Page 17 - 2018 Workshop Booklet

Workshop Booklet

A: We are working towards this, we are not there yet. The Teacher Academy started early this year, courses
are on zoom & canvas. Teachers get the information regarding the courses available. However, they would
still have to get approval from HODs to undertake a particular course. We are very targeted and strategic
about which course each teacher undertakes.

Q: How do we encourage SDL in the primary levels?

A: In a primary context, they are doing it nearly all the time, but they just don’t call it that. SDL is working
better in primary than it does in secondary. The missing gap for SDL across all ages is the explicit teaching
of the skills. This is what we are targeting in our training. There needs to be more collaboration across the
states in relation to the Learning Centre teacher and how they can support the students in the LC.

Q: There seems to be varied opinions at student, teacher and HOC level as to whether listening to music
in the LC is beneficial to concentration. Does OSG have a position on this or is it up to the HOC or teach-
er in the LC at the time?

A: The neuroscience is clear that listening to music prevents deep learning and inhibits laying down of memo-
ry paths. To learn, your brain needs to lay down information in the neural pathways. The only way you can
listen to music and learn, is to listen to the right kind of music – basically Beethoven or Mozart. If students
are listening to music that they are interested in, that has lyrics etc, they are not engaging in the deep
learning that will actually help them over time. OneSchool has put this back on the teachers’ discretion.
Essentially, music stored on a students’ computer is not acceptable, and they are not allowed to bring in any
electronic playing devices.

A poster in the LC explaining this would be beneficial. Patrick will workshop this with the RPs to get a reso-
lution on it. This could be included by the Teacher Academy on the Learning Centre teachers’ training course.

Q: How can we help to inspire final year students who don’t seem interested in working hard to realise
their potential?

A: Having canvas online is going to help enormously. TA is running courses on effective engagement with
students. 8 characteristics of effective engagement for students – if you don’t do 1 of the 8 things, the learn-
ing is only about 3%. If you can introduce 2 or 3, the learning is about 80%.

Q: Are there any plans for an OSG VC Mentor or Assessor that can critically assess live lessons in view
of developing and improving the teachers’ methods and skills so that we have world class VC lessons?
For example: a mentor attending VC classes with the teacher live via VC for a period of time to develop
the teacher’s skills by pointing out and training them on their needs in delivery?

A: There is technology developing that would allow for ‘live’ coaching of teachers either F2F or over Zoom.

CA Bootcamp 2018

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