Pete (@mr_van_w) is back and unsurprisingly primed for a rant despite feinting to the contrary. He then espouses the benefits of corporate-speak in the classroom. John (@jfcatto) discusses the complicated issue of specialty teachers in primary education.

Spoilers: Together the solve "Australia's Primary Challenge" #yourewelcome 

Articles:

Pete: Why My Classroom Needs A Mission Statement - Joel Speranza (@JoelBSperanza)

http://joelsperanza.com/classroom-practice/mission-statement/ 

John: Time For Teacher Educators to Step Up on Primary Specialisation - Jacqueline Magee (Learning First) 

https://learningfirst.com/blog/2017/5/15/australias-primary-challenge 

Affirmative: Should We Have More Specialist Teachers in Primary Education? - Greg Ashman

https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/should-we-have-more-specialist-teachers-in-primary-schools/ 

Negative: Secondary Science and Maths Teachers in Primary Schools are Not the Solution - Dr Charlotte Pezaro

https://cpezaro.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/specialist-science-and-maths-teachers-in-primary-schools-are-not-the-solution/ 

This week Pete (@mr_van_w) is busy, so John (@jfcatto) is carried through the podcast by first year teacher, colleague and regular listener Rich Watkins (@Cambourne26).  

Articles:
John: Where is the evidence to support differentiation? - Greg Ashman

https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/where-is-the-evidence-to-support-differentiation/ 

Rich: Energy and Calm: Brain Breaks and Focused-Attention Practices - Lori Desautels 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/brain-breaks-focused-attention-practices-lori-desautels 

In an episode discussing the dangers of taking absolute and polar opinion; Pete (@mr_van_w) talks about the Michaela School and the torrents of vitriol that are directed at the school and more importantly the staff. John (@jfcatto) presents a point of view that he surprisingly doesn't agree with.

Articles:

Pete: I reject your experiences and substitute my own - Mark Johnson (@markxsyst)

https://disengagededucator.wordpress.com/2017/05/07/i-reject-your-experiences-and-substitute-my-own/ 

John: Are Progressive Teaching Methods A Bit Like Fast Food? - Andy Warner

https://andywarner78.wordpress.com/2017/05/06/are-progressive-teaching-methods-a-bit-like-fast-food/  

Pete (@mr_van_w) continues talking about the politicisation of education on the release of Gonski 2.0. John (@jfcatto) brings to the podcast some hard evidence about the benefits of 1:1 computers in Science whilst trying not to mention the DER.

Articles:

Pete: "A range of articles that quote slightly different numbers"

John: Direct link between teaching and learning with laptops and HSC results in Biology, Chemistry and Physics - Simon Crook

http://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=2060 

John (@jfcatto) looks at some of the ways you can tell if Personalised Learning is working in your classroom. Pete (@mr_van_w) laments the end of the Safe Schools program and discusses the politicisation of education.

Articles:

John: 3 Simple Ways You Can Tell If You're Suceeding Wityh Personalized Learning - Lee Watanabe Crockett

https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/3-ways-succeeding-personalized-learning 

Pete: Safe Schools program ditched in NSW, to be replaced by wider anti-bullying plan - Nour Haydor

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-16/safe-schools-program-ditched-in-nsw/8446680 

After some catching up after missing out on recording an Ep last week, John (@jfcatto) talks about some of the enthralling tabletop games CIA recruits get to play. Pete (@mr_van_w) talks about L3 and other one-size-fits-all solutions sold to schools by corporate interests. 

 Articles:

 John: The CIA Uses Board Games to Train Officers - and I Got To Play Them - Sam Machkovech

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/the-cia-uses-board-games-to-train-officers-and-i-got-to-play-them/  

Pete: What We Can Learn From the L3 Debacle - Greg Ashman

https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2017/04/13/what-can-we-learn-from-the-l3-debacle/ 

Pete (@mr_van_w) is amazed that there are teachers that still believe in learning styles and John (@jfcatto) tries to see the half-full cup in everyone and other "hippy nonsense".

Articles:

Pete: Letting Go of Learning Styles - Amber & Andy Ankowski

http://www.pbs.org/parents/expert-tips-advice/2016/03/letting-go-learning-styles/ 

John: Assuming Positive Intent - Laura Thomas

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/assuming-positive-intent-laura-thomas  

For a change John (@jfcatto) and Pete (@mr_van_w) bring in a couple of good news stories. Well kind of good news.

Articles:

John

Students in Countries with High Religiosity Perform Lower in Science and Mathematics - Gijsbert Stoet & David Geary

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289617300247 

Why the Most Successful Students Have No Passion For School - Jihyun Lee

https://aeon.co/ideas/why-the-most-successful-students-have-no-passion-for-school 

Pete: Students Today, Employees Tomorrow - Kristie Kellahan 

http://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace-relations/students-today-employees-tomorrow-20170222-guj7aa.html 

At the end of a busy week for everyone:

John (@jfcatto) discusses the difference between coding thinking and thinking coding. Whilst Pete (@mr_van_w) bemuses slipping enrollment for private schools.  

Articles:

John: In Finland Kids Learn Computer Science Without Computers - Emily Deruy

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/02/teaching-computer-science-without-computers/517548/ 

Honourable mention: @linjdaliukas http://www.helloruby.com/ 

Pete: Private Schools are losing their magnetic pull

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/private-schools-are-losing-their-magnetic-pull-20170313-guxfzr.html 

John (@jfcatto) questions whether we are using technology to substitute or redefine teaching methods and Pete (@mr_van_w) embraces International Women's Day by raising the issue of the lack of girls choosing to learn Science #womanoftheyear 

Articles:

John: Are We Innovating or Just Digitising Traditional Teaching - Beth Holland

https://www.edutopia.org/article/are-we-innovating-or-just-digitizing-traditional-teaching-beth-holland

Pete: Girls and Science a Dream Deferred - Ainissa Ramirez 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/girls-and-science-dream-deferred 

Pete (@mr_van_w) critiques a woman he knows nothing about for doing the right thing and speaking up about problems in education and John (@jfcatto) imagines a scenario where we taught how to play baseball as inappropriately as we teach how to do Science. 

Articles:

Pete: The Way We Teach Our Children Is Truly Crazy - Elizabeth Farrelly @emfarrelly

http://www.smh.com.au/comment/the-way-we-teach-our-children-is-truly-crazy-20170223-gujyh1.html 

John: Why Isn't Science Class More Like Learning to Play Baseball? - Alison Gopnik

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/10/12/why-isnt-science-class-more-like-learning-to-play-baseball/ 

John (@jfcatto) brings in a few ways to prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist and Pete (@mr_van_w) discusses the newly released NSW Syllabus. 

Articles:

John: 5 Ways to Prepare Your Child for Jobs That Don't Exist Yet - David Dodge

https://codakid.com/5-ways-to-prepare-your-child-for-jobs-that-dont-exist-yet/ 

Pete: Stage 6 Syllabuses - NSW Education Standards Authority

https://syllabus.bostes.nsw.edu.au/stage-6/ 

John (@jfcatto) talks about meaningful home-learning tasks and this week Pete (@mr_van_w) brings in a listicle with tips for new teachers. 

Articles:

John: Homework vs. No Homework is the Wrong Question - Maurice Elias 

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/homework-vs-no-homework-wrong-question-maurice-elias 

Pete: How to Survive in Teaching

https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2017/02/05/how-to-survive-in-teaching-/ 

https://twitter.com/greg_ashman 

John (@jfcatto) brings in a listicle about building a growth mindset and Pete (@mr_van_w) recommends a podcast about teachers admitting they make mistakes.

Articles:

John: Helping Struggling Students Build a Growth Mindset - Marcus Conyers & Donna Wilson 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/helping-struggling-students-build-growth-mindset-donna-wilson-marcus-conyers

Pete: My Bad Podcast - BAM! Radio Network

https://www.bamradionetwork.com/my-bad/ 

Pete (@mr_van_w) decides that two straight white men should fix the problem of apparent sexism in the workplace. After fixing that, John (@jfcatto) looks at some persistent yet incorrect ideas that are often seen as magic bullets for fixing education.  

Articles:

Pete: Still Fewer Women in Positions of Leadership - Australian Bureau of Statistics 

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4125.0~Aug%202015~Media%20Release~Still%20fewer%20women%20in%20positions%20of%20leadership%20(Media%20Release)~10011 

John: 5 Big Ideas in Education That Don't Work - Anya Kamenetz

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/01/14/508991615/5-big-ideas-in-education-that-dont-work 

Pete (@mr_van_w) decides that two straight white men should fix the problem of apparent sexism in the workplace. After fixing that, John (@jfcatto) looks at some persistent yet incorrect ideas that are often seen as magic bullets for fixing education.  

Articles:

Pete: Still Fewer Women in Positions of Leadership - Australian Bureau of Statistics 

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4125.0~Aug%202015~Media%20Release~Still%20fewer%20women%20in%20positions%20of%20leadership%20(Media%20Release)~10011 

John: 5 Big Ideas in Education That Don't Work - Anya Kamenetz

http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/01/14/508991615/5-big-ideas-in-education-that-dont-work 

John (@jfcatto) discusses the DITCH book and Pete (@mr_van_w) talks about using Twitter to connect with like-minded souls and build a PLN.

Articles:

John: DITCH That Textbook - Matt Miller

http://ditchthattextbook.com/ 

Pete:  Using Twitter to build a Personal Learning Network

www.twitter.com 

Tags to watch: #NZFlipChat, #FlippedLearning, #FlipClass, #EDChat, #AussieED, #SatChat, #PTChat, #ECTChat   

John (@jfcatto) depresses us all with more tales of standardised testing and Pete (@mr_van_w) pulls us out of that hole with use games to enhance reading and writing.

Articles:

John: Behind Singapore's PISA rankings success and why other countries may not want to join in the race - Amanda Wise

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-08/behind-singapore-pisa-rankings-success/8104074 

Pete:  Books-to-Games: Turning Classic Novels into Role Playing Adventures - Ki Sung

https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/10/27/books-to-games-transforming-classic-novels-into-role-playing-adventures/

Honourable Mention: Teaching in Higeher Ed Podcast http://keeganslw.com/teaching-in-higher-ed-podcast/