First up Pete (@mr_van_w) gives a shout out to our local university Charles Sturt (CSU), who have don some cool innovation in teaching in the School of Engineering
John (@jfcatto) realises that the research kind of goes against his use of music in the classroom. He then tries to justify himself and eventually ends up questioning his current practice.
Pete then brings it home with a criticism of beloved Progressive EduGuru Sir Ken Robinson.
Pete: NSW uni course with no exams or lectures named among top 4 i the world by MIT - Pallavi Singhal
John: Listening to Music while Studying: a Good or a Bad Idea - Carolina Kueppa-Tetzel
http://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2016/11/10-1
Pete: We don't need no Sir Ken Robinson
https://gregashman.wordpress.com/2018/03/24/we-dont-need-no-sir-ken-robinson/
Learning salsa as important as maths, education expert says - Henrietta Cook
This week Pete (@mr_van_w) calls on Eddie Woo to reaffirm the importance of schools and the importance of relationships within those schools.
John (@jfcatto) has a look at some new research that shows the ATAR is about as relevant as we thought but much less so than most students or parents realise.
Pete: Raising a child is mission impossible. That's why it takes a school. - Eddie Woo (@mrwootube)
John: ATAR relevance questioned as report finds fewer students admitted based on rank - Shalailah Medhora
ATARs losing relevance for university admission but students are still hooked - Megan O'Connell
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-21/university-admissions-atar-is-outdated/9567862
A quarter of grads think their uni courses are useless, survey finds - Shalailah Medhora
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/quarter-uni-grads-think-course-useless/9312446
Pete (@mr_van_w) debunks the adage that we need to lecture kids at school because that will prepare them to be lectured to at university.
John (@jfcatto) questions the need for school at all and suggests a radical approach to home-schooling.
Pete: 'Sage on the stage' era of university lecturing 'is over' - Ellie Bothwell
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/sage-stage-era-university-lecturing-over
John: Don't send your kids to school and they'll go on to get a PHD. Wait, what? - Mammamia Team
This week we are joined by special guest Brendan Mitchell (C21_Teaching) who happened to be in our area.
John (@jfcatto) looks at the problems with a very prescribed set of standards to teach to and why we should move away from specific and universal standards full of tidbits of specific information.
Pete (@mr_van_w) considers different perspectives on the level of violence teachers can both expect and accept in the workplace.
John: Moving Beyond Facts, Skills and the Right Answers - Alfie Kohn (@alfiekohn)
https://www.alfiekohn.org/article/moving-beyond-facts-skills-right-answers/
Pete: Secondary school staff suffer work attacks - BBC News
Pete (@mr_van_w) looks at some of the decisions to make when implementing an effective Blended Learning program.
John (@jfcatto) briefly brings up some of the things to consider when implementing collaborative learning in class and then looks at some really handy tips for people starting out on their teaching journey.
Pete: What Separates a Good Blended Learning Program From a Bad One - Rebecca Rosso
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-02-20-what-separates-a-good-blended-learning-program-from-a-bad-one
John: Why I don't like Collaborative Learning Structures - Chris Baker(@mrbakerphysics)
https://medium.com/@chrisbakerphysics/why-i-dont-like-collaborative-learning-1130c1979019
Advice for those starting out as a teacher... - Chris Baker
https://medium.com/@chrisbakerphysics/advice-for-those-starting-out-as-a-teacher-219b6f3af380
John (@jfcatto) takes haven in the safe ground of Edutopia looking at some of the benefits new teachers have over their experienced but perhaps stale colleagues and urges teachers to focus on the positives rather than the negatives of new teachers.
Pete (@mr_v_w) looks at comments made by former NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli. Apparently parents are also somewhat to blame for their children's school results. Who would have thought?
John: The Advantage of Being a New Teacher - Matthew M. Johnson
https://www.edutopia.org/article/advantages-being-new-teacher
Pete: Former education minister blames complacent parents for school results - Michael Koziol