Pete (@mr_van_w) wonders over the sheer volume of assessment tasks we expect HSC student to juggle. All the time taking day to day lesson seriously and maintaining a love of learning for the sake of learning.

John (@jfcatto) looks at two articles in the news this week. The ATAR and current format of HSC has outlived its usefulness and some believe is on it's way out. Fresh hope: Professor Geoff Masters may be the one to burn it all to the ground and build it better. 

Pete: The Educational Grind - Pete Whiting 

https://mrvanw.com/2018/08/22/the-educational-grind/

John: ATAR gone in 10 years and 'dire' HSC unfit for future: CEOs, Educator - Pallavi Singhal 

https://www.smh.com.au/education/atar-gone-in-10-years-and-dire-hsc-unfit-for-future-ceos-educators-20180816-p4zxwq.html

Rebuilding the wall: what the major NSW curriculum review will at - Pallavi Singhal 

https://www.smh.com.au/education/wall-nsw-curriculum-review-masters-stokes-20180817-p4zy2v.html

This week John (@jfcatto) brings his sultry best to dispel this week's misrepresentation regarding ATAR entrance scores for teaching degrees. Something Birmo seems unable to do.

Pete (@mr_van_w) highlights the increase in students who parents identify them as "No religion" and hopes this may mean an end to scripture classes in public schools.   

John: Students with low ATAR scores accepted for teaching degrees

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/08/12/15/04/alarming-atar-teaching-university-low-scores

Pete: Religion in Decline in Australian Schools - Pallavi Singhal

https://www.smh.com.au/education/religion-in-decline-in-australian-schools-20180806-p4zvtb.html

A return to form for Pete (@mr_van_w) and John (@jfcatto).

Pete highlights another one of his blog posts based on his experiences at CONASTA. He considers the seemingly misfitted keynotes for the audience and the value of "outsiders" on the education conversation. 

John discusses ways to train students to effectively use technology for taking notes within the classroom.     

Pete: Education to feed the economic machine - Mr Van W

https://mrvanw.com/2018/08/06/education-to-feed-the-industrial-machine/

John: Note Taking With Technology - Beth Holland

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/the-4ss-of-note-taking-beth-holland 

In this barely-an-episode-filler John (@jfcatto) introduces the idea of conducting an Action Research to demonstrate standards of teaching. Something we may be hearing him bang on a bit more over the next year or so. 

Pete (@mr_van_w) checks the TTT mailbox ([email protected]) and answers some questions from Early Career Teacher Uten.

Pete (@mr_van_w) and John (@jfcatto) mispronounce some words and take a guess at some acronyms that they probably should know but apparently don't. 

Eventually John looks at a great article about education being more "teacher-centred". Insofar as that education should primarily support teachers to do their job and do their job well. 

Pete then reflects on a blog post where he reflected on the keynotes from the recent ConASTA 67. He questions the purpose of teaching Science in School and who Science Educator should be looking up to as role models. 

John: Schools should be more teacher centred - Tom Sherrington

https://teacherhead.com/2016/06/12/schools-should-be-more-teacher-centred/ 

Pete: Teachers - you da real MVP - Pete (@mr_van_w) 

https://mrvanw.com/2018/07/23/teachers-you-da-real-mvp/ 

For anyone interested it is: Light Amplified by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory 

A milestone episode: One tenth the number of The Beast \m/  

John (@jfcatto) examines the alluring yet non-demonstrable concept f VARK Learning Styles. A beautiful and empowering theory that doesn't seem to hold water.

The boys spruik Mini Gear as a scaffolded STEM PBL project. 

Pete (@mr_van_w) addresses some issues that have had him thinking recently. Including; talking to students about drug amidst changing legalities and modes of testing, teachers struggling to self-fund resources for their classroom, and when to schedule routine doctor appointments. 

John: The Myth of 'Learning Styles' - Olga Khazan @olgakhazan

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/the-myth-of-learning-styles/557687/ 

Mini Gear

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNZMEiM-ZMYmEk2CG3mr1_Q 

Pete: Talking about drugs

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/legal-experts-call-for-changes-to-nsw-roadside-drug-testing-advice/news-story/8c81656a6a287eb95380f1816838781f 

https://www.donorschoose.org/project/hybrid-learning-tools-for-digital-native/3327814/   (@MrsLoeschen)

https://www.gofundme.com/new-teacher-supply-drive   (@MsJachymiak)

Pete (@mr_van_w) asks "What subject specific skills does your subject have that are transferable to all disciplines?"

Pete looks for some balance in an article from Jo Facer (@jo_facer) (formerly?) of the Michaela Community School. Highlighting the benefits of Consistency for students and Sustainability for teachers.

John (@jfcatto) looks at a few of the things school leaders can do to support Early Career Teachers. Providing they are guided in sustaining the tireless job of teaching in the first place.  

Tips to teachers: Here a twitter thread for Early Career Teachers to check out. "Be inspired but not pressured"  

Pete: We Should Teach All Students, in Every Discipline, to Think Like Scientists - Peter Salovey 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-should-teach-all-students-in-every-discipline-to-think-like-scientists/ 

We Have Overcomplicated Teaching: Research Ed 2016 - Jo Facer

https://readingallthebooks.com/2016/09/17/we-have-overcomplicated-teaching-research-ed-2016/

John: Five things that work in early teacher' development - Cat Scutt

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/five-things-that-work-in-teachers-early-career-development/ 

Tips To Teachers: (@TeachMrReed)

https://twitter.com/TeachMrReed/status/1008771902578593793 

In a effort to avoid writing report John (@jfcatto) relates some different teachers ideas on how to encourage students to learn from their mistakes in when returning exams. He also links this to an article on how to write a clutter free marking rubric.

Pete (@mr_van_w) drinks the Cult-of-Dweck kool-aid and tells the story of a school who use "report assemblies" to highlight areas for growth and setting tangible goals.  

John: Your Rubrik is a Hot Mess; Here's How to Fix It- Jennifer Gonzalez (@cultofpedagogy)

http://www.brilliant-insane.com/2014/10/single-point-rubric.html

Pete: Metacognitive Reflection at Report Card Time - Julie Nariman (@julienariman) 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/metacognitive-reflection-report-card-time 

In the middle of a busy term John (@jfcatto) and Pete (@mr_van_w) manage to squeeze in a quick podcast with crappy sound quality.  

Pete lauds Central West teacher Aaron Ellis for teaching Wiradjuri as the compulsory Year 7 and 8 language at Young High School. 

John explains clear steps to "like a class". Perhaps highlighting some useful steps even if the sentiment could be considered flawed. 

Pete: Wiradjuri Language Taught at Young High School - Aaron Ellis (not the actual article)

https://www.hilltopsphoenix.com.au/wiradjuri-language-taught-young-high-school/ 

John: How to Like a Class - StrictlyPositiveTeaching

https://strictlypositiveteaching.org/2018/04/05/how-to-like-a-class/ 

This week Pete (@mr_van_w) and John (@jfcatto) find some synergy in their holistic digital projections. Embracing the uber-efficient strategic programming of a blended asset matrix approach to "blue-sky" policy processing. It's king of our brand.

They also talk about the culture of teacher "wellbeing"; both within a personal and school-wide context.

Pete: Building a Positive Staff Culture Takes Work - Mary Davenport 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-positive-staff-culture-takes-work

John: Why it's important to switch off from work - Rebecca Vukovic

https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/articles/why-its-important-to-switch-off-from-work 

"Wellbeing" is a weasel word [sic] - @RobWard79

https://twitter.com/RobWard79/status/998072612235415552 

Apologies for the sound quality this week. The work experience kid (John) was left in charge of monitoring the audio. The self absorbed millennial that he is only really listened to himself, who sounds great BTW - On reflection, I'm not sure that was even an apology.