Professional Educator Volume 9 Number 2 June 2010
In this edition of Professional Educator read about:
Evaluating My School
The My School website is designed to provide nationally-comparable information on almost 10,000 schools in Australia - but educators also need information on the impact of the website itself, writes Australian College of Educators Chief Executive Officer Margaret Clark.
What we give them - Value-added measures
The My School website has proved popular with the public, but could it be better? Ben Jensen argues that by including measures of the value added by schools, the website could be improved to build on the success of the national assessment program.
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Bursting the My School bubble
Does My School have relevance to your school? Is it credible, accurate, fair and necessary? Melbourne High School principal Jeremy Ludowyke busts some of the myths surrounding the My School website.
Standard practice
What will national professional standards mean for Australian teachers? Gail Rienstra examines how the draft standards must be amended if they are to improve teachers' practice and status.
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Working towards a 'world-class' curriculum
Is a common curriculum an overdue and invaluable teaching tool, a rushed and incoherent politically-driven imposition, or something between these extremes? Australian College of Educators President-Elect Professor Alan Reid explores the problems and the possibilities of the national curriculum for schools.
The perils of policy
Parallels between the Australian and the British experiences of national testing suggest that we have much to learn from the Cambridge Primary Review. Rebecca Leech reports.
Learning from Mao's Last Dancer
Author Li Cunxin talks to Rebecca Leech about his experiences of education, what Australian students today have to learn about excellence, and the lessons he learned from inspirational teachers.
My school, my curriculum, my life
This year has heralded a new era of transparency, federalisation and communication for education. Seamus O'Grady examines the convergence of My School, the national curriculum and Facebook.
Stress less - Dealing with adolescent anxiety
If not addressed, the stress experienced by many young people can lead to more serious mental health issues - but it is relatively easy to equip students with effective stress-management strategies, says Megan Varlow.
Add it up - Why teach mathematics?
Paul Ernest considers some fundamental questions: why learn mathematics, why teach mathematics, and what do we want students to get out of it?
Review
The Business of School Leadership - A practical guide for managing the business dimension of schools
As I see it...An evolution odyssey
Danny Katz critiques the greatest self‑assessor of our times.