New year, new job, new challenges

it is the last day of 2007, and I cannot wait for 2008. Can't wait for 29th January actually. My life as a Cluster Educator is over, and I am very sad to leave it. I have loved every minute of this role; loved meeting so many new and exciting people, appreciated the support network we had established, thrived on being able to have the luxury of time to continue and advance my learning, loved having the opportunities to spend time with so many class room teachers and students from Prep through to year 10.
These are the flowers my management team gave me at our last meeting for the year. They were lovely. I wish the Templestowe cluster schools all the best for the future, although clusters as we know it no longer exist. it is a shame, after four years, the relationships were built and change was happening .. Oh well.

I am taking on a new role ... Year 9 Learning Faciilitar at Ivanhoe Grammar School. They have introduced an innovative out-of-class learning program for their year 9 students. It is quite amazing ... It involves an Inquiry based learning project operating from LaTrobe University, an Urban Systems experience at their St Stephens campus, an online collaborative project with schools in New Zealand and a "journey" fully planned and organised by the students. But don't worry you can follow my jouney from the new blog i have established. And when I get settled and organised anyone who is interested can come and have a look at what we are doing.

what happens ?

I haven't posted for a while, I have thought many things but just not made the time to stop and reflect. I know kids of today ( my own two included) claim they can work and think with music on and MSN chats happening and stuff going on around them but I cannot. Call me old fashioned, old school or just OLD !! For me to truly reflect I like quiet!

I have been reflecting on a number of things though. In my job I work with teachers from P to 12 and many things have hit me lately
1. I taught grade 1/2 today , read them a story and gave them a creative task. Watched as their teacher discussed the importance of planning and the questions they needed to ask themselves before rushing off and designing a 'chicken feeding machine. Their enthusiasm and creativity was delightful.

2. Then I helped grade 5/6 make movies for a project on Health. A few were creative, they were less keen to stop and plan, and I noticed they were far more conservative in their ideas.

3. THEN, I asked a friend how her year 9 science class went. We had spent quite some time trying to make 'elements, compounds and molecular structure' more interesting. Giving them the opportunity to make a model, allowing them choice in the method of demonstrating their understanding. But alas ... no real interest, no creativity, no enthusiasm. Yes VELS suggests making it 'real-life' learning and turning topics into true problem-solving activities - but the reality is 4 x 45 minute periods with 7 topics to cover and be assessed for the next report.

I found myself asking 'what do we do to these kids that kills that love of learning.' Why do they have to learn about 'elements, and compounds anyway !" How cold we have done it better ? We have tried many things with 9E in science - interactive websites, Comic Life, mobile technologies ... we just can't seem to engage them .... not at this particular school anyway. It disturbs me and I will be giving it more thought.