#aussieED was founded on the belief that all teachers, and students, should have unlimited access to Professional Development, on their own terms, to improve their teaching, their schools and change the lives of the students they encounter. Since then, we have embarked on a mission to reach educators, not only in Australia but, all around the globe. We want to smash the barriers that prevent teachers from easily connecting and learning with each other. To that end, we have developed a regular Ed-chat each Sunday on twitter at #aussieED. The chat allows all teachers, leaders, administrators and all those connected with education to meet on an unbiased platform and discuss the real issues that effect what happens in classrooms everywhere. Our chats are authentic because we are real teachers walking the same walk that so many do everyday.
It's my goal this year too - sometimes the Innovation Spaceship travels at lightspeed, when our students are just learning to drive. Reinvent the wheel, drive the classics or send cars to space? So many lives hanging in the decision space... #aussieED
A6 First year of teaching AHT English Gordon McCracken reminded me they're kids and we don't know what they are facing sometimes outside of school so - 'Never shout at the kids.' I never have since except for attention. #aussieed
A5 Professional conversations are powerful, team teaching, observing the practice of others are ways I've shared practice. The act of just being open about yourself as a professional is where I believe you see the biggest gains. #aussieED
A6 First year of teaching AHT English Gordon McCracken reminded me they're kids and we don't know what they are facing sometimes outside of school so - 'Never shout at the kids.' I never have since except for attention. #aussieed
#aussieED The most successful thing at our school is informal sharing within faculty offices, followed by discussions at Friday drinks between people from different faculties. We also have compulsory workshops once or twice a term on a theme, eg, ICT, literacy, numeracy.
A5 Professional conversations are powerful, team teaching, observing the practice of others are ways I've shared practice. The act of just being open about yourself as a professional is where I believe you see the biggest gains. #aussieED
Practice & experience is sometimes better but I need to see the proof (this can be school or class data). Simply relying on anecdotes & ideology cannot cut it. #aussieED
3 Big DuFour Ideas:
1. The purpose of school is to ensure all Ss learn
2. Helping all Ss learn is a collaborative effort.
3. To assess our effectiveness we must focus on results/evidence of student learning & use this to improve our professional practiceā
#aussieED
PLZ respond
A6 Iāve also been told that weāre all replaceable (click fingers here) so donāt get too attached and lose yourself in the job - teaching starts with you as a life learner, serving with purpose and joy, without that youāre no good to our students #AussieED
#aussieEd The last one is still one that needs a lot of work. Feedback of course informs to improve learning but to have teachers open to it being a window on their practice every day is a major lever that will make a huge difference when all are open to learn
Thank you all for joining in with this chat tonight, I had to work hard as a host so I know you all did as contributors and that's what Shared Practice is all about 'sharing' #aussieED
#aussieED There was a push for classroom observations but it never really took off despite being semi-compulsory - people did it in a "tick the box" way rather than genuinely engage, and it was seen as "checking up on teachers". Sad, b/c I got a bit out of observing expert tchrs
Part III is interesting. When I want to assess my effectiveness, I talk with students. Results/evidence doesnāt always tell the whole story. #aussieEd
3 Big DuFour Ideas:
1. The purpose of school is to ensure all Ss learn
2. Helping all Ss learn is a collaborative effort.
3. To assess our effectiveness we must focus on results/evidence of student learning & use this to improve our professional practiceā
#aussieED
PLZ respond
Ok, I'm calling it, time for bed - my #OneWord2018 is #Habits - and the habit I'm working on at the moment is an early morning run - thanks for the great chat #AussieED!
Speaking of best apps any #aussieED friends got the best apps to use with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil? Best note taking app? Iād love to hear your suggestions!
Not sure if this was good advice. As Iām always invested in my work because our work is about people and being in learning relationships with them. But I do agree that as educators we should never lose that passion or joy for purposeful learning #aussieED
A6 Iāve also been told that weāre all replaceable (click fingers here) so donāt get too attached and lose yourself in the job - teaching starts with you as a life learner, serving with purpose and joy, without that youāre no good to our students #AussieED
A3: A PLC needs
- a focus on learning for all students
- a culture of collaboration & teamwork to make an impact
- a focus on results & data-driven decisions
An online PLN usually has a focus on student learning but often is just a place to share ideas
#aussieed
We all have a role to play here. Our understanding of students and how they learn brings results.If we 'do' students succeed. Professional practice is a life long vocation. As lifelong learners we have the ability to continually improve so our students improve #aussieED
3 Big DuFour Ideas:
1. The purpose of school is to ensure all Ss learn
2. Helping all Ss learn is a collaborative effort.
3. To assess our effectiveness we must focus on results/evidence of student learning & use this to improve our professional practiceā
#aussieED
PLZ respond
I have an āopen doorā policy with my classroom... as well as peer reviewing, learning walks, annual appraisals and regular PD - all strengthens the #PLC#aussieED
Great to see so many new people here for #aussieED tonight. If you are interested in blogging about tonight's chat let me know. Happy to help echo your thoughts
Thank you all for joining in with this chat tonight, I had to work hard as a host so I know you all did as contributors and that's what Shared Practice is all about 'sharing' #aussieED
Haha!, it's not so vicious. It's the opposite of strawmanning another's argument. Basically, you represent their argument as strongly as possible before responding to it. #aussieED
3 Big DuFour Ideas:
1. The purpose of school is to ensure all Ss learn
2. Helping all Ss learn is a collaborative effort.
3. To assess our effectiveness we must focus on results/evidence of student learning & use this to improve our professional practiceā
#aussieED
PLZ respond
#aussieED Interesting - I would have thought student feedback was data! :) I guess if you mean the trend to testing everything going using an easily administered multiple choice test or "super-worksheet", I'd agree we need to be more thoughtful and intentional.
PLCs do focus on students and teachers at the same time. Data driven results can be used to identify gaps in student learning. Most of the time, these gaps are filled by using collaborative teacher professional development. #aussieED
Thanks for joining us tonight for our #aussieED chat with @MRsalakas ... next week I will be taking the wheel & guiding us through the field of assessments! Join us next Sunday from 8.30pm AEDST!
My thoughts
1. Every teacher who goes into teaching would believe and hope for this.
2. Some think they can do it alone, but it takes the village!
3. If you don't believe in 1 & 2 you are going to have issues with this one!
#aussieED
3 Big DuFour Ideas:
1. The purpose of school is to ensure all Ss learn
2. Helping all Ss learn is a collaborative effort.
3. To assess our effectiveness we must focus on results/evidence of student learning & use this to improve our professional practiceā
#aussieED
PLZ respond
Here is where the conversation often stops because we undervalue what educators hear and see. I value research but I also value the time teachers spend in the doing each day. I wish we could build research into the day supported by academics so that more was āpublishedā #aussieED
Thanks for the share, that was a great read. I've experienced both kinds of observations-the one where I was told everything I was doing wrong and the positive one. Guess which one I valued more? #aussieED
Started with a lot of choice in who came in. Staff paired up with a friendly face and could specify what was being looked.for. Also part of Instructional Rounds so it is ongoing and staff see the feedback and how we can use it. Still a work in progress. #aussieEd
#aussieED Not at all, I wondered if there was some magic program called "Data Driver Teaching" you were referring to as opposed to general meaning. Like "Direct Instruction (tm)" or "Visible Learning (tm)"...
SteelMien? Steelworks? I do need new steelcaps... This feels like the beginning of a musical I want to see. Meanwhile, Abschied to my Stalwart Steel PLN... tomorrow is another teaching day. #aussieED
#aussieED What if there is a collective deficit? The risk of PLCs within a school is the school becomes a silo. I would argue my current workplace is a bit like that, both in the faculties I work in, and the school generally.
#aussieED Equally, if something I am doing affects multiple students, what if the same is being done by leadership? There are things I've learned from students I have changed as a result of blind spots I wouldn't have known without asking.
You're right, this is where we can't find an impasse in so many conversations. I agree that ideology doesn't prove anything and the plural of anecdote isn't data but teachers are making it work while reflecting and iterating their practise, which is valid #aussieED
#aussieED You have to walk with people and talk it through often through many conversations. If it's respectful you get good outcomes. If not... why be surprised but the staff will often get labelled as blockers when the strategy was flawed.
Itās a lot harder to inspire others to step up sometimes. Itās easier for ppl to follow. We need to give tchrs permission to rise, fail & get back up again - regardless of position and title. Every tchr has a passion & purpose - as leaders we need to find and support it #aussieED
#aussieED I had the same realisation after reading the article, felt bad as although I tried to be fair in obs, I used the (excuse the metaphor) "shit sandwich" approach - +ve, improvement required, +ve prior to this and I doubt anything I said changed anything as a result.
Takes time and trusting relationships to do this. Having a shared vision for learning helps navigate the conversation too. How might we do this with fellow tweeps online? What does respectful professional dialogue look like on Twitter when we donāt know the person? #aussieED
On occasion, I think people identify strongly with their position. It's their practice after all! So there is a fragility there that needs to be overcome to be open to new ideas that might conflict with their own. This is what our undergrad years should prepare us for. #aussieED
Just remembered...the one thing I can't teach without is THRASS. Out of curiosity, who else uses THRASS? Is there anyone who hasn't heard of THRASS? #aussieED
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āWe must work with diverse opinions even if based on feelings not factā sums up the tension we often have on edu Twitter when people are dismissed for sharing different views #aussieED also a good quick read on inclusive education
I walk away from an ad hominem, but we must work with diverse opinions even if based on feelings not fact, otherwise we entrench rather than move forward. Example - Pauline Hanson on disability in schools. I may disagree but her view reflects others and must be discussed.
We need to find a way for exceptional educators to stay in schools researching & capturing things they know are important and working - not everyone can commit the time and costs of formal post grad studies #aussieED
OTOH, an experienced teacher will see many more Ss over many more hours than most educational studies, and they will see trends and interact with them. Sometimes this makes practice > research.
#aussieED Been a big fan of OneNote since at uni and used it to take notes. Tried Evernote but found it a bit clunky and it's key selling point over OneNote and others (cloud) is no longer relevant. Use OneNote with a Windows PC with stylus and finding new use cases all the time.
#aussieED Would agree with passion for learning, against "you're replaceable" rhetoric. True, but not helpful - comes across badly. If I heard that, I'd be watching for the knives in my back! Long term relationships are powerful for learning - hate contract system for this reason
Proud to co-present Inform & Empower Cyber Safety with my sister (psychologist) to primary school parents. School & parent partnerships are crucial, love working with parents #aussieED#cybersafety
The āyouāre replaceableā comment is one a person should never hear, especially a beginning teacher. Itās amazing how you learn from different leaders in different places over the years. My leadership focus is on building up ppl and building our learning relationship #aussieED
#aussieED Completely agree in relation to beginning teachers. It's hard enough without a statement like that. I like the perspective on different leaders, I've been in the same place (1st school) with largely same leadership for 7 years, wondering if time to move on to develop.
#aussieED Applied for two places a couple of years ago (quite selectively based on school profile) but personal circumstances since then put it on hold. Would like to work in a less traditionally constrained environment to see the difference and learn.
Great to see so many new people here for #aussieED tonight. If you are interested in blogging about tonight's chat let me know. Happy to help echo your thoughts
Send any burning questions you have about #assessment to @Hobson_k early in the week! Weāll be exploring diverse ways of assessment and would love for you to join us #AussieED#edchat
Thanks for joining us tonight for our #aussieED chat with @MRsalakas ... next week I will be taking the wheel & guiding us through the field of assessments! Join us next Sunday from 8.30pm AEDST!
