Category Archives: Expressive Arts

Andy Scott exclusive interview

KelpiesInternationally renowned artist, Andy Scott, creator of the famous ‘Kelpies’ and ‘Arria’ sculptures will be interviewed about his life and work by Education Scotland’s Ron Cowie.

Andy will talk about his experiences at school and describe the path he followed to become a successful artist. Viewers will hear about the people and things that influenced him along the way!

The Glow Meet will be broadcast exclusively from Andy’s studio workshop in Glasgow on Wednesday 11th March from 10:30- 11:30.

You can register for the event here

John Byrne Drawing Competition update

Friday 6th March is the date for final entries for the John Byrne national drawing competition to arrive at Education Scotland offices in either Dundee or Glasgow. We have had an excellent response from schools so far but there are still four days to go until the competition ends!

The prizes are fantastic and John is designing the special runner up certificates as I write this post.

Education Scotland will hold all drawings submitted for the competition until the judging has been completed on Friday 27th March. After that they will be available from the offices to which they were delivered until Friday 24th April, if schools wish to pick them up. I’m afraid we are unable to post entries back to schools.

Good luck to everyone who enters the competition!

Last chance to enter the Scottish Education Awards 2015

SEA launchWe’ve received a fantastic number of entries for the Scottish Education Awards but times running out now. The awards showcase and celebrate the hard work and dedication across Scottish education.

To be in with a chance of winning make sure you’re entries are in before midday on 16 February.

A full list of categories and details on how to enter are on the Scottish Education Awards website. Get you’re entry in now and good luck.

Live Like Burns

Small - Burns Birthplace copyGlow TV is concluding its Burns celebrations this year with a visit to the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr. Find out how Robert Burns lived with his wife Jean and join us as we see how they would have dressed and find out some new Scots words that you maybe didn’t know already!

Join us on Tuesday 27th January at 2.30pm in Glow TV.
Register to take part – Live Like Burns

Submit your seminar proposals for SLF 2015

SLF_logo_URLSLF 2015 takes place on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September in Glasgow.

SLF provides high quality continuing professional learning and is a rendezvous for educational professionals both nationally and internationally, providing a unique platform to engage with a diverse range of experts, colleagues and suppliers.

We are now accepting seminar proposals for the 2015 conference programme which will feature around 100 seminars over the 2 days.

Is there a project you have been working on that could be showcased? Or perhaps you are aware of establishments that demonstrate good practice? We would encourage you to share this information with your colleagues and networks and submit relevant proposals for consideration.

The theme for SLF 2015: Raising attainment and achievement for all, with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through:

• local partnerships and collaboration – to share approaches that lead to better outcomes
• self-evaluation – to ensure creative and innovative approaches to sustained improvement
• work-related learning – to improve transitions into sustainable, productive employment.

Full details of the theme are available on the SLF website.

If you would like to submit a proposal for consideration please do so before Friday 27 February. Proposals received after this date will not be considered for inclusion in the conference programme. All proposals must be submitted online.

There is a robust review, evaluation and scoring system in place to help ensure that all submissions are treated equally therefore it is essential that all requests to participate go through the submission process and adhere to the timescales.

Last year we received in excess of 300 proposals which allowed Education Scotland to deliver a relevant and balanced conference programme covering all key areas of education. The 2015 conference programme and registration will be launched in May and will feature the sessions that have been submitted and selected for inclusion.

We look forward to receiving your proposals and hope you will contribute to SLF 2015 to help continue to deliver Scotland’s largest annual national education event. If you would like any further information about SLF 2015 please contact the SLF team.

Online learning spaces – the Learning Experience space

This is the second post in a series which describes some of our work on ‘content-free’ templates for educators and learners to use in CfE  learning.

learnex_logo3This space is on Glow O365, so it is best to log into Glow (eg on the Learning Spaces Community) before you explore the links below

What’s the thinking behind the Learning Experience space?

This space helps learners and educators co-create a learning experience starting from a bundle of Experiences and Outcomes.

It follows closely the approached offered by the NAR flowchart. In fact, there is a behind the scenes planner which may reduce some of the workload associated with some other methods of planning learning.

Nar flowchart

​​What does it do?

For the learner, they can be involved in devising learning intentions and success criteria, talking about their learning, showcasing learning and getting support when needed.

For the teacher, it makes the planning and delivery of a BGE learning experience a wee bit easier.

How do I get it?

The Learning Space template is on Glow O365 and is available to any member of staff from their school site. See How to create a Learning Experience Space for more details

Summary of support available

See also Online learning spaces – the Class Space

Holocaust Memorial Day – Learning Blog

HMD 2015Education Scotland will be supporting an online learning conversation exploring how Art can be used to depict and understand the Holocaust.

The artist Gordon Cockburn, who is the proprietor of Cockburn Galleries in Maybole, South Ayrshire, has agreed to share his work with learners to support Holocaust Memorial Day activities and events.

Learners can use a Glow based collaborative space to support each others learning around this topic. Curriculum materials will also be provided.

The site also features:

• Survivor stories;
• Collection of video and audio content;
• Learning tasks/intentions to engage learners in their study of this topic.

Interested in finding out more? Then come and visit the site at:

http://tinyurl.com/ma2qzss (Glow login details required)

Expressive Arts Conversation Day 3

The third Expressive Arts Conversation Day took place in the Insight Institute, Strathclyde University. The main aim of the day was to explore the current national position with regard to developing practitioner confidence and capacity in relation to expressive arts. Delegates attended representing a range of stakeholder groups such as Teacher Education Institutes, Local Authorities, Arts Partners, teachers, and students.

The day got off to a flying start with three very inspiring and provocative talks. Charlie Byrne (Stratchclyde University) discussed the role creativity plays within an Expressive Arts Curriculum. Anne Valyo(Aberdeen University) highlighted the benefits and challenges of establishing partnerships which are sustainable. Fiona MacGregor(Glasgow University) spoke about recognising and nurturing talent in learners.

The speaker inputs stimulated table conversations where issues were teased out and discussed. The outputs from these conversations provided the basis for a session on future planning. Aims were established from earlier table conversations, and through using future planning tools, actions were agreed.

The Fridays, a band of young musicians from Hazelwood school provided music over lunch. Their infectious enthusiasm for performing, talent and wide ranging set list had something for everyone and provided a real high point of the day.

The afternoon session focussed on the ‘Creative Space,’ where young people lead their learning in the Expressive Arts. An example of this in action was given by Wilma Eaton(Strathclyde University) who, along with students from Strathclyde university, explained an initiative they had undertaken with a primary school in Glasgow. Ron Cowie, Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland, then guided the delegates through a draft proposal of what the conditions required to make a creative space might look like.

The ‘Creative Space’ model along with outputs from the day will be shared early in the New Year.

Scottish Learning Festival 2015 – save the dates

We’re delighted to announce that SLF 2015 will take place on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September in the SECC, Glasgow. SLF is the largest education event in Scotland and will focus on raising achievement and attainment. Those interested in presenting a seminar at the festival can submit a proposal in January, when further information will be available on the SLF website.

Registration for the SLF will open in May, look out for more information over the coming months and save the dates in your diary now.

We are also working with a range of partners to host a series of SLF Extra events in 2015. On 17 February, Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Education Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council will host the Aberdeen Learning Festival in the AECC. The festival will include keynotes, workshop and an exhibition. More information about the event and how to register will be available in January.

On 27 February Children in Scotland, in partnership with Education Scotland, are hosting the first in a series of six free events for all those involved in education. The morning session will focus on pupil engagement and participation and the afternoon session will look at parental engagement. This first event takes place in Melrose and more information is available on the Children in Scotland website.

More SLF Extra events will be taking place in 2015, visit the SLF website for details.

Design A GlowLogo Competition

The Glow development team has set up a wee on-going competition to design a logo that will periodically replace the “Glow” in “Glow powered by Office 365″ you see on the top LHS of each Glow O365 page.

You may have noticed the poppy there during Remembrance Week and the competition follows on from a small trial for St Andrew’s Day for which the Glow logo was replaced by a pupils design from a similar competition.

This month’s competition is “Design a Christmas Glow Logo”. It is hoped that this competition will evolve into a series of “monthly” events to generate some further user input into glow. It would be great if you could publicise this competition with schools in your area. Further info on the competition can be found at – http://bit.ly/designaglowlogo (Glow login details required).

NQ Music site updated

The NQ music support site developed by practitioners, has been updated to incorporate music concepts from the new higher lists.

We would like to thank all practitioners involved in developing and adding to the new content.

Revision quiz materials for Higher music are also available. These have been developed taking into account feedback received from staff and young people about previous quizzes. New quiz materials for National 5 have also been developed.

To visit the site, click here

John Byrne National Drawing Competition launches for schools

By Ron Cowie, Senior Education Officer in Express Arts at Education Scotland.

Ever dreamed of yourself as Britain’s next great artist? Well, now is your chance to put your artistic skills to the test.

Well-known artist and playwright, John Byrne, is inviting children and young people in schools across Scotland, from P4 – S3, to take part in the first annual John Byrne Drawing Competition, which was officially launched on Friday 5 December 2014.

The aim of the competition is to encourage children and young people from P4 – S3 to increase the amount of time they spend drawing in school and at home. The competition also aims to encourage you to be imaginative and creative and really enjoy drawing!

You don’t have to follow a particular theme but John has suggested ‘A day in my life’ as a possible theme for those who want some inspiration. The drawing can be of any size but you might want to consider the size and weight if your school is going to send it in the post. You can use any kind of drawing materials but an important requirement is that your work can clearly be identified as a drawing, as this is the basis on which your work will be judged.

John Byrne was born and raised in Paisley, attending St Mirin’s Academy before becoming a student at the Glasgow School of Art. He began his career designing covers for Penguin books before moving on to designing sets for his plays and then record covers for the likes of The Beatles. An exhibition of John’s work was recently held at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.

If you are lucky enough to be one of the three winners, you will receive one of the following prizes, as well as having your drawing included in an exhibition at Paisley Museum, alongside artwork by John, from the museum’s collection.

  • 1st prize – Limited edition full colour print “Moonstruck” by John Byrne and £100 voucher for art materials.
  • 2nd prize- Limited edition black and white print ‘Lost and Hungry’ by John Byrne and a £50 book token.
  • 3rd prize – £50 voucher for art materials.
  • 30 runners-up will receive a certificate specially designed by John.

Entries must be received by Friday 6th March 2015 before 4pm. All entries should be posted or handed in to Education Scotland at either their Glasgow or Dundee office. Entries must be submitted through your school, with only one piece of work per pupil. On the back of the drawing you should include your name, class, teacher, school address and phone number to be eligible to win. If you’d like your entry returned, please include a stamped addressed envelope with your entry.

The winners will be decided by a judging panel including John Byrne himself. The winning entries will be announced on Education Scotland’s learning blog by 5pm on Friday 27th March 2015.

Further information and details of the terms & conditions for the competition are available here.

Scottish Education Awards 2015 – now open for nominations

Nominations for the Scottish Education Awards 2015 awards are now open. Celebrating the hard work and success in Scottish education, the awards recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people.

There are 17 awards available across a range of categories covering all areas of education. New awards for this year include learning for sustainability, making languages come alive and transforming lives through partnerships.

If you know of a school or teacher that deserves to be recognised for their hard work visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information and to submit a nomination.

Nominations must be submitted by Monday 16 February 2015, good luck.

John Byrne Drawing Competition and Glow Meet

Renowned artist and playwright, John Byrne, invites children and young people in schools across Scotland, from P4 – S3, to participate in the first annual John Byrne Drawing Competition.

The competition will be launched on 5th December 2014 through a Glow meet with John. Schools across the country will be invited to tune in to hear John talk about his work, and drawing in particular, and why he keeps wanting to learn! The Glow meet starts at 10.30 am and John will be interviewed at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow. Children and young people participating in the Glow meet will have a chance to ask John questions about his life and work.

Click here to sign up for the John Byrne Glow meet!

The competition will be judged in March 2015 and the closing date for entries is Friday 6th March 2015. Prizes and certificates will be awarded and the judging panel will include John himself.

The aim of the competition is to enhance the profile of drawing in the curriculum. By targeting the range of children between P4 and S3, John wants to highlight the importance of developing drawing skills in children as they go through the developmental stages of mark making and begin to represent their world through drawing.

John eagerly hopes the competition will encourage children and young people to give free rein to their imagination and creativity through the joy of drawing.

Information about how to enter the competition and the competition rules can be accessed here. This information will also be made available to Local Authority officers with responsibility for Expressive Arts.

Pack Up Your Troubles: music and WW1

Read the new blog post in Education Scotland’s World War One blog. Pack Up Your Troubles explores the relationship between music and the war during 1914-18.

Listen to contemporary soundscapes composed by English group, the Tindersticks, and German avant-garde industrialists, Einstürzende Neubauten, for installations and live performances commemorating the Great War.

Follow this link: http://bit.ly/1HL2d8f

If you’ve not yet done so, remember to sign up to the Social Studies e-bulletin for all the latest information and events from Education Scotland’s Social Studies team. http://bit.do/e-bulletin

Expressive Arts – National Working Groups

The National Working Groups (NWGs) for Art & Design, Dance, Drama and Music came together in a joint meeting for the first time at Atlantic Quay in Glasgow. The main focus for the morning session was to start work on a draft resource that will support the development key practical skills in each area of the expressive arts. The conversations centred on identifying and considering how to exemplify the practical skills in expressive arts throughout both broad general education (BGE) and senior phase. Draft documents for each area of the expressive arts were compiled and will be made available through the Expressive Arts National Network Centre in the coming weeks http://bit.ly/eannchome (GLOW login required)

Discussion in the afternoon session centred on the ‘Creative Space,’ model. The groups viewed examples of the model in action at Kiddiwinks Nursery in Fraserburgh. Music NWG member Anne Milne played videos of children in the nursery engaged in exploring music outdoors.

The “creative space” model encourages teachers to allow children to develop their skills in expressive arts through exploration, investigation and research and through partnerships with arts people in the local community and beyond.

Research tells us that one of the best ways we can help teachers to develop expressive arts skills in learners is to provide clear and accessible support that builds teacher confidence and draws on positive past experience.

The afternoon session was concluded with input from Con Morris from Education Scotland. Con demonstrated to the group the new Expressive Arts National Network Centre, a one stop shop that provides support and resources and connects all the expressive arts networks. All the outputs from the national working groups will be made available on the network centre.

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland post – Transitions 20/40 – Apply Now

Transitions 20/40 is supported by the Scottish Funding Council and offers fully funded training for talented people living in Scotland who wish to study the performing or production arts at higher education level.

Transitions 20/40 students can study programmes in:
Ballet (for ages 11–17)
Drama (for ages 15+)
Music (for ages 12–18)
Production (for ages 15+)
Screen (for ages 15–18)

To be eligible to apply for Transitions 20/40 you must live in certain Scottish postcode areas. You can check to see if your postcode is eligible by clicking here.

Applications are now open and you can apply online. If you have any questions about Transitions 20/40 or how to apply please telephone 0141 270 8303 or transitions2040@rcs.ac.uk.

Application deadline: Friday 5 December 2014.

An invitation – Expressive Arts Conversation Day

Expressive Arts Conversation Day 3 will take place on Friday 12th December 2014 at the Insight Institute, Strathclyde University, Glasgow.

Education Scotland and the Scottish Government are keen to take stock of where schools and nurseries and their Teacher Education Institute partners are with regard to developing practitioner confidence and capacity in relation to expressive arts.

The purpose of the day is to
•    explore the current national position with regard to developing practitioner confidence and capacity in relation to expressive arts
•    consider what challenges and opportunities are emerging and how these are being addressed
•    identify areas that require further support and what that support needs to look like.

If you would like to attend the event, please contact Ron Cowie, Senior Education Officer, Expressive Arts.
We expect around 40-50 colleagues from across education sectors and partnership bodies to participate on the day. A programme for the day will be sent out to participants along with confirmation of attendance.

It’s Our World – mass participation arts project

It’s Our World is a mass participation arts project that aims to create the UK’s largest online collection of artwork celebrating the environment, as seen through the eyes of its future custodians, aged 4–19 years.

The purpose is to inspire children and young people to speak out for positive environmental action by creating artworks to bring their local landscape, coastline or neighbourhood to life. Participants are also encouraged to consider their environmental impact and to take the lead in living more sustainably, with online resources available from www.itisourworld.org.uk

It has been developed in support of The Campaign for Drawing with the active involvement of over 20 environmental, educational and arts partners. Amongst those involved are The UN World Environment Day, The Eden Project, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Keep Britain Tidy (Eco-Schools), The John Muir Trust, Jupiter Artland, The National Society for Education in Art & Design and The Royal Photographic Society.

Subject matter can be approached in a variety of ways including observation, outdoor learning, multiple perspectives that reflect local landmarks and neighbourhoods, critical thinking about environmental impacts and ways in which to lead more sustainable lives. Artworks can Include close up studies of natural forms, sweeping landscapes or studies of urban environments, in any medium including painting, drawing, textiles, printmaking, graphics and photography. Use of recycled and natural materials is especially encouraged in creating collages, mosaics and 3D artworks.

The Online Gallery is now open for submissions until end of May.  Uploaded artwork will be showcased on digital ad screens across the UK from UN World Environment Day 5th June 2015

It’s Our World can be linked across subjects to help deliver curriculum outcomes, and be a creative aspect of any outdoor activity.

For moderation purposes PIN Codes have been issued to every school and college  in the UK to access the gallery and upload artwork.   Please contact patzi@juniper-pre.co.uk if you would like a code to share your students’ work.

‘The John Muir Trust is delighted to be part of such an inspirational and ambitious project. It’s Our World is already stimulating more artwork as part of the John Muir Award. Anything that encourages a sense of place, and helps us to value and care for what’s around us, has to be worth getting involved in.’ Rob Bushby, John Muir Trust

Art and Design Advanced Higher Exhibition

Tramway and The Visual Arts Studio is hosting an exhibition of work submitted to the Scottish Qualifications Authority for the Art and Design Advanced Higher qualification in June 2014. The work comes from pupils across Scotland, and represents the talents of Scotland’s next generation of artists and members of its creative community.

Education Scotland is promoting and supporting the exhibition and encourages young people, parents and teachers from across the country to take the opportunity to visit the show.

Thu 30 October – Sun 9 November. Tue – Sun 12 noon – 5pm (6pm weekend). Please note, the exhibition is not open on Monday.

Tramway
25 Albert Drive, Glasgow, G41 2PE
0845 330 3501
info@tramway.org

Disruptive Innovation Festival

The online Disruptive Innovation Festival (DIF) is working with organisations, universities and individuals from all over the world to spotlight and explore the disruptive innovations that are shaking up industry and creating new opportunities in the economy. Many of the sessions during the festival have been crowd-sourced from global contributors and emphasises the opportunity for interaction and engagement with these ideas. Throughout the four weeks, the DIF provides thought-leadership, advice, short courses, design challenges, resources and networks for new or budding entrepreneurs, designers, makers and doers. The DIF will also welcome participation from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s network including business, policy makers, academics and designers who are contributing to and participating in the DIF 2014.

Of particular relevance from a STEM perspective are the following sessions:

[27 Oct] Eben Bayer – An Entrepreneur’s Story
http://thinkdif.co/headliners/eben-bayer

[29 Oct] The Circular Economy: an educator’s guide
http://thinkdif.co/emf-stages/the-circular-economy-an-educators-guide

[30 Oct] Systems thinking and restorative agriculture-at scale
http://thinkdif.co/emf-stages/systems-thinking-and-restorative-agriculture-at-scale

[30 Oct] Assembly Line or Mind Gym? Where is education going?
http://thinkdif.co/emf-stages/where-is-education-going

[3 Nov] Mark Miodownik – Made to be Made Again
http://thinkdif.co/headliners/mark-miodownik

[6 Nov] Sir Ken Robinson – Inspiring a Generation
http://thinkdif.co/headliners/sir-ken-robinson

[6 Nov] Education: What are the new stories?
http://thinkdif.co/emf-stages/education-what-are-the-new-stories

[12 Nov] Janine Benyus & Michael Pawlyn – Biomimicry
http://thinkdif.co/headliners/janine-benyus

[Throughout] Experts on Demand
http://thinkdif.co/emf-stages/experts-on-demand

[Throughout] Design Challenges
http://thinkdif.co/pages/challenges

People sign up to receive news about the DIF at www.thinkdif.co

All of the sessions are free to attend, and most will be made available for a short period of time after the event.

Dance National Working Group

The Dance National Working Group (NWG) met for the third time on 2nd September at the Optima, Glasgow. Notes from the meeting are attached below.

Dance National Working Group (NWG) Meeting Notes

The Implemento document attached below summarises the ‘futures’ discussion we had in relation to dance education 3-18. From the process we have identified key areas for development and action.

Comments and suggestions in relation to all the above documents are very welcome.

Implemento
Implemento

Implemento Outputs

The draft action plan document explains how we arrived at the actions and next steps for the group to take these forward.

Dance NWG Draft Action Plan

The Dance National Working Group will meet again at the joint NWG meeting on 27th November at Atlantic Quay.

Music Technology Glossary

A glossary covering the music technology terms from National 3 to Higher has been added to the NQ course materials website. The glossary is currently sited in the music technology section under the higher category. There are two documents, and A-Z of terms and another which is classified by level. Use the link below to access the materials:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/m/nqresource_tcm4825313.asp

John Carnochan at SLF 2014

With SLF 2014 now only 4 weeks away we hear for one of this year’s keynote speakers, John Carnochan about his keynote and thoughts on Scottish education.

Responding Differently

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” Herman Melville

Teachers, parents and families have a collective responsibility to ensure our children receive a rounded education that helps prepare them for life. Sadly, in the process, we too often forget or ignore the fundamental importance of human connection and relationships in our lives.

We seem to think now that as professionals we just need to do more of the same and everything will be ok, more policy, more training, more process and everything will be fine. This slavish adherence to professional process is, at times, naively arrogant and often ineffective. Not only does it ignore the value of human attributes, it often deliberately de-values them as being somehow unprofessional.

Professionals do not have all the answers and neither can we continue to assume that professional skills are the only “skills” appropriate or adequate responses to persistent problems. The strategies, systems and structures that exist today often can only manage the problems we face, new thinking is required if we are to make these problems better. We must begin to Respond Differently.

Professional and technical skills are important but they are not more important than the human attributes that demand we care for our fellow humans that help us establish relationships and that keep us connected. By combining the professional technical skills with our human attributes we will produce far more effective services and also help us do the right things for the right reasons.

Teachers are on the front line of Responding Differently, helping prepare our children for life. It’s certainly true that our children will need many of the technical skills delivered so effectively everyday in classrooms across Scotland. But these technical skills alone will not be enough if our children are to lead successful and productive lives. There is every possibility that many will be working in roles and doing jobs that have not yet been invented; they may be working in industries that haven’t been created yet. The skills that will be of most use to them in everything they do will be human “skills’. Our children will need to be resilient, adaptable, courageous, thoughtful, collaborative; they will need to communicate, problem solve, negotiate, compromise. Most importantly they will need to connect with others, they will need to be human; create better relationships and in schools it will create better learning and better behaviour.

In Scotland we have started to Respond Differently, particularly in Education. We have defined What our ambition is for our children, we want to make Scotland the Best Place to Grow Up. We have also defined How we are going to do it with the introduction of national policies such as GIRFEC and CfE. The inclusion of “wellbeing”, in CfE, with its aims to help children become Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens is hugely important.

This is an exciting time for Scotland and I sense that we have started to Respond Differently to children how we educate them and how we include them.

We know What we want to do and we know How we’re going to do it that’s a great start. Change is always difficult but if we remember also Why we are doing it the angst borne of the change will lessen as our aspirations increase. We are after all humans first and change is what we humans do, its what we have always done. Leadership has a role to play but we are all leaders and we can all Respond Differently.

If you want to hear John’s keynote then register for SLF 2014.

The E-CLIC Landscape Competition

The E-CLIC Landscape Competition was announced on January 25th 2014 and will run until September 30th 2014. Participants are invited to submit an idea / project based on the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) devices and tools to face a challenge for the landscape, with respect to the principles of the European Landscape Convention. Participants can compete in one of three categories (Secondary Education Pupils, University Students and the General Public) and win a trip to Estonia, where they will have the chance to present their idea and take part in the international E-CLIC Competition.
Choose one of the three challenges for the landscape in our country and put your imagination to work – you have four months to think, prepare and submit your project, either as an individual or in a team (if you are aged under 18, please do not forget to get permission from your parent or tutor at the personal data form).
The Scottish/British challenges are as follows:
 
Offshore renewables in coastal landscapes and seascapes.
Allotment gardens and change in urban landscapes.
The historic shaping of upland landscapes.
We will be happy to answer your questions (jose.munoz-rojas@hutton.ac.uk). Good Luck !
Please visit our website ([http://www.e-clicproject.eu%3chttp:/www.e-clicproject.eu]www.e-clicproject.eu<http://www.e-clicproject.eu>) and ning platform (http://e-clic.ning.com/) for further information, and also pass onto those whom you think might be interested.

GENERATION – Contemporary Art Feature for Educators

GENERATION is a major, nation-wide exhibition project showcasing some of the best and most significant contemporary art to have emerged from Scotland in the last 25 years. Many venues involved in GENERATION offer opportunities for educators including one off tours, workshops, CPD and longer term projects. You can use the venue pages on the GENERATION website to find the contact details of galleries near you.

If you are looking for more information about using contemporary art in the classroom, the new website feature ‘GENERATION 12/25 – Educators’ may help. It explores the potential for using examples of contemporary art when working with young people, and highlights a range of digital resources on offer. http://generationartscotland.org/features/generation-1225-educators/

We are really interested to hear from you if you have contemporary art resources that you’d like to share.

You can contact us on Twitter @genartscot

SUSTAINABLE CLOTHING TRAINING EVENT

1 day – Thursday 25th September 2014 from 09.30-16.00

The Lighthouse, Glasgow

Delivered by  Made-by (www.made-by.org) on behalf of Zero Waste Scotland

Event overview
Zero Waste Scotland and the STLA are proud to bring this Sustainable Apparel Training Day to the textile sector working and designing in Scotland. Come along to this day long workshop based session and learn from global case studies on the supply chain and innovation, opening your eyes to the opportunities for sustainbility in the textile sector. A networking lunch will also provide ample opportunity for networking with others working within the Scottish textile sector.

This event is suitable for individuals and companies involved in the design and manufacturing of apparel as well as academic and education professionals interested in the wider issues of clothing and environmental sustainability.

Event detail

The days training will provide you with an overview of:

  • The sustainability issues related to the clothing industry
  • The carbon, water and waste hotspots across the clothing lifecycle
  • The metrics and tools that have been developed by industry groups and multi-stakeholder organisations.
  • The Sustainable Clothing Action Plan Knowledge Hub
  • Innovations, processes and practices which have the potential to have a sustainable impact across:
  • o   Design
  • o   Raw Materials & Textiles
  • o   Colouration

 

Alongside the global case studies you will also hear from our speakers working within Scotland

  • Keela Clothing www.keela.co.uk
  • Dawn Ellams – alternative denim research case study

For further information and to book onto this event please visit here.

Advanced Higher Art and Design exhibition catalogues

As a resource to support the Advanced Higher in Art and Design, Education Scotland has secured enough catalogues from the 2013 Advanced Higher exhibition to make one available for each secondary school in every Local Authority, free of charge.

We have contacted every Local Authority and made the catalogues available for uplift from our offices across the country from Tuesday 12th August 2014. Our offices may be found at the following locations: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Livingstone and Clydebank.

We are delighted that over 20 Local Authorities have taken us up on our offer of free catalogues to support their schools.

If you wish to acquire a copy of the catalogue for your school, please contact the officer responsible for Expressive Arts in your Local Authority.

SLF 2014 – looking forward to Frank Dick’s keynote

With SLF 2014 now only 5 weeks away we hear for one of this year’s keynote speakers, Dr Frank Dick OBE, on his thoughts about how people are prepared to take ownership of their lives and the vital role that teachers and mentors play.

A Winning Lead

Whether as teacher, coach or mentor, our purpose is to prepare the pathway that takes people from who they are to who they will become. My thinking in this was mostly shaped by two life changing books: Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull which to me was about taking the risk of being different; and The Prophet which persuaded me that the coach is to the athlete as Kahlil Gibran saw the parent to the child – the parent is to the bow as the child is to the arrow.

Both of these seemed to point to preparing people to take ownership of their lives – to doing things right and to do the right thing.

We are not in total control of conditions in our lives, nor of results, but we are of our attitude to dealing with them and of our performance. And because life is more like a white water ride than a flat water glide, our attitude must find us controlling the controllables and being agile to turn uncertainty and adversity to advantage. In this, focussing on the performance of those whose development we influence and our own, is key.

Our behaviours, it seems to me, must work to a simple acronym: “O.D.D.” Own: take personal ownership of each moment to turn it into opportunity. Decide: take considered risks in decision making to turn opportunity to advantage. Do: just do it – effectively and excellently.

Giving ownership means not only preparing people to be let go (arrow) but being prepared to let go (bow).
Whether teaching, coaching or mentoring or being taught, coached or mentored, the most important quote to reflect on is Arie de Geus: “Probably the only sustainable advantage we have, is the ability to learn faster than the opposition.” The key to this, clearly is in being prepared to learn.

“Being prepared” is about attitude (again!) and process. The attitude part is clear and must be there every step of the life experience pathway towards who we will become.

The process starts with learning to learn and having in place the “machinery” to learn. For example, before a Commonwealth Games you must put in place how you will collect the necessary intelligence to debrief meticulously all that has influenced the performance and results.

In all of this we might agree that there are some things in life we can be taught, and others we can only learn.
Early in our life experience pathway of shaping personal and professional growth, we are taught the “science” for our education and development role. As we proceed, through experience, we learn the “art” of translating the science to action excellence by effective decision making.

The trouble, however, as Vernon Law avered, is: “Experience is a hard teacher, because she gives the test first and the lesson after.”

Yet if we are to learn the art of delivering our purpose in education, we must be exposed to the challenge and pressure of experiencing the untrodden path. It is by taking such risk that we turn fear to courage in the process of making right judgement calls.

It is important to get this right. The learning experience must be planned to ensure it is appropriate for the intended lesson, and we must have a critical competency set in the person responsible to teach, coach or mentor following the experience.

To return to our purpose: by preparing the pathway well, we not only develop people for their arena, but through the process for a better life. We not only develop them to improve performance, but to deliver it under pressure, on the day.

Want to hear more from Frank? Then register for SLF 2014 today.

Starcatchers Creative Skills Training

Starcatchers is a pioneering organisation that specialises in performance and creativity for babies, toddlers and young children under the age of five in Scotland.
In addition to creative developments and tours of performances for this age group, Starcatchers also delivers programmes of training for Early Years practitioners.

From 2013-2015, Starcatchers is delivering a new pilot programme of Creative Skills Training for Early Years practitioners  in Scotland.  Funded by the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland, this programme offers a range of training sessions from Early Years artists which explore expressive arts using an open-ended, child centred approach.
The programme is for everyone working across the Early Years sector, including staff in nursery and family centre settings, health workers, child minders and out-of-school and play workers.
The second phase of the pilot will run from September 2014 to February 2015 in the following local authority areas; Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Fife, Inverclyde, South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, East Lothian and Highland.

There are no costs attached to the programme for participants during the pilot.  Applications close soon so if you would like to find out more or if you want to complete the short application form please click on the links below.

Become an inspection volunteer today

Passionate about good care?

The Care Inspectorate is looking for people to help them carry out their work. They would like people with first-hand experience of care to help make sure care in Scotland continues to improve, by becoming an inspection volunteer. Inspection volunteers are members of the public who use a care service, have used a care service in the past or care for someone like a family member or friend who has used a care service.

Volunteers help the Care Inspectorate get the views of people using care services.  They work closely with the Care Inspectorate’s teams of specialist inspectors and together they help spot where things need to improve, help keep people safe and ensure that the rights of people receiving care are respected and their needs met.

Interested?

To find out more please click the link below

http://www.scswis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7731&Itemid=757

Midlothian Moscars 2014

It a special night which will live long in the memories of the young people and their teachers who attended the first Midlothian Moscars ceremony. Last Tuesday Lasswade became the movie capital of the world as 300 specially invited guests, many dressed glamorously for this red carpet event, gathered to find out which films had been nominated for the 14 prestigious gold statuettes.

The Moscars, challenged primary pupils to come up with a great idea for a film and then demonstrate their creative talents by writing screenplays, acting, filming, editing and directing. The project integrated a range of CfE experiences and outcomes covering literacy, technology, art and design, drama, and music and involved more than 1,500 Midlothian primary children in a range of activities including:
· Researching about film genres
· Writing a screenplay or narrative
· Auditioning for parts – performers and production team
· Creating a production plan
· Storyboarding
· Filming and production
· Creating a score or soundtrack
· Editing

The connected nature of these themes provided an excellent context for interdisciplinary learning as well as opportunities for pupils to apply knowledge and skills in new and unfamiliar situations.

Between February and May 48 films were produced, including dramas, thrillers, comedies, documentaries, animations and even a musical! The entries included films about zombie invasion, ghost stories, time travel, and superheroes, as well as dramas based on WW1 and WW2, the Scottish Wars of Independence and the Midlothian Mining disaster of 1890.

The judging panel, which had the almost impossible task of deciding the winners of the first ever Moscars awards, was impressed by the high quality of the films submitted. Midlothian Schools Group Manager, Alan Wait, said: “The judges were amazed at the film-making skills demonstrated by children. It wasn’t just about the performance of the actors, it was the overall quality of production and direction that made films really stand out. Some films had great stories, whilst others had memorable performances, but things like costume, make-up, special effects and the musical score also contributed hugely to the overall impact.

There was drama, tears and even an emotional acceptance speech from Strathesk pupil Ellie Wotherspoon, whose team took the Best Film award for their wonderful anti-bullying story, Pig. It might be too early to say if the next Leonardo DiCaprio or Cate Blanchett has been discovered in Midlothian, but the 2014 Moscars was an unforgettable evening, enjoyed hugely by all those who attended.

There will also be an opportunity for the general public to view the movies at a film festival which will take place in September.

For more information about the Moscars Project contact:
Alan Wait, Schools Group Manager – Alan.Wait@Midlothian.gov.uk

Composition Working Group – June

The composition working group met for the second time on June 10th. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the findings of the online survey which gauged the nature and need of support for composition in the classroom. The link to the survey was highlighted in our on line blog and through social media and ran from the middle of April until May 9th. Using these findings, the working grouped consider best ways of moving support for composition in the classroom forward.

The findings of the survey are illustrated in the graphs below, but it is clear that further support in developing compositional practice in the classroom would be welcomed by practitioners.

The group considered the need for building a strong foundation through early, first and second levels and the importance of developing spaces for learners to explore their own creativity. Recognition was also given to the importance of ensuring composition is relevant to the learner and that learners are able to take ownership of their work.

The group also discussed the work undertaken by Dr Michele Kaschub and Dr Janice P Smith – Composing Together Website – who have developed tools and strategies for facilitating creative approaches to composition in the classroom. Their work demonstrates how tensions in music are key to compositional success and how this looks in practice across the developmental stages most learners will go through.

Big Song Relay Sing Along

As part of the Commonwealth Games, Culture 2014 and the Big Song Relay, Robyn Stapleton and Maeve Mackinnon are coming together to teach the official Big Song Relay song ‘Here’s To All Our Common Wealth’.

We will be teaching it in English, Scots and Gaelic. The song is being sung all over Scotland following the Queen’s Baton and maybe you could join in when it passes.

Join us to find out more on Friday 13th June in Glow TV – sign up and find out more!

SQA Star Awards 2014 – nominate your brightest star’s!

Nominations are now open for the SQA’s annual Star Awards.

The awards are a unique way to celebrate success, triumph, achievement and recognition of the best in education and training. Behind every success story lies motivation and commitment, pride and self-esteem and, of course, sheer hard work.

See the stars come out – nominate your stars today at www.sqa.org.uk/star

Closing date for entries is Friday 27 June 2014.

Expressive Arts Conversation Day 2

The second expressive arts conversation event took place on Friday 28th March 2014 at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness.

The views and experiences of invited stakeholders provided a very helpful basis for us to consider how best to provide further support for education establishments, stakeholders and education partners.

The purpose of the day was to:

  • explore the current national position with regard to developing practitioner confidence and capacity in expressive arts
  • highlight issues that could be addressed through examples and briefing
  • consider what challenges are emerging and how these are being addressed
  • identify areas that require further support and what that support needs to look like – including consideration of establishing a national primary expressive arts network/community.

During the day we discussed:

  • The approaches that are currently being taken to develop practitioner confidence and capacity in expressive arts and the thinking behind these approaches.
  • How far education establishments and partners have advanced in developing these approaches.
  • The key challenges; for example, the range of skills practitioners believe they need to ensure that learners have appropriate breadth of experience and challenge in expressive arts.
  • The support/information/guidance that is now needed and at what level.
  • How best to share with stakeholders the proposed steps towards developing practitioner confidence and capacity.

Below you will find the outputs from the day’s discussions which were generated through our use of the International Futures Forum’s “Implemento” transformational tool. The discussions focussed on the actions we need to take to achieve our aspirations for an ideal future system.

The evaluations from the day asked three questions that can now be used as a baseline from which we can measure the impact of the day. Have a look to see what our participants said!

Conversation Day 2 Evaluations

Implemento Table 4

Implemento Table 3

Implemento Table 2

Implemento Table 1

SQA Star Awards 2014 – Nominate Your Brightest Stars!

Nominations are now open. The SQA’s annual Star Awards are a unique way to celebrate success, triumph, achievement and recognition of the best in education and training. Behind every success story lies motivation and commitment, pride and self-esteem and, of course, sheer hard work.

See the stars come out – nominate your stars today www.sqa.org.uk/star

Closing date for entries is Friday 27 June 2014.

Registration for SLF 2014 now open

Registration for SLF 2014 is now open at www.scottishlearningfestival.org.uk

The theme of SLF 2014 is raising achievement and attainment for all with a focus on maximising educational outcomes through:
• early intervention and prevention – for children, young people and adult learners in order to maximise educational outcomes;
• health and wellbeing – ranging from physical education and sport to the full range of health and wellbeing subjects which are the responsibility of all practitioners;
• employability skills – to secure a highly educated, well prepared and well-motivated young workforce able to compete in a global market.

SLF 2014 is free for everyone to attend and gives you access to:

• Inspirational keynotes from Michael Russell MSP, Dr Frank Dick, Prof Alma Harris and John Carnochan;
• Over 100 professional development seminars where you can engage in activities and learn from practitioners and young people;
• Lively debate at the professional discussions led by Sir Ian Wood, Chair of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, Sir Bill Gammell, Chairman and Co-founder of the Winning Scotland Foundation and Kenneth Muir, Chief Executive of the GTCS;
• Scotland’s largest education exhibition with over 100 exhibitors showcasing educational resources;
• Opportunities for discussion and professional networking with peers and colleagues from across Scotland.

Book Now
To guarantee your place at SLF 2014 and your choice of seminars book now, as many sessions do fill up before the summer break. Visit www.scottishlearningfestival.org.uk to browse the full conference programme and book your place today.

National Working Group for Dance

The national working group for Dance met on the 8th May at Optima Glasgow.
The main focus of the group is
• to establish what the barriers are to the delivery of Dance
• to improve communication within the dance community
• to establish a network of contacts within the dance community
Con Morris from Education Scotland gave the group an insight into how Glow could be used to establish better communication and links. How a “Blether account” would allow practitioners to support each other and share good practice.

Emma Stewart Jones from Creative Scotland gave an update on the latest training opportunities for PE students and staff. Also partnership with the Conservatoire of Scotland. New PGDE Dance course to start 2015/16.

Keith Murphy from Education Scotland gave an account of how the 3 horizons approach can be used for future thinking, focussed discussion and raise points for action
This led onto discussion points for the next meeting.

Improving the communication network.
As Dance is mainly delivered by PE teachers in Schools Anne McEwan from Denny Dance Academy suggested contacting SATPE (Scottish Association of Teachers of Physical Education) to join their network.
Response from SATPE was
“The SATPE Conference is to be held at Tulliallan on 1st November 2014 ,they would be delighted for the National working group to include a slot on Dance in Education. They are also happy for us to offer workshops etc, if we feel it would be appropriate. This is an excellent opportunity for us to reinforce concrete links with the PE Profession and ensure PE Teachers are fully up to speed in the delivery of dance.”

The group will meet 3 times per year, the next meeting is scheduled for 2nd September 2014

We would welcome your comments and thoughts in this exciting time for Dance education in Scotland.

Composing Music Survey

To help us better support composing music in the classroom, Education Scotland would like to invite practitioners to participate in a very short survey which will help direct us towards developing appropriate support materials. This consultation will also take into account feedback from our learning blog and inform next steps for the working group.

The survey should only take a few minutes and we appreciate you taking the time to respond.

The survey will close on Friday 9th May

We look forward to hearing from you.

Click here to take survey

The Society of William Wallace – competition for Glasgow schools

Calling all schools in Glasgow City Council! The Society of William Wallace has been successful in securing a new Wallace Monument at the esplanade of Glasgow Cathedral. The monument will be erected in June of this year. We would like to invite pupils to write a short poem which will be inscribed on the monument. The poem must be 20 words or less and should consider the contribution of William Wallace.

This competition will run from 1 May to 14 June for all schools in Glasgow City Council. We are encouraging all schools to run their own competition and send the winning entry from each school to this address: surge2gether@ntlworld.com by no later than 14 June.

Entries will be judged by a prestigious panel and the winner announced on 30 June.

John Muir – teaching resources

John Muir Education Pack – This resource aims to help teachers understand outdoor learning opportunities, and give confidence to use outdoor spaces for teaching a wide range of experiences and outcomes. The pack for Second Level encourages structured learning in the outdoors, along with a deeper understanding of John Muir’s writings and philosophies. The pack can be used flexibility as stand-alone activities to cover certain aspects of the topic or as activities leading into each other as a programme of learning. The Second Level pack can help with an introduction to the John Muir Award. John Muir Education Pack – Second Level

The pack has been created by The Rural Connect Project which is all about reconnecting local communities to the rural environment through community engagement events, workshops and online resources www.ruralconnectwestlothian.co.uk.

Outdoor Learning Resource Guide – This new Outdoor Learning Resource Guide summarises the many benefits of Outdoor Learning, and contains useful information and website links for further information.
http://www.jmt.org/assets/john%20muir%20award/downloads/resourceguideoutdoorlearning.pdf

John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe – A graphic novel based upon the life of John Muir has been produced by the Scottish Book Trust with free copies going to every secondary school in Scotland. It’s also available for anyone, anywhere to download as a PDF version. Teaching support notes and pupil activities also accompany the book. John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe brings Muir’s story to life in a new way, and is intended to develop a deeper understanding and awareness of the natural environment and the importance of protecting wild places.
http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learning/teachers-librarians/teaching-resources-cpd/john-muir

New John Muir Way website – Find out everything you need to know about the UK’s newest long distance route, by visiting the new website. There are maps and information for each of the ten sections of the 133 mile route, which runs between Helensburgh in the West and Dunbar on the East. http://johnmuirway.org/

Outdoor Learning online support

For information, resources, support, key organisations and national guidelines on taking learning outdoors click on the link below to access the Education Scotland outdoor learning online resource:

Education Scotland Outdoor Learning online resource

Key documents available on this resource include:

  • Outdoor Learning 3-18: Self-evaluation resource – this resource is specifically designed to support teachers and educators in pre-school centres and primary, special and secondary schools and Community Learning and Development (CLD) to evaluate the potential of their work to help children and young people learn outdoors.

A downloadable word document highlighting all these links is available here: Education Scotland Outdoor Learning online support materials

International Jazz Day

International Jazz Day, established by UNESCO in 2012, is celebrated around the world on April 30th. As Glasgow is a UNESCO city of Music, it is appropriate to mention that Glasgow Jazz Festival launches the 2014 programme on this date followed by a concert by Award winning band, New Focus, at the Old Fruitmarket.

In order to encourage youth participation and awareness, this year’s celebration includes a “Take 5” initiative. Inspired by the famous 1959 hit Take 5, composed by Paul Desmond and made famous by Dave Brubeck, teachers from all around the world are encouraged to “Take 5” (five minutes) to share the positive lessons of jazz music in their classrooms.

There are a number of resources which have been produced and can be accessed on the International Jazz Day website:

http://jazzday.com/educational-resources/

Alongside this is a Jazz Educators guide which contains suggested lesson ideas, links and lesson plans:

Click to access IJD-Educator_Guide.pdf

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication. Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity; eradicating discrimination; promoting freedom of expression; fostering gender equality; and reinforcing the role of youth in enacting social change.

To be part of the ‘Take 5’ initiative, participants are asked to register here.

Sustrans – The Big Street Survey

Sustrans, the British charity which promotes sustainable transport, has developed a learning and teaching resource for P6-7 and S1-3 called The Big Street Survey. It is designed to get pupils thinking and learning about their local environments, how they make them feel and how they can go about developing a manifesto for changing their streets and making them healthier and safer places.

A series of free downloadable resources can be viewed here:

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-your-travel/children-and-families/schools/big-street-survey

These resources deliver various Experiences & Outcomes across Health & Wellbeing, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Literacy and Numeracy.

Spring into Scotland Sings

Following on from our highly successful Scotland Sings on Burns Day we are back – with more songs for you to learn and join in with!!

This time we will be joined in the Glow TV Studio by Dumfriesshire singer Jen Butterworth.

So get your best singing voices ready and join us for another fun event on Friday 2nd May at 9.45am!

Sign up and find out more in Glow TV.

Divided City by Theresa Breslin: New Musical Version for Primary Schools

Join Theresa Breslin and Elly Goodman of the Citizens Theatre as they offer a unique insight into the history of bringing this iconic book to the stage. Pupils and teachers will get the chance to ask Theresa and Elly questions about the play and the book and to find out more about this ground-breaking project.

The Citizens Theatre has now staged three large scale musical theatre productions of Theresa Breslin’s Divided City, adapted for the stage by Martin Travers with an original score and songs by Claire McKenzie.

Featuring a cast of 45 secondary pupils this show was staged twice at the Citizens Theatre in 2011 and 2012, in South Lanarkshire in 2013 and Derry as part of the City of Culture 2013.

A new abridged (50 minutes) version of Divided City has since been developed specifically for upper primary school pupils.

In 2014/ 2015 the Citizens Theatre will be working in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council with 22 casts from 44 primary schools (one denominational and one non-denominational primary 7 class working together each time) across North Lanarkshire. Over 1200 children will take part in the productions.

Theresa Breslin is the critically acclaimed author of over thirty books for children and young adults whose work has appeared on television and radio and is read world-wide in many languages. She won the Carnegie Medal, the UK’s most prestigious award for children’s literature, for Whispers in the Graveyard, her compelling novel about a dyslexic boy. Other bestsellers include Spy for the Queen of Scots and Remembrance, a tale of youth in WW1. Ghost Soldier, a story set in the Borders during WW1 and suitable for mid-range readers, is to be published in August 2014.

Divided City, one of her most popular books, tells of two boys, one Celtic fan, one Rangers fan, and how they are brought together by an attack on a young asylum seeker. The fast-paced story explores themes of racism and sectarianism and shows, in a positive and humorous way, the power of friendship to overcome these prejudices.

Divided City has been shortlisted for 10 different children’s book awards winning two outright.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on Monday 28th April at 11am.

Meet Robert the Bruce

Abbot House Heritage Centre, Dunfermline Presbytery, and Historic Scotland are pleased to offer a collaborative programme exploring three themes of the life of King Robert Bruce (1274-1329) for local primary students.

On Tuesday 25th March, the date of Robert Bruce’s inauguration as King of Scotland in 1306, representatives from a dozen P4/5 classes will travel back in time to the 14th century, where they will explore three central concepts—dignity, peace, and humility—through problem-solving, music, and crafts, based on the life of one of Scotland’s most famous kings.

And YOU can join us live via Glow and have an opportunity to meet the King himself and to help him solve a tricky problem! Sign up and join us on Tuesday 25th March at 10.15am in Glow TV or Watch Again if you can’t join us live.

M Factor Scoops Excellence Award

Last year Glow worked in partnership with Midlothian Council to support a new and innovative approach to learning – the M Factor. This successful partnership was recognised as the team scooped the COSLA 2014 Scottish Government Delivering Excellence Award last Thursday at a star studded event in St Andrews.

The M-Factor was an interdisciplinary project aimed at Midlothian pupils in the upper stages of primary school (P6 and P7). The project used the context of the pop music industry to combine a range of curricular areas that enable pupils to develop knowledge and skills.

The M-Factor challenged pupils to write and record a pop song and create an associated pop video. Alongside this activity was a range of related activities, including:

• Advertising and promotion
• Branding
• Creating a simple website
• Planning a concert tour
• Carrying out research into the pop music industry

The project integrated a range of CfE experiences and outcomes covering Literacy, Numeracy, Technology, Art and Design, Music, Social Subjects and Enterprise.

Glow was able to provide the national platform for the final music video productions with thousands of pupils across Scotland casting their votes for their favourite bands. Voting took place over a 3 week period and the enthusiasm this generated amongst the teams was phenomenal – they were being recognised for their work by pupils all over the country!

The education team was presented with the award by First Minister Alex Salmond who said that Midlothian’s M Factor Project was an outstanding example of excellence in education – an innovative project where teachers became learners and learners became teachers.

Drama National Working Group

An initial meeting of the Drama National Working Group meeting took place at Optima, Glasgow on Wednesday 5th March. The aims of the meeting were to identify and discuss the key national issues with regard to Drama education 3-18 and to begin considering actions to address these issues.

Using the International Futures Forum “3 Horizons” tool, the group set out to map the current landscape and to explore visions for the future, not just in three years’ time but looking further ahead into 2020 and beyond.

The statements the group used to stimulate discussion through the 3 Horizons sessions are shown below:

  1. The most effective Drama education is driven by learners
  2. Effective career-long professional learning (CLPL) supports teachers, building confidence and capacity
  3. Theatre Arts Technology should play a central role in Drama education
  4. Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships is key to successful Drama education
  5. Skills developed through Drama can be delivered through subjects in other areas of the curriculum

These statements were designed to provoke conversation and thinking in relation to current practice, either observed or undertaken by members of the group, and thinking about the future direction of Drama education and its relevance to learners.

From the conversations, the key issues that were highlighted during the day included:

  • The need to build practitioner confidence and capacity to teach Drama
  • The quality and quantity of Drama training during initial teacher education
  • The challenges associated with building and sustaining partnerships with arts professional and organisations

The outputs from the meeting are collated and posted below in both Word and PowerPoint format.

Comments from all stakeholders on the outputs are very welcome.

Planning for transformation in Drama

Planning for transformation in Drama (ppt)

Art and Design National Working Group

An initial meeting of the Art and Design National Working Group took place at Optima, Glasgow on Tuesday 4th March. The aims of the meeting were to identify and discuss the key national issues with regard to Art and Design education 3-18 and to begin considering actions to address these issues.

Using the International Futures Forum “3 Horizons” tool, the group set out to map the current landscape and to explore visions for the future, not just in three years’ time but looking further ahead into 2020 and beyond.

The statements the group used to stimulate discussion through the 3 Horizons sessions are shown below:

  1. The most effective Art and Design education is driven by learners
  2. Effective career-long professional learning (CLPL) supports teachers, building confidence and capacity
  3. Technology should play a central role in Art and Design education
  4. Establishing and maintaining effective partnerships is key to successful Art and Design education
  5. Effective listening skills positively impact across the whole curriculum and leads to lifelong appreciation of music.
  6. Art and Design education is current and relevant to the lives of children and young people

These statements were designed to provoke conversation and thinking in relation to current practice, either observed or undertaken by members of the group, and thinking about the future direction of Art and Design education and its relevance to learners.

From the conversations, the key issues that were highlighted during the day included:

  • The need to build practitioner confidence and capacity to teach Art and Design
  • The quality and quantity of Art and Design training during initial teacher education
  • The challenges associated with building and sustaining partnerships with arts professional and organisations
  • The extent to which Art and Design education 3-18 is relevant to the lives and future destinations of young people.

The outputs from the meeting are collated and posted below in both Word and PowerPoint format.

Comments from all stakeholders on the outputs are very welcome.

Planning for transformation in Art and Design

Planning for transformation in Art and Design (ppt)

Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland Conference

The Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland conference took place in Aviemore on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st January.

The conference brought together a range of stakeholders with a focus on discussing the recommendations set out in the Scottish Government commissioned report into the future and provision of music tuition throughout the country. The report can be accessed through the following link:

Instrumental Music Tuition in Scotland Report

More information can also be found on the Scottish Government website with regards taking forward the recommendations.

Music Education in Scottish schools

The conference was opened by the chair of the Instrumental Music Implementation Group, David Green, who outlined the challenges, solutions and ideas for setting a strategic direction and taking forward a dynamic and creative instrumental music service. This view was endorsed by Tim Simons from Scottish Government who has been involved with the Instrumental Music Review Group from the outset. Tim outlined the commitment of Scottish Government in supporting the implementation of the recommendations. Tim also spoke about the opportunities presented through the National Instrumental Music Conference organised by VSCS on behalf of Scottish Government and in conjunction with ADES and EIS taking place in Murrayfield on Wednesday 26th February 2014.

Discussion pieces based around the recommendations from the ‘Instrumental Music Tuition in Scotland,’ report formed the basis of the conference work, with inputs from a range of professionals and practitioners, such as Fran Hanley (Musicians Union), Lio Moscardini (Strathclyde University), Mark Traynor (EIS), Paul Woods (HITS).
The first discussion looked at generating ideas for recommendation 1:
“Music Education, including the distinctive part played by Instrumental Music Tuition, would benefit from a National Vision Statement.”
This first conversation set a very positive tone for the remainder of the conference which facilitated the sharing of ideas and put Instrumental Music Tuition in Scotland in a strong position as it moves forward.

Game On Scotland Event: 26 March, Dundee

Last in the series!

With just over 20 weeks to go before the biggest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland, we invite practitioners to find out more on how the Commonwealth Games may provide a unique opportunities to create stimulating learning across the curriculum and beyond.

What will be delivered?
The event will showcase inspirational initiatives from schools across the spectrum and highlight a vast amount of resources and opportunities available to teachers ensuring that, together, we are able to deliver a lasting legacy for learning.

Addresses will be delivered by a wide range of inspirational speakers covering topics from international programmes to physical and Games related education.

A variety of engaging workshops delivered by practitioners and organisations will provide practical, hands-on exemplification on the impact of using the Games as a context for learning. Workshop sessions will include:

  • case studies from primary and secondary schools
  • inspirational address by people directly engaged with the Games and its legacy
  • international education and partnerships
  • funding opportunities around food education in the context of the Games
  • cluster and local authority initiatives

View the Game On Scotland Event DRAFT programme – 26 March, Dundee.

Who should attend?

Graph showing participant rating of previous eventsTeachers, lead staff and those with a whole school responsibility for Games Legacy, including cluster initiatives and wider curriculum remits related to the Games (e.g. active schools coordinator, health and wellbeing).

This is the third event of our CPD series, following events in Glasgow and Inverness. The previous two events were considered useful by over 98% of delegates attending.

How to register:

We invite you to join us for an inspirational day of sharing and collaborative thinking around a variety of exciting opportunities by registering for the event online or directly with Diane Carson: Diane.Carson@educationscotland.gov.uk

Artist Will MacLean Talks to Glow

What inspires a leading contemporary artist? How does an artist go about his work? How do I develop as an artist? If you’ve ever had questions like these then this is the Glow TV event for you!

As part of the preparation for the MUSA Young Artist Award 2014 renowned Fife-based artist Will Maclean will be talking about his life and work and will be answering YOUR questions.

Will is going to speak briefly about his own work and career before taking your questions.

The MUSA Young Artist Award is an art competition for schools in Fife organised by the Museum of the University of St Andrews.

Schools from all over Scotland are invited to participate in this Glow TV event on Thursday 27th February at 10.45am. Sign up and join us in Glow TV!