The OTHER Balance of Power – Australian Youth!

I love hearing of ‘firsts’, especially from our young people. Lately we have heard a few! Jessica Watson and Wyatt Roy are the latest to hit our screens and it is exciting to truly celebrate their accomplishments.

Over the last decade, youth success has been hijacked by (what I call) ”celebritism”; making celebrity out of random opportunity rather than accomplishment. I hate to think that there had been a void of prior talent but I was constantly frustrated at the examples presented to our kids as ‘successful’ by popular culture. “Big Brother” contestants who extend their 15 minutes of fame to years of fruitless folly or the Paris Hilton set who inherited their fame and generated on-going publicity by seeing how low they could set the bar.

As teachers, we often hear from students who are seeking to achieve at the “lowest possible PASS point”. When teaching a class I recoil when I hear students ask “Have I written enough?”, “Do we have to read the book, can’t we just watch the movie?” or “What do we have to do this for?”

But, I take motivation seriously. I want my students to WANT to read, to WANT to do THEIR work, to aim BEYOND a mere PASS. Of course, my lessons have to be engaging and captivating and motivating – which of course THEY ALWAYS ARE! But I also want to tap into this newer, richer, current (perhaps temporary?) fame that young Australians are generating.

We need to talk up THIS kind of success as a PRODUCT of big thinking and big dreams BUT ALSO of Big cost, Big risk, Big discipline, Big routines, Big skills, Big help and Big perseverance! I want Wyatt and Jessica to ”speak” to my classes – so that�my classes PRODUCE Wyatts�and Jessicas.

Speaker Bank

Perth Teachers looking for a guest speaker for your class or school? Want to run a FREE incursion? Need information on a possible EXCURSION? SPEAKER BANK is designed for SPEAKERS and ORGANISATIONS to post their information in ONE spot.

As the site grows we will transfer data to the blog and assign according to categories (eg. Free visiting speakers, Paid organisations, Speakers for Camps, Service Groups, etc.)

Find these NEW resources at:

�WEBSITE: http://speakerbank.wordpress.com

�FACEBOOK GROUP: http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/#!/pages/WA-Speaker-Bank/149693098392287

World Teacher’s Day – 29th October, 2010

Thanks WACOT – Two whole months for students to prepare to CELEBRATE US!

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS: http://wateacherslounge.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/world-teachers-day-29-oct-2010/

Teacher’s TV

Have a good look at this one. This site goes LIVE on the 1st September, 2010. It is resourced worldwide with plenty of professional videos that have been categorised by topic/subject, etc. Well worth a good look around. The resources provisions are also excellent with plenty of “HOW TO”… and spots for newer teachers.� GO TO: www.teacher.tv�and don’t forget to add it to your favourites.� Tell us what you think at:�http://www.facebook.com/pages/WA-Teachers-Lounge/154210691257798� but at least wait until after the launch!

Healthy Body Image

This video has now had over 11,000,000 hits. Compulsory viewing for all girls and BOYS!

I don’t know if any of you have read any of KAZ�COOKE’s work – but she writes some awesome, funny, relevant texts on this issue. �You can find Kaz’s awesome site at http://www.completelygorgeous.com.au/home.html.�I am looking forward to her new book “Women’s Stuff” which is due for release by Penguin Books later this year.

Open Letter

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Image by Caro Wallis via Flickr

An Open Letter response to the West Australian article entitled: �Teachers banned from giving kids sweet treats�.

I confess. As a high school educator – I�m the �Candyman�. I believe that an �occasional� treat holds value when it is � �occasional� and unexpected. Increasingly, my teaching world is defined by what �I CAN�T DO� i.e I can�t pat a student on the back to congratulate their effort, I can�t keep them back after class to say �I liked your attitude today�, I can�t refer to them in any kind of �semi-affectionate� manner, I can�t drive them in my car to an excursion, I can�t screen PG movies, I can�t have class �end-of-term-parties� and now � I can�t reward them with a lolly!

Perhaps some teachers are using �Minties� and �Fantails� as a form of slow assassination; however, the evidence is pretty slim. It seems some sectors are hell-bent on radical change for change�s sake and they won�t let up until we ban desserts at the Year 12 Ball and biscuits from our School Camp shopping lists. With teachers facing a wave of pressure from an ever-shifting-curriculum and scrutiny from media over some educator�s inability to spell �recommend� � it would be nice to think that our profession might be thrown a �jaffa� from a grateful government!

Northern Suburbs Teacher Resources (Facebook Group)

When I took an appointment as Head of an English Department some years ago, I faced a situation where there were very few resources, a minimum budget, and felt I had�nowhere to turn. I phoned several schools to ask if they had any old sets of novels they did not utilise anymore so that we would have books to start the year with (unfortunately the school’s booklists had gone out to parents with nothing on them for the following year�from the�English Department!).

I have always been thankful to the Head of Department of St Mark’s who filled my car with book sets that they no longer needed. They held us over for a couple of years as we built our department’s resources.

Soon after, I started a small resource group (Yahoo Groups)�in the hope of sharing book sets on an inter-school basis, it certainly served its purpose at the time.

In considering my own response to IT being a vehicle for something a little bigger in my community, I thought I would attempt to broaden my initial project.

Northern Suburbs Teacher Resource Facebook Group�is a response to the sad closure of the Midland Resource Centre which many teachers (especially Primary) paid hommage to as a vital resource bank for all sorts of odds and ends.

The idea of the ‘group’ is to link teachers to resources. Perhaps you know someone in the printing industry who has some circle-cardboard shapes, jars of buttons, carpet squares? If they are happy to give them away for free. Post it here. Someone will want them and be happy to collect.

Obviously, this is currently a Perth-based ‘notice board’ for resources in the Northern-ish Suburbs (those who live or work in the North). Teacher’s in the Southern Suburbs might want to start their own page? Let me know so we can link our pages! I have sent invites to most teachers I know but if you are interested…

�CLICK ON: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=151788124838509

IPad/Phone – ACARA�Style

How ‘geek’ are you?

Have you got the new Australian Curriculum ‘App’ on your phone/pad? All the latest data at your i-Finger-tips?

“No!!!” – “Well, you just ain’t hip!”

Media on Social Media

Would you use ‘Facebook’ or ‘Twitter’ at your school? Does the thought of an interactive school newsletter send you into a panic?

Here is a newly released�report for those keen on ICT / Social Networking in schools… there may be a few of you out there?

I love the title, Why schools are spooked by social media. The suggestons, even for�more reluctant, conservative school administators�is�enticing; interactive newsletters that encourage engagement and response (the report outlines increased readership as a result), allowing the student leadership team to enter a ‘daily encouragement’ or ‘key event’ for each day on the school’s twitter profile, how about a Principal Profile – a daily message to all students�from the principal electronically?

The report goes into detail on policy, security and the law from all perspectives. A well structured and ‘reader friendly’ package.

Where do�I get it?

http://www.sponsor-ed.com.au/image/axs6/Why_schools_are_spooked_by_social_media.pdf

Writing Your Exams From Your Bedroom (Jessica Shepherd, SMH)

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IT HAS long been said that exams should be sat in comfort – in loose-fitting clothing and with a glass of water handy. Now scientists have taken this a step further, finding a way for students to take tests from their homes at any time of day or night.

The University of Wales Institute in Cardiff is experimenting with the technology, which has built in anti-cheating software and was developed by the US firm Software Secure. It works through a unit that students plug into their computers.

Once a student feels ready to sit the written exam, the technology takes a fingerprint to check their identity and a webcam and microphone kick into action. Throughout the exam, these pick up whether the student is trying to cheat by receiving help from others. The computer also locks down so the student cannot search the internet or their files for answers.

Invigilators watch the footage, whenever they choose to. Some may decide to watch each individual student taking their exam, while others will only view a sample of candidates, or speed through the footage. The technology, called Securexam Remote Proctor, is already used by New York University’s law faculty, the University of West Alabama and other US institutions.

Mark Pelling, the senior learning development officer at the University of Wales Institute, said the software acted in the same way as a normal invigilator. ”This could change the way we do assessments,” he said. ”We are convinced by this and we think it is probably a very effective way of invigilating.”

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/write-your-exams-from-your-bedroom-20100725-10qp2.html

“Cloudstreet”

This is by far my FAVOURITE novel… EVER!

If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading it – please do. It captures something very unique about all elements of our great land.

When I heard that Screen Australia were filming the mini-series I offered to do (just about) anything to have the smallest of moments in the six part series.��Here is my facebook post in attempting to ‘score’ a moment…

��If anyone knows anyone who knows some one who is involved with the CLOUDSTREET production – let me know… I will happily be an ‘extra’ at a bar stool in the background, or help set Oriel’s tent up in the backyard, or work next to Rose at the exchange or be on a picnic at the river as Fish ‘becomes one again’ …. PLEEEEEAASE�

Well, believe it or not… it worked. I was paid for six hours work and as part of my ‘extra’ payment I received $6.57 holiday pay!� Go the Actor’s Union

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