I have just compared timetables with teachers from seven other schools. I will complain about many things from this point onwards but I wouldn’t swap my timetable for anything. Thanks Joeys

I’m facilitating a session on “supporting teachers” – it’s very eye-opening to hear of the burnout that other teachers suffer and how they’d like to avoid it. The telling thing is that no-one wants a reduction in teaching load – they are energized by teaching. Ken Robinson makes more and more sense every day.

How often have we as educators done our very best work when we break a few rules?? Maybe we need long winded unattainable assessment schedules just so we can all – teacher and student alike – experience the creative joy of ignoring them and doing what we are all good at. Comrades…….to the barricades……….”Do you hear the people sing, singing a …………….”

You shouldn’t send teachers on conferences – we start having mad and controversial ideas. One great thing about this conference has been discovering just how highly regarded we are as an educational establishment – there are people out there who see us as the shining city on the hill…..I spoke to one teacher last night who’s worst day in education was the day she didn’t get a job at Joeys. Yet they seem to believe that we must be, we have to be, leaders and innovators in 21st century education. Are we? Would we honestly say we are? I know I’m not……….yet!

A structure becomes most rigid when under threat……..just saying!

Oh – and Marist education just got held up as a shining example of how to do it well 🙂

Great quote from Chris Betcher “Have I taught for twenty five years or for one year twenty five times”

And away we go – about to listen to a keynote speech from Chris Betcher – the ICT integrator at PLC. I get the impression that he’d be amazing in the classroom and what has impressed me about him so far this conference is his absolute statement that ICT is a teaching tool, not a teaching end. There are a few people here who are gadget crazy – but are lost for words when you talk to them about how to integrate gadgets in the classroom. I’m looking forward to another day of having my eyes further opened and I shall be shouting very loudly from monday morning onwards……..so no change there then!

The official learning of the day is nearly over and soon will be downtime before the “networking” barbeque. I was just tweeting to another attendee about the fact that my brain hurts – I need time to take this all on board and i think I’m going to swim around underwater in the lagoon for a while and hope the voices in my head stop. You could choose to be downhearted about what we haven’t yet managed to achieve – I’m choosing to get excited about what is yet to come. Now for the pool 🙂

I’m in a session with a guy from Griffith University – he’s basically throwing great ICT ideas at us and it is like being hit with a tsunami of great information. As teachers we will never be able to take on board all this stuff – I guess we just need to find what works well for us and the students and be good at it. Jeez my brain hurts!!

Had a wonderful session working with a junior teacher from Korumburra School in S.E. Victoria. I had to criticize her unit of work – and there was nothing to criticize. It was ineresting that where I did criticize was in the very area that I feel I fall down most as a teacher – namely the language, design and clarity of the assessment rubric. I’d love to know if other people struggle with producing an assessment rubric that works for you and your students.