I have had a question from an overseas colleague regarding National Partnerships and Focus on Reading 3-6.
One question that is easy to answer is ‘where do you buy the Focus on reading kit?’ – The answer is, it is not a kit. It is a paradigm shift in thinking about how we teach reading and comprehension. The content focuses on teacher pedagogy, not a kit you pull out of box and distribute to the students. The training will take place over a 12 month period. The implementation phase will be a 2 year period.
I will add links to this post of researchers and practitioners providing the theoretical basis for this program.
The second question was ‘What are National Partnerships?’ To put it simply a federal and state agreement on funding for schools which were considered at risk after extensive analysis of the 2008 NAPLAN data. Funding is provided to develop the skills of the teachers to enrich their pedagogy and turn around the performance in the target areas.
Cheers,
Glenn.
In a previous life ‘my favourite saying’ I completed an equity in tech audit across 14 K – 6 schools in the Met South West of NSW. This ended up as a major presentation at the NSW PSFP conference in 2001…… or somewhere around then at the University of NSW. My thesis was the disparity in access to tech could lead to a major equity issue for all students. I just spent a wonderful 45 min re-living those thoughts as I loaded Ubuntu (a Linux based operating platform) on a dusty, old, busted, crashed and dented laptop that a neighbour purchased for their daughter.
It now is quicker than this 4 month old bloated machine I am blogging on now.
The wireless card was picked up directly and operated without fuss.
This young year 5 girl now has a cracker machine at a fifth of the cost of a netbook. It will not run office, who cares we have ‘Open Office’ a great platform. Media???? The new Linux distro surprised me. It is good! Malware?? not now, however, I guess in time, maybe never??
Wouldn’t it be great if old laptops could be used in this way to break down ‘The Digital Divide’ . Just remembered what the title was LOL!
Yes I am still an open source fan boy.
Yours in reminiscing,
Glenn.
The most comprehensive training program and package I have been involved in. There will be a lot of reflection, re-reading and planning for the successful implementation through LMPS.
It will re-focus our core business back on to our students and our personal professional learning.
Speaking of which, I have started my journal for accreditation at Professional Leadership with the NSW Institute of Teachers. It will be a long process that I believe will be quite a journey and quite rewarding. It appears I am the 23rd candidate for accreditation at this level.
I have been asked why? The answer is simple. I was feeling increasingly hypocritical as I was pushing our new scheme teachers through the process of accreditation and not really having a true understanding of the pressures and the like the teachers were experiencing. There is another reason. I will learn a lot. Pretty simple
Cheers,
Glenn.
Welcome back to Term Four. I have been mailed and asked what is going on. Well…… the simple reason is i needed a break 
. I have purposely not looked at this site since late September.
I really needed to focus on my role at school and make sure I was doing the best job I could.
I also took this opportunity to observe private sector management styles. This was a real eye opener for me, an opportunity I feel all school leaders should experience. I have a new appreciation for the role of a leader in business and the performance management frameworks they work within. Thanks to Jesper, Johan and Janelle for letting me be a part of your world.
This week Narelle and I are off to the NPP ‘Focus on Reading’ training program. I am sure this program will provide a great deal of fuel for this blog.
Thanks to those colleagues who thought I was kidnapped or the like…
Hi to NZ. Will be there ASAP.
Cheers,
Glenn.
