Monthly Archives: October 2012

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Responsibility of All, Young people, children & families

Wise Up Wednesday: Every Day’s A Learning Day Parent Questionnaire

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This year Education Scotland, produced two booklets for parents, “Every day’s a learning day – birth to 3 years” and “Every day’s a learning day – 3-6 years.”The booklets are being distributed to parents of new born babies and children beginning their pre-school education aged 3, in the Scottish Book Trust’s Book Bug Bags. Filled with lots of ideas to help parents support their child’s learning in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing during everyday experiences; the booklets show parents how easy it is for them to make a difference. Practitioners may also find the booklets useful when working with groups of parents. 

You can read and download the booklets here. 

If you have contact with parents of children under the age of 6 we would be grateful if you would let them know about our short survey and encourage them to share their views. Their feedback will, along with other information, help us decide how best we can support the parents of young children in the future. 

Thank you.

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Health and wellbeing, Literacy, Social studies, Young people, children & families

Early Years Matters Magazine

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Following its launch at the Scottish Learning Festival, copies of Early Years Matters were sent out to centres across Scotland.

If you haven’t seen a paper copy, or would just like to have one of your own, you can always read the articles on line, or download the whole magazine to your computer, e-reader or phone.

Missed an edition? You can always catch up with our online archive here.

Remember our survey about Early Years Matters closes on 30 November 2012. Make sure you have your say and help us plan for the future!

CfE, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

Choices for Life Online -Primary 7 Event

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Choices for Life provides credible information to our young people on a range of important issues facing them in 21st Century Scotland in an inclusive, engaging and thought-provoking manner, to help them make positive lifestyle decisions and maximise their future potential.

‘Choices for Life Online’ is pleased to announce its new 2012 live event on Wednesday 7th November.

Hopefully it will be possible for you to join us live so pupils are able to be involved in this unique live event which was first delivered in 2011 .

Join us to see drama, video clips, music and have the opportunity to join a Glow Chat where pupils can comment on what they have seen in relation to key themes (drugs, alcohol and tobacco).

You will watch a drama ‘Liam’s Story’ which explores the issues around negative peer pressure and smoking. After the drama there will be a chance for you to ask questions to a panel of studio guests examining the range of issues,including family,negative peer pressure, substance misuse, aspirations and regret.

One of our live studio guests with be chart topping Scottish music artist Sandi Thom. She will be discussing her music career as well as her views on tobacco and alcohol. You can also watch Boogie and Dingo from Forth One Radio discussing experiences from their teenage years.

The event will be live and presented by Mark Martin and Laura Marks from our very own Choices for Life TV studio and will also include some other inspirational video clips from other inspirational role models such as The Wanted, District 3 and Emeli Sandi.

The event will be delivered twice on the same day, to maximise and facilitate as many pupils as possible to view. Sign up and join us in Glow TV the first showing is at 10.30am and the second is at 1.30pm.

CfE, Technologies

What does remembrance mean? – Winners of Moving Stories 2011

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This year Poppyscotland have teamed up with Glow TV to bring you a series of events about remembrance. This is the first of this thought provoking series.

Last year, Poppyscotland launched a new film making competition with schools called ‘Moving Stories’. The competition invited primary and secondary schools to create a script, storyboard or completed short film that represented their thoughts on the theme ‘90 years of the Poppy – then and now, 1921 – 2011’. Four schools were shortlisted and given the opportunity to work with a professional filmmaker for a day in order to remake their film. The final films were posted on the Poppy Scotland website to be put to the public vote to decide the overall winner.

The winner was St Brigid’s Primary School with their short film ‘James Stokes – A Gorbals Hero’.

During this Glow Meet you will get the chance to hear from and chat with St Brigid’s Primary school as they talk about their experience of entering and winning Moving Stories 2011 – and how you can enter the competition this year!!

Sign up and join us live on Glow TV on Friday 2nd November at 10am and remember that you can Watch Again if you can’t attend live.

Additional Support for Learning, CfE, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing

ASN – Support through Educationally Based Theatre

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UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES OUTWITH OUR CONTROL THIS EVENT HAS HAD TO BE POSTPONED WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

Meet Engross Theatre who are a registered charity that brings the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence to children with additional support needs, through educationally based theatre.

To do this effectively they meet with teachers of children with additional support needs to discuss the children’s learning requirements. Subsequently a play is written on the topic requested by the teachers. The play’s content, language level and presentation style is tailored to the abilities and needs of the target audience. Audience participation is an important ingredient in all their commissioned plays and to maintain high standards, they employ professional writers and actors.

All their educational outcomes adhere to the principles of the curriculum for excellence. Learning outcomes are measured by question and answer sessions immediately after performances, or through questions incorporated into the plays, and from feedback forms issued to staff after performances.

And as they seek funding there is no charge to the school!!

Why not join us on Thursday 1st November at 3.45pm and find out more about this exciting theatre company along with Teri (Theresa) McIntosh, Development Officer for Expressive Arts and hear from a teacher who has worked with Engross, Ellen Muir – Headteacher of Pilrig Park, School in Edinburgh.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV and if you can’t take part live make sure you watch the recording in Watch Again!

Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing

Inclusive practice in PE workshop 27th Oct 10-4pm

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Colleagues,

The University of Edinburgh, in cooperation with the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center, is conducting a survey to be completed by teachers in primary and secondary schools. The survey seeks to obtain a picture of how teachers support learners on the autistic spectrum in Physical Education. The results will enable a workshop event developed by Andrew Horrell from the University of Edinburgh and Michelle Grenier from UNH to be focused on instructional strategies that support the learning needs of the pupils. It will also provide a comparative perspective on the use of technology that supports learning. 

If you wish to attend this free workshop on the 27th October 10-4pm. 

Then please sign up here. 

http://tinyurl.com/inclusive-PE-workshop 

The workshop will take place at The University of Edinburgh, St Leonard?s land. More information about the venue and a programme for the day will be sent out via email to those who sign up. Places are limited. 

This survey will only be successful with your help. We know that you are extremely busy, but please take a few minutes to complete this confidential online survey. Your responses will not be connected to you in any way and will be compiled by the UNH Survey Center and reported to Andrew and Michelle in aggregate only. Please complete the survey by October 25th, 2012 for your responses to be included in the report. Simply click the following link to find out more and begin the survey. 

http://www.unh.edu/survey-center/asd12.html 

Thank you very much once again for your participation. If you have questions about this survey please contact Tracy Keirns at Tracy.Keirns@unh.edu. If you have questions about the workshop then please contact Andrew Horrell andrew.horrell@ed.ac.uk

Literacy

Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy resource

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This professional learning resource provides both an overview and further detail on children and young people’s strengths and areas for improvement in numeracy within measurement, and fractions, decimal fractions and percentages (including ratio and proportion).

It also provides guidance and advice to help inform leaning and teaching practice in line with the SSLN survey’s main objectives.

You can download the PDF entitled SSLN 2011 for all the following information from the Education Scotland website – Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy resource

The findings set out within this resource are based on an in-depth analysis of children and young people’s responses to tasks in the SSLN survey Section 1.

For each area of numeracy covered, survey-type questions are provided for illustrative purposes. This analysis provides all practitioners with an opportunity to reflect on, and explore planning for effective learning and teaching as set out in Section 2.

Explore aspects of performance at the following levels:

First level P4 – Measurement – Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages

Second level P7 – Measurement – Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages

Third level S2 – Measurement – Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages

Section 3 includes guidance and advice to support the delivery of ideas of chance and uncertainty.

Links to sections in the resource

Overview of strengths and areas for improvement in:

* Measurement and
* Fractions, decimal fractions and percentages (including ratio and proportion).

Online learning and teaching resources

Additional resources are available for fractions, decimal fractions and percentages, measurement, and ideas of chance and uncertainty are available at:

* First Level P4
* Second Level P7
* Third Level S2

You can find out more about SSLN on the Education Scotland website.

CfE, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

Ready for Winter?

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With the first autumn storms sweeping across the country, widespread flooding and gale force winds already affecting communities up and down the country this is your chance to reflect on what you can do to prepare for the winter ahead.

We will mark this year’s ‘Ready for Winter?’ campaign (starting on 22 October) with a Glow Meet where top tips on how to prepare for severe weather will be explored by the Red Cross and others involved in preparing Scotland for emergencies.

Along with the opportunity to interact and ask questions, you can find out about the winning entries of the 2012/13 ‘Ready for the Year Ahead’ calendar competition. The event will also feature pupils and staff from Crookfur Primary School who will share their experiences and work on resilience education and emergency planning.

Sign up and join us on Thursday 25th October at 11am!

CfE, Expressive Arts, Literacy and Gàidhlig

Scotland Sings

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Learning about Scotland in partnership with Live Music Now Scotland are teaming up with Hands Up for Trad’s new Scotland Sings project to encourage everybody in Scotland to sing.

In this Glow TV Event on Wednesday 24th October at 2pm you will hear two of Scotland’s top musicians Ewan Robertson and Megan Henderson singing a short song in Scots and another in Gaelic. You will then get the chance to sing along during the event and on the 30th November during the ‘Scotland Sings’ event itself!

There will also be a competition for schools to write a short song and chorus with prizes for the winning entrants and the chance to performance the song LIVE on Glow.

We look forward to singing with you! Sign up and join us in Glow Tv!

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, Responsibility of All, RME, Sciences, Social studies

BBC Class Clips

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A group of Development Officers from Education Scotland worked with the BBC yesterday exploring BBC Scotland’s Learning Scotland website and the BBC Class Clips resource. It’s possible to embed BBC Class Clips in blogs and share links through social media. One handy feature for practitioners who are subject specialists is the ability to search for the clips used in BBC Bitesize. To find the clips, include Bitesize as a keyword along with your subject specialism.

Early Years

Wise Up Wednesday – SSSC On The Road!

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Are an employer, owner or manager, human resources adviser or training manager?

Yes? Then events are for you. They are also free!

Thanks to you, last year’s Scottish Social Services Council public forums were a big success. So they’re going back out on the road and visiting even more places. The SSSC will be in Glasgow for a half day event on Friday 26 October and in Edinburgh on Thursday 1 November, and you’re invited to come along and be part of two workshops.

The workshops will be run by staff from the Fitness to Practice and Sector Development departments. They’ll show you the benefits and purpose of workforce development and planning, registration, developing your skills as a worker or employer and much more.

Going along will give you the opportunity to:

  • speak directly to Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the SSSC
  • meet SSSC staff who will be on hand to answer your questions on a range of topics from applying to Register, help with your post registration training and learning, funding queries and qualifications to training
  • bring along new staff and staff who will need to register in the future to meet us and for them to understand what it means to be registered with us
  • tell us your thoughts and ideas – your experiences and concerns for the future of the workforce will inform the work that we do.

Due to the venue size places are limited so it will be first come first served.

Friday 26 October 2012 at the Scottish Youth Theatre, The Old Sheriff Court, 105 Brunswick Street, Glasgow, G1 1TF. Sign up here.

Thursday 1 November 2012 at The Merchants Hall, 24 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EP. Sign up here.

More information is available here.

CfE, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Literacy and English, Responsibility of All

Did you miss Slowly Wins the Day?

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Are you working with an Early Years class and did you miss author Helen Hendry reading her new book ‘Slowly Wins the Day’? Well don’t worry you can still see it in Glow TV’s Watch Again section.

Slowly Wins the Day is a modern day version of the Tortoise and the Hare filled with passion and determination that also promotes exercise. This especially timely story tells of a little girl who loves to participate in sports but always comes last.

Even though she is saddled with the name “Slowly”, she still enjoys the thrill of competing and has never learnt to quit. A new fitness teacher joins the school and gives the children inspiration; encouraging them by telling them the story of Robert The Bruce. The teacher discovers Slowly has a special talent and a sport which she can excel.

The story shows that if you try hard enough you can succeed and that everyone has a talent and delivers a clear message about exercise and sport, that it should not be seen as a punishment but enjoyed by everyone.

It is a picture book and is approx. 1000 words, suitable for ages five to eight.

There is also a wealth of other recorded events that you might be interested in in Watch Again.

CfE, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All

Did You Miss The Choices for Life Online Website Launch?

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The brand new Choices for Life Online website was launched a few weeks ago at the Glasgow Science Centre with a personal appearance from Scottish singing sensation Amy MacDonald. If you missed joining in live you can still watch it in Glow TV’s Watch Again section – Choices for Life Online – The Live Launch!

The event itself was presented by Forth One’s Mark Martin and gave viewers the opportunity to hear how the website was built with messages from young people themselves. Choices for Life Online is a new exciting hub to get credible and reliable information on a variety of topics including alcohol, drugs and tobacco with extra information and links on internet safety.

Teaching materials ware also highlighted on the site and there is an opportunity practitioners an opportunity to share good practice. Visit the new Choices for Life Online website!

Also make sure that you sign up for the Choices for Life Online-Primary 7 Event being held on 7th November!

Early Years, Literacy, Sciences, Technologies

Sound context on STEM Central

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This week we’ve launched our  Sound context which includes learning journeys from early to fourth level. The context builds the storyline through our ability to make sound, sound as a tool of communication, for example through talk or by using music to convey a message. It progresses on to sound as a tool of communication at a distance and our ability to manipulate sound.

The progression begins with What’s that sound? for early level, an exploration of sound sciences and technologies through constructive play. Make the Sound provides further opportunity for enquiry-based learning, and hands-on sciences and technologies in  the context of sound.

How animals use sound, sound applications and communicating through sound are three learning journeys for second level, to illustrate breadth and application, and the basis for progression to Engineering Sound at fourth level, developed in conjunction with SSERC.

CfE, Sciences, Senior Phase, Social studies

21st Century Zoo – The Role of the Modern Zoo

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Why not find out more about the modern zoo and join the free one day Global Classroom Conference at Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th November 2012?

Find out if zoos really make a difference to the many species on the IUCN Red List under categories such as ‘Critically Endangered’

Join us, as students take part in free workshops to help answer these questions and more:
· Is there a place for zoos in the 21st Century?
· Should we have captive breeding programmes?
· What role does a zoo play in conservation?

The conference runs 9:30am – 3:00pm and is suitable for S3 – S6 students.

To book and further information please email: education@rzss.org.uk or phone: 0131 314 0335. Maximum of 15 pupils per school limited spaces available so book early.

Booking deadline: Friday 12th of October

Literacy, Modern Languages, Sciences

Space Junk

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This Space Junk clip from the BBC could be used to support and enrich learning ideas found in, Passeport pour la Francophonie ,a new website from Education Scotland. This website was developed to support the teaching and learning of French at 2nd Level. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14762620