Nancy Brisbane Australia 2018

Chapel Hill State School Student Support Writing Group (small group of 6 kids):   This was actually my favorite observation of the day.  The way this women worked with the kids was amazing.  She had such a calm and flowing manner about her, that I could have spent all day watching her work with children. The students in this group were working on writing.  They had a one page handout they were working on.  For this handout, they had to work on various parts of writing - the most interesting activity was they had to rewrite a sentence and replace the word "said" with another word.  Each student had to share a different word that could be used in it's place.  A word like demanded, exclaimed and so on.  The way she got students to participate is what was so interesting to watch for me. The student support system is similar to my schools with SST and IEP for students needing support for skills below or above the year/grade level.  They h...

Working on my blog at the Street Beach in Southbank, Brisbane Australia                                      I work and the boys swim. Chapel Hill School: HPE:  Health and Physical Education: PE is  30 minutes once weekly up to Year 3.  PE is 30 minutes twice weekly Year 4 to 6. Kids get "Swim Days" once a week where they are transported to another school that has a pool for the swim program.  I am not sure if this is all Years or just Year 4 to 6.  I did not think to ask until after I had left the school. Health education is in the curriculum, but is not really happening because it is taught in the classroom by the teacher's and many teachers are not really comfortable teaching it or have trouble finding the time to teach it (so the HPE teacher says). ADEP (Athlete Development Excellence Program) - this was a little confusing to me, but from what I...

I spent 1 and 1/2 days visiting Chapel Hill State School.  There are around 700 students in years Prep to 6 (grades K-6 for us).  Campus Entrance (Parent Drop Off Loop) with Administration Building in the background. I have: Observed in Year 6 (Math and Writing) - this is equivalent to our grade 6. Observed in Physical Education (Year 3 and 6) - equivalent to our grade 3 and 6. Observed in a small (6 kids) supported writing group (Year 4).  Meet with Bridget  about PBL (Positive Behavior Leadership) which is like our PBiS system and Profiling (which is peer observation and feedback around classroom management). Meet with Rysia (Curriculum Leader) about Assessment and Monitoring.  Specifically about the Australian National Curriculum and Testing System.  Also around classroom assessment. Talked with several students in passing - mostly them asking me questions about "America" and if I liked Donald Trump.   ...

Toby Talk:   Eating lunch with the family at Peel Street Tavern, just down the road form our hotel, Jeff and I fell into an educational conversation with Toby.  Toby is a student of K-6 Primary Education at Queensland University, the same University that we are going to meet with Dr. Jill Willis, a Professor of Education, to talk about the Australian education system in the areas of assessment and evaluation.  Toby has even had Dr. Willis as an instructor in his time at Queensland University.  We talked extensively about the creation of the Australian National Curriculum and it's development.  He spoke of how it is a great development and big step forward for education in Australia.  He said that politically, in the past, because there is only one house, whoever is in charge of that house had the ability to decide educational systems and the house would approve of it because there is not a Senate to create discussion and further thoughts on the matter....

Australian Driving and Brain Learning :  We have been talking about the brain and how it learns in my SNHU Learning and Development course that I am currently enrolled in.  I knew that when we came to Australia, the cars and driving were different than the United States of America.  The steering wheel is on the other side of the car and they drive on the other side of the road.  Knowing and experiencing are two very different things.  My brain is still adjusting and learning to these two new concepts.  Learning: Remember to get into the correct side of the car.  I keep walking to the wrong side of the car to get in and then realize my mistake as I approach the car or even after opening the door.  My husband, Jeff, actually sat in the seat once before realizing the steering wheel was on the other side of the car.  Having cars come toward you on the opposite side of the road is very distorting visually and very "fight or flight" triggeri...

Indooroopilly State School Chapel Hill State School    Queensland University of Technology (Dr. Jill Willis - Professor of Education) EDGR 635 Assessment and Evaluation Course:  Travel to Brisbane, Australia Disclosure:   I intend to include any educational experiences and learning that occurs on this trip, even if it extends beyond the EDGR 635 Course.  For example, it might relate to my action research or to other course work I have done or am currently doing with SNHU.  If it is learning for me, I intend to include it in this blog.