100 Ways to show students you care.....

 Juan Uribe has just finished a new video called "100 ways to show students you care".



Have you got some other favourite ways you could share?

Final Report-BER Implementation Taskforce

Building the Education Revolution
Implementation Taskforce: final report.
Commonwealth of Australia, 2011.


Released in July 2011, the Taskforce's findings include: “The NSW and Victorian governments were responsible for delivering 37 per cent of the program. Education authority complaints as a percentage of all BER complaints=51.51% for NSW Government Schools (as at 3 May 2011)

We believe their poorer performance [than that of other states]  on both cost and observed quality has been influenced by the  hollowing out of public works capacity over the last 20 years,
which has limited the ability to effectively manage an outsourced delivery model.


Their school communities were also disenfranchised. It was a mistake not to embrace school communities more effectively in decision making.

A proportion of schools could have worked directly with a managing architect to self manage their projects. Quality would likely have been higher, the schools would have had some involvement
and complaints lower. 
(p. 12.) 


Summary of the five Recommendations:
1. Education authorities are due to receive final tranches of federal funding on 7 September 2011.

2. The Taskforce is sufficiently disappointed with the low level of inclusion of environmentally
sustainable design (ESD) features in P21 projects. To deliver an achievable and relatively simple metric which could make a significant impact, the Taskforce recommends all future school buildings require calculation of a predictive energy use (kWh per m2 per annum) and CO2 emissions (kgs per m2 per annum) prior to funding approval and that the latter must be initially 20 per cent below a national benchmark with a schedule of increasing reduction targets for the ensuing 5 years.

3. The Taskforce recommends that DEEWR, through the Standing Council of School Education
Ministers, develop and implement a national mandatory policy on air conditioning in all
government schools such that regional inconsistencies around borders are eliminated and to
ensure that energy efficient approaches are adopted. Once such a policy is in place, school
communities should not be able to compromise the integrity of these ESD features of school
buildings via the retrofitting of alternatives such as split systems.


4. We have however witnessed deficiencies in the quality of workmanship, in project management, in public works capacity and in the framework of private certification. Australia confronts a significant infrastructure and maintenance spend over the coming 20 years. The Taskforce recommends that the Productivity Commission update its work on the construction industry.                                 
adapted from http://www.nswtf.org.au/files/libbulaug2011.pdf



5. We recommend that the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (the peak professional body
representing Building Surveyors in Australia) review the work of the Taskforce and incorporate
the lessons within future compulsory professional development training material for its
membership with the aim of enhancing the public confidence of the integrity of the private
certification process.

Free treasures from around the world .....and in seven languages

The World Digital Library project at the Library of Congress

World Digital Library

Library of Congress for Teachers                         

 It's free!!!

 It's in 7 languages.

 It includes cultural treasures:

               - maps

               - photographs

               - books......  from partners around the world! 

Follow them on Twitter @  http://twitter.com/WDLorg

Help support environmental responsibility

 Do you use Reflex copy paper in your school?  They no longer have a Forest Stewardship Council certification logo as proof of their green credentials.  

The loss of the FSC logo on Reflex Paper comes as the Ethical Paper campaign notched up yet another milestone. Over 10,000 people have now signed the pledge to not buy Reflex until Australian Paper stop using timber from our unique native forests.  Read more at http://www.wilderness.org.au/regions/victoria/reflex-stripped-of-fsc-certification

Take Action Many thanks to Georgia Phillips for sharing this. 

                 

Help the Leadbeater's possum by signing the Ethical Paper Pledge. 

Are you looking for answers? Not just for teacher librarians....

Marion Silk from ASLA NSW 

Over the past few months. there have been questions & discussions on this listserv about e-books, digital literacy, Clickview & alternatives, the future of print resources, student research needs - to name but a few.

You can get ANSWERS, TALK to representatives & see DEMONSTRATIONS of many programs and solutions at the Trade Exhibition at ASLA XXII Conference....ALL IN THE ONE PLACE!!    

  

Here is a brief selection of what will be available:

Q.  Will you launch into e-books and how can you manage a growing digital collection ?

n  Access-It:  Web-based management of e-books and digital material; which integrates seamlessly with SCIS; ClickView; Active Directory and LDAP; Single Sign On; automated emailing; texting, and many others

n  Softlink :  A suite of advanced library and information management including Integrated Library Management Solutions, reference and research tools used by thousands of schools across Australia, U.S., NZ  & UK.

n  Readcloud: The World’s first social eReading software platform designed for educators, We provide education institutions with a digital distribution mechanism for eBooks.

n  Wheelers: a comprehensive library supplier with an active database of over 10 million books. Experience the first eBook platform that has been developed, and priced, specifically for school libraries.

Q. Which delivery platform for digital resources would best suit your school?

n  Clickview: combines innovative digital video software and a digital video library and it allows any number of students to view digital video, at any time, at their own pace, using a school's existing computer and network infrastructure

n   DVC: DVC technology backbone provides educators and students with access to the ultimate in multimedia educational experiences, along with the ability to integrate with and utilise other learning platforms such as on-line learning management systems.  In addition to providing a vast library of content, including over 10,000 educational videos, study guides etc pre-loaded on the DVC system, DVC gives you the tools to continue to grow and manage your library, often for free.

Q. Where can you go for quality print books to support the new curriculum?

n  Macmillan: one of the leading educational publishers in Australia, with a vigorous publishing program catering to the needs of Primary and Secondary schools by producing a quality range of Library, Literacy, Digital, Text and Teacher Resource Books.

n  The Booklegger: Supporting school librarians with curriculum related library books for over 30 years.

Q. Which packages will  best support your students’ research needs?

n  Britannica Digital Learning: Through each of the age-appropriate resources, Britannica provides instructional and research content that will fit the needs of every user from one simple access point.

n  EBSCO Publishing: Through a collection of tens of thousands of magazines, books, newspapers and various other publication types from renowned publishers, EBSCO Publishing serves the content needs of all school students and staff.

n  Library Webs: Online educational research service providing an Internet Library of approximately 80,000 carefully selected links. Students using LW have immediate access to authoritative Internet resources and are able to stay focused on their learning outcomes

n  World Book Forward Learning: Schools and libraries around the world consider World Book products to be a vital resource, providing valuable, accurate and up-to-date reference information in all communication mediums: print and online.

Q. What is happening with reading, literacy & children’s literature?

n  National Year of Reading 2012: linking together all the great things that are already happening around books, reading and literacy, and giving them an extra boost, with inspirational programs and events taking place across the country. Find out what is happening…..

n  AUSTLIT/QUT: AustLit is a collaboration between the National Library of Australia and a network of Australian Universities, including Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Get ANSWERS

at the Trade Exhibition

ASLA XXII Conference

2-5 October, 2011

http://www.asla.org.au/pd/conference/

LucidChart -collaborative diagramming software

Quickly capture and organize ideas during brainstorming sessions with LucidChart's collaborative mind mapping software. Think of it as an online whiteboard.
Here are a few examples from the community files to give you an idea of its potential:


 

How much does LucidChart for K-12 teachers cost?

Don't miss out-LucidChart is currently offering free educational
licenses for 2011.

Use this form to request a group account for your library.   
Create a flowchart, org chart, site map, or mind map with ease, and 

  personalize your document with your own uploaded images.

React to Chemistry-Science Week is here

National Science Week - activities for NSWhttp://www.scienceweek.gov.au/Pages/EventsMap.aspx?state=nsw
National Science Week in 2011 is 13-21 August 


The schools theme for 2011 is React to Chemistry!, in keeping with the International Year of Chemistry.

Some of the ways schools and students join in National Science Week is by:

• holding a family science evening, a crazy scientist day or a science breakfast
• hosting a scientists picnic or a science camp
• setting up team challenges or hosting a debate on a hot science topic
• organising a science olympics or a roving playground science show
• inviting guest speakers or hosting a scientist-in-residence
• organising a Science and Literature Festival
• setting activities, challenges and projects from the ASTA Resource Book React to Chemistry! for students, families, or other teachers
• going on excursions, field trips and school visits
• participating in local and national 2011 Science Week events

A National Science Week event should:

• be fun for the participants
• be focused on quality science outcomes
• be supportive of your science curriculum
• encourage the participants to want to try more science
• raise the general profile of science within the community

• The React to Chemistry (PDF 4.15 MB) resource book has been designed to provide teachers and community science educators with background information and activities they can use to increase their own and students' (K - 12) knowledge and understanding. Topics include: Muds and Suds (the science of cleanliness), Food Chemistry (chocolate, milk and cheese, vitamins and minerals); Sausage-ology and Green chemistry to name a few. It offers a range of tasks and activities progressing from lower primary to upper secondary.

Search for some stimulating 

Individual classroom-based activities

Bit of a fizzer this year..........Maybe next year?

In the meantime for some science fun:
NZ website with a fantastic range of science activitieshttp://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities.html

Thanks to Rod Leonarder for sharing this.

Why do we need to differentiate?

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” 

-Albert Einstein

Thanks to Joe Bower for sharing this from: for the love of learning

Enjoy Animals School-I have posted it before but I feel it has a lot to say and it fits so well with Joe's message.


"An eye-opening reflection on how many view children and too often how we teach children in our current education system."

Kids are individuals with their own strengths and talents. These must be recognised both by students and their parents and teachers, then developed and enhanced. 

An Open Letter To Educators-Read if you dare.....

Find out "...the best thing to happen to individuals......." according to

"According to recent studies in neuroscience, the way we learn doesn't always match up with the way we are taught. If we hope to stay competitive-academically, economically, and technologically-we need to rethink our understanding of intelligence, reevaluate our educational system, and reinvigorate our commitment to learning...".excerpt from Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns  Authors: Clayton Christensen, Curtis W. Johnson and Michael B. Horn If you would like to read more it is published by McGraw Hill Publishers.


Please share your response by commenting.

Writing Fun will no longer be freely available.

Free access to Writing Fun closes on 1st September, 2011. 

I am sharing some of the information included in a message from Jenny Eather on her website Writing Fun:

"Under the care of the educational team at 3P Learning, all the Writing Fun resources previously utilised by you will be available at www.spellodrome.com from September, 2011.

Teachers who are not Spellodrome subscribers, will be provided with FREE access to all the Writing Fun resources for their class for the remainder of 2011. After 30 September 2011, Writing Fun will only be accessible to teachers and students with a registered user name and password."

Simply register your details and you will be granted a free licence to Writing Fun which will be valid until 31 January 2012. Once teachers have registered their details and subscribed they then can set their students up with continued free access to Writing Fun via Spellodrome, by following 4  simple steps if they wish to.

Thank you Jenny for the use of your marvellous resources for all these years. 
Thanks to Steph Westwood for the notice of this impending change.

Public education students and teachers entertain.

Education Week 2011 performance at Central Station, Sydney 

Congratulations to all involved in the inspiring Education Week flash mob at Central Station which included approximately 300 kids. Keep an eye out for a few brave teachers dancing their hearts out too!

The performance was part of a "simuLaunch", involving nearly 5000 students in 19 locations across the state. Locations included Sydney Central Railway Grand Concourse, Newcastle, Central Coast, Wollongong, Grafton, Busby, Bourke, Colyton, Cronulla, Homebush, Kurrajong, Manly, Murrurundi, Parramatta, Pendle Hill, Rozelle, St Andrews, Tea Gardens and Toormina.

Exploring Persuasive Texts through a Fairytale Context.

Not so far, far away. 

         A Resource Kit of ideas for exploring Persuasive Texts through a Fairytale Context.

        I wish to express my thanks for the wonderful work, yet again, of Kristine Kopelke.

For further teaching ideas and support see my Persuasive Text Livebinder.