The NAPLAN test – Australia’s National Assessment Program for Literacy And Numeracy – is just weeks away. And with it will come the usual media coverage of the arguments against its value. We can expect the usual issues to be…
Author: admin
The Consequence of Freedom
Personal freedom! It’s one’s power, or right, to act, speak, or think as one wants. It’s a fundamental principle in many societies – past, present and, presumably, future. Or is it compromised to some extent by the personal freedom of others?…
Commitment to Capability
It’s not uncommon for parents to place a high level of trust in teachers. It makes sense to assume that teachers, as professionals whose purpose it is to work with children, possess immense knowledge, wisdom and integrity. However, the teaching…
Is the Male Teacher an Endangered Species?
Where have all the male teachers gone? The table above shows the percentage of female teachers in primary/elementary schools around the world, in 2015. Do you agree that these statistics are unacceptable? Who, or what, is driving this trend? What is the…
Literacy, Technology and the 21st Century
My grandfather – or Gramps as we loved to call him – lived to the age of 97. He went to his grave feeling that he had failed, that he wasn’t literate, and that he hadn’t kept up with change.…
Advocating For What’s In Common
What’s the difference between the best school in the worst street and the worst school in the best street? The answer is simple: its community. A community is a group that holds particular attitudes and interests in common. A school…
Challenging The Norm
Schools usually expect parents to be active in support of their child’s learning and to engage in school initiatives – with regard to homework, committees, working bees, fundraising and social events. You could say it’s the norm. However, this expectation…
The ‘Some’ Of Us
It’s not uncommon for parents to place a high level of trust in teachers. It makes sense to assume that, as professionals whose purpose it is to work with children, all teachers possess immense knowledge, wisdom and integrity. It’s not…
Essential Fundamentals
This year, the nationally agreed education agenda for Australia – the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008-2018) – is in its final year. The agreement, between all States and Territories, was made to ensure Australian schools provide the best…
Genuine Partnerships
In my workshops, I’m constantly asked: “What’s the best approach to stop parents questioning the learning and teaching taking place in schools?” It’s the wrong question. Parents have every right to know and understand exactly what is happening in schools.…