Thursday, September 24, 2015

Intro to Relief Teaching course launched!

Hello everyone!

"An introduction to Relief Teaching for Graduate Teachers" is a free beginners course for relief teachers new to the profession in all types of schools.  We've had a page up about this one for a while but there were some things going on in the background that made us hold back on posting about the release of this one for a while.


We did a LOT of research on this course over a number of years and sought input and feedback from many new sources when getting this one out became achievable.

Being a VIT CRT Network Coordinator since 2008, I have had a great deal of experience supporting new relief teachers to become desirable in the schools they work in.  What we do as Relief Teachers can be challenging and supporting each other's classroom practice has been a very important part of what we have done since we began the Network.

While advice on our classroom practice is often frequently passed on and easy to find, training to become a desirable and effective relief teacher outside of our classrooms is not always easy to find leaving many struggling to find their footing in the greater educational community.  This new course is a combination of professional, classroom and personal topics dealing with the specific differences Relief Teachers experience when compared to Classroom Teachers.  It is intended to give new graduates important groundings in the professional aspects of Relief Teaching and answer many common questions that Relief Teachers have about our role in education.


Feedback on the course has been quite positive so we'll leave it up to a participant to show the effect this course can have for grads:

"I think the most important point is I am on the right track in my relief teaching journey. I found the course engaging and it helped to cement and expand on my learning. I have been relief teaching for a year and I think if I had watched this video right at the beginning it would have helped me so much as my uni did not talk to us about relief teaching and I had to struggle through and hope I was doing everything right. I don't think there is anything else that needs to be added. I think it is a wonderful resource for new grads to look at and I will definitely be passing it on to others."
-name withheld.
We are happy to say that, through some shoulder-rubbing by the guys over at the Relief Teacher Association, this course has begun to draw the attention of universities and some will be actively directing their students to it.  We believe this is a win for graduate CRTs who will now have some access to down to earth training to help them understand how to use CRT work to launch their teaching careers.

An effect that we were also hoping for, though did not have the time in the course to build in specifically, is that Relief Teachers that have been out for a while would also find it useful in another way.  An affirmation of their practices and their importance in education even if it doesn't seem that way or the stresses of the job are getting to them.

"I enjoyed the course. I'm coming back into teaching after time away and am now much more willing to view my relief work as important to the school. The information was practical and interesting and helped me determine that I'm on the right track. Thanks"
-name withheld.

"As someone who has been relieving for a couple of years, by choice, it has heightened my self esteem, renewed my desire to continue teaching and has provided me with some good new ideas. I think the information offered was helpful and relevant."

-name withheld.
Relief teaching can sometimes be a thankless job and sometimes we need a bit of reaffirmation that what we do is vital to the ongoing education of students.  Although we sometimes don't feel like we get enough time in a classroom to "make a difference", we make a difference every day simply through the role we fulfill.

I am glad this course is also filling that role and providing my colleagues with a much-needed "pick me up".

Regards,

Mel.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

PD announcement - MoneySmart Teaching (Albury)

Hello everyone,

We are pleased to announce we have organised and opened bookings for the MoneySmart Teaching PD in Albury.

This will include content on Financial Literacy via the MoneySmart teaching program - a cross curriculuar program including literacy, numeracy and other subject areas.

Cost:  FREE.

Date:  18 July 2015
Sign-in:  10.45am
Duration:  11.00am - 2.00pm (3 hours) - certificates supplied via post after presentation.

Venue:  The Hovell Tree Inn, 596-614 Hovell St, Albury

Full details can be found here:

http://wodongacrtsupportnetworkpd.blogspot.com.au/p/moneysmart-teaching-professional.html

Regards,

Mel.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Local opportunity for AEU members.

This is an AEU Member opportunity only.  This is not a Network PD opportunity, we're just keeping everyone in the loop ;).

From the AEU's CRT Bulletin:

Want to learn more?

Want to get an in person report on the implications of the Victorian budget? Come to a regional meeting and hear from the AEU's elected leadership how the budget will affect you and the work you do. You can find your local regional meeting here.

Wodonga
 

Carrier Arms Hotel, Cnr Church & South Street, Wodonga
Meeting to begin 5.00pm - dinner meeting

Wangaratta
 

North Eastern Hotel, Spearing Street, Wangaratta
Meeting to begin at 5.00pm - dinner meeting

Please click the relevant date to get the appropriate flyer and RSVP details.

Regards,

Mel.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Booking Status - The Singing Classroom.

Max seats:  40

Currently booked:  25


This post will be updated to refelct booking status.

Regards,

Mel.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Bookings Now Open - The Singing Classroom.

 
A Music and Cognitive Development PD with presenter Sue Arney.
Video - Wangaratta presentation 2013


As can be seen in the above video this is a hands-on, activity-based PD aimed at incorporating music into the mainstream classroom. Not only is it a valuable educational experience for teachers, it's a fun and entertaining day with your colleagues!

The Singing Classroom – Level 1
  • Introduction to the purpose of singing in the classroom
  • Singing and brain development
  • Links to literacy, numeracy and more
  • The use of singing, body percussion and instruments to stimulate creativity
  • Sample songs, rounds, group composition activities, writing a rap and more
  • Supporting the development of self-confidence in teachers and students
Full details can be found here:  http://wodongacrtsupportnetworkpd.blogspot.com.au/p/pd-workshop-singing-classroom.html

Note:  As a self-funded PD, DEECD restrictions on attendance does not apply.  NSW CRTs are more than welcome to attend (this PD is not BOSTES accredited as it is sourced through a Victorian provider).


Regards,
 

Mel.

Friday, February 13, 2015

VIT PRT Seminars 2015

Hello everyone, the 2015 dates for the VIT PRT seminars are now available.

Wodonga: 

Term 2:  Tuesday 26 May - Tafespace - 158 Lawrence St Wodonga - 3.30pm - 6.30pm.

Shepparton:

Term 3:  Wednesday 22 July - Quality Hotel Parklake - 461 Wyndham St Shepparton - 3.30pm - 6.30pm.


SEMINAR DETAILS:
  • Registration and afternoon tea: from 3.30 pm
  • Victoria Teachers Mutual Bank – Financial Literacy: 4.00 pm
  • Victorian Institute of Teaching: 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

PROVISIONALLY REGISTERED TEACHERS ATTENDING WILL:
  • Be briefed on provisional registration and the requirements for full registration
  • Access resources for completing evidence of professional practice
  • Meet staff from the Institute who can be contacted for assistance 

Dates in other locations in Victoria:



Registration Instructions:



Regards,

Mel.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

PD Announcement: Setting Your Students Up For Success!


Hello everyone!

This course uses Visual and Hands-On resources to explore and overcome some of the challenges students face in their journey towards becoming literate.


Setting Your Students Up For Success is based loosely on my successful Literacy Games PD workshop for CRTs.  This one focuses more on the core concepts of hands-on learning and how to use them to engage, motivate and educate your students!
  • Common reasons for disengagement from Literacy.
  • The relationship between engagement and behaviour management.
  • Engaging and hands-on resources to support writing skills.
  • Hands on and visual learning in english language word structure.
  • Hands-on and visual strategies for prompting during writing tasks
This PD is not only to help us inderstand hands-on literacy in our classrooms but also how to understand how to pick engaging and effective resources and activities for our CRT "bag of tricks".

Venue:  Online Delivery (through OpenLearning.com).
Date:  Now available and "always on"!
Host Company:  ClassCover's Relief Teacher Association.
Cost:  $20.00 (AUD)
Duration:  1.5 hours.
  • Approx 40 minutes of presenter delivered video.
  • Approx 10 minutes of additional video from other sources.
  • Approx 40 minutes of activities.
Collaboration is part of the intentions of this course and is not included in the duration!  Please remember to add the appropriate time to your submission to VIT for registration renewal.  We'd also add that the collaborative nature of these PD is an excellent way to reinforce and expand on the learning provided!

All proceeds from the creation of this course and ongoing payments are going directly into funding CRT Network activities (Wodonga and Shepparton). Accessing this course is not only helping you in your classrooms, it is also supporting your CRT colleagues in regional Victoria!
Go To This Course On OpenLearning.com.

We hope you enjoy this course!

PS:  For information on other courses now available through Classcover please see the post on our Main Blog (scroll down for additional info).


Regards,

Mel.

Monday, February 9, 2015

PD Workshop Announcement The Singing Clasroom with Sue Arney

Hello everyone,

We have just booked our first PD workshop for 2015 (Term 2);  The Singing Classroom with Sue Arney.


Wangaratta Presentation:  2013


"A Professional Learning program for generalist primary classroom teachers offering them support, confidence, skills and resources to sing more regularly with their students."

“Music education uniquely contributes to the emotional, physical, social and cognitive growth of all students.”

National Review of School Music Education, Australia, 2005


Imagine a school day where singing is an integral part of the program – not an add-on or an extra activity, but integrated into the existing daily program. aMuse is pleased to launch this exciting new program in 2012 aimed at providing generalist primary teachers with the skills and resources to build the confidence needed to sing regularly with their students!

“The key with meaningful music learning, is that it has to be ‘continuous, sequential and developmental’ for students to benefit. We know, for example, that as few as 23% of government schools are able to offer their students a music education which fits that bill - they would like to, but they lack the resources. In private schools, the number leaps up to 88%.”

This PD will be held in the Wodonga South Primary School Music room.  As usual it will be a catered workshop.  As this is a self-funded PD we have had to bump the price of the booking fee (sorry!) to $15 for CRTs and $40 for other teaching professionals.  Bookings will be opened first to CRTs and to other teaching professionals at a later date.

Date:  Sat 16 May 2015.
Max attendance: 40
Bookings open:  Mon 6 Apr (CRTs - other teaching professionals will open at a later date if places remain).

Full details will be released shortly before booking opens!

Melinda Lichnovsky-Klock
Wodonga CRT Support Network Coordinator.