The NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation published its report last year finding that Reading Recovery (used in almost a thousand of its primary schools) should be ‘restricted to the lowest performing students’. The mere mention of Reading Recovery sparks vigorous debate in a war that has been ongoing for decades between the behaviourists (phonics) … More Along the battle lines
Last week our system welcomed 160 new teachers to the profession. The excitement of these teachers is infectious and after my 40 years in education, I know their work will be transformative in nurturing the heart, mind and spirits of students. In addressing our new leaders and teachers, I urged them not to be disheartened by the … More The fierce urgency of now
According to a recent Victorian study, many assistant principals aren’t prepared to take on the role of principal because of the associated work stress. Responding to the survey, Dennis Yarrington, president of the Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) was quoted saying that many states and territories were already looking at “innovative practices around principal development” to provide the skills and knowledge … More A new lens
The Reggio Emilia approach highlighted the importance of the physical environment on learning and teaching. The incorporation of the physical environment (in Reggio Emilia) to enhance early childhood experiences is seen as the child’s ‘third teacher’. Stephen Heppell has been working for two decades on raising the status of the ‘third teacher’ within the K-12 … More The third teacher
A recent survey of small to medium businesses said the education system isn’t providing the skills students need to be ‘entrepreneurial and innovative‘. Is education failing business or is business failing education? I attended the Western Sydney Business Connection State of the Region Address by the Hon. Mike Baird MP, Premier of NSW this week. Around … More Business failing education?
There are calls for fundamental changes to be made to the funding and regulation of Vocational and Educational Training (VET) in Australia. In today’s Sydney Morning Herald, the Federal Education Minister said he wants to boost the status of VET so ‘students don’t feel they have to go to university to have a good career.’ It reflects the need … More A level playing field
I have just returned from two days at the third annual Leadership for School Improvement Colloquium. The passion and pride for Catholic education is always evident at these gatherings; it reinforces the importance of taking time to reflect collectively on the how and the why. I have to say however I left feeling a little flat … More Improvement is no longer the challenge
In 2001, Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam published their seminal article titled Inside the Black Box: raising standards through classroom assessment. It focuses on formative assessment which according to the authors is at the heart of effective teaching. The article suggests that the practice of formative assessment has not been front and centre in most classrooms. In fact the link between formative assessment and … More The Black Box
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) CEO Geoff Masters, recently identified some of the challenges we face in closing the achievement gaps in schools. He writes: Schools continue to be organised on traditional lines with students being assigned to year groups, and teachers delivering the curriculum specified for each year group. If teachers treat all students in the … More Rethinking the beginning
I don’t believe quality instruction ever left the classroom. Successful teachers have always had a thorough understanding of how students learn and have adopted and adapted pedagogies informed by research, reflection and inquiry. The essential principles of effective learning provide us with the foundations of appropriate pedagogies but they must be creatively applied in ways which maximise opportunities and … More The facts about educational fads
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