Back to school ..... but what to do !!!

Tuesday teachers go back to work and Wednesday the students arrive. But what do I do? I have no classes and I doubt any teacher is going to want me hanging around when they are busy getting started. I hope they take the time to do the most important thing - get to know their students. Making the connections and working on the relationships is so important . Primary schools tend to do this well, but secondaries !! Well ?? unfortunatley so many secondary teachers still think the most important thing is to set the rules and begin work, get stuck into "their subject". I intend to invite myself into a primary classroom to watch and learn how this is done in the upper primary level.

I have a collection of ideas and examples of activities teachers can use to get to know their students. I think during this coming week I will put them onto a WIKI to share and to allow any people who read my blog to add to , if they wish. A "wiki", hhmm, that makes me smile, a week ago I didn't even know what one was and now I can't wait to set one up !!. It goes to show that the philosophy of "just in time learning", OR "What's in it for me?" applies to adults as well as teenagers. If you are passionate, or interested in something or just "have to " know for a purpose, you WILL learn. We need to keep this in mind for our Middle Years students, especially year 9's.

At Templestowe College the Year 7 staff should be starting with a "Learning to Learn" unit devised by four Educators. Spending the first few lessons in all subjects getting to know the kids and then teaching them about how they learn best, establishing their preferred learning styles, discussing and learning about the sorts of foods to eat, how they affect the brain, the best environment for learning and beginning to talk about the Habits of MInd.

The Cluster ran numerous workshops and professional development sessions on the Habits of Mind in 2006. Daniel Gooding, Leading Schools Fund Eucator for Knox Secondary Learning Community, was a great help to us and his knowledge and assistance was appreciated. The College decided to implement the Habits into the school curriculum and culture, beginning with the Junior School and then continuing in 2008 into year 9 and 10. Staff need to be committed and make a conscientious effort to incorporate them into their units plans and daily lessons. It will be interesting to see how they go. I hope they remember I am available at any time for assistance.