Shine, March 2009, Vol. 02 - Department of Education and Early ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

16 Mar 09 Briefcase Letters Well done and congratulations on an outstanding first edition of Shine. After having the initial flick through, I immediately went back to read a few snippets while on my coffee break. I found the magazine to be visually stimulating and interesting, not to mention useful. I am so very proud of your team for producing a meaningful resource that is modern and valuable for all teachers. I will no longer be skimming over the Education Times during recess, rather I will be looking forward to receiving my monthly edition of Shine and reading it from cover to cover over the weekend. Melanie Bingham Northcote High School This missive comes to you from a very old teacher and educational administrator who is still interested in what is going on. Being 81 certainly means old! I want to congratulate you on the very first issue of Shine. I’ve lived through a whole series of educational publications that the Department has used to communicate with teachers starting with the Education Gazette through the various broadsheets to your publication Shine, so I’ve seen a lot. I found Shine a fresh approach to providing information to the teaching profession, well written and interesting. I can imagine the struggles you have gone through. Congratulations and keep up the good work. John Collins-Jennings I have just read the February edition of Shine with great interest. I thoroughly enjoyed the many articles published, and in particular the one by Dr Patricia Edgar. I have a 13-month-old son and he loves nothing more than sitting down with a book and having it read to him. It is not unusual for me to find him sitting in his reading corner turning the pages of his books, looking at the pictures and babbling to himself in an attempt to tell the story to himself. What joy this gives to me as his Mum, and as an educator, to see him revelling in this activity at such a young age. Justinne Liberty Port Melbourne Yes, storytelling works. But books inhibit storytelling in its pure sense: oral storytelling. Oral storytelling skills need to be developed prior to reading skills and continued after children learn to read. Young children are asked at school to write stories while they are still struggling with the mechanics of handwriting. It would make more sense to first develop young children’s story skills through oral literacy since oral skills are easier to develop than written skills. June Barnes-Rowley Albert Park Email editor@edumail.vic.gov.au Letters may be edited for space. Letter of the month At a recent workshop I attended, held at the University of Melbourne, a question was posed to those educators present: ‘How old do you think someone should be before they begin exploring Shakespeare’s works’ After much discussion, we agreed on the younger the better! Imagine some of the beautiful images of the elemental realm, the fairy kingdom from A Midsummer’s Night Dream, washing over the fantasy world of a four-yearold child. Many of those present acknowledged the dislike or discomfort their middle school students had towards studying Shakespeare, simply because it was unfamiliar and strange to them. I could feel an excitement stirring in my being. ‘How lucky I am to be teaching a group of nine and ten year olds this year!’ I thought. Three weeks into the term and poetry and verse are a weekly feature. These sessions incorporate many of the techniques that have been designed to make Bill’s works more engaging and deeply understood. Thanks to Professor John O’Toole and Professor Kate Donelan from the University of Melbourne there is a new movement refreshing the way we teach Shakespeare. It’s worth navigating the University of Melbourne website to find out about the course they offer – Postgraduate Certificate in the Teaching of Shakespeare. Cathy Yeoman Briar Hill Primary School I was aghast to read Chris Wheat’s take on the issue of teaching Shakespeare in present times. He argues that Shakespeare should only be accessible to the ‘intellectually elite’ and implies that it holds no value to anyone with inferior ‘cognitive structures’. Tell me if I’m wrong, but isn’t our job as educators of English to expose students to a variety of rich and complex texts To completely deny a large proportion of students the opportunity to explore a single aspect of Shakespeare’s work on the basis of perceived lack of intellect is downright offensive. How can a student’s understanding of Shakespeare be discerned without first giving them the chance to explore it Surely teacher professionals can modify the teaching of Shakespeare in ways that enable all students to interact with the text and themes involved to varying degrees As Margaret MacKenzie points out, school is after all likely to be the only place many of us are given the chance to explore ‘that type of literature’. At the end of the day, let’s not forget, education is about opportunity and what kind of opportunity will exist if we deny students the opportunity in the first place! Nerissa Marcon Warrandyte High School
Briefcase Shine 17 What’s new this month Get creative for cruelty free experiments The Australian Association for Humane Research is inviting secondary school students to take part in its nationwide art and poetry competition. The topic is the hotly debated subject of animal experimentation. The competition coincides with World Week for Animals in Laboratories (April 18–25, 2009) and is designed to encourage students to research the subject in greater detail and give them the opportunity to express their opinions through prose, or through a range of art mediums, including photography, drawing and painting. Entries close April 10, 2009. For further information or to download an entry form, visit www.aahr.org.au or call 9832 0752. TUNE IN TO POETIC PODCASTS Australian poets have been brought to the microphone to read and talk about their writing in a series of 40-minute podcasts. A Pod of Poets is a unique partnership between ABC Radio National’s Poetica program and the Australia Council for the Arts. The podcasts include poets such as Robert Adamson, Les Murray, Joanne Burns and John Clarke. Visit www.abc.net.au/rn/poetica Free animal education program The RSPCA offers free education programs for schools and community groups. Developed and presented by professional educators, the programs are aligned with VELS and are designed to inspire compassionate and responsible attitudes and behaviours towards animals. Students can visit the RSPCA education centre in Burwood East for close encounters with farm animals, or education officers can visit schools throughout Victoria. Visit www.rspcavic.org or call 9224 2286. Discovering migrant history Teachers of Australian History and Politics are encouraged to take their classes to a new exhibition at the Immigration Museum titled ‘A Worthwhile Enterprise: The migrant hostel in Springvale’. The fascinating display records the history of the migrant hostel and the impact it made on the surrounding community of Springvale, as well as on Victoria’s broader multicultural landscape. Stories include those of migrants and refugees who were temporarily housed at the hostel, the workers who provided support and programs, and the community that embraced each wave of newcomers. The exhibition will run until March 23, 2009.
Page 1: Shine A publication of the Departme
Page 4 and 5: 4 Mar 09 Messages Welcome to the Ma
Page 6 and 7: 6 Mar 09 Bushfires Special Feature
Page 18 and 19: 18 Mar 09 Briefcase Walking among t
Page 20 and 21: 20 Mar 09 Briefcase Top Screen exhi
Page 22 and 23: 22 Mar 09 Briefcase Your calendar f
Page 24 and 25: 24 Mar 09 Education Revolution Scho
Page 26 and 27: The more stars the more water effic
Page 28 and 29: 28 Mar 09 Honour roll for educators
Page 30 and 31: 30 Mar 09 Maternal and Child Health
Page 32 and 33: 32 Mar 09 School News Victorian stu
Page 34 and 35: P01941A ADSA ad2.indd 1 5/3/09 10:4
Page 36 and 37: 36 Mar 09 School News Why schools n
Page 38 and 39: 38 Mar 09 School News Push for dive
Page 40 and 41: 40 Mar 09 School News Iramoo PS ren
Page 42 and 43: 42 Mar 09 School News Could yours b
Page 44 and 45: 44 Mar 09 Our leaders Introducing V
Page 46 and 47: 46 Mar 09 Great Debate Do girls ben
Page 48 and 49: 48 Mar 09 Motor Development great g
Page 50 and 51: Chelsea, a young child from the fir
Page 52 and 53: 52 Mar 09 Trauma Post-traumatic Str
Page 54 and 55: 54 Mar 09 Trauma already do. “It
Page 56 and 57: 56 Mar 09 Physical Education Playin
Page 58 and 59: 58 Mar 09 Physical Education Circus
Page 60 and 61: 60 Mar 09 Physical Education How to
Page 62 and 63: 62 Mar 09 Youth Transitions Transit
Page 65 and 66: Philosophy Shine 65 Small children,
Page 67 and 68:
Philosophy Shine 67 Philosophy in a
Page 69 and 70:
Movin’ on up: Increasing physical
Page 71 and 72:
The Department of Planning and Comm
Page 73 and 74:
Shine 73 Research Dr Sophie Reid Mo
Page 75 and 76:
Shine 75 many of the places, except
Page 77 and 78:
Shine 77 Staff at Moe South Street
Page 79 and 80:
Shine 79 Online passion for fitness
Page 81 and 82:
Resources Shine 81 Top healthy cant
Page 83 and 84:
Regional Roundup Shine 83 Loddon Ma
Page 85 and 86:
Vacancies Shine 85 Recruitment Onli
Page 87 and 88:
Appointments Shine 87 NAME SCHOOL C
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
Classifieds Shine 93 RETIREMENTS Cl
Page 95 and 96:
WATER RATING 6 WATER RATING 6 WATER
Page 97 and 98:
, Curtain Call Shine 97 Attention t
Page 99 and 100:
Professional Development Shine 99 W
show all

Shine, March 2009, Vol. 02 - Department of Education and Early ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?