I was revisiting my own teaching philosophy earlier today and began to wonder what other educators thought was important in guiding their own practice. I came across an article that asked some pertinent questions and helped me to clarify the validity of my own philosophy. Read the rest of this entry »

After reading Bill Jefferson’s post on Tribes I got quite a response from Australian Tribes educators (just see the comments section in Bill’s post!) One of the most respected Tribes Trainers in Australia, Coleen Davidge has kindly submitted a guest post on the subject of Tribes TLC to flesh out what was started by Bill. Read the rest of this entry »

The Tribes TLC is mainly a process that incorporates a community-like structure. The purpose of this is to enhance positive social and academic development by creating a healthy learning environment. Each classroom is assigned active learning groups and each of these groups can consist of four members each. These groups are called tribes and they are intended to stick together over a period of time which leads to the development of social skills, inclusion and resilience among team members. Read the rest of this entry »

I like to share books with others, especially books that have had a big impact on my life. I know that not all (if any) may appeal to you and that they may not even be the sort of book you would read. What I am interested in is the type of books you consider life changing. It may prompt me to check them out.

I will get things started with my list Read the rest of this entry »

In a leadership meeting last week we had an unannounced guest speaker. In these circumstances you don’t know what you are going to get! It was Denise Wilcowski the head of the Territory’s Association of Educational School Leaders. Read the rest of this entry »

I used to be a ’shocker’. I was the immature ratbag that couldn’t control himself when in a meeting or presentation that was mind numbingly BORING. Read the rest of this entry »

A school support assistant (or Teacher’s Assistant; in Australia they have several names depending on the State you live in) is someone who supports a teacher in every way possible making many of his/her tasks easier to accomplish. Read the rest of this entry »

It is a question I am asked sometimes, and for me there are two defining factors in my career as an educator. The first is how I actually got into teaching and the second is why I stay in teaching. Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Edward De Bono devised a technique, or thinking tool, to aid group discussion and individual thinking. This technique allows for groups of people to think together more effectively.

The premise of the method is that that a human being thinks in a few distinct ways. Often in meetings we defer to arguing and point scoring, rather than problem solving and seeking solutions. De Bono developed a theory that forced a group of people to work together to achieve outcomes that fully considered all aspects of a problem or situation. Read the rest of this entry »

What could rock climbing possibly offer someone like me? That was the question I asked just before hitting the ‘close’ button on the video you are about to watch. Luckily I decided to watch the first minute, as it turned out to be inspirational. Matthew Childs shares nine pointers for rock climbing. These handy tips are very useful for all of us that are interested in personal growth. Read the rest of this entry »