Category Archives: CfE

Assessment Professional Learning Community on Glow

The assessment team at Education Scotland are developing a professional learning community on Glow, in collaboration with practitioners across Scotland.

There are a number of opportunities in our Learn area, including a suite of Glow meets from January to March 2013:

Date           Time                 Title

24.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    What is NAR?
29.1.13      8:20 – 8:45   The Moderation Process
31.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    The Moderation Process
06.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Making Good Assessment Decisions
07.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Making Good Assessment Decisions
13.2.13      8:20– 8:45     NAR professional learning resource
14.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    NAR professional learning resource
20.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Profiling
21.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Profiling
6.3.13        8:20 – 8:45    Glow to support assessment
7.3.13        3:45 – 4:10    Glow to support assessment

In the Share area, we continue to add a number of key power points which staff can use to explore the ideas in Building the Curriculum 5, including the ’10 key assessment messages’ and ‘What is NAR?’
You can always get help in our Support area and in the Change area you can add an intention of what you are going to do to improve assessment in the classroom, the wider school community, across the local authority or inter-authority.

I hope you will take the time to sign up and spread the word! And of course you are more than welcome to join us for the Glow meets and watch any you missed here: http://bit.ly/Teondr

Burns Bash

Join us for our celebration of the birth of Burns and the life and work of our famous bard on Friday 25th January at 9.30am. This year we want you to be able to share what you have been doing in your schools and classrooms so join us for our Burns Bash!!

If you would like to share your Scottish poems, dances or art work then make sure that you are with us that day to let other schools see what you have been doing – remember we always need an audience too so if you don’t want to perform then please just join us anyway!!

Taking part in the Glow Meet is easy – just email Jen McDougall and let her know what you would like to do and she will organise a short test with your webcam/microphoe to ensure that you are ready to go on the day.

If you have any Burns/Scottish art work that you would like to share then please send that to Jen as well and that will be showcased on the day too on our Scottish Showcase Sharepod!

During the event we will be joined by Newburgh Primary who wowed us with their ukulele playing in our recent Scotland’s Got Talent Glow TV event and a piper who will be piping us in to our show and bringing it to a close.

So get your shortbread and Irn-Bru (or other Scottish themed foods!) and join us for a fun and interactive session.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Daily What – Birdwatch Special

The first news round-up of 2013 will be on Friday 18th January at 11am with the usual fun mix of news, quizzes and missing words. Our guest will be Craig Leith, the Lifelong Learning Officer for SSPB, talking about the Big Schools Birdwatch (in association with BBC Birdwatch).

Craig is happy to take any wild bird-related questions, so get tweeting and send in those questions!
Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

Take Part in the Paper Creativity Challenge!


Over the next 4 weeks we are asking you to take part in our great new Paper Creativity Challenge which will involve exploring the properties of digital and physical paper through a variety of different and exciting activities!

We start this challenge on Monday 14th January at 11am with a visit to Dundee Contemporary Arts where we will begin our investigations with a Paper Making Workshop. During this Glow TV event you will learn how to make delicate and wonderful hand made papers from pulps.

Learn simple techniques suitable for using at home such as how to create a smooth surface texture for printing on, soaking and blendng recycled paper, and then also painting with coloured pulp. You can add decorative materials to make designs and also create your own watermark. Join us to learn more about this and then try it out in your own classrooms or homes. Sign up in Glow TV – Paper Making Workshop.

We continue our challenge on Tuesday 15th January with a visit to Bruntsfield Primary School in Edinburgh with Catherine Rayner as she reads her book ‘Ernest’. Meet Ernest who is a rather large moose with a rather large problem. He is so big he can’t fit inside his book! What is a moose to do? Luckily Ernest is also a very determined moose, and he and his little chipmunk friend aren’t going to give up easily. Will they find a way for Ernest to fit in?

During this exciting session you will have the opportunity to read and explore the story of Ernest with early years pupils (approx 20 mins) and then Catherine will work with older children and demonstrate to them how to illustrate texts, in particular Ernest. Ideally learners should have paper and paint so that they can also try the techniques. Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Ernest.

And there is more of this challenge to come! Keep watching this blog and the Glow TV schedule……..

Learning for Sustainability – report published

Learning for Sustainability – the report of the One Planet Schools Working Group, was published 17 December 2012. 

The report includes strategic recommendations to support the development of coherent whole school approaches to ensure that learning for sustainability, global citizenship and outdoor learning are experienced in a transformative way by every learner in every school across Scotland. The report includes a number of recommendations relating to career-long professional learning and initial teacher education and advocates genuine partnerships with local communities and action to improve the sustainability of the school estate. A key ambition of the report is to provide an agenda for strategic change that will create an enabling framework, remove barriers, and build on existing excellent practice.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages said:
“I welcome the publication of Learning for Sustainability and would like to thank the Working Group for their work and commitment to producing the report and recommendations. As we approach the Year of Natural Scotland in 2013, the report reminds us of the importance of learning which connects young people to local and global issues, an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.

“A wide range of actions have been taken as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and we welcome steps to encourage and support schools in their approach to sustainability and global citizenship, including through outdoor learning.

“We will take time to consider the report, to engage with partners on its recommendations and respond in full in March 2013.”

The report can be downloaded from:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/OnePlanetSchools 

See the associated Engage in Education blog from Professor Pete Higgins, Chair of the One Planet Schools Working Group: http://engageforeducation.org/news/learning-for-sustainability/

Cinderella – The Panto Interview

Join us for a live interview with cast members of the Lyceum’s production of Cinderella on Wednesday 19th December at 1.45pm.

This panto is new twist on a classic tale, where Cinderella is relocated to modern-day Paris where she lives with her father and longs for the love and glamour of a rather unique Prince. Her world is shattered by the arrival of the wonderfully hilarious and awful ‘new sisters’ and their truly terrifying mother, Monique.

Join the rather scary Monique and the lovely Cinderella herself for a unique opportunity to ask them your very own questions!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV or if you mis it make sure you see the recording through Watch Again.

Christmas Talent Show

Yes it is that time of year again where we showcase some of the great talent from aroud Scotland and we want to hear from you!!

Whether you want to sing/dance/recite poetry or tell us jokes we would love to hear from you. You can perform individually, in a group or as a whole class – it’s up to you how you do it!

You can let us know if you want to perform on the day and we can sort out all the technical side so we can see and hear you if necessary on the day too!

We’ll also need a great audience so even if you don’t want to perform you can sign up and join us on the day for some festive fun!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on Thursday 20th Decmeber at 1.45pm – we look forward to seeing you then!

Professional Focus Papers now available

Education Scotland has launched the first in a set of Professional Focus Papers.

These materials have been designed to assist teachers and others with the delivery of programmes of learning within the new National 4 and National 5 courses.

The papers highlight important features of learning which are enhanced or different from previous arrangements.  They provide advice on approaches to learning and teaching which build directly on those used in the 3-15 Broad General Education in order to promote continuity in learners’ acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills.  The papers are also intended to stimulate professional reflection and dialogue about learning.

This first tranche features 10 subjects: Biology, Chemistry, English, Environmental Science, Geography, History, Modern Studies, People & Society, Physics, and Science, each with papers published at both National 4 and National 5 level, except People & Society and Science which are only available at National 4.

They come as part of the development of exemplar course materials across the full range of National 4 and National 5 qualifications, being managed by Education Scotland in partnership with ADES.

The Professional Focus Papers are now available for download on the National Qualifications area of the Education Scotland website.

Opening up the Future: It’s your future

It’s my Future is a song created by children, young people and adult learners to express their views on how learning needs to change to fulfil their aspirations. It demonstrates what exciting modern learning can look like.

Education Scotland want to hear from children and young people across Scotland about their hopes and aspirations for the future.

On Tuesday December 4 2012 at 11am Education Scotland will host a national event in Inveralmond Community High School. The event led, by young people, will help shape future developments in learning and teaching. This Glow TV session will enable children and young people to speak directly to Craig Munro, one of Education Scotland’s strategic directors, and share their views about learning and teaching.

These views will be taken into consideration as the organisation shapes its corporate improvement plan priorities. There will be an opportunity to see the launch of the music video and follow links to inspirational learning taking place in Scottish education.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on the day or view the recording in Watch Again.

St Andrew’s Day Debating Championship 2012

On Monday 3rd December, the annual St Andrew’s Day debating championship will be held in the Scottish Parliament with students and senior pupils from universities and schools across Scotland competing in debating heats covering a range of issues important in today’s society.

The Final will take place in the Debating Chamber chaired by the Presiding Officer with the opportunity to win the specially engraved Scottish Parliament Quaich. This year, for the second time, all schools across the country will be able to follow the progress of the competition on Glow throughout the day and then watch the final, streamed live on Glow TV. This is an exciting opportunity for pupils to get involved in a high quality debate and to learn more about debating.

The Glow Meet will start live at 10.40am with the motion for the debate being announced just before the event starts.

We begin again at 1.10pm with Heat 2 with the motion again being announced just before the debate begins.

Heat 3 will follow at 2.40pm with the Glow TV sessions finishing at 3.45pm.

During the live broadcasts throughout the day we will have a judge available to answer any questions that you have about the debates and how they are judged.

The live final can then be viewed on the Scottish Parliament website from 4pm (a link to this will be provided on the Glow Meet page)

Sign up and join us in Glow TV and if you are unable to join us live then you can access the recording in Watch Again.

What is Remembrance? – Wounded

This year Poppyscotland have teamed up with Glow TV to bring you a series of events about remembrance. This is the final event in this series.

From 20th – 23rd November 2012, Surgeons’ Hall Museum at The Royal College of Surgeons will host a unique theatrical and educational event. ‘Wounded’ is a new play, which has been written by members of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre for students from S3 upwards.

Wounded is a free educational event which has two aims: to bring to life elements of the Curriculum for Excellence, particularly in History, English, Drama and Citizenship; and to support outreach initiatives for students, enabling interaction with museum collections.

This is your chance to watch ‘Wounded’ from the comfort of your own classroom!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on Thursday 22nd November at 10am or Watch Again if you are unable to join us live.

Leadership at Hill of Banchory Primary

Join us on Tuesday 20th November for a double event coming live from Hill of Banchory Primary School in Aberdeenshire.

During our first event at 2pm meet the pupils who are actively encouraged to take leadership in their own learning experience.

Hear from the youngsters about how they are using profiling and actively use Glow for their Whole School Development Time. Every Thursday they are provided with questions and issues that need to be discussed as a whole school and the pupils can give their own views and opinions therefore making them a valuable part of the school with their own Pupil Voice.

You will have the opportunity to ask the pupils questions and find out how they feel about their important role in the development of their school.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV at 2pm on Tuesday 20th November for this exciting event or if you miss the live event make sure that you see the recording in Watch Again!

Then at 4pm join us again to following on from our earlier session with the pupils where you will have an opportunity to hear from the staff about how they are developing a culture of empowerment within a school environment.

During this session find out how leadership is fostered with all members of staff including non teaching staff and how Pupil Volunteering is organised and carried out in the school.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this insight into a school working well towards leadership empowerment for all or catch up with the recording in Watch Again.

Change to Speakers for Schools

In a change to our scheduled speaker, Douglas Alexander for Friday 16th November now join us for our final event of Scottish Speakers for Schools launch week live from Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow where we will be joined by Anas Sarwar.

Anas was elected in December 2011 and was born and brought up in the city of Glasgow.

He has been a campaigning member of the Scottish Labour Party since the age of 16 and was part of the team which campaigned to successfully save the Govan shipyard in 1999.

At the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections Anas was selected to stand as the number 1 candidate on the regional list for Glasgow.

Sign up and join us live from Bellahouston from 9.10am on the 16th November and if you are unable to join us live please ensure that you view the recording in Glow TV’s Watch Again.

What does Remembrance mean?

This year Poppyscotland have teamed up with Glow TV to bring you a series of events about remembrance. The event entitled ‘Meet Those Involved’ is the second event in this series and will be held on Thursday 8th November at 2pm.

On 5th November there was a special event that took place in Edinburgh. This is your chance to see footage from this event which was the opening of the Garden of Remembrance and take part in a question and answer session with staff from Poppyscotland and Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory.

The panel who will be there to answer your questions and tell you about what remembrance means to them includes veterans from recent wars – remembrance isn’t just about World Wars 1 and 2.

Join us in Glow TV and find out more about what remembrance really means.

The third event in the series takes place on Friday 9th November when you can join us live in Glow TV from 10am for a special Remembrance Day event. This year Education Services in Glasgow have organised a city wide remembrance service for schools in Glasgow City Chambers. The event will link the important civic aspects of remembrance and allow young people to better understand the range of issues involved. The programme will involve pupils from across the city encompassing drama, poetry and music. Sign up and join us for this thought provoking event.

National Literacy Network

Join us live in Glow TV from Stirling Management Centre on Thursday 8th November for three National Literacy Network events.

This excting opportunity to join the NLN group begins at 9.30am with the Keynote speech from metaphrog who will be kick starting events with ‘Comics in the Classroom’. metaphrog discuss their experiences working with different age groups using graphic novels to explore literary ideas and to encourage reluctant readers. They will share insights into visual storytelling, talk about their Louis books and demonstrate their working methods. Sign up and join us in Glow Tv for this session.

This is followed at 10.20am by an opportunity to join a Workshop Presented by Moyra Hood, ESO Literacy, Angus Council and Yvonne Manning, Principal Librarian, Falkirk Council. In the context of creative approaches to literacy and research which shows that a love of reading is more important in academic achievement than a child’s social or academic background, two local authorities describe how book awards, both local and national, can contribute to raising enthusiasm and enjoyment for reading for pleasure among young people. Practical advice and ideas will be shared and the workshop will be illustrated with images showing the impact of the book awards and the book award ceremonies. Sign up and join this session in Glow TV.

Finally we conclude our Glow TV coverage at 12pm with a series of 5 minute sessions on literacy which includes Latin through ‘The Romans’, Literacy Across Learning Planning, Bookface Project, Using social networking style layout for exploring fictional characters, historical figures M Literacy-using mobile phone apps, Blogging, Writing Across Secondary Social Subjects, i Books/e books and much much more! Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

And remember if you miss any of these events you can watch them all again in Glow TV’s Watch Again facility.

Speakers for Schools comes to Scotland

Glow TV and Education Scotland is proud to announce that it will once again to be working with the charity initiative Speakers for Schools . Last year through this initiative Glow TV brought you ‘Jonathan Edwards live in Glow ‘ which you can Watch Again.

Speakers for Schools is a programme originally launched in October 2011 in England by BBC Business Editor Robert Peston and The Education and Employers Taskforce. Each speaker commits to one talk per year, completely free, for a state school or college. Over 800 people have already agreed to participate with a range of speakers including CEOs of major companies, politicians, media and arts people, scientists, entrepreneurs and academics – ranging from the Astronomer Royal Lord Rees to the founder of LastMinute.com and digital entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox.

The 12th of November Speakers for Schools is officially launching in Scotland, with all state secondary schools eligible to apply for a talk on a range of topics.

This year Glow TV will be broadcasting live events from a range of speakers from various areas of commerce so that your school can be part of the experience as well (and if you are unable to attend the session live you can view the recording through Glow TVs Watch Again facility)

We will be starting our exciting series of events on Monday 12th November live from Perth College with inspirational speaker Alice Enders who is a former senior economist at the World Trade Organisation and was professor of economics at York University, Canada. Alice will be speaking about the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this exciting event.

In addition to this event Glow TV will also be broadcasting live an event with Stewart Regan
the CEO of the Scottish Football Association on Thursday 15th November live from Smithycroft High School in Glasgow. Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Speakers for Schools will be announcing more inspirational speakers appearing live over the coming weeks so keep checking the Glow TV schedule for more being added.

To register and more information Speakers for Schools, visit www.speakers4schools.org

Choices for Life Online -Primary 7 Event

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.

What does remembrance mean? – Winners of Moving Stories 2011

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.

ASN – Support through Educationally Based Theatre

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!

Ready for Winter?

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!

Scotland Sings

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!

Did you miss Slowly Wins the Day?

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.

Did You Miss The Choices for Life Online Website Launch?

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!

21st Century Zoo – The Role of the Modern Zoo

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

Raising Attainment in Literacy: Latin and the Romans

Join us in Glow TV on Wednesday 3rd October at 4pm where we will be joined by Kate Coutts, Headteacher at Nesting Primary School, Shetland. Kate will be discussing how she has introduced Latin in the upper primary as part of an interdisciplinary Romans topic.

Drawing on extensive research, Kate will show how this approach can help engage boys in particular while raising attainment in literacy across learning. The target audience for this event is primary teachers.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV and also access relevant resources provided by Kate. If you are unable to join us live on the day please have a look at Glow TV’s Watch Again section where you can view the recorded version.

The Daily What Newsround

Tune in to the Daily What Newsround on Glow TV at 11am on Friday 28 September for a round up of some of the latest news stories, missing headlines game, and interactive quiz. We will also have exciting news about our big competition for this term. See you then!

Melissa and Louise, Daily What News team

Sign up and join in on Glow TV!

Micro-Tyco School Enterprise Challenge

Micro-tyco is a way of inspiring children and young people to think and be creative in an enterprising way while also becoming aware of business ethics.

Some Local Authorities were involved in this challenge last year and more are already signed up to participate in 2012.  The programme is supported by the business community including Sir Tom Hunter and Deloitte.

This initiative is endorsed by Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and lifelong learning.

https://vimeo.com/49015338

The one month challenge kicks off at the start of November where learners work in team to transform £1 into as much money as possible. Micro-Tyco inspires an entrepreneurial environment that unleashes participant’s latent talents and develop new skills.

The funds generated go into support micro-finance in the developing countries around the world.

If you would like to view some videos from past participants please visit

http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/microtyco

If you are interested in registering teams now you can do so online:

http://www.micro-tyco-registration.com/

Prizes last year included a special private dinner with Sir Tom Hunter at his house for the top teams, a celebratory lunch and networking event at Deloitte’s offices for the top schools and t-shirts and badges for runners-up.

 For further information visit the website:

http://www.wildheartsinaction.org/microtyco

http://local.stv.tv/east-kilbride/news/188967-sir-tom-hunter-this-challenge-enables-young-people-to-be-all-they-can-be/

Testimony (RME)

Testimony is Education Scotland’s new high quality resource to support learning and teaching in religious and moral education. It has been designed for use by both staff and senior phase pupils.

 

Testimony illustrates how faith, belief and values can influence how a person acts. It includes examples of religious and non-religious standpoints to show how people from around the world and in Scotland have been influenced by faith. The material includes the personal testimonies of some well-known individuals alongside the stories of ordinary members of faith communities.

 

It can be used to support learning within the new SQA award in Religion, Belief and Values and also supports the development of skills for learning, life and work.

 

Scott Duncan, Education Scotland’s RME Development Officer, was interviewed at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival about the Testimony resource – listen to a recording of the interview.

 

Find out more by visiting the Testimony web resource.

Join Author Helen Hendry

Slowly Wins the Day: A modern day version of the Tortoise and the Hare is a book 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.

Join Helen live from Corstorphine Primary School in Edinburgh on Thursday 27th September at 10.45am as she reads her book and then you will have the opportunity to ask her questions!

Sign up in Glow TV or if you miss the live reading remember to Watch Again!

The Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Project Report Launches at SLF 2012

 Yesterday saw the launch of the Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Area Impact Project report in a lively and challenging session at SLF 2012. We were delighted to welcome to the session practitioners, partners, young people and parents as we shared the key messages from the report, and our strategies for taking this forward. Delegates were enthusiastic in joining the debate around the key strengths and aspects for development, talking together and reflecting on these, and on their role in taking forward the sciences 3-18 in Scotland.

 If you haven’t yet seen the report, you can find it on the Education Scotland website and join the debate on our Sciences Curriculum Area Impact Project blog. We have posted the shared outcomes of the discussions at SLF2012, which we hope will inspire you to blog and comment too!

Free CPD from Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Come along to these free CPD sessions by Colin Webster to learn more about the circular economy: a long-term, regenerative industrial system. The idea is taking off in boardrooms and in governments the world over. The only way to tackle the depletion of raw materials with their associated rise in prices and environmental after-effects, is to take a systems approach and design for disassembly.

Secondary school teachers of Design Technology, Business Management, the Sciences, Geography and other subjects will find the circular economy of great value to the curriculum. These interactive CPD sessions include a look at the free teaching and learning resources of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

 Find out more about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation at www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org.

In each case, teachers from the local authority should sign up for the CPD via the usual channels. Teachers from outwith the authority should contact colin@ellenmacarthurfoundation.org for more information.

Launch of The Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Impact Project report

Education Scotland today launches The Sciences 3-18 Curriculum Impact Project report. The sciences and social studies reports are the first two reports in a Curriculum Impact series designed to present a subject-by-subject picture of how children and young people are experiencing learning in different areas of the 3-18 curriculum across the country.

Providing subject-specific analysis and evaluation of current practice, based on a range of independent inspection activities, the report identifies emerging innovative and thought-provoking practice, while highlighting important areas for development. Published on the web, the report will be refreshed from time to time with links to newly-identified, practice and evidence, a dynamic approach that will keep the reviews contemporary on an on-going basis, and relevant to developing needs.

A summary for children and young people has also been published, along with a summary of key strengths and aspects for development.

The publication is intended to provide a focus engagement by children and young people, parents, practitioners and the wider sciences community in Scotland.

Through our Sciences 3-18 Impact Project blog, we want to engage all those involved in the sciences 3-18 to talk together  about how we can work together to take forward the key messages of the report.

This outward facing, public blog is a mechanism to allow engagement by all.

 

 

 

 

Talk with us on bit.ly/sciences3-18.

The STEM Professional Learning Community will also act as a focus for professional dialogue and learning around the Sciences 3-18 Impact Project. Join us, using your Glow login in, on bit.ly/stemhome.

STOP PRESS- Daily What Scoop!

Glow TV in partnership with the Daily What is delighted to announce that our special Olympic Celebration event which is taking place on Friday 14th September at 11am will now feature gold medal winning canoeist Tim Baillie and double silver medal winning canoeist David Florence!!

Tim Baillie is a Scottish slalom canoer who represented Team GB in the recent Olympic Games in London. From Westhill in Aberdeenshire, he and his canoe partner Etienne Stott won a gold medal for Great Britain and also had a post box in Westhill painted gold to honour Tim’s victory in the Olympics. They even had a special stamp issued to mark their achievement!

The team will also be joined by double silver medal winning canoeist David Florence. David won silver in the 2008 Beijing and again in London 2012. When David was younger he lived on the same street as Olympic cycling champion Chris Hoy!

So sign up and join us in Glow TV to ask your questions and be part of this exciting event. If you can’t be part of it live be sure to Watch Again!.

Wise Up Wednesday – National Poetry Day

This year National Poetry day is on Thursday 4 October 2012. During National Poetry Day, people all over the UK take part in a celebration of great poetry. 

Poetry helps us to remember stories, from Jack and Jill all the way to the Odyssey. Children love rhymes and rhythms, but poetry also helps to improve literacy skills.

You can download poetry posters and practitioners’ notes from the Scottish Poetry Library website. This year’s theme is Stars and the resources include “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in both English and Scots.

To keep up to date with what’s happening at the Scottish Poetry Library and find out about their resources, training and freebies, you can sign up to their monthly e-newsletter here. As well as support for practitioners, their website also has a useful section for families.

Further resources to support National Poetry day are also available in the resources section of the Education Scotland website.

Please come back and tell us in the comments what you have planned to celebrate National Poetry day in your establishment!

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

With a week to go until SLF 2012 kicks off, there are only a few spaces remaining in session N1A “Forensic Rookies”, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor. The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared, and delegates can get hands on with forensic investigation activities. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will are also available via the ScienceEdResearch channel YouTube.

The individual vodcasts for each school:

Brae High; Blairgowrie; Coupar Angus; Inveralmond Community High; Urafirth; Westfield

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

Asthma across the Curriculum

‘Two in Every Classroom’ is a new interdisciplinary resource for secondary schools. It is an online resource produced by Asthma UK Scotland for secondary school teachers in Scotland. The resource aims to help schools use new and creative ways to embed asthma within Curriculum for Excellence while raising the profile of the most common long-term condition in schools.

Join us on Monday 17th September at 4pm in Glow TV to find out more about this resource.

In this Glow Meet Emma Graham from Asthma UK will discuss the benefits of using the new resource across the curriculum. Emma will be joined by Nicola Masterton, PT Pupil Support from Grangemouth High School who will give a practitioners perspective on how to use ‘Two in Every Classroom’ to enhance learning as part of the Health and wellbeing curriculum.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV and if you miss the live event make sure you catch the recording in Watch Again!

Standards for Leadership and Management

GTC Scotland have been working on a revision of the Professional Standards, and have published drafts of each of the revised standards for consultation, with a view to publishing the Standards at the start of 2013.

Join us in Glow TV on Thursday 13th September at 4pm to find out more about The Standard for Leadership and Management. The draft revised standard for Leadership and Management has been extended from the previous Standard for Headship to include a standard for middle leadership as well as the Standard for Headship, in order to meet the needs of all teachers in, or aspiring to formal leadership roles in our schools.

This session will be led by Gillian Hamilton, Head of Education Services at GTC Scotland and will explore the thinking behind the revision of this planned standard, as well as some of the planned content.

Sign up and join us live in Glow TV or view the recording via Watch Again.

Daily What Newsround Olympic Celebration Special

Join the Daily What News team live on Glow TV at 11am on Friday 14 September, the day when Scotland’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes will parade through Glasgow.

The team will be joined by a very special Olympic guest – tune in to find out who and to send in your questions!
We will also have our usual news roundup, quizzes and fun.
Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

If you are unable to attend this event when it is being transmitted live then you will be able to watch a recording of it in Glow TVs Watch Again facility.

Glow TV – Watch Again!

Have you read about an event in Glow TV and wanted to join in live but were unable to because of other classroom commitments or timetabling? Do you want the ability to view exciting or interesting pupil focused Glow Meets at a time that is convenient to you? Do you want to enhance your Professional Learning at a time that suits you? Well you can in Glow TV’s Watch Again facility!

All Glow TV events are recorded so if the time of the live event isn’t suitable for you and/or your class to join in you can still have the opportunity to watch the recorded version at a time that suits your timetable or other classroom/personal commitments.

Watch Again is available in Glow TV and you can filter all the recordings that have taken place over the past 17 months either by name or by the programme category eg Literacy and English, CPD etc or by the programme tags.Once you have found what you want to watch simply click the Watch Again link which will take you to your chosen programme (and all the others in that channel category too!) and you can then view the recording at your leisure. You can also have the opportunity in our Watch Again Feedback Forum to let us know how useful you found the recording and if/how it enhanced your or your classes learning.

So why not take part in Glow TV when it suits you? You may not be able to ask questions in a live environment but you will still be able to see and listen to experts in their field and have fun in our numerous interactive Glow TV events.

Support for Mathematics – Twig on Glow Resource

Mathematics CPD on Glow TV – 10th September at 4pm

Join us for the next Glow TV event to explore new materials supporting learning and teaching in Mathematics.

Twig World Ltd, the company behind the popular Glow Science, has released an additional two subjects – maths and geography – to their online resource. The addition of over 200 films brings the total online content to over 1000 high quality short films with related learning materials.

Twig on Glow can be accessed from www.twigonglow.com as well as from within Glow.

The new maths materials include a range of topics from space, measurement, shape, number, algebra, accuracy and proof, statistics and probability and a history of maths.

Twig films are high quality, inspiring videos to support the curriculum and engage learners using real world images rarely seen in the maths classroom. The everyday application of mathematical concepts provides answers to those pupils who struggle to see ‘why maths matters.’ The support materials complement the videos to explore topics from ‘The Heartbeat formula’ in Algebra to ‘Why do we count in tens’ in Number.

“The resource fits nicely into CfE. The films instigate discussion and that’s a really important thing… it’s about getting the kids to understand and think for themselves.” Maths Teacher, West Lothian

Mathematics CPD – 10th September at 4pm

Join us to find out what’s new, get a tour of the website from Twig staff and speak to teachers who have been using the materials.

To find out more and sign up click here.

Edinburgh International Book Festival – Watch Again!

Did you miss the Glow TV coverage live from the Edinburgh International Book Festival? Well don’t worry you haven’t missed out as all the events were recorded and are available in our Watch Again section in Glow TV.

During the festival Glow TV was filming at the following:

Twists, Turns and Thrillers with Ally Kennen an event suitable for S1-3. Find out more and Watch Again.

Steve Barlow & Steve Skidmore present Action Dogs! an event suitable for P4 – 7. Find out more and Watch Again.

International Rescue with Sally Grindley an event suitable for P4 – 7. Find out more and Watch Again.

Rhyme, Rhythm and Rap with Brian Moses an event suitable for P3-P6. Find out more and Watch Again.

Ghosts and Ghouls with Andrew Hammond an event suitable for P7- S3. Find out more and Watch Again.

Drawing Inspiration with Tony Ross an vent suitable for P1- P4. Find out more and Watch Again.

Each event was accompanied with for Curriculum for Excellence teaching ideas on the Edinburgh International Book Festival website Education section.

Don’t miss out make sure you check out Glow TV’s Watch Again section for this and many more exciting events.

Rehearse with Random Accomplice

Join Tron Participation on Wednesday 12th September at 2pm live from the Tron Theatre as we take a sneak peek into the rehearsal room with Random Accomplice as they prepare for their upcoming show ‘The Incredible Adventures of See Thru Sam’.

Our Glow Meet will allow you to see the company, meet the cast, watch some rehearsal exercises and ask questions to the creative team.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see one of Scotland’s most versatile and energetic companies at work.

Sign up and join us!

Choices for Life Online – The Live Launch!

Join us live from the Glasgow Science Centre on Wednesday 12th September at 11am for the launch of the brand new Choices for Life Online website.

Presented by Forth One’s Mark Martin you will have the opportunity to hear how the website was built with messages from young people themselves including how important it will be to have 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 will also be highlighted on the site and give practitioners an opportunity to share good practice. We can’t confirm who will press the button to launch Choices for Life, but stay tuned and we will announce it as soon as we can…….!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this exciting event!

See a preview of the new Choices for Life Online website before the live launch.

Spotlight on Theatre

Festival Theatre Edinburgh, The Lyceum Theatre and The Traverse Theatre are holding a unique interactive careers event on Tuesday 11th September. Places to attend have already been booked up, but if you are interested in finding out more, and watching the sessions you can now join in on Glow TV.

The event is aimed at 5th and 6th year pupils interested in pursuing a career in the theatre, and will also act as a CPD session for Drama, Guidance/Support Teachers and Career’s Advisors. In addition pupils in upper primary and lower primary may be interested in many aspects of the day.

It is a busy day with lots to join in with:

Directing and Writing for Theatre live from The Traverse Theatre – 10 – 11.30am
As Scotland’s New Writing Theatre the Traverse prides itself on the close relationships they have with our writers. Join our Associate Director for a practical workshop that explores the relationship and journey of a playwright and director. Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Acting live from The Lyceum Theatre – 12 – 1.30pm
Take part in an acting skills workshop with our Drama Artist and learn all about careers in Acting and the routes and courses which can lead to them. There will also be a Q and A session with a professional actor – so have your questions ready! Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Marketing, Press, PR and Programming live from the Festival Theatre Edinburgh – 2.30 – 4pm
An introduction to careers in arts administration, focusing on marketing, press, PR and programming. Our experienced staff share their tips for the top in promoting and selling theatre to diverse audiences across the central belt of Scotland, but beware – it’s not all paparazzi and showbiz glamour! Sign up and join us for this event in Glow TV.

Be at the heart of your child’s learning

 

Today sees the launch of a national campaign which aims to help parents and carers develop a better understanding of Curriculum for Excellence and how they can become more involved in their child’s learning.

Children do better when families support their learning. From reading together; spending time talking and listening through to finding out about their day and helping them prepare for exams – involvement makes a world of difference.

Curriculum for Excellence is raising standards of learning and teaching across Scotland. It is preparing children and young people with the skills and qualifications they need for a fast changing world. 

Parentzone is a website dedicated to providing parents and carers with the most up to date information about their child’s education. It provides practical advice and ideas of how parents and carers can be involved in their child’s learning as well as essential information on features of Curriculum for Excellence.

Get involved today by visiting www.educationscotland.gov.uk/parentzone.

 

Daily What Newsround – It’s Back!

The Daily What News eds return after the summer break with an action-packed round-up of the site’s latest stories.

With fun games such as the latest stories in numbers and discussion topics that would engage even the most reluctant participant, Louise and Melissa return on Friday 31st August at 11am LIVE from Glow TV’s Glasgow studio.

We think these news girls are just fab and their approach to the show is likely to be light-hearted and fun, whilst introducing some inspiring opportunities for classroom discussion and ideas about how to use the news site’s stories in school.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Get to Know the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Scotland Seminar

Wednesday 14 November 2012

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is holding a seminar on Wednesday 14 November from 5pm to 7pm at their offices at Rosebery House in Edinburgh. The aim of this seminar is to:

  • Provide an overview of the charities structure and work;
  • List current partner organisations that are delivering DofE;
  • Provide an overview of the DofE programme and it’s uses in different settings;
  • Look at how the DofE is delivering on local and national outcomes;
  • Look at opportunities to deliver the DofE as a licensed organisation.

This FREE event is aimed at anyone with an interest in delivering the DofE whether that be a practitioner, manager or volunteer.

Contact: Sarah Hayden at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, phone: 0131 343 0920  e-mail

Outdoor learning at the Scottish Learning Festival

We are taking learning outside at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival and are delighted to be able to announce that some of our creative partners in outdoor learning will be offering free events and workshops across the Clyde on the Glasgow Science Centre site.  Please visit the Getting Outside Blog to find out more about the programme, which includes free workshops from Grounds for Learning, Creative Star Learning, Fruitful Schools, Forestry Commission Scotland and Cairngorms National Park Authority/Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.

Our grateful thanks to the Glasgow Science Centre who have given us their grounds and their café space for our various activities. Registration for these free events and workshops is not available through the main SLF site, so please register early with the individual organisations offering them, using the links provided on the blog. Places are offered on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please contact julie.wilson@educationscotland.gov.uk.

Skills in Practice

Education Scotland has recently published a practical guide to support the development of the key messages surrounding Building the Curriculum 4: Skills for Learning, Life and Work. It will provide teachers and other practitioners with support to help them ensure that skills development is an integral part of learning throughout the Broad General Education stage of Curriculum for Excellence.

 

Highlights include:

  • Examples of innovative practice from a variety of educational establishments
  • Short film clips providing practitioner, employer, parent and learner perspectives on skills
  • Downloadable CPD activities to support practitioners to reflect and develop their practice
  • A focus on developing thinking skills with activities and film insights with Keir Bloomer (Chair of the Higher Order Skills Excellence Group)
  • Activities exploring planning and progression in skills through the Experiences and Outcomes
  • Links to a range of GLOW resources including Watch Again GLOW Meets

 

Find the Skills in Practice resource here on the Education Scotland website:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/s/skillsinpractice/introduction.asp?strReferringChannel=educationscotland&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-615801-64

Special Delivery: The William Wallace Letters

The National Records of Scotland (NRS), in partnership with the Scottish Parliament, is mounting this exhibition in the Parliament from Wednesday 15 August – Saturday 8 September 2012.

Join us live from the Parliament on Thursday 30th August at 2pm when pupils will get an opportunity to explore the exhibition and quiz the experts – Dr Alan Borthwick, Head of Medieval Records, National Records of Scotland and Dr Fiona Watson, independent researcher and author of ‘Under the Hammer: Edward I and Scotland, 1286 – 1307’.

A short film about the exhibition will be uploaded onto Glow and available to view from Monday 27th August – we recommend your class watches this before the event to get ideas about what questions to ask.

More information, including a timeline putting events into a historical context, is available online on the Scottish Parliament website.

The centrepiece of the exhibition will be two surviving original documents with a direct link to William Wallace.

The first is the so-called Lübeck Letter, issued by Wallace and Andrew Moray as Guardians of Scotland after their success at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.

The second document is a letter of 1300 from the French King Philip IV to his agents at the Papal Court asking them to assist Wallace in his business before the Pope.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV!

SLF 2012: Forensic Rookies, Transition and the AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust: Scottish Islands and Mainland ICT and Science project

We’ve been keeping you up to date with this inquiry based science project since last December. Don’t forget that you can find out more by joining us at session N1A at SLF 2012, presented by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor. A vodcast overview of the project can be found on the scienceedresearch channel on YouTube.

The workshop will share the findings of a recent project involving 3 pairs of primary & secondary schools from several different local authorities, and the sustained impact in those local authorities where this project is being rolled out further. Learners and practitioners views and feedback will be shared. This project was supported by funding from AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust and led by Professor Susan Rodrigues and Neil Taylor as part of the suite of ‘Partnerships in Primary Science’ (PIPS) CPD projects.

The workshop will include an opportunity for delegates to have hands on experience of the six investigative tasks, using the kit provided to schools, funded by AstraZeneca Science Teaching Trust. There have been a series of videos made using learners and practitioners which will be used within the session, and these will are also available via the ScienceEdResearch channel YouTube.

The individual vodcasts for each school:

Brae HighBlairgowrie; Coupar AngusInveralmond Community HighUrafirth; Westfield

Visitor registration for SLF 2012 is now open!

SCCYP- Your Shout – Right Now

Join Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, on Monday 3 September from 11 to 12pm for a Glow Meet hosted by pupils from Trinity Academy. Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

We are asking you to make a two minute presentation on one or more of the speech bubbles on the right. These were the four areas which you told Tam were the most important things he should be working on when you voted in a RIGHT blether.

For example do you think everyone is:

  • Included in your school?
  • Have you got things to say about children and young people being respected in your community?
  • Is everyone treated fairly with opportunities to learn and develop or do some children and young people face barriers?
  • Do you feel safe and secure in your home or are there things that you would like to change?

Let us know what you think could and should be done in one of these areas and we will show as many presentations as we can during the Glow Meet. As well as presentations there will be time to discuss and debate with Tam and everyone who joins in on the day.

Send your presentations to cathy.begley@sccyp.org.uk or shelley.smith@sccyp.org.uk by Friday 31 August and we will load them on to the blog. For more information about the four areas go to : http://www.sccyp.org.uk/what-were-doing/right-now

Glow At The Edinburgh Book Festival

The highly acclaimed Edinburgh International Book Festival begins in Charlotte Square on Saturday 11th August and runs until the 27th August and Glow will be there for one week bringing to you a selection of some of the best of the children’s events!

Join us from Monday 20th August at 10.30am where we start our week with Twists, Turns and Thrillers with Ally Kennen as she introduces her teen novels including her latest, Bullet Boys, a gripping, thought-provoking story filled with twists, turns,guns and danger. She shares how she goes about researching her novels and describes what inspired her to start writing. Bring plenty of questions! (Suitable for S1-S3)

On Tuesday 21st August join us again at 10am as Steve Barlow & Steve Skidmore present Action Dogs! In addition to being prolific writers of books for children, Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore have entertained audiences worldwide with their crazy double act for over two decades. Their events are always fun so make sure you get involved if you are P4 -7.

Wednesday 22nd August sees a double session coming live from the EIBF the first at 10.30am being suitable for P4 -7. Join International Rescue with Sally Grindley for a lively, interactive event all about International Rescue, her brand new series of adventure books written in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London. Meet the Brook family and hear about their exciting travels globe as they strive to save endangered animals.

The second event on the 22nd begins at 1pm and is aimed at S4 -S6 – Keith Gray on Lord of the Flies. Keith discusses William Golding’s remarkable and provocative novel, Lord of the Flies. Find out how he first discovered the story, how it influenced his own writing and how he believes it has left a lasting impression on a generation of authors writing.

On Thursday 23rd August join us at 10.30am for Rhyme, Rhythm and Rap with Brian Moses. Suitable for P3 -6 to have fun in an exhilarating exploration of the different forms of rhythm and rhyme.There will be musical instruments and some movement too, so come in good voice and bring your dancing shoes!

The week draws to a spooky close on Friday 24th August with Ghosts and Ghouls with Andrew Hammond. A roller-coaster ride through the grim and gruesome history of the world’s most famous cities with the author of the hugely popular new horror series CRYPT. Ghosts and ghouls guaranteed!

As a special finale to our week at the Book Festival we will be returning on Monday 27th August, this time at 10am with Drawing Inspiration with Tony Ross. Drawing inspiration from the Little Princess series and from the weird and wonderful stories that whizz around his head all day, Tony Ross gives you a masterclass in creativity. This is a unique opportunity for you to be inspired by, and ask questions of, one of the most popular and successful illustrators around.

All events are accompanied with Curriculum for Excellence teaching ideas on the Edinburgh International Book Festival website.

All these events will also be recorded so you can catch up later in Glow TV’s Watch Again. Find out more about the events, sign up and join us in Glow TV!

Youth Music Initiative

Creative Scotland recently announced the launch of the Scottish Government’s £10million Youth Music Investment (YMI) programme for 2012/13.

The YMI programme intends to:

  • Create access to high quality music making opportunities for young people aged 0 – 25, particularly for those that would not normally have the chance to participate;
  • Enable young people to achieve their potential in or through music making;
  • Support the development of the youth music sector for the benefit of young people.

There are 3 investment programmes available for organisations and individuals to apply for investment:

1. School based music making (invited applications from Local Authorities);

2. Access to music making;

3. Strengthening youth music .

For all the information on the investment routes and for details on how to apply please visit here.