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. Each State (i.e. Queensland, is a State in Australia) was on it's own page educationally. Now, with the new Australian National Curriculum, it requires State's to communicate and have equal parts in educational system conversations.
We spoke a lot of the same language:
We also talked a lot about how to best assess and instruct student's. In his teacher training, they look heavily at "open ended learning". Things like integrating learning for students. Taking the content and skill and teaching it in many areas (math, science, arts, etc.) and then have student's apply their learning according to each area of education so they are immersed in application of content and skill in a variety of settings, while connecting it together as one large learning experience. This feels like what we have tried to do at Thatcher Brook Primary School with the cultural study week. All classrooms and specials classes learning about the same thing at the same time and connecting it together with "big" school wide projects, assemblies, music, art, foods, games, etc.
We talked about Project Based Learning and the importance of relevance as a great way to motivate and reach students. Things like using "Mine Craft" or other video gaming trends to apply math and science learning concepts. It seemed like big dreaming in a sense, but it is what I am always working toward in my classrooms. Connecting health and physical education beyond these subjects and having students take the skills they learn into the "real world" in "real life" experiences. Making learning meaningful and relevant to students, while teaching the content and skills.
It sounds like Australia is starting a new adventure in education, nation wide, same as Vermont is starting it's new adventure with proficiency based learning. It was fun talking with Toby and hearing his excitement toward education and thinking of him coming in as a new teacher in a new system of learning that feels trans-formative beyond past educational adventures. I have not had the opportunity to talk to many upcoming teacher's. Most of the teacher's I talk to have been in the system for a while and sometimes find the difficulties of change being brought about by proficiency learning daunting, which can bring about some discouraging interactions. I enjoy the concept of proficiency learning and it was great to feel the enthusiasm of Toby.
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. Each State (i.e. Queensland, is a State in Australia) was on it's own page educationally. Now, with the new Australian National Curriculum, it requires State's to communicate and have equal parts in educational system conversations.
We spoke a lot of the same language:
- Open ended instruction and learning
- Proficiencies
- Project Based Learning
- Integration
- Applying Learning
We also talked a lot about how to best assess and instruct student's. In his teacher training, they look heavily at "open ended learning". Things like integrating learning for students. Taking the content and skill and teaching it in many areas (math, science, arts, etc.) and then have student's apply their learning according to each area of education so they are immersed in application of content and skill in a variety of settings, while connecting it together as one large learning experience. This feels like what we have tried to do at Thatcher Brook Primary School with the cultural study week. All classrooms and specials classes learning about the same thing at the same time and connecting it together with "big" school wide projects, assemblies, music, art, foods, games, etc.
We talked about Project Based Learning and the importance of relevance as a great way to motivate and reach students. Things like using "Mine Craft" or other video gaming trends to apply math and science learning concepts. It seemed like big dreaming in a sense, but it is what I am always working toward in my classrooms. Connecting health and physical education beyond these subjects and having students take the skills they learn into the "real world" in "real life" experiences. Making learning meaningful and relevant to students, while teaching the content and skills.
It sounds like Australia is starting a new adventure in education, nation wide, same as Vermont is starting it's new adventure with proficiency based learning. It was fun talking with Toby and hearing his excitement toward education and thinking of him coming in as a new teacher in a new system of learning that feels trans-formative beyond past educational adventures. I have not had the opportunity to talk to many upcoming teacher's. Most of the teacher's I talk to have been in the system for a while and sometimes find the difficulties of change being brought about by proficiency learning daunting, which can bring about some discouraging interactions. I enjoy the concept of proficiency learning and it was great to feel the enthusiasm of Toby.
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