MY DILEMMA AS A MARKER OF TERTIARY PAPERS

Posted on April 30, 2015 by pooroldhenry

I do some part time work around Tertiary Education. I am a casually employed marker. I’m beginning to become very worried about standards of assignments submitted by students for marking.

Background

My own tertiary studies were completed through the 1980s and 1990s. The drift in requirements for assignment presentation that have evolved from then until now are a distinct worry. Universities have the codes of assignment presentation and students are asked to be familiar with those. However it seems that conformity doesn’t really matter. Some of the things that have caused me concern as a marker are indicated.

Glaring Issues

* Many students do not cite or use compulsory course reference texts.

* Some students do not tackle the whole assignment requirement. If there are three elements, they may only complete one or two of these requirements.

* Title pages are generally not provided.

* There is often evidence in one case of material being lifted from a source but not discussed in detail or particularised as required. There is a generalised response to a specific requirement.

* Students waffle on with narrative discourse when a table or rubric would offer greater meaning and clarity to argument.

* Students tend to write on the side of brevity. When a 1,500 to 2,000 word suggestion is offered, many seem to struggle to 1,000 words.

* Some students write in a way that presumes markers can read their minds or have background on issues that should be elaborated and explained. That presumption can mean that students too are vague about issues and the strategy is one that covers the issue.

* Matters of word usage, paper layout, typing text, paragraphing techniques and double spacing of text are either untaught or forgotten skills. Papers are very hard to read.

* Casual markers are employed on a per hour basis. It is generally expected that an assignment will take around 20 or 25 minutes to read and comment upon. The way in which papers are presented and the need to offer advice about deficits makes this an impossible task.

I wanted to write about this difficulty and share it on my blog. It is a real issue and one I find quite confounding. I wonder whether I should worry about these things or am I just whistling in the wind?

WALK AWAY OR GIVE BACK

Posted on April 23, 2015 by pooroldhenry

It worries me greatly that too many educators, especially school leaders, seemingly can’t wait until the day they retire. Cometh the day, they throw their hands into the air, figuratively or literally shout “hooray” and rush away, never to look back on what they have left. They are just so glad that a career which many have become burdensome, is behind them.

That to me is so sad. How awful it must be for those who are soured to the extent of wanting distance between themselves and the years committed to the educational profession.

There have been challenging, indeed harrowing times for me during 40 plus years of service to education. Thankfully there have been great times and many celebrations to savour. In retirement I am glad to have give back opportunities to a profession that has offered me so much. In my post career thinking, I set the bad times to one side and remember the many satisfiers that came my way.

Others have helped me; now it is my turn to support others by sharing as those others shared their experiences with me. It is great to be in a give back period.

VIGNETTES SERIES 19: ‘TOWARD BEING ‘DOERS’ and ‘CREWING THE CLASSROOM’

Posted on April 21, 2015 by pooroldhenry

VIGNETTES SERIES 19: ‘TOWARD BEING ‘DOERS’ and ‘CREWING THE CLASSROOM’
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VIGNETTE 55

‘SAYERS’ AND ‘DOERS’

There are two kinds of personalities in this world. Regardless of what we do when we go these personality types are with us. There are the “sayers” and the “doers”.

I believe it is very important as educators to be people who earn the respect of others
by “living” the statements that we make in the positions that we uphold to others. It is all together too easy to be somebody who commands and ask other people to do things and to act in particular ways. That after all is a part of the teaching and development of others. However we need to be prepared to live by the precepts we espouse. Unless we adhere in our lives to the things we ask of others we will not earn their respect.

“Do as I do” is very important in the teacher – pupil relationship. If students know us as teachers who live by this principle their respect will be enhanced. This applies to every aspect of that relationship.

If we want children to be on time and say so, then we need to be on time ourselves. Everyone children to return promptly after recess and lunch, then we can’t avoid is teachers to be late ourselves. If we want children to wear hats out in the playground then as teachers we need to do the same. If we put it upon children to keep their desks and tidy tray is clean neat and tidy, then teachers’ tables and working benches should be kept the same way.

I don’t believe we should ask the children to maintain standards that we are not prepared to maintain ourselves. And example might be handwriting. If we ask children to take care when they’re writing in where books then we need to have the same set of standards that we maintain with written work. We might think the children don’t sense or understand what we’re doing but believe you me, they are very sharp and perceptive in that regard.

The principle extends to the way in which we approach our teaching tasks. The precepts or tenets under which we operate should not just be sets of empty words but reflective of vibrant teaching practices. In that way we earn the respect of our colleagues, the community and of course our students.

There may be occasions when we have to depart from the norm of usual operation. If that’s the case I believe it important that students and close colleagues understand why on the particular occasion the expected process can’t be followed.

Respect is a very important quality and in many ways the cement the binds those within an organisation together. It is a key value. If we earn the respect of others, self-respect also develops.
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VIGNETTE 56

PLAYING ‘CAPTAINS AND CREW’ WITH TECHNOLOGY

There is increasing focus within classrooms upon technology and its use to promote teaching and learning. One of the things of which we have to be careful is the technology doesn’t take over. Technological tools are servants to be used in the enhancement of what we offer our student groups. We should never allowed to take over and dominate. Technology is a good servant but can be a bad master.

For older teachers particularly but younger ones as well, technology can be confusing. There is so much to learn and keeping abreast of developments can be hard. There is also a tendency to keep things not fully understood at arm’s-length. The case in point for myself was reluctant to come to terms with Learnline, a critically important communications tool I needed to understand in order to work with external students at university. I got over that concern and learned to use the tool and now try and keep abreast of upgrades and enhancements.

I was always appreciative of the fact that smart boards and other devices came toward the end of my teaching career. Being nervous about using and applying technology is not wise but certainly exists.

In 1996, there was an article in ‘The Australian’ newspaper written fro memory by Heather Gabriel. This column suggested that teachers in classrooms avoid becoming petrified of technology. Rather than stressing over understanding, the writer suggested teachers regard themselves as captains and students as the crew of a ship. The purpose of any journey is to get from Point A to Point B. To achieve that, a ship’s captain employs the expertise of his or her crew and acts as the overall controller.

Similarly, children often know a lot more about the intricacies of technology than teachers. Delegating children to use that knowledge to manage the ‘mechanics of technology’ can help avoid glitches and facilitate smooth sailing. Keeping an eye on the way technology is being used helps avoid the shortfalls (wrong sites and so on) that can find their way onto computer screens.

This approach promotes a collaborative and shared classroom. And over time, teachers learn a lot from children about ‘what works’ on the technological front.

Try it, it works.

MUCH MORE TO EDUCATION THAN DATA (1)

Posted on April 20, 2015 by pooroldhenry

Within schools it sometimes happens that scheduled meetings have to be cancelled. Staff are advised they should use the time for inputting and recording of student data. The first call on teachers’ programmed release from face-to-face teaching, is the use of non-contact time for recording purposes.

Data is important. Student progress should be regularly recorded in order to confirm student outcomes and assist teachers in revising and forward planning their units of work.

Changing Focus

In recent years, there has been a lot more focus on data and formalised recording at system level than was the case in the past. However, in past times, good records were maintained within the vast majority of schools. It is a misnomer to suggest that nothing happened before national testing was introduced

Tests were developed and applied at school level. These days the emphasis is increasingly upon nationalised testing regimes . Results are used in part for comparison of schools within and between States and Territories.

Shortfall

National tests, standardised as they are, fail to recognise the individual and specific backgrounds of students in schools and their catchment areas. While databases have been prepared which examine the socio-economic factors within school communities, these are quite general and don’t take account of specific differences between people. Cultural differences, occupation, income, family educational background, housing affordability and geographic location impact on schools within their communities.

Refocusing education

One of the deleterious effects for schools forever being under the testing and assessment magnifying glass, is that the human side of development can be overlooked. Years ago a group of educators visited a gas bottle refilling business. The guide suggested children were like gas bottles. Empty cylinders were refilled, then sold. Similarly, children started school as “empty vessels” were filled up with knowledge on the way through and graduated from school “full” of understanding, ready to contribute to society.

This was a sad comparison. Children are complex individuals. Their development towards adulthood includes social, emotional and moral/spiritual needs along with literacy, numeracy and other academic outcomes. Over-focus on academic testing and data can detract from these wider developmental needs. The world needs articulate people who are confident communicators, intuitive thinkers and careful decision makers. Academics are part of education but by no means the whole of what should be offered.

What is and what should be

Educators talk about the need for holistic education. However, with funding attaching so critically to educational outcomes which are only academic, the priority naturally turns to literacy and numeracy. The key and often only focus of educators’ meetings is that of literacy and numeracy teaching, strategies and data.

Schools are achieving, but success often goes unacknowledged. Those working within our schools often feel deflated, becoming convinced they are failing in terms of building students toward desirable outcomes.

Education should not be laissez-faire. Neither should it be so data focused, concentrated within one narrow domain, as to overlook the importance of holistic development. Teachers, parents and community should be working in partnership with students, to prepare them for a fulsome entry into life’s world. Education for the whole of life goes well beyond narrow, academic, data confirmed outcomes.

SNIPPETS FOR EDUCATORS (6)

Posted on April 19, 2015 by pooroldhenry

THE BEST OF REWARDS

The richest of rewards for veteran or retired educators is to be looked out and thanked by former pupils, now adults, for the positive impact ‘you’ had on their lives. That brings joy to the soul.
THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATION

Our Territory’s first CEO Dr Jim Eedle told principals in the late 1970’s that ‘schools are for children’. Education was our prime purpose. How easy it is for systems to digress from that key goal.

Tertiary institutions preparing teachers for tomorrow’s classrooms should in my opinion keep the Eedle exhortation well and truly in mind. It is so easy to become side-tracked and lose focus. Graduate teachers have every right to be proud of their accomplishments and the piece of paper that confirms their graduation. If those graduates have a focus and ambition that is toward others, they are well on the way to fulfilling one of the most important professional callings. Ours is a call to service.
TEACHER UNHAPPINESS: THANKS FOR THE RESPONSE

Some months ago I placeed a discussion on this site about TEACHER UNHAPPINESS. it dealt with the fact that teaching does not always live up to the expectations of teachers and for a number of system imposed reasons. While some may desire to leave the profession for lack of fulfilment, many cannot for a number of reasons. So they hang in until they can finally leave teaching and that with a sigh of relief. How sad for them and possibly for students they have been teaching.

The thread is now closed. It attrached close to 300 likes and 850 comments from all over the world. I wanted to thank all those who contributed their thoughts and to the weight of insights offered.
ESTABLISH CAREFUL PRIORITIES

Our work especially for others, is what education is all about. But we should never allow our work to supplant our families, pushing them aside. Establishing careful priorities is ever so important.
CONFERENCE MATTERS

To attend conferences costs time and money, It also takes people away from workplaces. Might it be possible for key conferences to have both physical and online attendance and contribution.
GIVE FEEDBACK FROM CONFERENCES

Leaders and teachers attending conferences should offer feedback to their colleagues. It can be too easy to avoid sharing conference objectives and outcomes with peers. Share the benefits with others.
HEAR STUDENTS

A great deal of enriching exchange for me has been in face to face, e-mail or discussion board conversation with students. They have a lot to offer when it comes to exchange about issues. Hear them.

VIGNETTES SERIES 18: ‘PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY’ and ‘VALUE OF SHORT EXCURSIONS’

Posted on April 15, 2015 by pooroldhenry

VIGNETTES SERIES 18: ‘PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY’ and ‘VALUE OF SHORT EXCURSIONS’
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VIGNETTE 53

DEVELOP A PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY

When they begin their training, preservice teachers are often asked to think about a philosophy, that is a personal belief position, underpinning why it is they have decided teaching is for them. Some people think that it’s a waste of time to develop a philosophy and that such reflection is not very important. They could not be more wrong.

Personal philosophy is the essence upon which a career builds. It’s really a foundation stone, THE foundation stone, where it all starts and from which one’s training and career evolve. It is the starting point to the teaching journey. It is therefore important for preservice teachers and those starting out to spend time developing a belief statement upon which their future bills.

That statement may be short and pertinent or somewhat longer. One of the best and most meaningful philosophies I ever read was that of a teacher from 30 years ago. Her philosophy, the first page of her work program, was simple yet significant. It was five words long, “Teaching is a kind of loving”. That summed up her attitude and her desire to be a person who was there for others. Most certainly others came before herself.

Others might have a statement that embraces a sense of mission. It’s not unusual for statements are philosophy to be defined as “mission statements”.

Many years ago when a relatively young principal, I was invited to attend a leadership development program. We were asked to develop a mission statement of 25 words or less. Until then i knew where i wanted to go but had never defined that in terms of ‘mission’.

I spent considerable time thinking and reflecting on my priorities as an educator, as a family man, and as a person in this world.

My mission statement, from 1983, has been with me since that time. I have it on the back of my card.

It reads:

“To fulfil and be fulfilled in organisational mode – family, work, recreation.
To acquit my responsibilities with integrity.
To work with a smile in my heart.”

This precept has been my guiding philosophy for the past 32 years and something I regularly reflect upon.

Please consider the importance of a defining philosophy or sense of purpose and mission.
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VIGNETTE. 54

SHORT EXCURSIONS

Excursions can play a very important part in extending educational understandings for children. To study in classrooms and to learn in the traditional way and also through online all library extension is fine. If children can be taken out on visits to places being studied, that really helps. To “see” what one is being taught and to observe things as they happen in action reinforces and cements learning. Excursions can help make learning live.

There is a need to prepare children for excursions. Ideally, excursions should be the middle segment of the lesson or learning sequence. The initial elements of lessons lead into the excursion, with follow up after the excursion tying the venture into learning outcomes. All excursions should be relevant. There is at times a tendency for excursions to be stand alone affairs with disconnection from teaching.

Binding excursions into the text of learning is part of the warp and weft of the learning fabric. These activities have a meaningful part to play in teaching and learning. They can enrich the program and add value to educational outcomes.
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SUNS 86 and 87: ‘COMPUTER – ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS’ and ‘VOLUNTEERS FILL KEY ROLE IN SCHOOLS’

Posted on April 12, 2015 by pooroldhenry

SUNS 86 and 87: ‘COMPUTER – ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS’ and ‘VOLUNTEERS FILL KEY ROLE IN SCHOOLS’

These columns were published in the ‘Suns’ in April 2015
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SUNS 86

COMPUTER FOCUSSED LEARNING HAS ITS LIMITATIONS

It seems that the thrust of education is toward developing opportunities for students to progress through the practise of technology supported learning . Devices from electronic smart boards to computers, iPads and other devices are front and centre. More and more schools are developing a “bring your open device” policy when it comes to technology. It seems that the children are increasingly immersed in technologically focused learning.

There is a place for technology in our schools. However if devices replace teachers it will be to the detriment of education. The best learning outcomes are achieved through direct interaction. When using computers and iPads, children can easily log out of learning and go onto some amusement or games application.

Approach to lessons and learning needs to be based on time and organisation. There needs to be a patterned and ordered approach to learning. Taking teachers out of the equation and replacing them with computer controlled programs, detracts from education.

The emphasis in the NT is toward Direct Instruction (DI). Concern about poor educational outcomes has lead to a revival of this instructional method. “The Direct instruction strategy is highly teacher-directed and is among the most commonly used. This strategy is effective for providing information or developing step-by-step skills. It also works well for introducing other teaching methods, or actively involving students in knowledge construction.” (Instructional strategies online, Saskatoon Public Schools)

Explicit teaching, lectures, drills, specific questioning, demonstration and the guiding of listening, reading, viewing and thinking are direct instructional practices. DI is about close interaction of teachers with students to enhance teaching and learning opportunities. Computers and iPads by their very nature can put distance between students and teachers. If their use is not carefully managed they can become a distraction.

A very important part of teaching and learning is the way body language and facial expression impact on classroom outcomes. Teachers can sense confidence about what if being taught through student responses. Similarly, students can sense how their teachers feel about work being completed. Shared personal contact within classrooms is a very important part of learning. Computer based education does not allow students or teachers to appreciate body language or facial expressions.

Technology has its place in education as a support to learning. However classroom focus should be about interaction between teachers and students. Replacing teachers with computers will impact negatively on the quality of learning and educational outcomes.
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SUNS 87

VOLUNTEERS FILL KEY ROLE IN SCHOOLS

Quality education is influenced by the relationships that develop between students, teachers and parents. There are two other groups who make great contributions to education within schools.
* School support staff who add value within administrative and classroom contexts.
* Volunteer people who give their time in support of schools.

The contribution made to their schools by volunteers can be easily overlooked. Parents and caregivers who are able to spare an hour or two here and there can be of great help in a number of ways. They might hear children read, help with changing readers, or be support people when teachers take classes on short excursions. One school last year had parents and school supporters come in to help with an oral reading program that took place each day.

There are many ways in which volunteers support their schools.
* Assistance in school libraries with cataloguing, shelving and covering books.
* Assisting schools with supervision on sports days or extended outings.
* Assistance with extended Territory and Interstate excursions and camps.
* Sewing programs to help with making costumes, making library bags, art/craft aprons and so on.
* Volunteering time to support fundraising ventures.
* Offering as volunteer school crossing monitors.
* Supporting school canteens through cooking or being on the serving roster.
These are a few of the ways in which parents and community members can support schools.

Where are the Volunteers?

Parental work commitments has reduced the potential pool of school volunteers. However, having parents give a little time to their school on rostered days off happens in some schools. Advertising for volunteers in newsletters or on websites may generate a positive response. Personally inviting parents to volunteer time or approaching residents in senior villages may help build a volunteer list.

Those who volunteer need to be cleared by a police check and also have to obtain an Ochre Card confirming their suitability to work with children. School councils sometimes elect to pay the costs of obtaining these clearances. People are able to support schools through volunteer service once these matters have been finalised.

Volunteers should not be taken for granted. Acknowledging them with certificates of appreciation, sponsored morning teas and other periodic tokens of recognition will help cement their relationships with schools. Invitations to school assemblies and concerts may help them feel included within schools. Those who give of their time and share their talents with schools are a valued group. Without their contribution, schools would be the poorer.
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SNIPPETS FOR EDUCATORS (5)

Posted on April 11, 2015 by pooroldhenry

This is the fifth in series of snippets I hope will be handy as pointers, reminders or reflectors.

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GIVE BACK IN RETIREMENT

I think it is good for retirees, in retirement, to spend time in giving back to the profession. Supporting principals and staff in a coaching/mentoring context by being a critical colleague can help.

SPURN EXPERIENCE AT YOUR PERIL

Educational systems discard retiring educators and those with experience of years at their peril. ‘Starting all over’ and ‘reinventing the wheel’ revisits past mistakes, disgarding lessons learned.

MODELLING

I don’t believe that we can over estimate the importance of teachers modelling for students. This goes for primary and secondary students.

In some contexts teaching is regarded as being a profession in which one group (teachers) tells the other group (students) what to do and how it should be done. This of course is rather simplistic definition of teaching and learning processes. It hardly examples the interaction and togetherness that ideally embraces teachers and pupils in teaching/learning contexts.

One of the very important aspects of the leadership offered by teachers is the modelling they do through their own personal example and conduct. Students being young look to and emulate teachers and others. An example of this is the children often tell the parents that particular viewpoint is right because it is what the teacher thinks, therefor it must be right.

Without being prescriptive in anyway, I believe that modelling extends to include the following:

Dress standards
Speech patterns and modelling – setting a bright example free speech and vocalisation.
Punctuality
Showing respect.
Handwriting, including in students books and on whiteboards.
Correct spelling and accuracy in word usage.

This list could go on, but I’m sure you get the drift. Teachers deal with the development of people. It’s as we do and how we are that is so important to those we teach and shape toward being the adults of tomorrow.

KEEP COMPUTER IN PERSPECTIVE

These days it is easy for teachers to become “captured” by the computers. They become “jailed” at their teachers table.

This happens because of the emphasis placed on darter collection and analysis. Everything comes back to data driven outcomes. That being the case it is all too easy for teachers to be so focused on data collection that the computer is a constant companion. Rather than moving around the classroom and working with children there is a tendency to be deskbound asking children to really deliver results so they can be input those into computer.

This in turn encourages children to ‘one-way traffic’ from their desks to the teachers table. The teacher stays desk-bound.

It is necessary in my opinion the teachers of all students, particularly early childhood and primary children to be among them, moving from desk to desk.

Data of course it does have to be input but if that takes priority over the mechanical manifestations of teaching and working directly with students then something needs to change.

It is important that teachers be aware of and make “mind notes” of the amount of time they spend locked at their tables with their computers. That ought not to be the major percentage of time occupation.

I believe the children respect teachers who move among them. That movement is also necessary for teachers to get to know their pupils in the best possible way.

Teachers do have to spend time at their desks with their computers, but it should be reasonable and not overdone.
POLITENESS AND GOOD MANNERS

These days, manners are not practised by habit. Many children (and adults) are poorly mannered. It seems that a big percentage have never been taught the rudiments of good manners at home. Child care programs may try but their prime focus is on minding, not on teaching.

All too frequently children overlook ‘excuse me’, ‘please’, ‘thank you’. ‘i beg your pardon’ and so on. Although it gets monotonous, correcting students who overlook these essences of politeness and good manners is important. Commenting in a praising context to children who do remember to use these words and expressions can offer positive reinforcement.

One of the most frequent oversights occurs when children butt into a conversations being held by teachers with another student or students. That impetuosity certainly needs correction. Children need to appreciate the need to wait their turn when dealing with teachers.

Manners can be broached through appropriately constructed lessons. To involve students in situational role play where manners need to be practised can help. Periodic classroom discussions about manners and politeness might be useful.
The subject could be broached through a Socratic Discussion session.

Strategies to reinforce the need for good manners including reinforcement through daily classroom interaction should be part of teaching and learning strategy. And that is for all classrooms, from pre-school to tertiary level.
THE BEST REWARD

VIGNETTE SERIES 17A: HANDWRITING, A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TEACHING NEED

Posted on April 9, 2015 by pooroldhenry

So important is handwriting that it needs to stand on its own.

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VIGNETTE 52

HANDWRITING SHOULD BE TAUGHT

There is a lot of debate these days about whether or not handwriting should be taught at school. In some countries, including Finland and the United States, handwriting has gone by the by. Rather than being taught how to use a pen, all students are given the opportunity to learn keyboard skills including touch typing.

While trying to understand why this change has occurred I would be the very last person to advocate that handwriting should become a skill of the past. Rather I believe that it should endure forever.

I am certainly not down on keyboards and computers. But for children to have both handwriting and keyboards is optimal. To become mono skilled with handwriting going out the door would be altogether wrong. There are many many occasions in life when handwriting is important and indeed the only written communications method available.

When teaching handwriting, the “3 P’s” rudiments immediately comes to mind. That has to do with the methodology of writing. It is about;
* pencil or pen hold
* paper position
* posture – the way we sit in order to write most effectively and comfortably.

Stressing these things over and over again until they become habitual is important.

Part of handwriting is teaching children how to hold a pen or pencil so that it is comfortable and their fingers and wrists don’t ache. Watching people write these days can be quite a torturous experience because of the way in which writing tools are held. It’s obvious from observation that many people have never been taught how to write. That is an absolute pity.

The size (diameter) of pencils and then transition from pencil to pen is a part of writing graduation. Initially pencils are thick and as children grow older with more dexterous finger management the diameter of the pencil become smaller. When a reasonable agree of writing skill has evolved, then is the time to move on to pans. That is usually around year four to year five. Children love graduation to pens and having pen licenses issued to them by teachers.

Lined size is a part of learning to write. The younger child the bigger the line. 1 inch lines (30mm) are generally the starting point going down to around 12 mm by the time children get to the end of middle and the commencement of the upper primary years. Handbooks and exercise books can be purchased where lines are divided into thirds. This helps children when it comes to tall letters (t, f,) and letters having tales (g, y q,). The dimensions associated with writing can be trained with children developing that discernment over time. Over time, the one third divisions can be left and children go to straight lines for their writing activities.

These days specific handwriting lessons are often not offered in class. Or it may be that there is a handwriting text where children simply open and copy what’s written for them. I believe that those texts are enhanced by use of a transcription book and also with teachers demonstrating letter formation, joins, words and so on the whiteboard. The idea of children learning by copying really helps when it comes to handwriting development.

The way paper or writing books are positioned helps when it comes to the slope of letters. Writing from left to right is part of this and can be difficult particularly for left-handed children. Left-handers tend to “drag” their arms across pages as they write from left to right meaning that dog ears and crumpled pages become the norm. Train children as they finish a line of writing to lift their arm going back to the start of the
And then working across the page from left to right that overcomes the shuffling of arm on paper that can occur if this is neglected.

Steadying the paper or page onto which writing is being done helps. For this purpose the spare hand can be used. So often it is seen propping up children’s heads as they write where that writing is the task of one hand alone. Rather than the spare hand being a head prop, metaphorically describe it as an anchor which holds the boat (paper or book) steady against the wall so that it doesn’t rock back off fourth, or similar. This will involve a lot of reminding and correction easily seen as being in need of remediation when teachers are walking around classrooms.

Support children with lessons as a transition from printing to writing script style. Linked script is part of this and it does take time to teach. Little and often is important and I would suggest a handwriting lessons every day.

Remember to comment on handwriting and praise the effort that students put in to the script. Be they printing or writing this praise will help.

Handwriting is so important. It needs to be revived not neglected.

SUNS 84 and 85: ‘GOVERNMENT FUNDING NOT IMPARTIAL’ and ‘NAPLAN LANDS ON 2015’

Posted on April 6, 2015 by pooroldhenry

SUNS 84 and 85: ‘GOVERNMENT FUNDING NOT IMPARTIAL’ and ‘NAPLAN LANDS ON 2015’

Both columns published in march 2015
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SUNS 84

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT NOT EVEN HANDED

There are many organisations which call on the NT Government for financial support and recognition. Some promote the performing arts and culture. Others are connected with sporting activities. These include motor sports, horse racing, football of all codes, cricket and periodic ‘big time’ sporting fixtures. They are all given government support to bring fixtures to the NT. The latest in a long line is tennis, with the NT Government ready to give big dollars to bring the Australian – Kagiistan exchange to Darwin. The government also provides $200 per school student each year, to offset family costs for their involvement with sport.

It seems that government support is not distributed even handedly. Arts and cultural groups struggle to earn government support. That has been the case during the lives of all Territory Governments. In an almost bipartisan way, sport is enthusiastically sponsored but arts and cultural needs are neglected. Those programs supported, for example ‘Bass In The Grass’ are about spectatorship rather than development for Territorians through participative programs.

The North Australian Eisteddfod has passed into history for lack of any long term budgetary assurance. Government support for this program was from year to year at best. The Eisteddfod’s demise has taken from students the chance to participate in music, dance, instrumental, speaking, reading and choral performance.

The Beat has managed to survive and continue. However, significant changes have been necessary, the major one being venue change from the Darwin Amphitheatre to the Darwin Entertainment Centre. The reduced venue is restrictive for both performers and audience size. The amphitheatre accommodated large audiences. The venue also allowed for many more children to participate for the two nights. DEC meant smaller primary school choir groups who were able to entertain for only one night. The second night involves a different set of primary school choirs.

It is thanks to the Darwin Rotary Club, its major sponsor and underwriter, along with other private support, that the Beat has been able to survive and carry on. The Rotary Club offers scholarships to primary and secondary school Beat participants who have career prospects in the performing arts. The NT School of Music and music teachers in school deserve plaudits for their dedication to the Beat. At least the Beat is still a goer, but for how much longer?

Sport and the arts responsibilities are now vested in the same minister the Hon Gary Higgins. I would like to think the Minister could see the need for a greater level of government recognition for the performing arts. Sportspeople endure for a relatively short period of time before being overtaken by age. Those preferring the arts, if supported, will offer a return to the community that is not end dated by age.
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SUNS 85

NAPLAN: FOUR ‘MAY DAYS’ EACH YEAR

Within a few short weeks, the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2015 will be upon us. At this time each year schools begin to focus with earnestness on the upcoming tests. Four school days in week five of term two are set aside for the administration of these tests. Three of the days enable attending students around Australia to complete the tests, with the fourth being a ‘catch up’ day. On that day, students who have been absent for parts of the testing week, can sit tests they have missed.

Once it’s over, staff and students should be able to relax a little. However, many school leadership teams and staff become anxious as they wait some months for results. It often seems that NAPLAN is the steering wheel that drives education.

Results are released to schools and parents. While the time between tests being taken and these results coming through has reduced, the Australia-wide analysis task means a lapse of many months.

The focus by schools and staff upon results often saturates staff meetings and professional discussions. Tests are taken by Year 3,5,7, and 9 students. However, contribution to NAPLAN testing is the responsibility of all teachers because learning is a continuous process. Principals business days with departmental leaders always have a strong focus on NAPLAN issues of testing, measurement and evaluation.

The efforts of school leaders and staff are regularly appraised and evaluated. NAPLAN Results including NAPLAN trends since 2008 are part of this program.

While NAPLAN is a measuring tool, there is a distinct danger that it can become the major focus of schools. Indeed, in the weeks and months leading up to May each year, children in many schools are taken through past tests, often with monotonous repetition. NAPLAN based text and exercise books have become major items for sale in bookstores and newsagents. This means parents as well as schools get involved with test reinforcement.

In reality , ‘teaching to the test’ has become a priority focus in the classrooms of many schools, both government and private. Some years ago Tom Chappell released a song about NAPLAN with a by-line pointing to teachers. ‘Your score is my score’ was the key lyric.

Chappell went on to sing about the fact that other subjects, including music, the arts and physical education were being sidelined for NAPLAN. He bemoaned the fact that ‘fun’ was being taken out of education.

Some educators and certainly the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) downplay NAPLAN as being only a small cog in the assessment wheel. The prime focus placed on these tests, including both elation and disappointment at school and system results would indicate otherwise. NAPLAN dominates the educational horizon.

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VIGNETTES SERIES 17: BE VISIBLE TO STUDENTS and PRESENT WITH STAFF

Posted on April 4, 2015 by pooroldhenry

VIGNETTES SERIES 17

BE VISIBLE TO STUDENTS and PRESENT WITH STAFF

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VIGNETTE 50

YARD DUTY

In most schools, yard duty is a very important part of the “extra” the teachers and staff provide for children. The pros and cons of yard duty have raised themselves as issues over many years but this responsibility is still with us.

I believe that yard duty is important not only for insuring children’s safety and well-being, but to help teachers get to know children in and outside the classroom.

There are a number of things teachers on the yard duty should take into account.

* Cover all areas of the designated duty area. Don’t stand still in one place but rather be aware and move around the whole of the area to which care is designated. Children love to get away into nooks and crannies, not necessarily for mischievous purpose but because at times they like to be alone, and on their own. Be aware of where children are with in your area.

* Converse with children as you go but avoid staying in the one place talking to individuals or small groups for too long. It’s the whole area that needs your coverage during time on duty. To spend too long in one place talking offers distractions from the 360°”eye and ear awareness” for which you are responsible.

* School guards can become horribly rubbishy places. Children have a propensity to throw litter onto the ground rather than using bins, even if the nearest one is only 2 m away. If and when you see children using the bins, commend them on their tidiness and care for the environment. A little bit of praise can go along way when it comes to building the tidiness and civic pride habit.

* If a child has an accident or injury while you are on duty, and if you are unsure of severity, send somebody who is reliable to the office to report the matter straight away. It’s often a good idea to send students in pairs to ensure that the message is delivered. If you have a mobile phone, contact with the front office may not be a bad idea. When out on yard duty I always carried my mobile and if there was a need to contact the office, it was done Some schools have two-way (walkie-talkie) radios which are used for this purpose.

* If a child is injured while out in the sun, offer them shade if you can. That may mean you shedding a jumper, giving up your hat, or standing over the child in a way that prevents the sun from shining directly onto him or her. At the same time encourage peers to stand back and not crowd in on the injured child.

* It can be helpful and comforting for somebody who is distressed to have a close friend with them to talk to them. It’s usually easy to identify such a person. To allow that person close proximity to the injured child while keeping others back is a good idea.

* Most schools have hat policies and also students who at times either forget the hats or prefer not to wear them when out in the sun. When on duty, be aware of children who may not have hats and direct them into shaded areas if your duty is out in the sunshine.

While some teachers don’t like wearing hats (and therefor set a bad example to children by not wearing them) I’d strongly urge duty teachers to always have a hat on their heads when out on duty. Remember, we model for children. If we don’t do what they’re required to do that places us in somewhat of a hypocritical situation.

* In most schools, recess and lunch duties are shared between teachers. That means at any break period there will be two teachers who share the time to oversight an area. Always be on time if going out on the yard duty or replacing somebody already there. It’s important to not leave an area unattended, because if an accident occurs while supervision is not supplied, duty of care comes into question. There has been more than one court case as a result of poor supervision when children are at play.

* If your duty area covers toilets, make sure you keep an eye on activity around toilet doors and be aware of the behaviours of children inside. You may not feel comfortable (nor might it be appropriate) about going into a particular toilet block but eyes, ears and awareness play a very important part in this observation. Behaviour in and around toilets needs to be appropriate and not ignored.

* There is usually a five minute warning bell or chimes to alert children to the fact that recess and lunchtimes are about to end. If out on duty, make sure the children stop playing when the bell begins to sound. Directing them back to classroom via the toilet, hand basin, and drinking fountain is a good idea. Encouraging children to be ready and in line with the second bell goes can be a good habit to acquire in time management. Time awareness is very important. As well, duty teachers generally need to be back to take charge of their classes or groups when the second bell goes.

Yard duty is central to the care provision provided for students by school staff. At times it might be a little irksome and you may not feel like doing it. However in the overall scheme of things here for children is paramount and duty of care critically important. Yard duty should never ever be neglected.
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VIGNETTE 51

STAFF ROOM CONTACT

If not on duty, my strong suggestion is that during recess and lunch breaks teachers spend time out of their classrooms, mingling with staff in the school staffroom is. It is important for teachers to have social contact with each other where that is not necessarily connected with professional learning and formal collegiate exchange. Sharing time together is important; teachers and staff members need to get to know each other.

Those who don’t intermingle miss out on a lot of conviviality and the sharing that goes with being in the company of others. Avoiding isolation and being regarded as an isolate is important.

Don’t focus conversation entirely on classroom issues. These matters will come up. However being away from the classroom physically should also support the need to be away from it mentally. There is more to teaching then classroom space and children within the class. If sharing outcomes, concentrate on the positives and things that have been good about a particular teaching session. It can be all too easy to focus on the ongoing challenges and continuing problems, therefore overlooking the good bits.

Avoid scandal, gossip and character besmirchment when sharing with colleagues. This includes picking children to bits and making comment of a negative nature about them. There is a time and place to have a conversation about challenging children. The social aspects of gathering together are important and again forgetting about what’s going on within the classroom for a period a useful device.

Cups and plates used during breaks should always be washed and placed in a drainer. Washing, drying and putting a way of utensils can help keep the class the staffroom neat and orderly. Many staffrooms provide dishwashers. Placing crockery and cutlery in them before going back to class helps ensure staffroom tidiness. There is nothing worse for support staff and those left behind to have to clean up after others. Messy teachers and staff quickly fall from favour with their peers.

Spillages on carpets and other floorcoverings can occur. To clean up any mess quickly is important. There are far too many school staffrooms where floorcoverings have been spoiled and the aesthetic affect of the room impacted because spillages have been left. Once dried on floors they are hard to remove.

Move on the first bell and aim to be back with the children when breaks are over and it is time to resume teaching activities. There’s often some distance between learning areas and the staffroom so giving yourself travelling (walking) time to get back and resume duty needs to be taken into account.

Mix with staff in a social context and don’t hide away from colleagues.
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VIGNETTES SERIES 16: LOCATION and TAXATION

Posted on April 3, 2015 by pooroldhenry

VIGNETTES SERIES 16: LOCATION AND TAXATION

Where to teach and reclaiming costs
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VIGNETTE 48

REMOTE AREA SERVICE

The challenge for the Department of Education in our Northern Territory is readying teachers after training to undertake remote area teaching service. Very few teacher education graduates in the NT go to remote or very remote communities on appointment.

This is due in part to many pre-service teachers from interstate training by external mode. They intend to seek appointment in their home states. The other issue is that many of our local graduate teachers are mature age, with family or personal commitments that will keep them in Darwin, Palmerston and other major centres.

If interested about teaching in a remote community, it is advisable to try and organise a practice teaching round or two in a remote locality. Charles Darwin University has a policy of sending at least two people to aa community so they have the opportunity to talk, provide feedback to each other and generally share the experience.

It would be altogether wrong to go into a practice teaching round with romantic or “missionary” expectations or ambitions in mind. Undertaking a practice should be based on rational and logical pre-considerations. To consider indigenous students as a “special” group is often to under estimate them, their capacities for learning and their ability to make progress. Neither should they be regarded as unique in the context of being almost treated like special toys. They are people and need to be regarded as having the same expectations and abilities as anybody else.

If going into a community on practice teaching, it is a good idea to gain an understanding of the place by googling, reading, talking with people who may have been in that or similar communities in the past. Going in cold can be very unhelpful. Be aware of the facilities available within the community including accommodation, food, shopping, communications, and so on.

I believe it’s important if going into a community to maintain our cultural standards. In the past some teachers have let their standard slip in order to try and be like locals. They gain no respect but earn contempt if that happens.

Respect is a two way street. While it’s important to gain the respect of community members, it is also important to respect that community and not to belittle the people or place in your thinking or actions. In the same way as we talk with each other, including aboriginal people in conversation if working at their place is important. A lot is learned through conversation.

There is a place for our local graduates in remote area education in the Northern Territory. At the moment significant number of teachers who do bush service are recruited from interstate. That is because locals are not available to take up appointments. Our aboriginal population is very much a part and parcel of our Northern Territory. An ambition of our University and Education Department should be to train teachers for remote community. Lots of positives can be gained in life’s world from undertaking teaching service in these places.

If interested in training or on graduation in teaching in our remote communities, don’t let that ambition lapse. Follow it up. It could well be an appointment bringing you rich experience and personal satisfaction.
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VIGNETTE 49

TAX DEDUCTIONS

Teaching can be a cost heavy profession. Keeping receipts of expenditure related to costs can help when it comes to taxation time. I am not a tax professional. Googling ato.gov.au or putting into your search engine ‘taxation deductions for teachers’ brings up the entry appearing below. It is good to be aware of what can be claimed because every bit helps when it comes to legitimate claims for taxation purposes.

Keeping documentation takes a little organisation. I keep an indexed notebook and glue receipts in against particular categories. Come taxation time, it is then a case of going through documentation and tallying expenditure against each deduction category.

I would never advocate dishonesty when claiming deductions. However, claiming legitimate work related expenditure can help with cost recovery.

What comes up when ‘taxation deductions for teachers’ is googled. (Australia)

“Teachers – claiming work-related expenses
About this guide
If you are an employee teacher, this information outlines some of the deductions you may be able to claim.
The work-related expenses include:
motor vehicle
clothing, including compulsory uniforms, protective clothing, laundry and dry-cleaning
self-education
other – such as phones, calculators, electronic organisers, computers and software, meals, and teaching aids
There may be other deductions you can claim that are not included in this publication. Refer to More information at the end of this guide for a list of resources.

When you sign your tax return, you are declaring that everything you have told us is true and you can support your claims with written evidence.
You are responsible for providing proof of your expenses, even if you use a registered tax agent.”
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End of attention

ON TEACHING – A PERSONAL REFLECTION

Posted on April 1, 2015 by pooroldhenry

For teachers graduating into our classrooms, it is often not a case of what they know or what they don’t about teaching methodology. Their introduction is often one of shock when they realise they are dealing with increasingly non-compliant children. While teaching practices can be put into place, they don’t wash with children who are deliberately defiant and behaviourally dysfunctional. Some of that may be down to identifying ‘syndrome’ issues that can be worked on and corrected. Many children however, are knowingly and wilfully defiant.

I have talked with many teachers who report of having to spend most of every day on managing and disciplining children, with very little time left for teaching. Sadly, blame for what goes wrong is directly blamed on school leaders and teachers.

Some years ago, during a session in which school leaders were (again) be taken to task about classroom occurrences and teaching shortfalls, I asked a key leader whether Australia’s Prime Minister and Education Minister were aware of these issues. They answer was they were aware, but didn’t want to know about such matters. That day, as a school principal, I began to actively think about retirement. On reflection, it was this conversation and an awareness of political response and lack of concern for teachers and leaders, that placed a career end-date in my mind.

EDUCATION, A LIFE FORCE

This site is to allow me to share writing and thoughts.

Monthly Archives: April 2015

MY DILEMMA AS A MARKER OF TERTIARY PAPERS

WALK AWAY OR GIVE BACK

VIGNETTES SERIES 19: ‘TOWARD BEING ‘DOERS’ and ‘CREWING THE CLASSROOM’

MUCH MORE TO EDUCATION THAN DATA (1)

SNIPPETS FOR EDUCATORS (6)

VIGNETTES SERIES 18: ‘PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY’ and ‘VALUE OF SHORT EXCURSIONS’

SUNS 86 and 87: ‘COMPUTER – ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS’ and ‘VOLUNTEERS FILL KEY ROLE IN SCHOOLS’

SNIPPETS FOR EDUCATORS (5)

VIGNETTE SERIES 17A: HANDWRITING, A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TEACHING NEED

SUNS 84 and 85: ‘GOVERNMENT FUNDING NOT IMPARTIAL’ and ‘NAPLAN LANDS ON 2015’

VIGNETTES SERIES 17: BE VISIBLE TO STUDENTS and PRESENT WITH STAFF

VIGNETTES SERIES 16: LOCATION and TAXATION

ON TEACHING – A PERSONAL REFLECTION