachers and educators, Prep to 12.
Content:
  • The science of Positive Psychology
  • Positive Psychology as the basis of Positive Education
  • Measurement tools – how to measure wellbeing
  • Positive relationships
  • Engagement
  • Strengths approach to wellbeing
  • Positive emotions
  • Developing meaning and purpose
  • Flourishing versus languishing
  • Characteristics and attainment of emotional health & resilience
  • Pathways to wellbeing
Course Cost:- $295 incl GST
Registration: Please obtain your School Leadership's permission to register for this PD if your school is paying for your registration.
Registration is at PDOnline.
  • After logging in, click 'Register for a New PD'.
  • In 'Title Keywords', enter the relevant keyword ('Positive').
  • Click on the name of the PD: ‘Warrnambool - Positive Education – Embed the Tools of Positive Psychology in your School P-12’.
Click 'Register for this PD'
For both PDs the following is applicable:
  • Parking: Free parking available on site
  • What to Bring: Participants need to bring note taking material and their enthusiasm. All other essential materials and resources will be provided.
  • Meals: Morning tea and lunch will be provided.
  • Provider: Psychology and Wellbeing Services Pty Ltd trading as Corporate Zen ABN No 24 155 293 020 
  • PD Suitability: Educators (Primary, Secondary, Special Needs) Support staff, and pre-service teachers.
About the Presenter – Kate Cooper, Psychologist & Speaker
With a background of over 25 years of experience as a psychologist Kate specialises in training that helps people tackle the complex challenges to their physical and psychological health. She has worked as a mediator, counsellor, trauma manager, facilitator and public speaker across the Education, corporate and not for profit sectors such as beyondblue. Workshops in areas such as mindfulness, anxiety, depression, sleeping better, stress management, neuroscience and resilience have been engaging and filled with ideas participants can immediately apply to their work and to their own life. As a professional communicator, she is passionate about maximising benefits to participants and ensuring they experience an optimum learning environment in all of her professional development workshops. Kate is a member of the Victorian Psychologists Registration Board and a Member of the Australian Psychological Society.
Kind regards,
Paul
PD Consultant
Email:     pdadmin@pd-online.com.au

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Free Professional Development for CRT's on MoneySmart Teaching & Financial Literacy

Shane O'Connor from the VCAA is coming to Warrnambool Saturday 16th July for a morning session only 9:30am - 12:30pm.

Part 1: MoneySmart Teaching and Financial Literacy.
  • Consumer and Financial Literacy education - why it is important
  • Teacher Wellbeing - professionally and personally
  • MoneySmart Teaching website and resources available

Email RSVP by 9am Monday 11 July 2016 to warrnamboolcrtnetwork@gmail.com

Thank you,
Elizabeth

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Information and links to Professional Learning Opportunities


The Framework for Improving Student Outcomes uses the latest research on student learning and global best-practice to assist schools to focus their efforts on key areas that are known to have the greatest impact on school improvement.

The Framework has four components: an improvement model with four state-wide priorities, six evidence-based initiatives to focus improvement efforts, performance measures aligned with the Education State targets, and a cycle for continuous improvement. It has been developed to dramatically increase the focus on student learning in schools.
The Department of Education and Training are facilitating four twilight seminars to stimulate discussion and reflection on best practice in schools, aligning with the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO).

Where possible, first aid should only be provided by staff who have been designated as the first aid providers.  However, in an emergency, other staff may be required to help within their level of competence.

Teachers and principals must:
§  be familiar with the school’s first aid procedures
§  observe their duty of care to students by providing first aid treatment within the limits of their skill, expertise, training and responsibilities.
Asthma Australia offer a free Asthma First Aid for School Staff Online Course

Under Ministerial Order 706 any school that has enrolled a student/s at risk of anaphylaxis must by law have a School Anaphylaxis Management Policy in place. The Guidelines for Managing Anaphylaxis in all Victorian Schools are designed to support schools in developing and implementing a best practice School Anaphylaxis Management Policy.

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy offer a free Anaphylaxis e-training course for Victorian schools. To complete the practical requirement as part of this e-training course please contact your local school.

The Jack Keating Memorial Lecture of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education Dean’s Lecture Series 2016 will be presented by Laureate Professor John Hattie on the topic of Shifting away from distraction to improve Australia’s schools.

Happy learning,

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Embedding Australian Indigenous perspectives across the curriculum

A post sharing resources and ideas for developing critical literacy in the middle and upper primary years from a collaborative blog - Australian Teachers Blog

A factsheet explaining the 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

How Twitter Can Be Used as a Powerful Educational Tool

What is Twitter ?                  Is there a use for it in Education ?

Here is a link to answer these two questions. 



Geography
GeogSpace offers quality primary and secondary geography resource materials for all teachers of geography, including those that are very experienced and those just commencing their involvement. 

Monday, March 14, 2016

Karen Starkiss 'Creating an inclusive learning Environment for students with Dyslexia and other learning difficulties'

When : Thursday 17th March 2016
Time  : 9am - 3:30pm

This programme teaches CRT’s to recognise and meet the needs of children who are dyslexic and also children with other specific learning difficulties. The programme is intended to help CRT’s to be able to confidently support the children in class particularly in reading, spelling and maths. To understand more about different cognitive weaknesses that children have, such as: visual discrimination difficulties or auditory processing weakness. In addition they will be provided with the tools to meet the needs of these children in class and individually.  It is a full day Professional Learning.

Monday, January 18, 2016

PD collated by the Department of Education & Training

A range of accessible online professional learning activities and resources, including the Department's Protecting Children - Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations eLearning module, Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership Education State Twilight Seminars, online toolkits and resources and Dean's Lecture Series at various University based Schools of Education.
70/20/10 Professional Learning model.

 



Online Resources and Toolkits

AITSL Australian Professional Standards for Teachers online toolkit and resources: This AITSL site includes great resources to illustrate good practice aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers standards and to support teacher professional learning.

Teaching and Learning Toolkit Australia: The Australian Teaching and Learning Toolkit is an accessible summary of educational research.

Web-based Professional Learning activities.

Protecting Children – Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations eLearning module: DET’s policy requires all persons in government schools with a VIT registration to undertake the Protecting Children - Mandatory Reporting and Other Obligations eLearning module once a year.  This includes CRTs.

If CRTs require a certificate of completion, they should enter eight zeros in the space provided for Teacher ID.

Username: education (in lower case)
Password: employee (in lower case)

Note:  This eLearning module is relevant to teachers working in the Victorian Public System only.  CRTs from other sectors and from out of state should use the materials supplied by their own sectors and/or education departments.

Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership - Education State Twilight Seminars:


Education State Twilight Seminar 1: Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Education State Twilight Seminar 2: Positive Climate for Learning
Education State Twilight Seminar 3: Professional Leadership
Education State Twilight Seminar 4: Community Engagement in Learning

Melbourne University Graduate School of Education: The Melbourne Graduate School of Education Dean’s Lecture Series provides a platform for discussion and debate in the education community. Dean’s Lectures take place throughout the year and feature internationally renowned experts from Australia and overseas. All Dean’s Lectures are free and open to the public. The 2016 Dean’s Lecture Series will be announced in January 2016.

Monash University Faculty of Education:
 Monash University Faculty of Education Dean’s Lecture Series – each lecture is presented by a leading academic from the Faculty, will discuss key issues in the Education community. The 2016 Dean's Lecture Series program will be available shortly.

Deakin University Alumni webinars:
 Watch the Deakin University Alumni webinars to be inspired, broaden your thinking, learn and network. These professional webinars are held regularly throughout the year on a wide range of topics.

Mindfulness

Blogs

KQED Education

plus.maths.org

Edutopia

Science daily