TTHE PROFESSIONALea JOURNAL OFc THE AUSTRALASIANh TEACHERi REGULATORYn AUTHORITIESg
VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 1 | APRIL 2010
Top tips for beginning teachers? DON’T PANIC
THE KEY TO LEARNING Small teacher-to-student ratios, individualised learning and a stable environment are helping disadvantaged students overcome the barriers they face.
IT’S ABOUT ME MY BEST 10 THINGS I’VE IT’S ABOUT US TEACHER LEARNED INDIGENOUS ED JONATHON WELCH ALLAN WHITTOME
PAGE 14 PAGE 24 PAGE 26 TTHE PROFESSIONALea JOURNAL OFc THE AUSTRALASIANh TEACHERi REGULATORYn AUTHORITIESg
PUBLISHER Australian Council for Educational Research – ACER Press
For
Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities – ATRA
EDITOR Dr Steve Holden 03 9277 5466 [email protected]
NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER Carolynn Brown 03 9277 5468 [email protected]
PRODUCTION Ralph Schubele [email protected]
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Wendy Harmer David Rish
Inside Teaching is the professional journal of the Australasian Teacher Regulatory Authorities (ATRA). ATRA facilitates the cooperative and collaborative work of Australian and New Zealand teacher registration and accreditation authorities in meeting the needs of a highly-qualified, proficient and reputable teaching profession.
Inside Teaching, published online by the Australian Council for Educational Research – ACER Press – for ATRA, is funded, through ATRA, by: The New South Wales Institute of Teachers The Queensland College of Teachers The Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory The Teachers Registration Board of South Australia The Teachers Registration Board of Tasmania The Victorian Institute of Teaching The Western Australian College of Teaching
LINKS: www.atra.edu.au
ACER is a member of the Publishers Australia association CONTENTS Vol 1, Number 1 April 2010
FEATURE The key to learning 08
INDIGENOUS EDUCATION It’s about me; it’s about us 14
PROFESSION How should we measure teacher quality? 16
CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT Assessment: Informed teaching and learning 22
MY BEST TEACHER Jonathon Welch 24
10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT TEACHING Allan Whittome 26
TEACHING TIPS Jane Dobson’s top tips for beginning teachers 28
20 QUESTIONS David Rish interviews John Marsden 32
RESEARCH Two steps forward, one step back: Indigenous students and academic achievement 36
REGULARS State of the nation 04 Behind the lines 05 Opinion 06 News 40 On my shelf 42 See me afterwards 44 Reviews 46 The quiz 48 Diary 49
All reasonable attempts have been made to trace copyright holders of material published. Material contained in Inside Teaching is protected under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968. No material may be reproduced wholly or in part without written consent from the copyright holders. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor, nor do they represent the views or policies of ATRA or the teacher registration and accreditation authorities that are party to it. The Editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter articles for publication. All photographs have been published on the understanding that appropriate compliance with privacy legislation has been obtained. The attention of advertisers is drawn to the Trade Practices Act 1974 and the provisions of the Act that apply to advertising. It is not possible for Inside Teaching to ensure that advertisements published herein comply in all respects with the Act and the responsibility must therefore lie with the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement for publication. Editorial State of the nation Welcome to the first The newly-established Australian In Western Australia, according to Institute for Teaching and School Education Minister Liz Constable, edition of Inside Teaching, Leadership has released for public a new era in public education has begun. Referring to the state’s 34 the professional journal of consultation a set of teaching standards that specify the proficiency, skills and new independent public schools, the the Australasian Teacher knowledge expected of graduate, Minister revealed that independent proficient, highly accomplished and public schools principals have more Regulatory Authorities lead teachers in terms of subject autonomy, particularly in terms of content, pedagogy and professional recruitment. The WA Education Minister (ATRA). In keeping with the development. It is expected the graduate called for expressions of interest from goal of ATRA to facilitate the and proficient levels will be tied to schools keen to join the next intake of teacher registration or accreditation, independent public schools, which close cooperative and collaborative while the highly accomplished and lead on 27 April. teacher levels will be voluntary. work of Australian and New In election mode in South Australia, Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond While the registration or accreditation and her shadow Education Minister Zealand teacher registration of teachers remains a state or territory David Pisoni announced a similar responsibility, Commonwealth, state and accreditation authorities, policy to develop a less-centralised and territory governments, through education system, and promised to Inside Teaching looks at the Council of Australian Governments phase in ‘expanded local governance for national partnership agreement on those school communities desiring it,’ the latest current research improving teacher quality, agreed in beginning with a trial in 30 schools in 2011. findings and addresses the January 2009 to create a system of national accreditation of pre-service Also in election mode in Tasmania, issues facing the profession, teacher education courses, national Labor leader David Bartlett went to the consistency in teacher registration and polls with his controversial Tasmania with content by educators for national consistency in the accreditation Tomorrow restructure of Years 11 and 12 which involves replacing secondary educators that has hands-on, or certification of accomplished and leading teachers. colleges with a two-stream system practical application, and of vocationally-oriented polytechnics Public consultation on the draft and university-oriented academies for offers new ideas and standards through state and territory youngsters aiming for university entry. authorities, or the Ministerial Council for Liberal leader Will Hodgman promised promotes reflection on Education, Early Childhood Development he would scrap the two-stream system, and Youth Affairs, closes on 21 May. returning to a business-as-usual model practice. Put simply, Inside of secondary colleges, while maintaining LINKS: www.atra.edu.au or vocational education and training courses Teaching is the real deal. www.mceecdya.edu.au in secondary colleges in line with the We’re confident that it will In Queensland, the Department of current Tasmania Tomorrow model. Education and Training’s $1.1 billion Hodgman also promised to make ‘public meet your needs – the needs dollar public-private partnership (PPP) education fee again’ – or should that of a highly-qualified, proficient with the Aspire School consortium is have been free again? The Greens 11th well underway. The Aspire Schools hour support for Labor means that the and reputable teaching consortium will design, build and Tasmania Tomorrow program is probably maintain six new primary schools and safe – if the Labor-Green government profession. To make sure of one new high school. The new PPP hangs together. that, we want to hear from schools include Bay View State School In Victoria, the Government School in Thornlands South and Peregian Springs Performance Summary was launched you and invite you to contact State School, which opened this year, quietly by the Victorian Registration and Bellbird Park, Collingwood Park, and Qualifications Authority last June, your state or territory ATRA East Coomera Downs and Bundilla State garnering much less attention than the member with your stories, Schools as well as a new high school at My School website of the Australian Murrumba Downs, due for completion in Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting ideas and feedback. 2011 or 2012. Authority launched in January. CARTOON STRIP Alex Hallatt 6 OPINION
Measuring school performance National literacy and numeracy assessment and now the new My School website raise a key question: how is a school’s performance best measured? Geoff Masters offers an answer.
The launch of the My School website Second, student performances reflect Second, it sets lower expectations of and the public reporting of National a range of influences unrelated to a some students than others. A school in Assessment Program – Literacy and school’s performance. Socioeconomic a low socioeconomic area can be judged Numeracy (NAPLAN) results have backgrounds are an obvious example. to be performing as well as expected, invited questions about how schools So are pre-existing learning difficulties, even if students’ levels of literacy and are ‘performing.’ There are two broad low attendance rates and high levels of numeracy are unacceptable by anybody’s methods you can use to measure a student mobility. Many influences on standard. Third, this approach assumes school’s performance – direct and student test scores are largely beyond that the difference between predicted indirect measures. Direct measures of the control of schools. and actual student results is due only to performance are based on observations Third, student performances can reflect the influence of the school. As British statistician Harvey Goldstein puts it, and judgements of the quality of what is the circumstances of the school in parents relying on measures of this kind happening in a school. Indirect measures ways that are unrelated to the efforts to select schools for their children are are based on measures of student of current staff. Limited school facilities using a tool not fit for purpose. performance. While both have their and resources, high rates of staff uses, I argue that the attempt to draw turnover and low levels of community An alternative, and preferable, approach inferences about a school’s performance engagement and support often are more to measuring the value that a school adds from student test scores alone is a function of a school’s location, history is to measure student growth across the and financial circumstances than its inherently problematic. Indirect measures years of school. For example, average current performance. need to be supplemented by more direct growth in reading between Year 3 and Year 5 is likely to be a better indicator of performance measures. In some parts of the world, attempts have been made to construct indirect the contribution a school is making than Indirect measures measures of school performance from reading results for a single year level. measures of student performance. Rates of growth can, however, also reflect Because the ultimate purpose of This is done by first predicting the influences beyond the control of schools, schooling is to improve outcomes for test performances of students in each including non-attendance, high rates of students, it may seem obvious that school based on their socioeconomic student mobility and learning difficulties. the best basis for measuring a school’s background and other factors. The performance would be measures of difference between the predicted Direct measures student performance, but there are and actual scores in a school is then In contrast, direct measures of school several reasons why this may not be so. taken as a measure of that school’s performance are based on what a First, reliable measures of student ‘contextualised value-added’ school is currently doing. The focus is performance exist for a very limited set performance. The better students do on establishing the extent to which the of outcomes. Literacy and numeracy than predicted, the higher the school’s school is pursuing strategies that are tests measure only part of what measured performance. known from research to lead to better students learn in school and so only There are several well-recognised student outcomes. partially capture the contributions that problems with this approach. First, Direct measures require direct schools are making. it can obscure actual student results. observations of the school and its work,
Inside Teaching | April 2010 OPINION 7
meetings with relevant stakeholders and tests such as NAPLAN, measures of and that provides a clear reference for a review of available documentation and growth across the years of school? monitoring learning across year levels? student work. They inevitably involve Has the plan been developed and refined professional judgements, usually made 3. A culture that promotes learning collaboratively to provide a shared vision by trained assessors with extensive To what extent is the school driven for curriculum practice? Is the plan shared experience in schools. by a deep belief that every student is with parents and caregivers? capable of successful learning? Does An example of such a process is the 7. Differentiated classroom learning the school give a high priority to building teaching and learning audit currently and maintaining positive and caring To what extent do teachers, in their day- underway in all government schools relationships between staff, students to-day teaching, place a high priority on in Queensland. Beginning with a and parents? Is there a strong collegial identifying and addressing the learning review of international research into culture of mutual trust and support needs of individual students? To what highly effective schools and their among teachers and school leaders? extent do they closely monitor the characteristics, an approach has been Does the school work to maintain progress of individuals, identify learning developed that assesses eight aspects a learning environment that is safe, difficulties and tailor classroom activities of each school’s practice. For each respectful, tolerant and inclusive, and to levels of readiness and need? aspect, a judgement is made using a that promotes intellectual rigour? four-point scale: low, medium, high and 8. Effective teaching practices outstanding. Each level on the scale is 4. The targeted use of school To what extent do the school principal described in some detail for each of resources and other school leaders recognise that the eight aspects, and experienced To what extent does the school apply highly-effective teaching practices are principals work with schools in the audit its resources – staff time, expertise, the key to improving student learning process. Briefly, the audit addresses funds, facilities, materials and so on – in throughout the school? Do they take those eight aspects by asking the a targeted manner to meet the learning a strong leadership role, encouraging following questions. needs of all students? Are there school- the use of research-based teaching wide policies, practices and programs practices in all classrooms to ensure that 1. An explicit improvement agenda in place to assist in identifying and every student is engaged, challenged and To what extent has the school leadership addressing student needs? Are there learning successfully? Do all teachers team established, and to what extent is flexible structures and processes understand and use effective teaching it driving, a strong improvement agenda that enable the school to respond methods – including explicit instruction for the school, grounded in evidence appropriately to the needs of individual – to maximise student learning? from research and practice, and couched learners? The primary purpose of the Queensland in terms of improvements in measurable teaching and learning audit is not to 5. An expert teaching team student outcomes, especially in literacy report publicly on the performances and numeracy? Have explicit and clear To what extent is the school focused on of schools, but to work with schools school-wide targets for improvement building a professional team of highly to identify current strengths and areas been set and communicated, with able teachers, including teachers who requiring further attention. Direct school accompanying timelines? take an active leadership role beyond performance measures of this kind are the classroom? Are there procedures capable of recognising high performance 2. Analysis and discussion of data in place to encourage a school-wide, – that is, excellence in implementing To what extent does the school place shared responsibility for student learning recognised best practices – even if a high priority on the school-wide and success, and to encourage the those practices are not yet reflected in analysis and discussion of systematically development of a culture of continuous student test scores. ■ collected data on student outcomes, professional improvement that includes including academic, attendance and classroom-based learning, mentoring behavioural outcomes? Do data analyses and coaching arrangements? consider overall school performance as well as the performances of students 6. Systematic curriculum delivery from identified priority groups; evidence To what extent does the school have a of improvement or regression over time; coherent, sequenced plan for curriculum Professor Geoff Masters is Chief performances in comparison with other delivery that ensures consistent Executive Officer of the Australian schools; and, in the case of data from teaching and learning expectations Council for Educational Research.
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 8 FEATURE
Inside Teaching | April 2010 FEATURE 9
Theto learning key
Low teacher-to-student ratios, individualised learning and a stable environment are helping disadvantaged students overcome the barriers they face. Ross Smart reports.
Here’s the scene: a Monday in mid- A key part of the strategy lies within December, a group of nine students Key College’s campuses at Merrylands, stand side by side on a makeshift stage Macquarie Fields and now at Redfern, at Key College, an independently-run the result of moving from the Surry Hills secondary school with three campuses campus for the beginning of this year. across Sydney. With a scattering of The learning environment at Key College friends, family and supporters proudly is markedly different from that of a looking on, some with tears in their eyes, mainstream school. For starters, there’s each student is presented with their New only one classroom, with students of South Wales School Certificate to mark all ages working alongside one another. the completion of their Year 10 studies. The students are all equipped with highly It’s a scene repeated at schools all over individualised and integrated programs, NSW at the end of each and every school designed to boost literacy and numeracy year, but this ceremony in recognition skills while at the same time taking into account the difficulties that saw of a major learning milestone for these them disengage from the mainstream students at Key College was far from education system to begin with. unremarkable. Each of them came from a background of disadvantage, including Offering education for students in Years 7 being housed each night in refuges through to 12, the flexible curriculum and or other temporary or short-term extensive support programs for life away accommodation, and experienced a range from education have seen Key College of behavioural and emotional issues. regularly achieve outstanding results since it was founded by Father Riley back in 1997. Key College is run by Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets, a community In 2009, those nine school certificate organisation aimed at helping young recipients from the Surry Hills campus people between the ages of 12 and were joined by another 14 from 21 who are facing challenges from Macquarie Fields and Merrylands, making homelessness and drug dependency it a record year for Youth Off The Streets. to disconnection from school, neglect The 23 students who successfully and abuse. Youth Off The Streets, as its completed Year 10 represent a significant mission statement puts it, aims to help jump from the year before, when nine students across all three campuses ‘disconnected young people to discover gained their school certificates. greatness within, by engaging, supporting and providing opportunities to encourage In total, 98 students aged between and facilitate positive life choices.’ 13 and 17 years were enrolled across
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 10 FEATURE
the three sites in 2009, up from 67 the to break the cycle of abuse and neglect. school assists them to address in order previous year. The main objectives of Key College are that they can make the most of the to ensure young people are provided educational opportunities offered and The results in the School Certificate with: schooling suitable to their specific turn their lives around,’ she explains. are especially pleasing for Key College needs; the support required to ensure Principal Lou Single, given the type of ‘We have to be innovative in our they engage with the opportunities hardship students have faced in their approach, which is why we’ve developed offered to them, particularly in regard to lives and in mainstream education. and implemented initiatives and language, literacy and numeracy skills; strategies to engage young people in ‘For many of the young people who and the support required to address the learning. This in turn helps to improve attend our schools, traditional initiatives issues affecting them. literacy and numeracy in a manner that and strategies have failed to engage engages the students, makes them feel them in learning and provide them with A 2008 graduate describes the support supported and encourages them to learn. the support they need to realise their as amazing. ‘It’s pretty cool to have right to education,’ Single says. support from the staff and students for ‘Activities such as service learning, which any problem, to be understood when you is structured to engage young people ‘In our schools, we aim to deliver try to explain and not just be told off,’ the in projects designed to help others and innovative initiatives and strategies to student says. ‘The teachers always know stimulate social conscience, enable the meet the needs of our students, assist how to solve a problem.’ whole community to become involved in them with overcoming the issues and the work of the school and allow students barriers affecting them, and ultimately Maintaining small teacher-to-student to improve the community,’ she says. turn their lives around.’ ratios, averaging between six and eight students to each teacher, and conducting ‘Service learning also helps to improve The key? ‘Being flexible in our approach lessons in one main classroom are just the self-esteem of students and allows to the curriculum,’ she says, ‘as well as two of the strategies Key College uses. them to see that they can make a valuable providing our students with the support Individual education plans assist young contribution to society.’ they need to get their lives back on track.’ people in Years 8 to 10 to develop the Key College students have been involved As one 2009 graduate explains, staff skills required to re-enter mainstream in a number of service learning activities: at Key College never stop believing in education and complete their NSW 12 students participated in the ‘Walking the students. ‘My family once told me I School Certificate and Higher School in My Shoes’ camp; three students were would never make it through school, but Certificate before pursuing employment involved in a before-school reading they were wrong,’ the student says. ‘I’ve or further education or training. program; seven cared for retirement risen above my demons because my village residents on a Blue Mountains Individualised, quality teaching is teachers here encouraged my dreams day trip; and nine more were involved in essential, says Single, but you also and ambitions in life. I’m not the only one creating artwork for playground areas. need to ensure you have support proud of me; my teachers are proud, my staff trained to deal with issues such In addition to completing work in their mum and Nan and Pa are proud.’ as homelessness and instability of communities, Key College students also Research has shown that education is a accommodation. ‘Our students face participate in a wide range of life skills key factor in empowering young people multiple and complex issues, which the programs. These range from design and
Inside Teaching | April 2010 FEATURE 11
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 12 FEATURE
technology workshops run by Technical students have been exposed to these challenges popping up all the time. and Further Education (TAFE) NSW within their family. We’ve developed It’s also a creative role. The kids we and designing and producing children’s many activities to assist students with deal with are refreshing and amazingly books to completing Senior First Aid and integrating positively into society and to resilient.’ courses in boat building and restoration. develop life skills. Student attendance rates are also Staff members work closely with ‘This is necessary before learning can encouraging, with trends showing the NSW Department of Education begin as many behavioural and emotional greater engagement and attendance the to encourage a return to mainstream issues prevent students from being longer a student spends at Key College. education when appropriate, while extra able to focus on learning.’ The idea, she Of those students who finish any given care is taken to ensure that the emotional explains, is to help them to achieve the year, figures show that attendance rates and behavioural issues students face stability necessary for them to engage in rise significantly in terms three and four. in their day-to-day lives are addressed learning. Then further work can be done By tailoring the approach to the needs through the provision of a range of fully- to address the issues affecting them of each individual student, Key College integrated and supportive programs. while they gain a formal education. is achieving positive outcomes one The Redfern campus provides ‘We endeavour to ensure that by the young person at a time. It’s a tough, but ■ education and support for students time they complete their education, the vital job. who are homeless or in unstable students have a strong feeling of belonging accommodation. Many students face to a community, possibly for the first time multiple accommodation moves during in their lives. We’re also committed to Ross Smart is the communications the school year. By assisting in placing ensuring that support continues when the coordinator for Youth Off The Streets students in short-, medium- or long-term student leaves if necessary.’ and a freelance journalist. accommodation, the school provides Working with Single, as the principal a stable environment to help them Pictured, students from Key College, of all three campuses, is a full-time overcome the barriers they face. Sydney. Photos courtesy of Youth Off school manager and at least one full- The Streets. As Single observes, students time teacher for each campus, as well demonstrate noticeable improvements as part-time teachers, psychologists, Key College received the highly in literacy and numeracy, and benefit support workers, and intern counsellors. commended award in the Excellence by from activities that enable them to As teacher Min Bonwick says, staff a School and its Community category develop life skills and confidence to members care deeply for the welfare of the 2009 Australian Awards for enhance their future employability. ‘We of the students and work tirelessly to Teaching Excellence of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School ensure issues such as harassment, drug help them achieve positive outcomes. Leadership. Contact keycollege@ and alcohol use, self-image, conflict Bonwick isn’t alone: the three campuses youthoffthestreets.com.au resolution, puberty, sex education and enjoy a 100 per cent staff retention hygiene are addressed,’ she says. ‘Good rate and an absentee rate of just two LINKS: social skills are an important part of per cent. ‘I love my job here,’ Bonwick www.youthoffthestreets.com.au the support we provide, as few of our says. ‘Every day is different, with new www.aitsl.edu.au
Inside Teaching | April 2010 FEATURE 13
Draft National Professional Standards for Teachers aitsl.edu.au
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School How are the Standards Leadership (AITSL) was established in January this year to provide national leadership for the being developed? Commonwealth, state and territory governments in The draft Standards were developed through promoting excellence in the profession of teaching mapping and analysis of research, and of and school leadership. standards in use by teacher registration and accreditation authorities, employers and A key priority of the Institute is the development and professional associations in Australia. maintenance of national professional standards for teaching and school leadership. An early During March to May 2010 comment on the draft and important part of this work is to support the Standards is invited from members of the teaching national consultation currently underway on the profession and the general public. Consultation draft National Professional Standards for Teachers activities will be conducted within states and released by the Ministerial Council for Education, territories by education authorities, employers, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs teacher regulators and professional associations. (MCEECDYA) in March 2010. The consultation feedback will be taken into This is an exceptional opportunity for members of account in revising the draft Standards. The the teaching profession and the wider education revised draft will be then validated to assure the community to help shape the directions of the appropriateness and reliability of the Standards in profession and contribute to improving educational different teaching contexts. opportunities for Australian students. The Standards will be finalised by the Board of AITSL and submitted to MCEECDYA for approval What are National Professional later this year. Standards for Teachers? How to be involved? The draft Standards set out what teachers should know and be able to do across the domains of The draft Standards and information on how to provide feedback is available at professional knowledge, professional practice and www.mceecdya.edu.au professional engagement at four levels: Graduate,
Proficient, Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher. Submissions close 21 May 2010.
Why National Professional Standards for Teachers? The National Professional Standards for Teachers will provide a continuum of capabilities and For more information about the Institute visit expectations for teachers to guide ongoing www.aitsl.edu.au professional learning and a nationally consistent basis for valid, fair and reliable identification and recognition of the teachers who meet them. www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 14 INDIGENOUS EDUCATION It’s about me It’s about you It’s time we recognised, understood and valued the diverse and different identities of Indigenous people, if we want to improve Indigenous education, says Jeannie Herbert.
Identity: it’s arguably the most critical some legislation and court judgements, of 1975, that Aboriginal people wanted issue that confronts all of us in relation to defines an Aboriginal as someone “who education that would enable them to the delivery of Indigenous education. By is a member of the Aboriginal race of operate successfully in both their own identity I don’t mean a form of personal Australia, identifies as an Aboriginal culture and the wider Australian society. singularity, I mean the diversity of identity and is accepted by the Aboriginal Unfortunately, many Indigenous students that characterises Indigenous education. community as an Aboriginal.”’ The participating in education programs in emphases are mine. How do we identify ourselves Australian schools continue to have their individually and collectively? How are we Critical, among many changes that identity as Indigenous Australians regularly identified, individually and collectively, occurred after the 1967 referendum, was questioned by their fellow students or, by others? What do we identify, as the establishment of consultative bodies worse, by their teachers. teachers, when we label our students as in Aboriginal education, demonstrating The time has definitely come for our ‘Indigenous’ or ‘non-Indigenous’? What a recognition of the need to engage schools to accept their responsibility do we identify, as teachers, when we use Indigenous people in the education of to provide leadership through education the term ‘Indigenous education’? their children. to effect the attitudinal change that will However we answer those questions, In 1977, the National Aboriginal Education enable genuine reconciliation in Australian at some level we’ll end up talking Committee (NAEC) was established as society. The critical first step is for us about, and hopefully valuing, diversity an advisory body to the Commonwealth as teachers to understand and value the and difference. It’s our understanding Minister for Education. This all-Indigenous cultural differences that exist between and valuing of diversity and difference committee drew representation from Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, that enables us to deliver effective all states and territories, with members and also between individual Indigenous Indigenous education services or, in selected for their experience in formal students. By recognising and valuing such truth, any effective education. Without it, education or for their value as community difference, at an individual and collective we’d only ever see the world through our representatives. This was a critical body level, we teachers can be more effective own eyes, blinkered by our own values in the history of Australia’s Indigenous and powerful collaborators with all of our and beliefs, incapable of moving beyond education for, following the long and students. ■ our current attitudes and practices. persistent history of Indigenous exclusion and neglect, this representative group The optimist in me assumes that we defined an Aboriginal or Torres Strait educators do understand and value Islander as ‘a person of Aboriginal or diversity and difference, but the fact Professor Jeannie Herbert holds the Torres Strait Islander descent who is that the identities of Aboriginal Chair in Indigenous Studies at Charles identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Australians as individuals or clan groups Sturt University, New South Wales. Islander and is accepted as such by the have, since 1788, not only not been community in which he lives.’ REFERENCES valued, but have been actively denigrated Gardiner-Garden, J.2003. Defining – and our education systems have played While we might, of course, usefully add Aboriginality in Australia. Department and continue to play a lead role in this in ‘she lives’ the NAEC’s agreed definition of the Parliamentary Library, Canberra. classrooms across the nation. was a critical step in addressing the failure www.aph.gov.au/library/Pubs/ of the educational system to cater for If you don’t think the question of CIB/2002-03/03cib10.pdf the needs of Indigenous students for it Aboriginal identity is contentious, indicated an acknowledgement that non- House of Representatives Select it’s worth reading John Gardiner- Indigenous people weren’t necessarily the Committee on Aboriginal Education. Garden’s paper, ‘Defining Aboriginality best people to speak about Indigenous (1985). Aboriginal education. Canberra: in Australia,’ prepared for the educational needs and that it was critical Australian Government Publishing Commonwealth parliament in 2003. to involve Indigenous people in educational Service. Available at www.aph.gov.au/ As Gardiner-Garden notes, ‘Two very decision-making at the highest levels. house/committee/atsia/education.pdf different definitions are concurrently in use. One, predominating in legislation, In highlighting the diversity of Indigenous Indigenous insights invites discussion of defines an Aboriginal as “a person who peoples and their needs, the NAEC also a range of issues relevant to Indigenous is a member of the Aboriginal race of supported the stance of the former education. Australia.” The other, predominating in Aboriginal Consultative Group that Email your ideas and comments to program administration but also used in reported to the Schools Commission [email protected]
Inside Teaching | April 2010 INDIGENOUS EDUCATION 15
Fleetcare
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 16 PROFESSION
HowHow shouldshould wewe measuremeasure teacherteacher quality?quality? American policymarkers seem set on capturing teacher effectiveness by using students’ tests, while those in Australia take a different tack — but as Steve Holden reports, both are in for a long haul.
United States President Barack Obama ‘Nuanced,’ it appears, means more than order to participate in the Race to the aims to ‘overhaul’ the Elementary adding finer lines between the big, bold Top program, ‘Several states eliminated and Secondary Education Act – aka pass and fail marks on the current ruler; barriers to better teacher evaluation that the No Child Left Behind Act – of his it’s code for including some measure factors in student achievement.’ predecessor, George W Bush, Congress of teacher quality in the ‘picture of Obama’s Race to the Top education willing, and the overhaul is likely to performance.’ Not only that, nuanced reforms aim to: involve some measure of teacher quality measures of teacher quality are likely to in terms of student achievement. include student achievement in some way. • establish standards and an assessment system Key stakeholders were briefed in January Jack Jennings, president of the US Centre by Obama’s Secretary of Education, • measure the academic improvement of on Education Policy, who also attended Arne Duncan, and other US federal students, and the briefing, told Dillon, ‘They want to Department of Education officials. ‘They recast the law so that it’s as close to Race • recruit, develop, reward and retain were very clear with us that they would to the Top as they can get it.’ effective teachers and principals. change the metric, dropping adequate yearly progress and basing a new system That last dot point is all about teacher Education’s moon shot on another picture of performance based quality. As Obama explained in a visit on judging schools in a more nuanced Teacher evaluation is no small part of in January to Graham Road Elementary way,’ Bruce Hunter, director of public Obama’s US$4.35 billion Race to the School in Falls Church, Virginia, Race policy for the American Association of Top program, a program Duncan has to the Top aims to ‘make sure we have School Administrators, told the New described as ‘education’s moon shot.’ excellent principals leading our schools, York Times’s Sam Dillon. As Duncan told journalists in January, in and great teachers leading our classes,
Inside Teaching | April 2010 PROFESSION 17
by promoting rigorous plans to develop saying for some time now, indicates that Dreyfus and Hubert Dreyfus, Dinham and evaluate teachers and principals.’ Will teachers are the major in-school influence points out that, during those eight to ten teachers and principals be evaluated on on student achievement. They account years, teacher expertise moves through the basis of student achievement? While for about 30 per cent of the variance of five stages from novice teacher through not answering specifically, Obama did student achievement. Students account competence, proficiency and expertise point out that, ‘Wisconsin has enacted for 50 per cent of the variance, and the to master teacher. legislation permitting schools to link home, the school and peer effects each account for between five and 10 per cent, student achievement to the performance of Personalities or practices? teachers and principals.’ California likewise. but ‘teaching is the single most powerful influence on achievement,’ says Hattie, as The good news, as Dinham explains, That’s not even code. an input that you can actually influence. is that master teachers are made, not born. There’s no secret of personality, So what makes a great teacher or, put The importance of great no special level of intelligence: ‘All otherwise, how does teacher expertise teachers teachers,’ Dinham observes, ‘are develop? As Steve Dinham, research capable of learning to be more effective, Great teachers are important, we now director of the teaching and learning including highly experienced and even all know, since John Hattie reported on program at the Australian Council for “stale” teachers.’ his great, big, meta-analytic synthesis Educational Research (ACER), explains of findings from more than 500,000 in How to Get Your School Moving and Effectiveness, in other words, is evidence-based studies of the influences Improving, it takes eight to ten years to about what teachers actually do in the of teaching methods on student learning become an expert at anything, teaching classroom, not what kind of person outcomes. Research, as Hattie has been included. Drawing on the work of Stuart they are. Some research, investigating
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 18 PROFESSION
the emphasis on practices, grounds Interestingly, Dinham, Ayres and vary significantly from year to year,’ says effectiveness firmly in practice – in Sawyer found that effective teachers Ingvarson, ‘also throwing doubt on the the structured, rules-based, routinised did things like using closed questions accuracy of value-added schemes.’ or choreographed behaviours of – and you thought that was a no-no? Standards, on the other hand, cover the teachers. The massive Project Follow ‘These teachers used different forms full range of what good teachers are Through study, funded by the US federal of questioning depending on the stage expected to know and be able to do, and government from 1967 until 1995, for of the lesson,’ Dinham explains, ‘and that’s why they provide a valid basis on example, found that structured teacher- whether the teacher was teaching the which to assess a teacher’s knowledge directed methods result in consistently whole class or if students were working and skill, Ingvarson says. ‘Well-written stronger student learning gains than alone and in small groups. Teachers and detailed professional standards give those obtained from student-directed or tended to use closed questions when teachers long-term direction in planning constructivist methods. talking to the whole group and at the beginning and end of lessons to link, their professional learning and clarify The late Ken Rowe, in his study of the revise and test understanding. This the nature of the expertise that the Working Out What Works Training and also occurred at certain break points in profession expects its members to gain Resource Manual, reported likewise. In lessons when students were moving with experience,’ he says. his examination of literacy and numeracy from one activity to the next.’ When it was finally made public in intervention programs and teaching August last year, the cautious Rewarding strategies, he found that initial direct Quality Teaching report by a team led instruction improves student learning. ‘What Measuring teacher effectiveness: student test by Alison Gaines for the consultancy made the difference to students’ learning scores or rigorous standards? firm Gerard Daniels, broadly supported and achievement progress..? Simply,’ Rowe a standards-based model rather than a concluded, ‘teachers in the intervention Okay, quality teachers are a central input student test-score model to improve schools were taught how to teach.’ that we can actually influence, so how do we best identify quality? Moves to teacher quality. As Dinham points out in How to Get Your measure teacher effectiveness here in As the report notes, schemes that tie School Moving and Improving, though, Australia typically focus either on value- the performance-based pay of teachers it’s worth keeping in mind that effective added measures of student achievement to student test scores ‘build on the idea teaching is not about following a on external tests or on knowledge that growth in student performance is proforma. Yes, the behaviours of novices and skills-based or standards-based a strong indicator of teaching quality, tend to be rule governed. Sure, novices schemes, with recognition in terms of and that it is the indicator for which it is need structure, Dinham observes, but professional certification. worth paying.., (but) it makes no sense to experts or masters need autonomy, and pay for students’ average performance find rules and structure inhibiting. According to Lawrence Ingvarson, a Principal Research Fellow and formerly – because the quality of teaching In their investigation of the successful Research Director of the Teaching and explains only 30 per cent of the variance teaching methodologies used by Learning Program at ACER, value-added in students’ test scores.’ That appears teachers of the New South Wales approaches face ongoing concerns to be a reference to Hattie’s finding that Higher School Certificate, Dinham and about their validity, and they rarely last. teachers account for about 30 per cent his research colleagues Paul Ayres The main problems when you measure of the variance of student achievement. and Wayne Sawyer, in fact, found that teacher quality in terms of student The Rewarding Quality Teaching report effective teachers employ a whole range achievement, says Ingvarson, are the concludes that: of strategies, but, ‘The key common non-random assignment of students, factor was an emphasis on having the effects of other teachers and the • a performance management system students think, solve problems and apply effects of student characteristics, should underpin a performance culture knowledge. These teachers consciously even when controlled, as well as the in teacher employment built understanding and connected effects of school policies, the non- • employers should ‘embrace differential students’ work to previous work, work random assignment of teachers and the remuneration for teachers who are that was yet to come, and events in appropriateness of outcome measures assessed as high performers,’ and the broader environment. Frequent for the students and curriculum taught. assessment and quality feedback were ‘Recent research also indicates that • success will depend on the quality of hallmarks of these teachers.’ estimates of a teacher’s effectiveness the teacher assessment process, and
Inside Teaching | April 2010 PROFESSION 19
on similar teaching standards across Workplace Relations Julia Gillard said While the registration or accreditation jurisdictions. the Rewarding Quality Teaching report of teachers remains a state or offered a basis for the reform of teacher territory responsibility, those draft The report sits comfortably with remuneration arrangements in each teaching standards emanate from a the findings in How the World’s Best state and territory. She stopped short Commonwealth, state and territory Performing School Systems Come Out On of accepting its recommendations, government agreement in January 2009 Top, a report by Michael Barber and Mona but did observe that it ‘will inform the – the Council of Australian Governments Mourshed, partners in the McKinsey and development and implementation of (COAG) national partnership agreement Company management consultancy. Barber new teacher pay arrangements.’ on improving teacher quality – to create and Mourshed conclude that systems a system of national accreditation where students consistently perform Meanwhile, the newly-established of pre-service teacher education better than their peers in international Australian Institute for Teaching and School courses; national consistency in teacher testing have three things in common: Leadership has released draft teaching registration; and national consistency standards for public consultation. Those • they recruit the right people to become in the accreditation or certification of draft teaching standards, roughly following teachers accomplished and leading teachers. the five stages of teacher expertise • they provide effective professional described by Steve Dinham, specify If this sees the light of day as a means by development for these people, and the skills and knowledge expected of which teachers and school leaders can graduate, competent, highly-accomplished progress through a system of standards • they have systems in place to ensure it will, in anyone’s terms, result in a that every student receives excellent and leading teachers in terms of subject content, pedagogy and professional standards-based national certification instruction. system. Where does differential development. The idea is that the graduate remuneration fit in? That’s the big question. Looking for a fourth dot point on and competent levels will apply to all new teacher evaluation measured by student teachers, while the highly-accomplished Dinham and co-authors Lawrence achievement? Absent. and leading teacher levels will be voluntary Ingvarson and Elizabeth Kleinhenz Professional associations in the US have for experienced teachers. addressed that in Investing in Teacher spent years working hard to develop professional standards, but changes to the No Child Left Behind Act that reflect the Race to the Top emphasis on teacher evaluation measured by student achievement may well leave them flat footed. Bear in mind though, that with 124,000 or so public schools fragmented across 14,000 school districts, plus 28,000 or so private schools in the US, the attempt by Obama and his Secretary of Education to overhaul education and address teacher quality at the federal level is likely to be a long haul. If there’s one thing that US politicians and educators will need, whichever model eventuates, it’s grit.
Credit where credit’s due In Australia, there’s a good chance that policymakers will take a standards- based approach. Speaking last August, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Employment and
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 20 PROFESSION
Quality: Doing what matters most, a 2008 come out on top. London: McKinsey & ‘Salary structures report for the Business Council of Australia Company. (BCA) that outlines the education reforms Dinham, S. (2008). How to get your school for teachers need necessary for Australia to make it into the moving and improving. Melbourne: ACER to be more effective top five countries in the Organisation for Press. Economic Cooperation and Development. Dinham, S., Ingvarson, L. & Kleinhenz, E. as instruments ‘Suggestions to improve quality teaching (2008). Investing in teacher quality: Doing for promoting tend to be simplistic, populist and non- what matters most, in Teaching Talent: The evidenced-based. Such approaches best teachers for Australia’s classrooms. widespread use of include things such as higher salaries, Melbourne: Business Council of Australia. “merit” pay, payment by results and Available at: http://www.bca.com.au/ successful teaching getting rid of poorly performing teachers,’ Content/99520.aspx practices.... We know Dinham noted when the BCA published Dreyfus, S. & Dreyfus, H. (1980). A five- the report. ‘What we have advocated in stage model of the mental activities that good teachers this report for the BCA is a much more involved in directed skill acquisition. comprehensive, integrated, evidenced- Operations Research Centre, University of matter, but we must based, national approach to drive the California, Berkeley. quality of teaching upwards and to lead to start to act as if we Gaines, A. (2009). Rewarding Quality increased student achievement. Central Teaching. Perth: Gerard Daniels. Available really believed it.’ to this approach is a new career and salary at www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_ structure for teachers to encourage and resources/Rewarding_Teacher_Quality- award greater levels of professional Final_Report_-_GDA_2009.pdf accomplishment.’ Hoad, K., Munro, J., Pearn, C., Rowe, K.S., As Dinham, Ingvarson and Kleinhenz put & Rowe, K.J. (2005). Working Out What it in their report, ‘Salary structures for Works: Training and resource manual. teachers need to be more effective as Melbourne: Australian Council for instruments for promoting widespread Educational Research. use of successful teaching practices.... We know that good teachers matter, Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A but we must start to act as if we really synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses believed it.’ ■ relating to achievement. Oxford: Routledge. Hattie, J. (2003). Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence? Australian Council for Educational Research – Research REFERENCES Conference. Available at www. Ayres, P., Dinham, S. & Sawyer, W. acer.edu.au/documents/Hattie_ (1999). Successful teaching in the NSW TeachersMakeADifference.pdf Higher School Certificate. Sydney: NSW Rowe, K.J. (2006). Effective teaching Department of Education & Training. practices for students with and without Ayres, P., Dinham, S. & Sawyer, W. (1998). learning difficulties: Constructivism as The identification of successful teaching a legitimate theory of learning and of methodologies in the NSW Higher School teaching? Background paper to keynote Certificate: A research report for the address presented at the NSW DET NSW Department of Education & Training. Office of Schools Portfolio Forum, Sydney: University of Western Sydney. Sydney. Available at www.acer.edu.au/ Barber, M. & Mourshed, M. (2007). How the documents/Rowe-EffectiveTeachingPract world’s best-performing school systems icesJuly2006.pdf
Inside Teaching | April 2010 Leading PROFESSION 21 Master networked school Class communities
Effectively ‘networked’ schools use emerging digital technologies to reach When and Where beyond their local communities to Albury Wodonga provide the best educational Thursday 20 May opportunities for young people. Adamshust Function Centre 603 David St, Albury The Class Melbourne Explores practices, implications and Friday 21 May possibilities for networking within and beyond Novotel Glen Waveley the school community and how it impacts on 285 Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley student engagement and learning outcomes. Brisbane Monday 24 May Participants will be challenged to consider how Bardon Conference Centre to apply this knowledge to further shape 390 Simpsons Rd, Bardon teaching and learning in ways that are relevant and engaging for students in 21st century Cairns schools. Tuesday 25 May Sebel Cairns Who 17 Abbott St, Cairns School leaders and leadership teams. Bunbury Monday 31 May Presenters Quality Hotel Lord Forrest 20 Symmons St, Bunbury Classes will be facilitated by Professor Mike Gaffney, Chair of Educational Leadership at the Perth Australian Catholic University and co-editor of Tuesday 1 June Leading a digital school. Esplanade River Suites 112 Melville Pde, Como Case study presentations will be delivered by leading principals. Sydney Thursday 3 June NSW Business Chamber Information and registration Level 15, 140 Arthur St, Nth Sydney Visit the AITSL website to register online. Adelaide Master Classes are free of charge. Tuesday 8 June Education Development Centre www.aitsl.edu.au Milner St, Hindmarsh Registration from 8.30am. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Classes are 9.00 - 12pm. www.atra.edu.au2010 Master | [email protected] Classes are being administered on behalf of AITSL by the Australian College of Educators (ACE) 22 CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT
A well-documented transformation took Assessment place at Bellfield during this decade. The school moved from a situation where over 80 per cent of the students were failing dismally in statewide literacy Informed and numeracy testing to one where the overwhelming majority of the students performed at the top of the state. The effective use of student data played a teaching, significant role in this transformation, alongside the adoption of an explicit instruction model of curriculum delivery. and Bellfield used statewide testing, ongoing classroom testing, and the Reading Progress Test (RPT) and the Numeracy learning Progress Test (NPT) from the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) to drive school improvement. The RPT and NPT were delivered every November to all year levels. At Bellfield, we first used these tests in 1997. They enabled us to benchmark every child, each year level and the entire school. Furthermore, they allowed the leadership team to identify those students who would need extra support and those who would need to be further Research into high-performing schools clearly indicates the extended. The student data was used in the annual staff appraisal process as importance of the frequent evaluation of student progress. evidence of teacher performance. The John Fleming explains how he’s done that. notion of value added was discussed and analysed in terms of individual student The research into high-performing To answer that, let me consider two case performance, year-level performance schools clearly indicates the importance studies with which I’ve been closely and whole-school performance. We of the following factors: involved, Bellfield Primary School and selected the RPT and NPT because they Haileybury College, both in Melbourne. were time effective in terms of student • strong educational leadership completion and teacher correction. Bellfield Primary School is a government • high expectations of students and staff These tests were an integral component primary school in Melbourne’s inner of the school improvement agenda at • an emphasis on time on task northern suburbs, where I was principal Bellfield. They were instrumental in from 1995 to 2005. Bellfield serviced an • a safe and orderly environment, and validating our curriculum choices and in exceptionally disadvantaged community. • the frequent evaluation of student setting targets for teachers. The overall In 2005, 85 per cent of parents were on progress. school performance indicator for both the Educational Maintenance Allowance; literacy and numeracy provided much- Here, I want to focus on the last of these 61 per cent of students were from single- needed recognition of teacher effort as factors. How do high-performing schools parent families; 25 per cent of students student achievement increased from use the information they receive about were from non-English speaking year to year. It generated a belief in the student achievement to generate school backgrounds; and about 10 per cent of success of our initiatives and guided us in improvement? students were Indigenous. future planning and target-setting.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT 23
Haileybury College, a multi-campus It’s the use of the ACER data to Schools and education school in the eastern suburbs of determine teacher value added, Melbourne, is a high-performing however, that has driven Haileybury systems have become independent school. In 2006 I was to the forefront of data evaluation. increasingly proficient appointed as head of the Berwick campus In conjunction with ACER, we’ve and remained head until this year, when determined a scale to benchmark at gathering student I took up the role of deputy principal of individual and class value added from junior school teaching and learning. year to year. This information is provided achievement data, but to all teachers from Prep to Year 8 for In 2006, Haileybury adopted the both literacy and numeracy. for many schools this November testing approaches advocated by evidence-based research, similar It’s a vital component of the annual is where the process to the approach that I’ve described for professional recognition program that often stalls. Bellfield, particularly to demonstrate that we use to evaluate teacher performance. programs add value for students. It brings a vital new view to teacher appraisal that focuses on student What is this value adding? A value add is achievement and teacher effectiveness. an improvement in student achievement, It’s also an intrinsic measure used to in excess of what could normally be evaluate teacher effectiveness for the expected, due to effective teacher exemplary teacher performance bonus instruction. awarded each year to our highest- performing teachers. Haileybury tests all students in Prep to Year 8 each November with the Bellfield and Haileybury obviously Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) service very different communities, but in both literacy and numeracy and the it’s apparent that very similar approaches Single Word Spelling Test (SWST). ACER to the use of data have proven marks the tests and supplies data on worthwhile in both settings. student achievement, class achievement A common curriculum approach, the and teacher performance. Each teacher Fleming Model of Effective Teaching, receives data for the previous year’s has been implemented at both schools. class depicting the value-added data As Elizabeth Kleinhenz and I explain in and raw data for each student and the Towards a Moving School, it’s a model class as a whole. They are then expected based on the four pillars of teacher to reflect on the data and prepare their accountability, explicit instruction, John Fleming is deputy principal of curriculum delivery based on the data. moving student learning from short- Haileybury College, Melbourne, and Bellfield and Haileybury used statewide term to long-term memory, and creating co-author with Elizabeth Kleinhenz of Towards a Moving School: Developing a and now national testing in similar ways. effective relationships between professional learning and performance The figures were extensively analysed teachers and students. culture. This article is based on his to benchmark against other schools, In recent years schools and education presentations at the ACER Education to track ongoing student progress, to systems have become increasingly Forum on Using Assessments to Inform compare year levels and to undertake proficient at gathering student Teaching and Learning in New South item analysis to drive curriculum achievement data, but for many schools development. Specific ongoing plans this is where the process often stalls, Wales, South Australia, Victoria and were then developed to support further mainly because educators don’t fully Queensland in March and April, hosted student improvement. The 2009 National analyse this information. Both Bellfield by ACER Press. Assessment Program – Literacy and and Haileybury show how big an impact Numeracy (NAPLAN) data clearly the effective interpretation of this data LINKS: showed that the students at Haileybury can have on both teaching and learning, www.acer.edu.au/acerpress in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 were exceptionally and consequently on improved student www.bellfieldps.vic.edu.au high performing. achievement. ■ www.haileybury.vic.edu.au
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 24 MY BEST TEACHER
Jonathon Welch My best teacher Steve Holden catches up with one of Australia’s most recognisable choir leaders, Jonathon Welch, and discovers a man on a mission – to put social justice in the middle of the mainstream.
Catch a spare hour with Jonathon Welch notably the Choir of Hard Knocks, now challenges and things to discover. I don’t and you immediately realise you’re called the Choir of Hope and Inspiration. like to get too comfortable.’ talking with a man on a mission. At the He realised, he says, that his musical Welch’s work in the area of social justice end of 1992, the Opera Australia tenor gifts would be best used serving the keeps him well outside his comfort zone. walked away from what was, in his ‘How I respond to the work I do,’ he says, words, ‘a successful and supposedly community. ‘I’ve been given these skills, ‘is my own personal challenge, but I know glamorous career,’ before finding himself, not to just sit in a studio or a rehearsal that when I stifle my creativity I become with a few detours along the way, room,’ he says. ‘You’re given them to use, unhappy, so I’m happy to challenge myself.’ working with homeless, marginalised to “play it forward,” to pass your skills and disadvantaged people in some of on to other people, who can then pass That challenge, and the interest in social Australia’s finest community choirs, most them on. I realised there were greater justice, was clearly evident in Welch’s
Inside Teaching | April 2010 MY BEST TEACHER 25
work with the Voices from Inside teacher and my brother teaches at TAFE, That’s quite a roll call of legendary Choir of women at Tarrengower Prison, and I know they both get real satisfaction teachers in Australia’s music community, broadcast in the Jail Birds documentary from seeing people pursue their dream, but it’s not the end of Welch’s list. series on ABC television last year. but,’ he adds, ‘teaching is still grossly ‘My very first great teacher,’ he says, undervalued and unrewarded in Australia.’ If you watched that series, you would’ve ‘was my mother, who gave me first and seen something rare on any television If Welch is a person with a deep foremost unconditional love, and whose screen: people actually learning and understanding of learning, that’s perhaps gift was to accept people into her life and teaching. His aim, says Welch, is to help because he’s well able to learn for treat them with great respect. I saw her people to learn for themselves.. His himself. ‘In my childhood,’ he admits, mentor a lot of other singers, and saw her aim as a teacher, says Welch, is to help ‘I was terribly shy, and to become a encourage them to follow their dreams. people to learn for themselves. ‘People performer I had to build my confidence. My sister wanted to be a teacher. My are looking for good, clear direction,’ he In a show, you can find a character and brother wanted to be a plumber. I wanted explains, ‘as well as the opportunity to use that to build your confidence, but I to be a singer. She encouraged us all.’ take that and make it their own. They’re wanted to find that confidence in myself, With the gifts of acceptance, respect best able to do that,’ he adds, ‘when you and I wanted to help other people to find and encouragement, it’s no surprise that use a combination of instruction, clear that confidence in themselves.’ Welch is in the middle of a successful guidance and lots of experience so they Welch might be a good learner, but and supposedly glamorous career, as have plenty of opportunity to absorb he also counts himself lucky to have a choirmaster, and he’s not stopping what you have to offer. ■ learned from many great teachers as anytime soon. ‘When you’re teaching a large group, you well. He was taught at Melbourne High have to recognise that everyone learns School by American exchange teacher, differently, unlike a one-to-one situation Rodney Rothlisberger. where you can tailor what you do quite ‘Rodney was the protégé of Rodney specifically. Working in large groups Eichenberger, who’s considered to be one is more like Monet, very broad brush of the key exponents of the subconscious strokes, while working one-to-one is effect of body language in conducting,’ more like Rembrandt, where you can be he says. ‘He was a very demanding, but quite specific, quite technical, even.’ Jonathon Welch has created the passionate and inspiring mentor.’ School of Hard Knocks Foundation, to Half an hour into conversation, you realise Bettine McCaughan was another very be launched by patron Jimmy Barnes that if Welch is a man on a mission, he’s influential singing teacher. ‘What made this year, to provide homeless and also a man who can put his ego in a box. Bettine a great teacher was the way she disadvantaged people with educational Whether it’s a senior role in a production related to me, and her method of using opportunities through music, arts and for Opera Australia, leading a choir, incredibly imaginative imagery to impart cultural programs as part of the Play appearing in a television documentary her knowledge. It Forward program. He is also the or working with the New South Wales founder of Social Inclusion Week and Department of Education through ‘Max Speed, my singing teacher in the National Street Party, in association the Southern Stars and Wollongong Sydney, really started to develop my with the Commonwealth Department Performers Company, the Training voice. Donald Smith, one of Australia’s of Families Housing Community Development Program or the School greatest tenors, teaching at the Services and Indigenous Affairs, Spectacular, Welch is surprisingly Queensland Conservatorium of Music in the Commonwealth Department of unassuming. Flamboyant, yes, but ego- the 1980s, taught quite differently again. Education, Employment and Workplace driven, no. His mission, quite evidently, is Donald would demonstrate. Max was Relations, the Brotherhood of St to help other people. very specifically kinetic. Bettine was Laurence, Origin Energy and Realestate. more visual. com.au. His memoir, Choir Man, was ‘You don’t take on the role if there’s published by Harper Collins in 2009. not that part of you that wants to pass ‘Someone who’s been another great on knowledge and skill, that wants to teacher and mentor for me,’ he adds, LINKS: care, that wants people to fulfill their ‘is John Bolton Wood. His gift wasn’t to www.jonathonwelch.com potential,’ he explains. ‘I think teachers teach about singing, but to give me life http://socialinclusionweek.ning.com have these things innately. My sister is a skills as a singer.’ www.nationalstreetparty.com.au
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 26 10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED…
10 things I’ve learned about teaching
Western Australian Teacher and winner of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching Allan Whittome has learned plenty of things about teaching. Here are 10 of them.
Learning is not a competition, time block because science is occurring How do you teach cold or wet or hard? 01 but if you teach as though it is, all the time. Science very often lends Concepts need experience, experience your students’ learning will only be itself to another learning area. The before experiments. narrow and short lived. Real learning Primary Connections program of the If you want students to learn, has to have a purpose, and relevance or Australian Academy of Science shows you have to let them play, and connection for the learner, if it’s to have you how to make links between science 04 any consequence. The learner needs and other learning areas like literacy get hands-on experience. How do we to be at the centre and to have some and numeracy. In the early childhood learn from play? We try something. If ownership over the learning. All students area, for example, The Three Little Pigs it works we use it again, we tell our have strengths and good teaching is lends itself to investigating materials, friends. If it doesn’t work, we try again about using these to guide them into shapes and forces. Get your students and change things until we get it to other learning. You need to be part of the to use 3D mind maps to represent their work for us, then we tell our friends, learning yourself, to place yourself in the understanding before and after. they try it, and they change things or situation of the learner. keep them the same. That’s very much Students need to experience the things like a simple scientific method. Play, The curriculum is like the road they are learning in order to make the experience and hands-on approaches 02 map and, as with most journeys, connections and then extend their allow students to develop, explore and there is more than one route that you understanding. It’s hard to know what a can choose to reach your destination. kilogram is until you’ve felt a kilogram. tune their understandings of concepts Sometimes there isn’t, some things just Then you have something to relate to. as well as the processes they can have to be done a certain way, but then How can students understand heat until use to try something new. Through there are also times when you have to they know what it looks like and feels scaffolding and structured play, they make your own road. like? When a 45-degree day comes can be taken through the scientific Many primary school teachers along you can show the students what method as a real-life experience 03 are unaware of the science it feels like to be nearly half way to the and a way of making new learning teaching they already do in their boiling point of water. Just because from what has happened, positive or classrooms. Teaching science doesn’t it isn’t science day doesn’t mean the negative, before you move on to a more necessarily have to happen in a discrete situation can’t be used. formalised use of scientific method.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 10 THINGS I’VE LEARNED… 27
You don’t have to road test everything. involved. The Science Summer School I this is that I’m able to learn along with my In the past, teachers probably had to be attended at Flinders University in 2007 students. right. When they did something, it had was a very inspiring learning experience. It’s my good fortune at to work. With so many resources and so I benefited immensely from working Badgingarra Primary School to much information available today, learning alongside other teachers, being able to 09 teach with other teachers and other can involve failure as a tool that allows address challenging leading-edge science students. We’re very flexible, collegial, teachers as much as students to build topics, working in an environment using open to change and sharing. Because new learning and understanding. new technologies, being shown different we’re not tied to a classroom as the pathways for science learning and how I use references with my students learning environment we can be very we can move students to develop the all the time, but we don’t use one mobile, which gives us a greater variety 05 thinking processes they need to tackle the set textbook. The amount of information of ways to cater for the differing problems facing the world in the future. available today is huge, and growing learning needs of students. The best and changing all the time, so I want my I find the best professional learning collegial practices I’ve experienced are students to develop their abilities to experiences are the ones where you where we team teach, complete skill source and validate information. have to make some of the outcome sessions then use these in authentic yourself and come away with something learning tasks or challenges embedded Professional and industry you feel you’ve achieved. At the opposite in integrated studies. experience is really useful. 06 extreme, there are those where a Things are changing all the time and We live at a time when science is at the presenter pontificates and then tells you we have the responsibility to give heart of some big, and contested, global how good what you’re being told is. our students the skills to be able to issues and that’s a good thing for science participate and function in this and the The best professional learning teaching, since developing science future world. Much of the time we’re experience I’ve had was a week-long literacy and critical thinking allows operating away from the leading edge photography workshop – this was people to make informed decisions for although occasionally we can be the before digital – in a most beautiful themselves. It’s important for us to be leaders, as with the Re-Engineering setting. We were shown techniques in able to analyse different positions and Australia Foundation’s F1 in Schools a hands-on class and then allowed to come to a decision for ourselves as Challenge that gives students the develop these further through open- opposed to being led by what we’re told. opportunity to be the leaders ahead of ended projects with a showcase and Information technologies have what is being done in industry. review at the end of the day. It was very given us far more information than exhausting but I left feeling confident 10 To keep up with current developments ever before, so we need the skills to be about what I’d learned. It was a good and advances it’s important to create able to make a balanced judgement on professional learning experience links or partnerships with organisations issues. Yes, we need to allow our students because it was a warts and all approach. beyond your school, not only for your to work with science based on facts, school but also for those organisations: Everyone learns in a class but we also need to allow them to work our students are their future too. 08 environment where everyone in the areas of investigation and further supports and values each other. Every research where the answers to these big, My experience at Badgingarra Primary student has a strength in some area and and contested, global issues lie. The good School, between Geraldton and Perth, you can use those strengths to support news is that the ideas of the young, things Western Australia, is that some each student and to help other students. that are as yet untried, are where the organisations come to us wishing For example, we have a student with future solutions lie. ■ to make links. Other times I’ll initiate major learning challenges as a result of contact for a specific task, but then the an accident but he has an incredible skill students become the spokespersons or when it comes to handling and caring contacts. Either way, we look at what we Allan Whittome is a teacher at for reptiles. I’ve been able to use this can give back to the organisation for the Badgingarra Primary School, Western to develop his other learning skills, and assistance they give us and try to work Australia, and the winner of the 2009 other students will come to him for with them, involve them. Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in advice. When we use the strengths of Science Teaching in Primary Schools. The best professional learning everyone in the class we don’t just have 07 allows you to network with 23 students and one teacher but 24 Photo of Allan Whittome by Bearcage others and actually undertake or be students and 24 teachers. The beauty of Productions courtesy of Science in Public.
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 28 TEACHING TIPS
Top tips for beginning teachers
Award-winning teacher Jane Dobson shares her five top tips for beginning teachers.
When I won the Excellence by a Every beginning teacher has different This is especially the case at 10 o’clock Beginning Teacher category in the strengths and weaknesses along with on a Sunday night when you suddenly 2009 Australian Awards for Teaching different experiences when they enter realise you’ve forgotten to prepare Excellence of the Australian Institute their very own classroom for the first that worksheet for the first class on for Teaching and School Leadership, time, so I don’t pretend I can give each Monday morning. I was asked if I could provide some beginning teacher all the answers. It’s true when the data projector decides tips to Inside Teaching specifically for Most of us have enough in common, it’s suddenly not going to work and your beginning teachers. though, that some of the tips I give here entire lesson depends on the students will be useful. By the time I received the award, I’d watching some clips on YouTube. These actually almost finished my fourth year TIP 1 : DON’T PANIC things happen to everyone - even of teaching, so the request got me During the first year of teaching, you’ll experienced teachers. thinking back to that first year out of experience a range of emotions, university. I recall being in front of a bunch Taking a deep breath and remaining calm, everything from excitement and joy of teenagers, who would probably rather at least on the outside, will usually get to anxiety and trepidation. The really have been just about anywhere else than you through. confusing times can be when you seem in my Maths class on a Friday afternoon. to be feeling all these emotions at once. You’ll have bad lessons that you would The sheer terror I felt makes it seem like Reminding yourself that this is perfectly rather forget, but this happens to this was only yesterday. At the same normal and that every other beginning everyone, even the most experienced time, if I think about all the things I’ve teacher will experience these highs and teachers. The most important thing is learned in the past four years, it feels like lows at some point can help you to put to learn from them. It’s important to try a lifetime ago. things in perspective. not to put too much pressure on yourself.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 TEACHING TIPS 29
You’re not super-human and no one Sometimes the problem you face may with me and thanked me for bringing it to expects you to be. require a bit more than an informal chat. her attention, and I got the class moved In my first year I was assigned a class to a more appropriate room. TIP 2 : DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK called ‘Models, Boats and Planes.’ I didn’t Asking for help, I discovered, isn’t a sign FOR HELP know much about models, boats or of weakness. Your colleagues have all planes. I thought it sounded interesting, Ask for help if you need it. I clearly been there and will recognise this. though, so I was happy to give it a go until remember moments during my first year I walked into the classroom and realised TIP 3 : LEARN TO SAY NO out when I found myself thinking, ‘What that it had been timetabled in a metal Learning to say no may sound like a am I doing here?’ and, ‘I’m just not sure I workshop. strange tip, but I actually think this was can do this.’ one of the most important lessons I I’d trained as a Science teacher and I felt learned in my first year out, although I did When I had times like this I found that prepared to teach in an environment with have to learn it the hard way. getting together with other teachers, its own safety concerns, but a room with whether in the staffroom or walking welders, cutting machines, circular saws Being my first job and in my around on yard duty, and just talking to and so on was absolutely terrifying. probationary year, I was naturally eager to impress, so I put my hand up them was a huge help. If I had a difficult I knew I wouldn’t feel comfortable for absolutely everything. This meant student, or a situation that I just didn’t teaching in that environment, but I was that I suddenly found myself not only also worried about going to my principal know how to handle, these informal having all my classes to organise, and looking like I couldn’t cope. chats often provided me with ideas, but but also helping to run the student also with the extra bit of confidence I I eventually plucked up the courage to representative council, organising needed to tackle the issue head on. talk to my principal who totally agreed the Maths relay team and doing the
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 30 TEACHING TIPS
costume alterations for the school wait for something similar to come Jane Dobson was born in England and production, which involved coming to round again. obtained her Masters Degree in Physics school for a number of consecutive in Wales, after which she took a ‘year Within my first few years of teaching weekends. I ended up being totally out’ to travel and work in Australia – I found myself succeeding in being exhausted, contracting a nasty cold and seven years ago. She completed her selected for a number of things I didn’t having to take a few days off work. Bachelor of Teaching at the University of expect including: a focus group to Tasmania. Looking back, I realise now that no-one rewrite Science courses for the state; would have thought any less of me for a statewide role coordinating Physics She was the winner of the Excellence not helping out with the production; teachers; and going to Sydney to have an by a Beginning Teacher national award in after all I was a Science and Maths input into the new national curriculum. the 2009 Australian Awards for Teaching teacher and I had plenty of things to I invariably found myself being one of the Excellence of the Australian Institute for organise there. If I’d just said no to that youngest, least experienced people in Teaching and School Leadership. one thing I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have the room, which can be intimidating, but LINKS: hit that wall. It’s really important to look I soon realised that a fresh view is really For more information on beginning after yourself because when you’re welcomed in most situations. healthy and feeling good you’ll be far teachers visit: more effective in the classroom. It’s easy to assume that because you’re www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/Library. a new teacher you don’t stand a chance html TIP 4 : TAKE OPPORTUNITIES of being selected for opportunities, AND NETWORK whether it’s a trip to Antarctica or http://beginningtoteach.qct.edu.au presenting a new idea at a staff meeting, As teachers we often find that we www.trb.tas.gov.au/information- but if you don’t try you’ll never know. have the chance to do things that most resources.htm people never will. For me, this has You may even be pleasantly surprised at included going down a working silver- what you can achieve early in your career. zinc mine, taking a tour of a hydroelectric TIP 5 : ENJOY YOURSELF power station, going inside a wind turbine, working with scientists from the This is easily the most important tip. United States National Aeronautics and Teaching is a busy, exciting and rewarding Space Administration (NASA) and even career, and it’s really important to enjoy visiting Antarctica. what you’re doing. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, your students will pick up Many of these experiences required on it and they won’t enjoy themselves me to give up a couple of days of my either. A smile is infectious. holidays or the occasional weekend. At the same time, however, it meant It’s not a tip to observe that it will that I not only met many other get easier over time, but it is true. It’s teachers teaching the same subjects important to remember that working as me, which wouldn’t have happened with young people in schools is an otherwise, but I also met many outside absolutely wonderful experience. experts who weren’t teachers, but They will challenge you, occasionally were interested in education and were disappoint you and, as often as not, happy to work with my classes. Building exceed your expectations, but overall yourself a solid network of teachers and they’ll make you proud to be a teacher. industry and other experts will make I like to remind myself that, as Albert your job a lot easier. Einstein once said, ‘A person who never There are also many other learning made a mistake never tried anything opportunities within our profession new.’ It’s a quotation I have on the wall of that can enhance your knowledge my science lab, and it’s as important for and understanding, and inform your us teachers as it is for our students to pedagogy. Apply for everything that remember that we learn best when we interests you – if you don’t get it try something new, make mistakes and approved the first time you can always enjoy things together. ■
Inside Teaching | April 2010 TEACHING TIPS 31
IWB
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 32 20 QUESTIONS
Inside Teaching | April 2010 20 QUESTIONS 33
20 questions* with John Marsden
David Rish interviewed John MaRsden, and discovered a writer, teacher and school principal who’s still amazed by learning.
If there was only one book in the Who’s your favourite character from Do your students have a nickname Candlebark school library, what would The Simpsons? for you? it be? Ned Flanders, because he’s so awful, Everyone at Candlebark, where I’m the The Human Comedy by William Saroyan, like a distillation of the worst of every principal, tends to use first names. Christian television preacher. a wise and beautiful book. Would your childhood best friend be surprised at where you’ve ended up? Where does the name ‘Marsden’ Are you in tune with pop culture No, we were both idealistic young men. come from? generally? He got a medical degree and worked in It’s a Yorkshire name. A great, great, great Just by being around young people you aboriginal health in central Australia – a uncle was known as the Flogging Parson, have to be aware of it. Anyone thinking principled human with a commitment to an unpleasant chap who boasted that he of starting their own vampire series improving life. liked to try on Friday, hang on Sunday. probably shouldn’t as the whole vampire thing is likely to be about to die a natural Which person, living, reanimated or What was your first writing success, death, unlike vampires! fictional, would you like to have as a before So Much to Tell You? guest teacher? Do you have moments when you The American poet Robert Frost who In Year 4 with a friend we published the want your portrait and giant statues conveys so much so simply. 4C Chronicle and everything we wrote everywhere? got in because we were the publishers – What would you like to be if you get a No, definitely! I’ve had my portrait an empowering experience. next life? painted a number of times, but found the process uncomfortable. I bought A musician. Perhaps a dog. Border collies What was the poster on the teenage seem to live life to the full. one large painting, but haven’t put it John Marsden’s wall? on display or even unwrapped it. It’ll Which title would you choose for The great Bob Dylan, still revered. probably be like Dorian Gray’s portrait if I a hypothetical autobiography: do eventually reveal it to the world. Do you have your teaching certificates Teacher, Writer, Teacher/Writer or John Marsden, King of Cool? and book awards on display? A joke you’ve been told by a student I’d like maybe Looking For Trouble, but No, in both cases, but my mother told recently? I’ve already used that for a novel. me I should have them somewhere so Knock-knock. I organised a bookcase. The awards Who’s there? What’s your favourite sound? and first editions and all that are just No-one. Cello, and the powerful owls around ephemera. No-one who? Candlebark.
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 34 20 QUESTIONS
In the bush do you pay more attention to Obviously teaching is a very difficult Do you have the occasional doubt the micro or the macro? job. What can be done to make sure our about your decision to take on the job of founding and being the principal of a I probably pay more attention to the teachers are the best? day school? trees than to the sky – the middle view. I select my staff mainly by looking for those who’ve achieved success I admit I occasionally wonder if it was a Did your time at Timbertop influence beyond just teaching. They should have good idea, but although the job is hard, the Tomorrow series? travelled, have an adventurous spirit, it’s exhilarating. spirit generally. It’s helpful to have taught Definitely. It made me realise how much The most stressful moments are when in other environments, for example young people can achieve. Fourteen- and a student goes home and tells a story to overseas or in remote areas. To attract 15-year-olds would achieve so much on his or her parents about something that’s better teachers it’s important to give the happened and then the parent comes both a physical and mental level – you’d job more prestige. Teachers and schools storming in complaining and I have never imagine their abilities. shouldn’t be whipping targets for to sort out the problem. Again, it’s an politicians out to score cheap points. The energy thing; limited energy is better put Will you ever stop writing? job should be made more attractive. into the students and into finding ways I’m not doing much at the moment, but to make the school run better. teaching is my creative outlet. I’ll always How? When faced with the tough moments teach or write. Money could be part of it. Cutting down that occur in any school, I pretend that on bureaucracy is pretty important. I’m the mouthpiece and speak the words Would you have been as good a writer if Meaningless staff meetings, much report that are for the good of the whole school. you’d always done it full time? writing and suchlike are energy and I have to step away from being myself spirit sapping. A teacher’s energy and No, the only way to learn about human and be the mouthpiece. I try not to take resources are not infinite and it’s better nature is to mingle and mix. Teaching is these things personally. good because human nature in its rawest to put them into the job, into inspiring the students. form is in front of you every day. Is there such a thing as a typical day for a student at Candlebark? What can be done with bad teachers? Can anyone learn to be creative? The school isn’t really radical. The day They should be sacked because they’re Yes, but for some it’s a harder challenge. starts with a short morning meeting destroying people’s lives. Put people in a constantly stimulating where every one sits in a circle in a environment, expose them to ideas and How should a teacher be different from double classroom. We might do some art forms, constantly challenge them. I a parent? yoga exercises, a drama game, watch a YouTube video, tell a story. Comments once had a student who I always thought A teacher has an emotional detachment and announcements are made. The of as dull creatively, but who ended up and can make decisions that are more classes then go off to do their general going to an important film school in objectively based. A teacher can and subjects. A variation is that the students Melbourne. Creativity can be switched should be more even-tempered partly all do a period of chess each week. because of a time issue. The 24/7 of on at any time. They have opportunities for extension being a parent is harder. A teacher interest subjects, which might be playing Was there a moment when you thought, shouldn’t try and be the parent. It’s basketball or doing cake decorating. ‘I have to be a teacher?’ important for young people to be Wednesday afternoon is free time when exposed to adults who are politically and It was during Years 9 and 10, sitting in the the students can take part in a variety socially, and in other ways different to back of classrooms, bored and intensely of activities or make their own choices their parents. A teacher, by providing a going mad, thinking why on earth my about how to spend time. Each week different view, opens up a child’s world. teachers had to teach in such a boring there are a couple of silent reading times. manner, that there had to be better ways Does a good teacher need to be a The school has more class excursions, to inspire young people; so it was the good actor? and sometimes whole-school bad examples of teachers rather than No. The best teachers know their subject excursions, than a general school. We the inspiring ones. There were some well, work hard and are fair. If you’ve got recently spent a week away at Angelsea. inspirational teachers, though, mainly in those three things as a teacher you’ll be The school also encourages incursions the primary years. effective and respected. where guests come in and share their
Inside Teaching | April 2010 20 QUESTIONS 35
particular knowledge and expertise. The Is there actually such a thing as an rewarding the education is for the kids are encouraged to be adventurous ordinary day at Candlebark? students; how they learn a respect physically and mentally. (Laughs.) for the environment and their world generally; how it satisfies culturally; Another difference is that food is Can you tell me of a moment when and how the wishes and aspirations of available all day long. The school you’ve gone, ‘Heck, I did a really parents are met. provides good food to encourage good good job teaching that,’ and can you eating habits. The school has a good manufacture or repeat these moments? Have you considered going into politics? organic veggie garden. Sharing food Politics is an ugly business, unforgiving. You have to keeping pushing forward weaves a good social exchange. Not for me. boldly and creatively as a teacher and What makes Candlebark has something those moments will come. Writing is Do we need more diversity in schools? to do with courtesy. If you’re having a about solving problems. Every book Yes. There’s a bloke in Melbourne who problem with a student, you can ask, is about solving one big problem and runs a martial arts school for difficult ‘Does anyone treat you in that way?’ You hundreds of little ones. It’s the same kids. He does a good specific job. We can then challenge their behaviour in a in the classroom. You’ll have lots of should encourage diversity and schools courteous manner. We have normal kids moments of exhilaration. If a particular should be encouraged to experiment who have normal problems, but it’s a kid is having a problem, find a solution to and keep other schools informed so relatively problem-free school. stop their life bogging down. they can learn from the experiences and ■ Teaching is a noble job. implement their own changes. Staff meetings: are they a useful * Okay, okay, if you counted the exchange of ideas or living hell? What’s your view on having a balance questions you’d know there are more We don’t have many at Candlebark. between youth and experience in the than 20. There’s an informal meeting on Monday teaching staff? morning before classes for 45 minutes, It’s important to try and achieve that plus some in-service stuff. Time and balance. There was a sad and bad clean energy is better spent in teaching, out of older teachers in Victoria a although obviously we meet the number of years ago. That was a terrible reporting required by government. mistake. There’s no playground duty, though, Should a large portion of the curriculum as there’s no staffroom. Teachers are be driven by students’ interests? available all the time. Planning is done No, that’s crap. As adults, we have wherever, inside or outside. knowledge and experience to put Is there a spiritual dimension to together a helpful, relevant and John Marsden is one of Australia’s Candlebark? challenging curriculum. Candlebark isn’t a most awarded and popular writers for democracy. It comprises an impressive Not as such, but it’s in tune with the earth. teenagers., having sold more than two team of committed adults with Sometimes when in large gatherings and a half million books since So Much to experience and moral principles. we’ll join hands and say a secular prayer. Tell You was published in 1987. He is the founding principal of Candlebark, a Prep Beliefs are openly and non-judgmentally What would you do if you had Deputy to Year 8 school north of Melbourne discussed. Prime Minister and Commonwealth that he describes as ‘somewhere Minister for Education Julia Gillard at between Steiner and The Simpsons,’ In any afterlife would you hang with the school for the day? teachers or the young folk? and ‘based to a considerable extent I can’t believe we have a Labor on the principles of Fitzroy Community There are days when I love the company government that thinks like old-style School in Melbourne.’ of adults, telling war stories, and there Liberals, enforcing bureaucratic David Rish is an award-winning writer are days when the energy of kids is regulations and controlling everything, for children and a regular contributor to fantastic. Playing bad cricket with a both things being anathema to good Inside Teaching. tennis ball with the kids is one highlight teaching. Julia’s day might be to shadow among many of the ordinary day. a student to see how stimulating and LINKS: www.candlebark.info
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 36 RESEARCH
Many Indigenous students are trapped low academic achievement and, in turn, connection, a desk or even a quiet in a cycle that takes them two steps low self-esteem. They eventually leave place in which to study. As Indigenous forward and one step back: they’re what schooling they have completed and students continue through school less likely than other students to go to in time have children of their own – and education, the gap widens between their preschool and are more likely to skip so the cycle repeats. academic achievement and that of their school. Often, their parents have not non-Indigenous peers. There’s no doubting the disparity completed high school. A poor start that exists between Indigenous and Our recent study comparing the to school mixed with truancy leads to non-Indigenous students. Indigenous performance of Indigenous and non- students are less likely to have access Indigenous students offers an insight to textbooks, a computer, an internet into the factors that have impact over time on the educational performance of Indigenous students.
TwoTwo stepssteps forwardforward OneOne stepstep backback
The academic achievement of Australia’s Indigenous students is hindered by ongoing disadvantage, as Sue Thomson and Lisa De Bortoli explain.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 RESEARCH 37
That study, ‘Contextual factors that education are prepared for life beyond life on the back foot. Fewer Indigenous influence the achievements of Australia’s the schoolyard by testing their skills students had a parent with a university Indigenous students: Results from PISA in reading, mathematics and science degree and significantly more had 2000-2006,’ draws on three cycles of using questions that draw on real-life parents who had completed only some data from the Program for International situations. secondary school. Student Assessment (PISA) and PISA was first carried out in 2000 Greater numbers, compared to non- describes the affective behaviours and has continued every three years Indigenous students, lived in single- and background factors that influence since. As well as assessing their parent families or with a parent and a Indigenous student achievement. performance, students are asked to guardian. Fewer Indigenous students fill out a questionnaire detailing their than non-Indigenous students had a PISA demographic, social and educational computer, internet access, a desk or Established by the Organisation for background, providing information textbooks for study at home. They were Economic Cooperation and Development for analysis and comparison – in this more likely to arrive late for school on a in 1997, PISA aims to monitor the case, allowing for Indigenous and non- regular basis, sometimes missing school outcome of education systems Indigenous students to be compared. for months at a time. While the majority worldwide. It measures how well 15-year of Indigenous students attended some olds nearing the end of compulsory Home and educational preschool, fewer of them spent more background than one year at preschool. The 2000 to 2006 PISA findings leave no doubt: Indigenous students start school Student attitudes, engagement, motivation and beliefs Reading and science appealed significantly less to Indigenous TwoTwo stepssteps forwardforward
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 38 RESEARCH
There’s no doubting students than non-Indigenous students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous students although both Indigenous and non- had similar preferences for competitive the disparity that Indigenous students reported similar learning situations in learning levels of interest in and enjoyment of mathematics and for cooperative exists between mathematics. Indigenous students learning situations in their general Indigenous and non- also had a significantly lower studies as well as mathematics. appreciation of science or desire Indigenous students. to study the discipline. Learning environments – Indigenous students Despite this, they reported putting schools and classrooms just as much effort into and persisting Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous are less likely to have in their study as non-Indigenous students had similar attitudes towards students. Indigenous students had school, their relationships with teachers access to textbooks, significantly lower levels of confidence and discipline – a positive finding in their ability to effectively handle a computer, an that indicates Australian schools are tasks in mathematics and science as succeeding in providing a supportive and internet connection, well as in their general studies. They welcoming environment to all students. also had lower levels of self-concept a desk or even A in mathematics and science, and There were no significant differences reported higher levels of anxiety about between Indigenous and non- quiet place in studying mathematics. As is often Indigenous students in terms of their sense of belonging at school or in the which to study. found, males, regardless of Indigenous status, reported significantly higher level of support their teachers showed levels of self-concept in these areas in English and mathematics classes, than female students. One important although Indigenous females indicated finding, since it’s something that can receiving greater support when be affected by teachers and schools, is studying mathematics compared to that self-efficacy in mathematics and Indigenous males. science were found to have one of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous strongest associations with students’ students reported positive views performance among Indigenous and about discipline in their English classes, non-Indigenous students alike. although Indigenous students reported significantly fewer disciplinary problems Students’ learning strategies in their mathematics lessons compared and preferences to non-Indigenous students. There was little difference shown between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in managing their own learning Putting it all together – both groups used memorisation Home and family matters put the low strategies with similar frequency in academic achievement of Indigenous their studies, particularly when learning students into context. Generally, mathematics. Indigenous people have poorer socioeconomic outcomes than the non- The same was found for their use Indigenous population. This inequality is of elaboration strategies, although reflected in lower than average levels Indigenous students used them less of household income and high levels of often when studying mathematics. house overcrowding and homelessness. Indigenous students were less likely to use control strategies in mathematics Indigenous people have less access to that involved checking what they had the resources they need for study and learned and working out what they still are more likely to have parents with needed to learn. lower levels of educational experience.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 RESEARCH 39
In national tests in the early years of School systems can and should have a primary schooling, Indigenous students role in furthering this understanding. ■ consistently achieve at lower levels Sue Thomson, a principal research than their non-Indigenous peers, but as fellow in the PISA National Project schooling continues the gaps gradually Manager for Australia. widen as poor attendance compounds a poor start to school. Lisa de Bortoli is a research fellow for the Australian Council for Educational Lower achievement and interruptions to Research in the national and school attendance lead to lower levels of international surveys research program. self-confidence and self-efficacy, which in turn hold back Indigenous students The research reported here is based from academic achievement. on their report, ‘Contextual factors that influence the achievements of Education is supposed to provide Australia’s Indigenous students: Results students with opportunities in their lives from PISA 2000-2006.’ and it’s important that students and their parents understand the impact of their LINKS: choices. www.ozpisa.acer.edu.au
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 40 NEWS
News
of the national curriculum. That may be easier said than done. National curriculum The Australian Association of The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Mathematics Teachers (AAMT) will Authority has invited feedback on its draft national curriculum. provide a formal response to ACARA regarding the draft curriculum in late Steve Holden reports. April. Immediate past president Judy Anderson is steering the AAMT’s formal When the Australian Curriculum, problem solving and reasoning. The response process, since president Peter Assessment and Reporting Authority draft science curriculum addresses Sullivan was extensively involved in the (ACARA) released its draft national science understanding and inquiry skills, development of the draft mathematics curriculum for English, mathematics, with ‘science as a human endeavour’ curriculum. science and history for national addressing student engagement and consultation last month, politicians interest in science. In a prepared statement, Anderson and the media focused on content, but observed, ‘The development is a staged As Australian Science Teachers educators were more concerned about process and, to date, we only have Association (ASTA) president Peter the implementation timeline and the access to draft content descriptions Turnbull noted in ASTA’s formal response need for the development of resources with elaborations, and achievement to the science framing paper in February to support teaching. standards. In providing feedback on last year, the intent of curriculum these aspects we will be noting the The consultation period on the draft documents fails to be realised in national curriculum runs until 23 May, need for careful development of other practice unless there are significant with the final curriculum expected to be aspects, including thinking on the overall and appropriate professional learning in Australian schools from 2011. curriculum that is appropriate, including opportunities for all teachers. The second phase of curriculum and especially the capabilities and ‘The teachers must have a deep development for 2011 addresses cross-curricular components, as well as... understanding of the documents before geography, languages and the arts, coherence with the senior secondary they can effectively use them to inform with the third phase, on information curriculum; work samples; the role of their practice,’ Turnbull wrote in the and communication technology, design achievement standards etc.’ ASTA response. ‘Hence, there must be and technology, health and physical The AAMT’s preliminary concerns education, economics, business, and provision for significant and appropriate include: civics and citizenship, yet to be and professional learning opportunities for agreed by education ministers. teachers of science before the beginning • the embedding of the proficiency of the implementation phase.’ The draft curriculum for maths and strands within each of the content science shares plenty in common with Commonwealth Minister for Education strands and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard existing state and curriculum documents. • the appropriateness of expectations The draft maths curriculum addresses told AAP ’s Bonny Symons-Brown for each year level number and algebra, statistics and in March that the Commonwealth probability, and measurement and expected to harness the existing • the appropriateness of Year 7 geometry, with ‘proficiency strands’ curriculum support systems provided by descriptors for those states in which addressing understanding, fluency, each jurisdiction to support the rollout Year 7 is in the primary school
Inside Teaching | April 2010 NEWS 41
IN BRIEF
• the connections and coherence of the My school ...and more on bullying development of concepts through the Australian Curriculum, Assessment Justice Tony Cavanough in the Victorian years, and and Reporting Authority (ACARA) Supreme Court ruled in March that chief executive Peter Hill is seeking a case involving a student who was • the identification of additional content legal advice on potential copyright bullied by four other children aged in Year 10 and its impact on students’ infringements by third parties using younger than 10 years should be reheard. access to learning options in the data from ACARA’s My School The student had lodged a civil claim for senior secondary years. website. ACARA asked Stephen compensation in the Victorian Victims Predictably, the history and English drafts James to withdraw a report on ‘8,000 of Crime Assistance Tribunal. Her claim are more contentious. According to Australian schools ranked from top had been rejected on the basis that, Australian Association for the Teaching to bottom’ from his Australia School under Victorian criminal law, children of English president Guy Bayly-Jones, Ranking website, claiming it breached under the age of 10 years are presumed ‘There is a lack of overall coherence, copyright. ACARA’s database to be too young to commit a criminal as the necessary interrelationships copyright claim may, however, have offence and are incapable of criminal between the three discrete strands of been dealt a blow by the judgement intent. The law requires proof beyond language, literature and literacy are not in February by Federal Court Judge reasonable doubt that they understand highlighted. This turns English teaching Michelle Gordon in Telstra Corporation that their actions were wrong. into a reductive exercise of “join the Limited v Phone Directories Justice Cavanough ruled that in this content dot points.”’ On the positive Company. Judge Gordon ruled that case, since the student had been side, he said English teachers are likely to Telstra does not own copyright over frequently punched, kicked, pinched, see the achievement standards as clear the information in its Yellow Pages and threatened with scissors and a and reasonable. and White Pages phone directories broken bottle, it was clear that the History Teachers’ Association of because they depend on databases incidents had not occurred accidently Australia president Paul Kiem described for which there is no clear authorship and that the main bully fully intended, the draft curriculum as ‘ambitious.’ ‘The and no originality. by her threats, to put her victim in fear of her life. fact that the...draft will be evaluated Bullying... in the absence of clear information According to results from a Newspoll Good sports about implementation does raise quite survey conducted for the Alannah Queensland’s 167 former State of serious concerns,’ he said in a prepared and Madeline Foundation, 74 per cent Origin stars are helping Indigenous statement. ‘We will be evaluating the of people were bullied when they students in six Queensland state (Kindergarten to Year 10) document were at school; almost one in four high schools to improve their before we have seen proposals for have been bullied in the workplace; results off the football field. The Year 11-12 courses,’ he added. The draft and 20 per cent of respondents aged Achieving Results Through Indigenous curriculum for English, mathematics, between 18 and 24 years have been Education program, funded by the history and science for the senior cyberbullied. In other results from Commonwealth Department of secondary years was scheduled for the survey of 1,200 respondents Education, Employment and Workplace release this month, for three months of aged 18 years or older, 92 per cent Relations, aims to encourage the national consultation. of Australians identify bullying as a academic, cultural and sporting LINKS: Visit the consultation portal that serious issue, with 87 per cent saying achievements of Indigenous secondary hosts the draft curriculum at www. bullying needs to be better addressed. school students. australiancurriculum.edu.au
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 42 ON MY SHELF
On my shelf Adam Smith explains what he’s reading right now about the big picture on school performance.
Sam Chaltain is an American author and teacher quality, and spoke of providing to improve student learning could include educator whose writings have claimed what he called a more ‘rounded view of assessments that require students prime position on my book shelf in recent a school’s overall culture.’ With reforms to conduct research and scientific months. Chaltain is National Director of that aim to expand and deepen our investigations, solve complex real-world the Forum for Education and Democracy, understanding of school performance, problems in mathematics, and defend a Washington DC-based education think the crucial question is how we define and their ideas orally and in writing; and tank. In advance of Chaltain’s recent measure excellence in education. I think learning support programs that address visit to Australia, I found myself deeply the recent government actions are positive individual student needs and ensure that engaged by the passion and clarity with signs, but also think there’s a long way to all students succeed. which he writes on education in general go before Australians are given a holistic Balance is a fundamental part of the and school performance in particular. and balanced picture of school success. human condition. Schools should help Chaltain’s writing is of direct relevance In an opinion piece called ‘The big develop children who are healthy, safe, to the ongoing debate in Australia picture on school performance,’ Chaltain engaged, supported and challenged about how we measure and report proposes a broad, flexible new scorecard at school. Measures to ensure balance success in schools. Australian educators for assessing school performance. He could include the provision of sufficient have watched as the Commonwealth calls it the ABC of school success and opportunities for enrichment activities government attempts to implement its describes five component categories: like dance, art and physical education; ‘Education Revolution,’ which includes achievement, balance, climate, and the provision of regular opportunities record investment in digital technologies democratic practices, and equity. These for teachers from different disciplines to and school infrastructure, new initiatives five universal measurement categories, communicate with each other, and work to improve the quality of teaching and Chaltain argues, could provide both together and support each other in their reward high-quality instruction, and the structure and freedom, allowing individual professional practice. launch of new mechanisms, most notably schools to choose which data points to Climate refers to a school’s overall the My School website, to measure and track under each category. culture and learning environment. Greater track school performance. Achievement should be expanded to emphasis should be placed on creating On 1 February, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd incorporate additional factors that are an environment that is healthy and high promised to expand My School to include critical to closing the achievement gap functioning. This could be measured by a national parent survey on bullying and and improving student learning. Measures using the Comprehensive School Climate
Inside Teaching | April 2010 ON MY SHELF 43
Inventory, a research-based needs While common sense dictates that a needed to prepare children for the real-life assessment that provides immediate holistic picture would also necessarily application of knowledge. feedback on how students, parents and include the views of students themselves, Already, student responses to Tell Us school personnel perceive their school’s the voice of young people is all too often indicate that while traditional academic overall environment for learning. left out of the education debate. assessments contribute to their feeling Democratic practices will help create This is why the Foundation for Young of fulfilment and satisfaction at school, an environment where people feel Australians (FYA) in partnership with the a broader assessment agenda, akin both empowered and protected. We Victorian Department of Education and to Chaltain’s ABC framework, is their should take stock of how effectively Early Childhood Development launched preferred way to go. schools equip young people with the Tell Us. Beginning in February and running The Tell Us initiative, like Chaltain’s ABC understanding, motivation and skills until the end of April, it’s a campaign to scorecard, isn’t a radical proposal for they need to become active and visible enable Australia’s secondary school our education systems; it’s actually a contributors to the common good. students to share their views with logical extension of government policy, Schools should measure the extent decision makers on what success means and represents a progressive movement to which administrators establish and to them, and the ways in which they’d like towards a more balanced scorecard of maintain structures and meaningful roles to be measured. achievement, one that incorporates the that involve students, parents, staff The Prime Minister says he wants to views and aspirations of students for the and community members in decision- expand the information available on the first time. ■ making; and the extent to which students new My School website and I commend are routinely encouraged throughout the government’s commitment to the curriculum to agree, and disagree, providing a broader view of a school’s Adam Smith is the Chief Executive honestly and respectfully. overall culture. What’s still missing from Officer of the Foundation for Young Equity is vital if we’re to reduce the this picture, though, is the voice of Australians. predictive value that sociocultural and students themselves – which is why the LINKS Tell Us survey is so important. economic characteristics have on student Visit Tell Us at www.tellus.org.au achievement. This should be measured Tell Us aligns with the Melbourne For more on the Comprehensive by tracking the extent to which the Declaration on Educational Goals for School Climate Inventory, visit www. aspirations, strengths and weaknesses Young Australians, the national agreement schoolclimate.org/programs/csci.php of each student are known by at least to improve outcomes for students in one member of the school staff; and by all Australian schooling by promoting For more on the Melbourne Declaration on the extent to which the school actively equity and excellence to enable all Educational Goals for Young Australians, visit collaborates with its students’ families as young Australians to become successful www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/ partners in the students’ education. learners, confident and creative individuals, National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_ Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf Measuring schools using Chaltain’s ABC, and active and informed citizens. and supporting them to make progress Currently, our education system assesses REFERENCES across all five categories, will bring us successful learning through the rigorous Chaltain, S. (2010). The big picture on school closer to the holistic picture of school measures of literacy and numeracy. While performance. The Huffington Post. Available achievement that the Commonwealth important, these alone cannot capture or at www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-chaltain/ government appears to be striving for. encourage the range of learning that is the-big-picture-on-school_b_446865.html
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 44 SEE ME AFTERWARDS
teachers are really good, they can make the girls want to learn without exams,’ she explains. This was, luckily, around Back to 1969 the time when Julia Gillard was still in primary school. A Guide to Australia’s Top Private Schools and Colleges – At Scotch College in Adelaide, headmaster Mr Charles Fisher says, ‘We it’s a fascinating op-shop find and it takes Wendy Harmer are probably one of only a few schools back to 1969. in the world to have our own group of islands. I discovered them some time ago and we recently moved in.’ ‘Miss Patman already has a reputation ‘I’ll talk to the girls about love, sex, At Ravenswood in Sydney, Miss Phyllis with the girls as a bit of a swinger, abortion, Vietnam, religion. I’m a virgin Evans admits that she’s become mainly because she was seen wearing and I’m proud of it,’ says Betty. Whoops! somewhat shy of the press following a Mozart bow instead of a hat to church! ‘A lot of the girls live a very gay social the ‘barbecue incident,’ which produced An attractive woman in her late-30s life indeed. A few of the girls run wild, with platinum-white hair, she is a fluent some ‘lively reporting.’ but we ease them out. Of course a conversationalist. On one wall of her ‘The barbecue, a gay, end-of-term-show, certain amount of stealing goes on at the attractive apartment hang two of her was allegedly penetrated by liquor and school.’ Alert the media! works – abstracts in mulberry toning gatecrashers. Miss Evans can laugh which match the linen-covered suite.’ My father was a state school about it now, but...’ – but, these days, headmaster and principal for 33 years A friend unearthed a truly fabulous treasure Phyllis would probably have battled a in country Victoria. Always perfectly from an op-shop recently. Printed by the media firestorm, resigned and moved on Australian, it’s a A Guide to Australia’s Top groomed, he was either the secretary or to become a marriage celebrant. treasurer for the town’s sports clubs, and Private Schools and Colleges. 1969. Some At Wesley College in Melbourne, enjoyed great respect in the community. 60 elite institutions are profiled and, 40 Dr Thomas Coates is ‘approachable, years on, it’s a fascinating document. ‘I was like a god,’ he says, laughing. ‘The though firm.’ ‘You never cane a boy for This was a time when school principals parents and students were terrified of me. a real sin, only for a misdemeanour like were at the centre of a personality cult. My standing as headmaster meant I was impertinence.’ I honestly didn’t know They were free of the onerous tasks of regarded as the High Court of All Things, they still had corporal punishment at endless consultation with the school, although there was often some meat- Wesley in the ’60s. worker who’d take a swing at you down the wider community and the education Mr Basil Travers, the head of Shore, the pub.’ Gone are those times, along with department. They didn’t have to tolerate Sydney, is a ‘rather rugged looking the country pubs and abattoirs. student-led activities, mollify parents, former Rhodes Scholar. Nicknamed have dialogue with religious leaders or Dad rues the time in the 1980s when “Gyker” – no one seems to know why field media inquiries. parents and various community – he is a firm believer in private schools. The headmasters and mistresses ran stalwarts were given a say in how he Mr Travers said that the council, with their own show and, in this book, speak ran his fiefdom. ‘Up until then, I’d made some foresight, originally bought up a with an honesty that’s astonishing to my educational decisions based on large tract of land, but that space was the modern-day reader. Wouldn’t most belief and experience,’ he says. ‘All of beginning to be a problem.’ principals, in their hearts, love to go back a sudden I couldn’t do anything without In 2009 Shore stumped up $35 million to to an era where they might be described being harassed and undermined. Being a buy the historic Graythwaite property in as ‘a young, athletic-looking and very principal these days would be one of the the face of fierce community opposition. It much alive six-footer looking a good deal worst jobs you could have.’ seems that some things never change. ■ less than his 38 years’? Back in 1969, at Woodlands School, Consider the comments from Miss Adelaide, Miss Thenie Baddams ‘is a Betty Archdale, 61, then headmistress of square sort of women – although her Wendy Harmer is one of Australia’s best Abbotsleigh, Sydney, and regarded by the reputation is far from square.’ Thenie known humourists and authors, and a girls as ‘utterly fab, swinging, top drawer.’ doesn’t believe in examinations. ‘If the regular columnist for Inside Teaching.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 ISSUES 45 ACER INSTITUTE Improving Learning
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Welcome to the ACER Institute where we provide teachers with practical, relevant evidence-based professional learning to build effective classroom practice and improved student learning outcomes.
The ACER Institute is committed to teachers’ professional Your students will directly benefit through ACER growth and supports the individual’s career development through Institute’s Professional Learning. tested and proven research-based learning. Our courses support you to deliver effective classroom practices. ACER Institute delivers: The ACER Institute programs are delivered Australia- University recognised modules in Educational Assessment, wide, in a number of capital cities and regional areas. and the Teaching of Literacy. A strategically selected series of seminars covering a wide range of topics that develop skills, knowledge and pedagogical For more information about the ACER Institute strategies. Seminar topics are based on issues that are underpinned by current research and evidence-based practice. and our Professional Learning programs please visit our website at www.acerinstitute.edu.au A series of Leading Thinkers seminars to engage teachers and educational leaders in the latest research creating an or contact Margaret Taylor 03 9277 5403 or awareness of educational issues that involve systemic change. email [email protected]
Australian Council for Educational Research www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 46 REVIEWS
Reviews ON DVD IN PRINT
Part of Darwin’s challenge, though, was that he had to be circumspect about his research in order to be accepted by the scientific establishment. Given the close alignment in England between the academy and the Anglican Church, Darwin risked being undermined and rejected by his scientific colleagues, as his ideas would have been considered too dangerous if they had been considered to undermine the veracity of the Bible. Darwin’s treatment of the origins of humans was extremely circumspect. While he dealt with it in passing only at Darwin’s Brave New World Symbols of Australia the end of the work, it was this aspect Written by Katherine Thomson Edited by Melissa Harper & Richard White of the work, ironically, that became the Published by UNSW Press & National Directed by Lisa Matthews & Jason most controversial. Bourque Museum of Australia Press Darwin’s Brave New World, as a ISBN 9 781 921 410 505 Produced by ScreenWorld & Ferns documentary, is extremely well Productions RRP $39.95 produced and well researched – it’s $109 primary; $179 secondary based on Professor Iain McCalman’s Reviewed by Steve Holden Reviewed by Michael Daniel book, Darwin’s Brave New World. I read Symbols of Australia: Uncovering Sets and costumes are accurate, the stories behind the myths just after Darwin’s Brave New World explores it’s well acted and the commentary Federal Court Justice Peter Jacobson Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of is augmented by the insightful ruled in favour of Larrikin Music in a Species, the seminal work on the observations of various scholars. copyright infringement case, Larrikin theory of evolution on the basis of There’s also a useful study guide that Music Publishing v EMI Songs Australia. natural selection. Its publication marked provides a good list of useful websites Larrikin took legal action after ABCTV a watershed in scientific thought about and carefully-considered learning Spicks and Specks quiz-show host the origins of life. activities. Adam Hills in 2007 asked contestants to identify the flute riff in ‘Down Under.’ Jay The documentary takes us on Darwin’s Most adults and some adolescents Laga’aia got the answer: ‘Kookaburra.’ life from the voyage of the Beagle – would find this program engaging, but See, all that work on Play School paid off. the Galapagos Islands, New Zealand it’s hard to see how the whole series and Australia, all places that had a could be used either in a science or a Larrikin Music bought the rights to significant impact on the genesis of history classroom, unless a detailed ‘Kookaburra,’ written in 1934 by Marion his theory of natural selection – and on study were made by a class – one Sinclair, a music teacher at Toorak College, to the publication of On the Origin of that allowed for the three 54-minute Melbourne, following her death in 1988. Species and its aftermath. episodes as well as the learning Most legal pundits thought Larrikin’s The documentary then explores the activities based on the content. copyright infringement claim would flop, ways in which Darwin developed Judiciously chosen excerpts would, but Justice Jacobson ruled that ‘Down however, be a useful resource, not only his theory over the next quarter of a Under’ infringed Larrikin’s copyright in a science or history classroom, but century. Contrary to popular opinion, in ‘Kookaburra’ and that Larrikin was even in disciplines such as religious Darwin did work with reference to entitled to recover damages. studies. other scientists. Rival research by It’s a nice example of the way symbols Alfred Wallace, which had produced are accepted and contested in our lives. similar findings, made publication Michael E Daniel is a teacher at As the editors of Symbols of Australia, imperative. Far from being a rival, Camberwell Grammar School, Melissa Harper and Richard White, Wallace supported Darwin. Melbourne. explain, symbols of Australia – like the
Inside Teaching | April 2010 REVIEWS 47
IN PRINT
kangaroo, say, or the Sydney Opera that it’s the willingness or otherwise House – are readily recognisable and of people that will enable or block the readily reproducible. Recognisability and development of networked learning reproducibility were both central to the communities. Larrikin copyright infringement case, Developing a Networked School never mind the fact that any number of Community appears to be premised kids have reproduced their own version, on some assumption that might be ‘Kookaburra sits on electric wire, jumping questionable. Not all students share up and down with his pants on fire,’ in middle-class values, enjoy middle- schoolyards over the years. class standards of living, or use digital Symbols of Australia should prove technologies ubiquitously as part of to be of great use for teachers of their personal and home lives. Large Australian history or society and the numbers of children and families are environment, but also for teachers of already under-represented in online participation because of parental English addressing symbolism, culture Developing a Networked School and the raft of issues that attach to the Community: A guide to realising unemployment; non-English speaking ambiguous and contested meanings the vision backgrounds; accident, trauma or of symbols ranging from the Southern Edited by Mal Lee and Glenn Finger chronic illness; alcohol or substance abuse; addictions or gambling problems; Cross to the baggy green, cap, that is. It Published by ACER Press homelessness and so on. Some families illustrates some fine primary sources, ISBN 9 780 864 319 814 like the Eureka flag. don’t have the capacity to select, RRP $69.95 purchase, set up and maintain various I like the way Symbols of Australia Reviewed by Ria Hanewald digital devices in the home. investigates symbols like the gum tree, the It could be argued that disadvantaged billy – as in billy tea – and Vegemite, which Developing a Networked School people lack the resources to provide got its name, I didn’t know, in a nationwide Community investigates the value of generally favourable home conditions competition. That goes part way to networks for 21-century educational and that there’s a very real risk that the explaining the iSnack 2.0 naming disaster. settings. Mal Lee, Glenn Finger and creation of digitally-enabled networks their contributing authors explain There are some other surprises: I of schools, families and communities the concept of a networked school didn’t know the official status of the might actually perpetuate and deepen community, what it is, how it works and current Australian flag dates only to the digital divide between home and how it can be used to provide teaching 1954; but I did wonder why Australia school, thus contributing to the further and learning in ways that are relevant House was included when the nation’s disenfranchising of disadvantaged and engaging. various national, state and territory war students. The book examines the potential form memorials were omitted. The sacred fire Nevertheless, the book will appeal protest in Melbourne’s Kings Domain in of the networked school community, and the new challenges and risks, but to teachers, school administrators, 2006, a stone’s throw from the Shrine also the opportunities for improved educational leaders and families of Remembrance, would’ve offered learning and teaching. They highlight interested in understanding networked an obvious case study in the use of the developments in technologies that learning communities and the contested symbols for political purposes. increase the capacity of schools for possibilities they hold. The team of I especially like the analyses of the home-school partnerships and provide authors provides fresh insights on the coat of arms and the flag that show greater accountability for learning theme and argue that networked school some of the ways in which symbols by using digital technologies, while communities build and sustain a strong are contested, which gets us back to arguing that building and sustaining a connection between the home and kookaburras in the land down under. I strong connection between the home school, which they see as fundamental wonder whether Kraft will take issue and school is fundamental to young to young people’s learning. with the ‘Down Under’ reference to people’s learning. Lee, Finger and their Dr Ria Hanewald is a Research Fellow Vegemite, registered as a trademark in contributing authors recognise that in the Centre for Educational Research 1922. ‘She just smiled and gave me an the challenges of networked schools in Futures and Innovation at Deakin iSnack 2.0 sandwich’? I don’t think so. are not technological but human, and University.
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected] 48 The Quiz
courses in schools might be to ‘strip back the syllabus by a good 50 per cent and make sure people actually understood what was left’? 15 Which member of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority recently suggested that students should be tested nationally on basic reading and writing skills from as young as five years old? 16 Which member of the National Centre Against Bullying recently suggested that parents should be able to publish bullying ‘scorecards’ about schools on the My School website? 17 The Association of Independent Schools of South Australia is seeking legal advice to overturn the SA Non- 1 Paul Gray and Christian Thompson 8 According to the Australian Bureau will be the first Indigenous Australians to of Statistics (ABS), what percentage of Government Schools Registration Board’s attend which university? the 3,484,700 students enrolled in 2009 ban on including what in the science attended government schools? curriculum? 2 Gray and Thompson are the recipients of the scholarship named for which 9 Has this percentage increased or 18 According to Monash University Indigenous activist and public servant? decreased since 1999? associate professor of education Deborah Corrigan, the draft national According to the ABS, what 3 Name three of the brands most 10 science curriculum has taken what out of percentage of Indigenous students is commonly recognised by Brisbane science? preschoolers, according to research retained from Year 7 to Year 12: 22 per conducted by Professor Bettina Cornwell cent, 45 per cent or 77 per cent? 19 Which politician recently complained that the draft national history curriculum and Dr Anna McAlister, working at the What percentage of non-Indigenous 11 presented an ‘unbalanced’, ‘black- University of Queensland. students is retained: 22 per cent, 45 per armband’ view of history, with an cent or 77 per cent? 4 Approximately how many students ‘over-emphasis on Indigenous culture took part in the national Ride2School day 12 According to the Group of Eight’s and history and almost an entire blotting in March this year: 50,000, 100,000 or Review of Education in Mathematics, out of our British traditions and British 500,000? Data Science and Quantitative heritage’, despite the draft specifically Disciplines released in March, what 5 Approximately what percentage of including a study of ‘the character of proportion of Australian junior secondary university students seriously consider the British Empire, Australia’s place in it, students enjoys studying maths: a third, a leaving their institutions before links to Empire and the significance of half, or almost all? graduation, according to the 2009 results Australia’s British heritage’? Internationally, on average, of the Australian Survey of Student 13 20 To whom was the education Engagement conducted by the Australian approximately what proportion of junior blog ‘Grog’s Gamut’ referring with the Council for Educational Research: 20 per secondary students enjoys studying comment ‘(He) has counted up the number cent, 30 per cent or 50 per cent? maths: a third, a half, or almost all? of times Aboriginal and Torres Straight Discussing the report, which Islander culture is mentioned and based 6 Which national body, which came into 14 being on January 1, 2010, is responsible mathematician and radio personality his assessment on that. Perhaps there is a for the profession of teaching, teacher suggested on ABC Radio National that more stupid way to evaluate a document education standards and school one way to reinvigorate general maths but it escapes me’?
leadership? Rigby; 17. intelligent design or creationism; 18. fun; 19. Christopher Pyne; 20. Christopher Pyne. Christopher 20. Pyne; Christopher 19. fun; 18. creationism; or design intelligent 17. Rigby;
7 Which author and psychologist, and Ken 16. Hill; Peter 15. Spencer; Adam 14. cent); per (54 half a about 13. third; a 12. 1999; in cent per 73 from up – of students attended government schools in 1999; 10. 45 per cent – up from 35 per cent in 1999; 11. 77 per cent cent per 77 11. 1999; in cent per 35 from up – cent per 45 10. 1999; in schools government attended students of
originator of the term ‘lateral thinking,’ cent per 70 – decreased 9. year); this March in released 4221.0, cat results, Australia’ ‘Schools, the (see cent per
recently called on Education Minister Julia 66 8. Bono; de Edward 7. Leadership; School and Teaching for Institute Australian the 6. cent; per 30 5. 100,000;
Gillard to include thinking on the national 4. Pepsi; and Coke Pony, Little My Lego, Wheels, Hot McDonald’s, order, in were, six top the 3. university; ANSWERS school curriculum? from graduate to Australian Indigenous first the also was who Perkins, Charlie 2. Oxford; 1.
Inside Teaching | April 2010 DIARY 49
1 May 15-18 May for students with disabilities, complex Peer Support Program Implementation Classroom Strategies that Work: communication needs or literacy workshops Closing the achievement gap difficulties. Available throughout the year and Hawker Brownlow Education 7th place Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, repeated each month, these workshops annual thinking and learning conference Queensland help teachers to initiate a whole-school This conference brings to Australia contact Eliza Bale approach to the creation of a positive internationally renowned authors and email [email protected] website www.spectronicsinoz.com/conference school culture in primary or secondary presenters David Sousa, Heidi Hayes schools. Scheduled workshops all states, Jacobs, Ruby Payne, Jay McTighe, 7 June plus in SA and Victoria by negotiation. Gayle Gregory, Jan Chappuis, Patti The 2010 ATOM awards phone 02 9905 3499 Drapeau, Lane Clark and Sue Pressler. The awards of the Australian Teachers of email [email protected] The conference is highly interactive website www.peersupport.edu.au Media provide a fantastic opportunity for and is designed for all teachers K-12 and students to show off their work and be educational leaders. 1-30 May recognised by their peers. Closing date place Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne for entries is 7 June. Back to School Month phone 03 8558 2444 The Education Foundation Australia’s email [email protected] website www.atomawards.org Back to School program now operates website www.hbe.com.au across the whole month of May, so you 7-12 June can decide exactly when your former 21 May Voices on the Coast students come Back to School to inspire Children, Young People and Privacy Students on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast current students. Conference are invited to attend the Voices on the Hosted by Privacy Victoria – Office of phone 03 9650 4277 Coast youth literature festival hosted by email [email protected] the Victorian Privacy Commissioner. Immanuel Lutheran College. website www.backtoschool.org.au When does a student have privacy rights? place Immanuel Lutheran College, Buderim, What does the law say about who can Queensland 5 May know what about students? What can phone 07 5477 3437 Excelling in Your First Years of Teaching be done to help students thrive in the email [email protected] website www.immanuel.qld.edu.au/voices For teachers in their first three years, this cyber age, while protecting their personal practical professional learning day hosted information? Find out at this event, by the ACER Institute focuses on giving sponsored by the Victorian Department beginning teachers the tools and skills of Education and Early Childhood to successfully navigate the world of Development. teaching. Repeated on 30 August. place Crown Promenade Hotel, Melbourne place ACER, Melbourne phone 1300 666 444 contact Margaret Taylor email [email protected] email [email protected] website www.privacy.vic.gov.au phone 03 9277 5403 website www.acer.edu.au/1/index.php/seminar/ 24 May Excelling-in-Your-First-Years-of-Teaching Small Schools, Big Issues: the challenges of leading learning in small, 11-13 May rural and remote schools 6 August NAPLAN One quarter of Australian schools Jeans for Genes Day The National Literacy and Numeracy tests have fewer than 2,000 students. Many By donating a gold coin on Jeans for for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in all of these schools are rural, remote or Genes Day, your students can support states and territories. isolated schools. This inaugural national the Children’s Medical Research Institute website www.naplan.edu.au forum will address the unique collection to unravel the mysteries of childhood of challenges that face leader in small diseases. schools. contact Nickie Flambouras place The University Club of Western Australia, phone 1800 GENIES (436 437) Perth website www.jeansforgenes.org.au contact Margaret Taylor email [email protected] 15-17 August phone 03 9277 5403 website www.acerinstitute.edu.au/smallschools Teaching Mathematics? Make it count The research conference of the Australian 25-28 May Council for Educational Research will Inclusive Learning Technologies focus on mathematics teaching, drawing Conference 2010 together research-based knowledge This biennial conference focuses about the effective teaching and learning specifically on technologies designed of mathematics. to advance independent achievement place Crown Conference Centre, Melbourne contact Margaret Taylor email [email protected] phone 03 9277 5403 website www.acer.edu.au/research_conferences
www.atra.edu.au | [email protected]