The Centre for Professional Learning Podcast

Class Dynamics & Wellbeing Online: Remote Teaching Special Part III

Rosemary Henzell emphasises the role of teachers in supporting students and colleagues in this difficult and unusual setting...
This is Part III in a three-part special series recorded during the Coronavirus situation and Public Health Orders affecting NSW.
“It’s just saying to students ‘I’m here and its going to be okay’ and I think we do become an important anchor figure for our students in some way. So, lots of little affirmations, however we can do that for our students, whatever platforms they are on, whatever resources they are engaging with, if we can find ways to show they are important to us and we are here and we want to know how they are. That is going to encourage them to come to class and to log on and to join in...
As much as we can we want to maintain routines that support them and we want to normalise things as much as we can because we know that other things are out of our control.”
For information about CPL Podcast contributors, as well as Off Class episodes, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

Assessing Learning Online: Remote Teaching Special Part II

Rosemary Henzell reflects on the challenges of the online environment and the importance of noticing all your students and their learning...
This is Part II in a three-part special series recorded during the Coronavirus situation and Public Health Orders affecting NSW.
“One of my biggest takeaways from last year was the sense of being blind. I think we underestimated how much data we get from being in the classroom that we don’t even realise that we are taking in...
I think we’ve all had to be quite creative with the way we have had to fill in those gaps. It’s hard and that’s the first thing we need to understand and remember... Assessment in the broadest possible sense is crucial right now...
Those opportunities that we have in the online environment with interactive documents can be really helpful, and we can also do it with group projects...
Having a couple of bigger things that we are working towards, I think that normalises the online environment for them, they have an expectation that we will work towards something and they will have to produce something...”
For information about CPL Podcast contributors, as well as Off Class episodes, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

Setting Up Online: Remote Teaching Special Part I

Rosemary Henzell shares her experiences setting up manageable online lessons and plans...
This is Part I in a three-part special series recorded during the Coronavirus situation and Public Health Orders affecting NSW.
“We know we try to be organised always, but I think we can actually be a little bit more responsive in the classroom environment... I began to use a digital planner for every class... it relaxed everybody and everyone knew they could feel prepared and they would know what was coming....
Students became so overwhelmed by the number of platforms and documents that they were being asked to navigate...
We’ve got to find what works for us and experiment with a number of different things until we find what really suits us....”
For information about CPL Podcast contributors, as well as Off Class episodes, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

CPL Aboriginal Studies 11 12

Cath Jeffery explains why all schools should offer Aboriginal Studies...
“Start and conversation and be informed about what the subject actually is. I think one of the biggest myths is that it’s only for Indigenous students... If you have students going into health, education or law then definitely Aboriginal studies is part of the mandatory subjects they will have to do...
When you move into the HSC course you really get a grounding into the relations in contemporary society....
In relation to community, you don’t have to have those links before you start... it builds relationships that are authentic and embeds your local Aboriginal community into four years of the curriculum.
... there are lots of opportunities for cross-curricular benefits so that students who are studying their HSC have that increased depth across subjects...
It’s important to create a classroom space where all questions are welcome...”
For information about CPL Podcast contributors, as well as Off Class episodes, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

Off Class - Try This: Classroom Management K-6

Kathryn Bellach suggests approaches to improve your classroom management...
The mood in your class is set by your behaviour. If you are welcoming, encouraging and positive, the classroom will be too.
• Explicitly teach behaviour.
• Create a welcoming environment.
• Be consistent and fair.
• Make students feel part of the ‘class team’.
• Work as part of a school team.
• Your class are not your responsibility alone.
• Focus on correcting one behaviour at a time.
• Prepare students for different settings.
• Make the room your own.
• Consider an individual behaviour plan.
• Plan around student interests.
For information about Off Class contributors, takeaway notes and graphic summary, as well as the CPL Podcast, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

CPL Confidence Using Assessment Data and Statistics K-12

Jim Sturgiss and Gavin Parker want you to assess your students with confidence...
There is a lot more assessment now... kids are tested beyond belief at this stage and there is no point having data if you are not going to analyse it and use it.
Data is one thing but unless you map that to some kind of assessment framework which puts flesh on that in terms of what the data means in relation to the syllabus its meaningless.
If you do not understand how the assessment has been put together than that data is fairly meaningless... External data can give a good understanding of where there might be a gap in the teaching programs related to the syllabus... With NAPLAN, the error of measurement of any kid’s score is quite high...
If you get your assessment right it will drive your teaching. Think about what you are going to assess, how you are going to assess it and the standards you are going to address and everything will flow from that.
For information about CPL Podcast contributors, as well as Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

CPL Beginning Teaching in Country Schools K-12

Cath Jeffery has taught and raised her family in country NSW. She reflects on how she became invested in her students and town...
“You’re kind of always on... and that can get a little bit draining at times... your parent teacher interview can be anywhere.
...You need to establish boundaries very early, have those conversations very early when you join a team or a club. But if you show the initiative and be proactive, having those conversations helps to dispel any potential incidences that may come up...
You become a very valued member of the community... The ability to make changes... has been a real positive.”
For information about contributors and the CPL Podcast, as well as the Off Class podcast, Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

Off Class - Top 5 Classroom Management Tips 7-12

Lloyd Bowen shares some reliable strategies to begin with in any classroom now...
Know the students and their community, their background, and their values. Learn what the wider community expects.
• Stop and look around the class
• Control the energy in the room
• Have a refocus spot
• Be organised
• Use visuals
Aim for young people engaged in learning who are interested in what they're learning about, and who understand how they can use their learning in the wider world.
For information about Off Class contributors, takeaway notes and graphic summary, as well as Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

CPL Researching Together for a Fair Go: JPL Special Edition Part I

Wayne Sawyer and Katina Zammit share some theory and findings of the teacher-research model of the Fair Go Program, which is celebrating its 21st anniversary...
“We all came from an equity and social justice background... and we were very much interested in trying to improve the learning outcomes for students in disadvantaged schools...
“we were trying to change the learning that was happening in classrooms... its not like we come along and tap the teachers on the shoulder and say ‘your cognition needs to be upped’, but if you’re interested in working on your pedagogy, we’re interested in working with you...”
“there is a tendency to pick up something that is a short-term fix that doesn’t necessarily have long-term outcomes for students... sustainability is a key issue and that’s why for me, teachers as researchers was so important... It’s the mindset of taking on research, asking a question and looking for evidence...
For information about contributors and the CPL Podcast, as well as Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au

CPL Leading a High Expectations Curriculum 7-12

Lila Mularczyk and Maurie Mulheron insist public schools must maintain a comprehensive curriculum and that no option should be left unexplored to provide the full range of subjects...
“Its very important that children, whether in Walgett or Woollahra, are expected to have a degree of resourcing and a professional qualified teacher in front of them.”
“We need those institutions, the Department and universities, working together...
“the longevity of understanding and putting in place years in advance is really important....”
“It goes to your strategic planning... if we agree as a staff that we are a high expectations school, then what do we need to do? Where are the gaps? Where are the professional learning gaps and expertise?”
“...start thinking in terms of subjects, disciplines, physics, chemistry... and marry the teachers to the subjects and their love of their subjects.”
“...the kids pick up on that passion and expertise”.
For information about contributors and the CPL Podcast, as well as Journal of Professional Learning articles and Centre for Professional Learning courses, please visit our website www.cpl.asn.au