Minnis Journals

ET News Digest

Your Weekly Education Newsletter

Narrow curriculum obsession is 'playing with future of children'
An obsession with NAPLAN testing is narrowing the curriculum focus as literacy and numeracy are best learnt in meaningful contexts.
That's according to CQUniversity Professor Ken Purnell, who says the “tail is wagging the dog” as we are playing with the future of our children. Read more

Resources don’t mean success for ACT students
You would think that Canberra’s population of politicians and government workers would translate into a high achieving school system but it hasn’t; a strong indication that resourcing doesn't translate into results as ACT schools are among the best funded in the country.
Data analysis by the Australian National University (ANU) shows ACT school students are several months, behind their peers in writing and numeracy. Read more

NAPLAN results are in – but what does NAPLAN result in?
With NAPLAN summary results now out, literacy expert Professor Beryl Exley says discussion needs to move beyond NAPLAN results to the impact of NAPLAN on children’s education.
Beryl Exley is National President of the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association (ALEA), and Professor of English Curriculum and Literacy Education at Griffith University, Queensland. Read more

Twelve 45k fellowships in Comm Bank Teaching Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2019 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards. The Awards aim to influence the future of Australian education by rewarding 12 inspiring teachers and school leaders.
Kylie Macfarlane, General Manager Corporate Responsibility at Commonwealth Bank, said the Teaching Awards, established in partnership with national education charity Schools Plus, are an important opportunity to acknowledge educators. Read more

Brain plasticity. The good news, the bad news, and the good news
The ability for the brain to rewire itself, is, of course good news. However, the brain’s ability to rewire itself has what may be thought of as having a ‘sting in the tail.’ This ‘sting in the tail’ arises in that the brain responds neurologically to negative destructive behaviour in the same way that it responds neurologically to positive constructive behaviour.
Read more

Vic Premier’s Sustainability Awards finalists announced
The Premier's Sustainabilty Awards acknowledges schools and individuals who have made a difference in getting Victoria greener and cleaner.
Albert Park Pre-School has been named a finalist in the Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards Education category for a project that celebrates a shared vision with the local Boon Wurrung people to keep a promise to Bunjil, a creator deity, to take care of the children and the land. Read more

Victoria’s closer look at school career development
One of the points of education is eventually finding gainful employment and the process should begin in high school but there is unevenness in how schools broach the topic.
Victoria’s government has recommended schools employ qualified career professionals and that careers content is embedded by subject teachers into the Year 7–12 curriculum.
The Career Development Association of Australia agrees. Read more

Brissie teachers among world's best tech educators
The Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert Program is a big deal; it recognises educators globally who have used technology to realise better student outcomes.
Sheldon College Year 4 Teacher Vanessa Tierney and STEAM Coordinator Years 1–6 Jade Frewin have been given the nod for their clever use of technology in teaching and will join an elite of about 7600 educators worldwide. Read More