Quality Learning and Teaching

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Productivity Tips

June11

In our crazy, busy world we often find ourselves running in circles to try and complete tasks. We become stressed, don’t feel as if we have achieved anything and do not find the joy of exploring and doing new things. The attached poster provides some tips on how to be productive and should be a reminder to find balance in our lives.

Productivity poster A3-smhb9t

 

 

Anything is Possible BUT How far is too far!

June5

Anything is Possible by Cosentino

I recently read Cosentino’s book, “Anything is Possible”. Cosentino is “Australia’s premier illusionist and escapologist – a magician to his fingertips, a man who constantly challenges our notions of what is possible”. I had seen some of Cosentino’s television performances and had been pretty impressed so I thought I would read his book to see what it was that inspired him to do what he did. I was somewhat surprised to find out how many trials and tribulations he had been through prior to my first viewing of his performance on Australia’s Got Talent. His professionalism had also tricked me into thinking that he wasn’t really in any danger.

The book includes key learning for life and education, it inspires and it raises some important questions closely aligned with learning and education.

School wasn’t easy for Cosentino, he records that at age 12, “school was torture for me”. He had extreme difficulties with literacy, particularly reading. This caused him great anxiety and he went to great efforts not to be found out. “Every week I spent hours in the school library laboriously copying answers from my friends’ work, feeling humiliated and hating every second of it. I longed to feel normal but too much of the time I felt strange, inadequate, isolated and alone.” [16] There are many children like Cosentino in our schools today and sadly not all of them find the pathway to their dreams. Not all of them even have a dream. Cosentino’s book inspires others to find their dreams and identifies the things required to achieve them. It highlights the need for teachers and other adults to believe in their children and to support them in the development and pursuit of their desired pathway.

A trip by Cosentino to the library led to an interest in magic and provided a purpose for reading and ultimately the development of Cosentino’s pathway. Cosentino began to devour books because he now had a desire to find the knowledge and skills he required to learn magic. His first performance to his dad was incredibly empowering: “To have him ask me how something worked was an incredible, powerful feeling.” [22] The very fact that he now had a skill that others didn’t was a great motivator. Of course, Cosentino’s success didn’t just happen.

It is clear that Cosentino followed the mantra: “Follow your own path. Commit to doing what you love. Believe in yourself. Then magic will happen. (35) He was lucky to find his pathway at an early age. If he hadn’t found that book in the library his career path would have been totally different. In Cosentino’s case magic literally did take place but “magic” can be seen in any school if a student has a clear pathway and is pursuing their dream. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work in a school for dancers and musicians. They were amazingly focused and had a clear direction. When I moved from this school to another school situated in a beach side suburb, this wasn’t the case for many students; they were just floating. At another school I worked at there were many students who did not believe in themselves or their ability to achieve anything. So, schools and teachers have a crucial role to play in supporting student achievements. There have been many policies, frameworks and programs created to assist student pathways. Some are successful, some not so successful. I believe that success is found in ‘relationships’. Teachers need to know their students and pay a genuine interest in them and their lives. They need to show that they “believe” in them and they will support them in pursuit of their dreams.

Cosentino often had barriers placed in his way by people who didn’t believe in him but his family and other experts along the way combined with his passion and drive brought about his ultimate success. His family supported him, made sacrifices for him and did everything they could to support his passion. This included things such as sewing costumes, building apparatus, marketing and management and providing honest feedback. And above all else loved him no matter what happened. Experts in the field demonstrated their belief in him by asking “how can we make it happen”, rather than saying, “it can’t happen”.

To say Cosentino had to work extremely hard and for a considerable time for his success is an under-statement. He experienced many set backs. Even when he had incredibly successful shows where his audience became BELIEVERS, he could not do the same to powerbrokers of the entertainment industry. It was not until he had participated on the show Australia’s Got Talent that they began to take notice. His book clearly outlines the misperception of what it takes to be successful.

“From the outside, success seems easy. Most of us have been guilty of underestimating what it takes. We look at people who are at the top of their game, whether it’s Serena Williams on the tennis court or Cate Blanchett on the screen, and think, “how lucky they are to be doing something they love, how good they’ve got it. What we are forgetting is the incredible effort it’s taken to get them to this point. Their grace, elegance and skill distract us from the sweat and commitment that made them so good at what they love to do.” (82)

I was certainly guilty of this in my judgement of Cosentino and reading his book was quite thought-provoking. As I read about each hurdle and the effort he put in to get past obstacles I recognised Cosentino’s tenacity and his resilience. If you want to get anywhere you have to learn to bounce back, however hard it feels at the time. [132] Resilience is something that many of our students struggle with. There are always going to bullies, there are always going to be pitfalls so students need to learn how to “bounce” back. Fortunately there are resources available to schools to help their students in this respect.

The main question that arises from the book is “how far is too far”? How far should we push, how far should we support that pursuit of a dream? I love the fact that Cosentino is a pioneer and trail blazer. I love the fact that he frightens the life out of us by his miraculous tricks and escapes BUT I want him to continue to do this, I do not want the pursuit of his dream to result in his death. I found myself questioning how difficult it must have been for his parents to continue to believe in him and support him as his performances got more and more dangerous.

To some people what I’d achieved so far would have been satisfying enough. But I’ve always been hungry for more. Not bigger for the sake of it but better because I feel duty bound to make the absolute most of whatever talent I’ve been given and to help give magic its rightful place. [178]

Cosentino was extremely fortunate that he had a family that loved him and would provide him with advise. His family was not focused on money or marketing they were focused on supporting him as an individual. They wanted him to be safe. Cosentino acknowledges that danger comes “when you ignore the red flags and go from taking carefully calculated risks to taking wild chances. That’s when people get hurt or killed. [286] His family were there to wave those red flags. “Dad waited until we were alone to let his feelings rip. He was really angry now. No-one knew why the electronic system controlling the rotation had failed, but it was obvious to him how near I had been to a critical injury. He said with force, “This is too much, it’s just getting stupid now. These risks are too high.” As teachers we need to care for our students and we need to provide them with a safe environment where they too can take calculated risks in their learning. Just as Cosentino continued to take risks in the pursuit of his dreams his family and supporters supported him in making his work environment as safe as it possibly could be.

On reflection Cosentino says, I’ve come a long way from the withdrawn, self-doubting kid I was when magic found me at age twelve…But as far as I’ve come, to me it feels like this is only the beginning. I was once asked what keeps me awake at night. I spoke from the heart when I said it was the fear that I won’t have the opportunity to show the world my full potential.

 To find out more about Cosentino buy and read his book:

Anything is Possible by Cosentino, Harper Collins, 2016 or check out his website:

http://www.cosentino.com.au/home/

“Retiring” teachers

March5

The 10 best things about retirement for a teacher (so far)

Are you a teacher thinking about retirement?

Teaching is a very rewarding career but it can be difficult to make the break. There is always something exciting happening in education, there are projects you have started and want to see through to the end, there are students who you have nurtured and would like to see graduate and of course there is that fear of not having that mental stimulation through the job and the interaction with your colleagues.

Though I am only in the infancy of my retirement the following outlines the list of the 10 things I think are really good about not having to work and 10 things about how to fill in your time.

  1. Make an appointment for anytime of the day. “Yes 10 a.m. would be just fine for that appointment. It gives me time to walk the dog, have a leisurely breakfast and get ready”. No longer do I have to fit my life around work, rather I can fit my work around life.
  2. Work when and if I like. I’m having six months off work but am keeping my eyes open for options. It’s my choice.
  3. Rest if I become unwell. I’ve lost count of how many times I have dragged myself into school even if I was sick, and/or continued to work from my sickbed. Lack of exposure to students’ running noses and sneezes will hopefully diminish colds and flu.
  4. Utilise my gym membership every day of the week. No longer do I have to waste that gym membership because I could only manage to go a couple of times a week as I was so tired. It’s not nearly as busy during the day so that is also a bonus.
  5. Travel at non-peak times. Yeh!!! Cheap airfares and accommodation. Where to next?
  6. Clear my mind. This means I’m not consumed every moment of the day about what I have to do at work or planning throughout those “many” holidays that teachers get.
  7. Focus on the things I’ve always wanted to do. A room full of craft items are waiting for me to complete them. I can feel those creative juices flowing. I’ve re-invented my office to a craft space.
  8. Nurture friendships. Many friends have suffered from my business over the years. The great thing is that some of them are approaching retirement too so we are now able to plan adventures too. It is important to me to remain a friend to the school. As I live close to the school I can attend important events if my diary permits. Technology also allows me to see what is happening at the school. It is my choice how much involvement I have with anyone.
  9. Do the housework and gardening on a week-day!! No longer are my weekends filled with housework and pulling weeds or thrown into chaos if I go away for a weekend.
  10. No more dressing for the job. The ritual of putting on make-up, blow drying hair and agonising over what clothes to put on that will keep me comfortable inside and out the classroom has gone.

So those were the good things about retirement but how am I going to fill in my time. My colleagues helped me create a “bucket” list.

10 things to do in my retirement

  1. Travel: I have a wish list of places I want to visit and I can now do this at non-peak times. Travel doesn’t have to be in foreign climes though; there are many local areas to visit. I plan to be a tourist in my own town.
  2. Volunteer or part-time work: There are many opportunities to volunteer. This could include programs in schools such as literacy, numeracy or mentoring. Exam supervision or CRT are paid options in schools. Other options I plan on exploring are: football clinics and migrant support programs. Nursing homes are always looking for assistance and male friends have told me attending Men’s Shed is great experience.
  3. Exercise: I am now using the gym how I always wanted to. I have a set time to go so that each of my mornings has a routine. Of course, there is a certain amount of flexibility in this. The beauty of this is that you get to know the people at the gym who support you in the achievement of your goals.
  4. Create: I have enthusiastically gathered a whole lot of creative projects over the years: a quilt set (although I can barely sew), card making, scrap booking, quilling. These are all waiting for me in my re-organised craft room. I also have a great desire to write, particularly historical narratives. Look out for my first best seller!
  5. Relax: This is retirement after all so I plan to take the time to smell the roses, both literally and metaphorically. I have been told that you cannot kill roses but I’ve achieved this a number of times. I love gardens so I plan to give my roses the time they require. It is about balance. One of the things worrying me about retirement was that I would just sit there and do “nothing”. This is not the case.
  6. Online activities: There are many online activities to become involved in. I have already joined a scrapbooking and sewing club online. As well as participating in an edublogs challenge.
  7. Community groups: There are many community groups to become involved in. These include: reading, sporting, cultural. I have opted for a walking club because it provides me with exercise and engages me with other people of a similar age in my community. The other beauty of this group is that I actually get to travel (monthly events) to other areas to walk.
  8. Learn: There are so many things to learn, be it related to education or personal interest. Local councils often provide cheap or free workshops or seminars. The Victorian Institute of Teaching provides lists of accredited professional learning.
  9. Family: Families of teachers can be the first to suffer from the workload of teachers. I plan to see, support and enjoy my family during my retirement. They are the ones that matter most and you never know when they may be taken from you.
  10. Sleep: When I was teaching I averaged about 6 hours sleep. I thought this was enough and would continue after I retired. It hasn’t I am now sleeping about eight hours (if the dog lets me). I am feeling much better for it.

Life is short! If you decide to retire, cherish the contribution you have made to teaching but move on and make the most of your new extra time. “Life is precious”.

Please feel free to add any other ideas.

Old Cherokee tale of two wolves

October5

In exploring calmer classrooms, positive learning framework and restorative practices I came across this video. It supports the notion of the need to “feed” positive behaviours and to teach students how to respond emotionally. Timothy O’Leary explains that we are not all hard-wired at birth with all the emotions we need and many need to be explicitly taught. Instead of telling students about their poor responses we should be teaching them and modelling to them the positive emotions and providing them with feedback when they exhibit these.

An inspirational story of triumph

July11

How a football team inspired a boy and how a boy inspired a football team!!! Being a mad Collingwood supporter, as well as being a school teacher, I was particularly touched by this story. It is sometimes hard, if not impossible, to imagine some of the experiences some of our students have had to face in their very short lives. Many of these experiences have traumatised them and often they have lost the belief that they can learn and achieve. It is challenging for teachers to combat this but it is an absolute necessity to ensure students receive their entitlement of a quality education. Building strong relationships and differentiating the learning (so that students learn at their point of need) is the approach I have taken in my classes.

The need for critical and creative thinkers

May25

Using solar panels to make our roads. Could this really happen? This video highlights the need to think differently. Not just to continue to do the same because that is how we have always done it. So rather than say, we can’t do it that way, let’s say how can we make it happen?

AITSL Ongoing Learning for Teachers

March11

Performance and Development reviews are an important step in building and maintaining a learning culture in a school. This AITSL video is a great reminder of the importance of teachers in learning and the importance of teachers continuing their learning.

Fired up and Ready to Go!

February14

Student self efficacy and belief that they can achieve is a challenge for all teachers. This video can be used as an inspiration for teachers to be fired up about teaching and at the same time, it is what we want our students to be…fired up and ready to go.

The Power Within

January22

The Power Within

 

This clip is for a Duracel battery, but it has a great message of the power of believing in yourself. It would be a great stimulus for writing or dialogue around learning and achievement.

The Black Hole – A Dilemma

January19

http://youtu.be/P5_Msrdg3Hk

This is a great little clip that can be used to have students explore moral dilemmas. If teaching the text “Trash” which I will be then it is useful because both texts involve characters who accidentally find something that can lead to riches. Exploring how the characters act on their discovery should lead to some powerful discussions.

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