Teacher Talk-

Friday, 26 February 2010

The draft Australian Curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history (K-10)

Consultation on the draft
Australian Curriculum: English, mathematics, science and history

The draft Australian Curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history (K-10) will be available for consultation from 1 March 2010 to the end of May 2010. The draft curriculum for these learning areas will be available online through the Australian Curriculum Consultation Portal, and will include content

The consultation website will be available for everyone to read, review, download or print the draft K-10 curriculum. Opportunities will be available to provide feedback on the draft curriculum On-line survey

Teachers and other stakeholders in the broader education community will be able to review the curriculum materials and provide targeted feedback through an online survey.

BACKGROUND
The Curriculum Development Process, outlines four stages in the development of the Australian curriculum.

Phase 1 - The Australian Curriculum

The Australian curriculum will be developed in the first phase for English, mathematics, science and history.
In May 2009, the Interim National Curriculum Board (NCB) published The Shape of the Australian Curriculum: English, Mathematics, Science and History.

Phase 2 – The Australian Curriculum
The second phase of the Australian curriculum development involves geography, languages and the arts. Initial shape papers for geography, languages and the arts will be available for public consultation in mid 2010.

Phase 3 - The Australian Curriculum
The third phase of the Australian curriculum development involves design and technology, health and physical education, ICT, economics, business and civics and citizenship.
The Shape of the Australian Curriculum identifies ten general capabilities to be addressed in the Australian curriculum.

The General Capabilities
The general capabilities are literacy, numeracy, ICT, thinking skills, creativity, self management, teamwork, intercultural understanding, ethical behaviour and social competence. Particular attention has been given to the incorporation of literacy, numeracy, ICT, thinking skills and creativity into the draft Australian curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history.

Australian Curriculum Fact Sheet
This fact sheet summarises the progress on the development of the Australian curriculum for English, mathematics, science and history.

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

NSW DET implements a new Code of Conduct.

The aim of this Code is to establish a common understanding of the standards of behaviour expected of all employees of the Department of Education and Training.

The Code places an obligation on all of us to take responsibility for our own conduct and work with colleagues cooperatively to establish consultative and collaborative workplaces where people are happy and proud to work.

This Code of Conduct applies to all employees of the NSW Department of Education and Training, including the TAFE NSW whether employed on a permanent, temporary or casual basis.

Implementation date: 27 January 2010

Monday, 1 February 2010

Official Blog World Maths Day 2010

World Maths Day has been created for

students 5 – 18 years old.

The official competition runs for 48 hours, for as long as it is

3 March somewhere in the world.

Sandy Beach is registered.

Class teachers need to confirm their interest so I can upload individual students names.

Practice can start as soon as registration is finalised.

Registrations close 1 March 2010

Each student is limited to a maximum of 500 games (each game lasts 60 seconds) during the 48 hour period.

Prizes will be awarded to the top students in each age category, ages 5-8, ages 9-13 and ages 14-18. Even teachers and parents will want to take part! There has been a new category added this year.

Each game lasts 60 seconds and 1 point per correct answer is awarded.

Students play at home and at school against other students around the world in live games of mental arithmetic. A 2010 app will soon be available for students to use on their iPods and iTouchs. Students who answer the most questions appear in the Hall of Fame. Students cannot select their level but will be moved to higher levels up as they progress.

This is a truly unique world event and a fantastic way to promote numeracy within your school. Past results show that students will make significant improvements in their mental arithmetic skills and have fun in the process.

..and it's absolutely free of charge

download this World Maths Day poster

Wednesday, 27 January 2010

Please post a message to our first wishwall.

Our first wishwall is up and running.
Wishwall is a new way to communicate.
It is an online Notice Board Maker.
View a demo wall @ Wallwisher demo

Please check it out and post a message. You could post your own message or work with your kids to post a family message @ Latest Happenings at Sandy Beach

Love to hear from you

Sunday, 24 January 2010

Effective Teaching, Quality Instruction and Professional Development: My Learning Style

Teaching life's most important lesson...

Kiran Bir Sethi shows how her groundbreaking Riverside School in India teaches kids life's most valuable lesson: "I can."
Watch her students take local issues into their own hands, lead other young people, even educate their parents.

Saturday, 23 January 2010

Will Richardson discusses online tools, communities of learning and pursuing our passions.

Thursday, 21 January 2010

2010 Year of the Girl Guide

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Have you tried twitter yet? Try it -You just might like it!!!

Monday, 18 January 2010

NSWDET employs sledgehammer approach to change.

On his blog Parallel Divergence, Stu Hasic questions How many teachers are keeping up with the changes that are going on all around them?

Image via CrunchBase

"Everyday my email inbox alerts me to at least one teacher who has become a new follower on Twitter. Now while I’m definitely not the best ed-tech guy in Twitterland to follow, I like to think that for each of those emails, a light bulb has switched on somewhere and a teacher is working to change, or at least keep up with the change that’s continually going on all around them."

Stu Hasic

Will the sledgehammer approach work?

In a (wal)nutshell, the sledgehammer approach is:

1. Give computers to every student.
2. Build the expectation in the community that they will be used in school.
3. Shame teachers into action/change.

Read this blog and consider the many important questions Stu poses.

Stu points out that "Coinciding with Australia’s next (scheduled) Federal Election and only half-way into this four year “revolution”, there will be the evidence needed to either justify or pull the plug on this ambitious and much needed change in school education."

What do you think?

Connected Learning Awards

The Connected Learning Awards give students opportunities to design and create digital works for real-life purposes. Students develop skills in communicating, collaborating, self-directed learning, problem solving, researching and publishing their findings.

The Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI) has a 2010 flyer out entitled ‘WeCreate’ - a calendar listing its activities by term for students K-12 for 2010.

There are a number of activities that will inspire and engage your students – ES1 and S1 divisions are also included.

21st Century Literacies - Howard Rheingold

Howard Rheingold spoke about 21st century literacies

at the Reboot Britain event in London, July, 2009. (about 40 minutes)

We need to get beyond skills to literacies:Skills plus community=SOCIAL MEDIA

The five most important ones:
* Attention
* Participation
* Cooperation
* Critical Consumption (cr*p detection)
* Network Awareness

They all need to work together.

Sunday, 10 January 2010

Not just interactive sites for Smartboard...SO MUCH MORE!!

I do understand that it is rude to shout but this site is worth shouting about!!

If you are looking for Interactive Games Sites,

SMARTBOARD sites, Slideshare, Videos, Lesson Ideas, or Third Party Sites you will find plenty of value here.

Sites are also listed by subject area including:

Maths

Science

Language Arts

and Social Studies

MUSIC

M.U.S

Image via Wikipedia

.I.C.

Musicians United for Songs in the Classroom, Inc.

M.U.S.I.C. is a nonprofit organization promoting arts integration through the study of popular music.

It provides Critical thinking and media literacy curriculum and products for grades 7-12.

Friday, 8 January 2010

Be careful what you tweet

Wednesday, 30 December 2009

FABULOUS COGs site in 2010!!

I would like to share a special message from Cath Keane (SCAN Editor)

"Some of the COGs updated resource lists are now available at http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/teachingideas/isp/k_6/cogsresources.htm

There is also a link from the School Libraries and Information Literacy home page at http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/

Unfortunately, the updated COGs site is not live yet. All will be FABULOUS in 2010!

Have a wonderful break,"

Cath

Cath Keane

Scan Editor

School Libraries & Information Literacy

Curriculum K–12 Directorate

3a Smalls Road, RYDE, NSW 2112

Ph: (02) 9886 7501 Fax: (02) 9886 7413

email: cath.keane@det.nsw.edu.au

www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Learning Technologies-Looking at MOODLE? Try these sites

Charlie O'Sullivan @ primaryschool provides a comprehensive list of Moodle sites for primary schools interesting in trying this learning technology. The list includes sites to search and explore, slideshares, tutorials and Teacher Reference.

Moodle For Elementary Grades

View more presentations from James Gates.

Upgrade ActivClassroom range to ActivInspire free of charge.

Activ Inspire has replaced Activ Studio.

ActivInspire Personal Edition allows teachers, students, parents and
others to benefit from the feature-rich environment of ActivInspire,
completely free of charge!

As stated on their website:

If you already use any of the core products in the ActivClassroom range - ActivBoard, ActivSoftware, ActiVote, ActivExpression ActivPanel - you can upgrade to ActivInspire Professional Edition until 30 September 2010.

ActivInspire Personal Edition allows teachers, students, parents and others to benefit from the feature-rich environment of ActivInspire, completely free of charge!

Find out What's NEW?

Thursday, 3 December 2009

Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: What Is A Great Teacher?

Sanyo PLC-XL50 Projector Filter Cleaning Guide by stuhasic

Thanks to Stu you can have the cleanest best working projector of any class!!

Sanyo PLC-XL50 Projector Filter Cleaning Guide from stuhasic on Vimeo.

Monday, 30 November 2009

10 tips for starting out with IWB's

If you are looking for further strategies to employ on your IWB have a read of this:

Ten tips for starting out with interactive whiteboards

"This list was created to help all those who are getting started, need encouragement, or want to take things a bit further."

30 years from now, will children's books primarily be electronic or remain mostly on paper?

Have your vote.

Will kids continue to "colour in" on paper?

What about fine motor skills?

Will kids still build with lego? play with cars on car mats?

Love to hear what you think

Safe passwords are essential.

How to choose a safe password - Animated Explanations

Animated Explanations offers animated movies, interactive tutorials and instructional videos, on the topics of health, technology and work, all free for you to view and to embed in your website.

Thursday, 26 November 2009

A big thank you to our wonderful volunteers at school.

Volunteers make an extraordinary contribution

to Australian society.
They are most important in our schools.
We need them.

Check out the latest free skills, training and education resources for volunteers, managers of volunteers, trainers and not-for-profit organisations here.

International Volunteer Day is on December 5 this year.

Top Christmas resources available.

EdNA's Christmas theme page

provides links to a collection of resources to celebrate Christmas including stories, recipes and art and craft activities.

Monday, 9 November 2009

Are you AAADD? Be warned!! Many of you will encounter this disorder this term!!

AAADD- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS.....PLEASE READ!

Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Somehow I feel better,even though I have it!!

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. -
Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
and notice that the can is full..

So, I decide to put the bills back
on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think,
since I'm going to be near the mailbox
when I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left.

My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the Coke aside
so that I don't accidentally knock it over..

The Coke is getting warm,
and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke,
a vase of flowers on the counter
catches my eye--they need water.

I put the Coke on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.
Someone left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,
but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers,
but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.

So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then, I head down the hall trying to
remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed

the bills aren't paid

there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter

the flowers don't have enough water,

there is still only 1 check in my check book,

I can't find the remote,

I can't find my glasses,

and, I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day,
and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it,
but first I'll check my e-mail....

Do me a favor.
Forward this message to everyone you know,
because I don't remember who the heck I've sent it to.

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, your day is coming!!

edna Schools Calendar 2010 Design Competition

Want to get a winning edge on your design portfolio and win an Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection and a Wacom Intuos 3 design tablet valued at $900?... then enter the edna Schools Calendar Design Competition.

They are seeking entries from students or schools to produce an electronic Schools calendar.

Get your winning entry in by Monday 30^th November 2009.

Check out the link above for further information.