Early Years Glow: Did you know?
There is a whole wealth of Early Years whiteboard activities in the Aardvarks storecupboard! 
Today we are excited to be launching our Scottish Ballet Glow Group. The Education Team here at Scottish Ballet have been busily preparing and creating new schools resources and we can’t wait for our Sleeping Beauty ones to be uploaded onto Glow for you all to use in the coming months.
Here are just a few of the ways we’ll be using Glow to get you thinking about ballet soon.
• Brand New Sleeping Beauty Primary School Resources
• A specially devised Sleeping Beauty Workshop for teachers to use in the classroom
• 2 short films – one CPD film for teachers about teaching dance in the classroom and another for pupils about what to expect when you go to the theatre
• Live Sleeping Beauty Webcast from backstage at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on Thursday 12th January 2012 time??
Why not send us a message using the forum to tell us what you think of our page and what you’d like to see on it. Or you could ask us that ballet question you’ve been dying to know the answer to. Don’t forget to follow the links to our Connect page for lots more exciting games and resources…look out for our Dancer of the Month Interviews coming soon.
Why not enter our Glovember writing competition – we are looking for stories, poems and drawings from young people across Scotland.
All of next week GlowTV will be hosting different authors as part of Glovember. Please join us with:
Lynne Rickards – Monday 7th November @ 1:30pm
Scott McIntyre – Tuesday 8th November @ 1.30pm
Simon Puttock – Wednesday 9th November @ 1.30pm
Barry Hutchison – Thursday 10th November @ 1.30pm
Tony Bonning – Friday 11th November @ 1.30pm
You can sign up here on GlowTV.
Click here to visit the Glovember Glow Group.
(You will require a Glow login to take part in these events.)
A series of question and answers have been developed to help you understand Curriculum for Excellence and how it’s being embedded within educational establishments across Scotland.
The information is intended to support leaders, managers, practitioners and others within the education community in their own understanding of many of the key issues surrounding areas such as certification, assessment, making subject choices, parent or carer engagement and support for implementation.
The full list of questions and answers are available on the Education Scotland website now. Click here to go direct to the Q&A.
Purple Mash brings you a selection of online creativity tools to support and inspire young children.
The following resources from Purple Mash are available through Glow.
2Publish is a program which allows pupils to create simple layouts using text and drawings. A selection of templates, word banks and images are available to use.
Design and make 3D models. Select from a range of templates or create your own design. As you work watch the changes take effect on a 3D preview of your model. Customise your model with the painting tools then print it out to fold and stick it together to complete your model.
Get started with simple frame animation to develop an understanding of sequences and processes. Use the ‘onion skinning’ facility to ensure smooth transition from one frame to another when you play your film.
You can access Purple Mash by clicking here. (Glow login required)
You can also add a Purple Mash webpart to your Glow Group by:
– clicking on Modify Shared Page
– Add Webpart
– Search, type Purple Mash
– Click Virtual Server Gallery
– Drag and drop the webpart or select the relevant area on Add to
Following the tremendous success of earlier open day events, the Developing Global Citizens Team at Education Scotland are providing opportunities for school leaders and practitioners to visit three more schools to see first-hand how they have developed inspiring whole school approaches to global citizenship and sustainable development education. These include:
Hamilton Grammar School, South Lanarkshire
Theme: An integrated approach to global citizenship
Garrowhill Primary School, Glasgow
Theme: Sustainable development education
Whitelees Primary School, North Lanarkshire
Theme: Sustainable development education
How to book
To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172. Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. These are free CPD events.
View the full programme of school open day events at http://ltsblogs.org.uk/globalcitizenship/2011/09/28/new-open-day-programme-201112/
What others have said about the study visits:
‘The best CPD I have ever had.’
‘This was an inspirational CPD event and I found it all very useful and enjoyable – fantastic.’
‘My mind is going into overdrive – I plan to take everything you have given and use it!’
Now that all Early Years establishments have the new issue of Education Scotland’s Early Years Matters we would love to hear your views on the literacy questions which were discussed at the Saturday conference in May. These are:
* Thinking about your own work and experience, what do you think is the best way to develop children’s literacy skills?
* What do you believe that parents of young children can do to support their literacy development?
Please visit our discussion forum on our Early Years Glow site and share your thoughts and ideas. We look forward to hearing from you.
Link to discussion forum:
https://forums.glowscotland.org.uk//forums/viewforum.php?f=3490&sid=542c87bd12ded5eb8d56b128e56a2dc8
Click the link on our Glow site to see Early Years Matters online:
https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/Early%20Years/default.aspx
In light of the development of a National Parenting Strategy in
Scotland, this one-day seminar will allow policy makers,
practitioners and experts from across the workforce to come
together, share ideas and knowledge and discuss new
strategies for tackling the issues encountered when supporting
all parents, carers and families in Scotland.
http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/html/tra_tshow.php?ref=1584
Glowing Thursday 10th November 2011
Forest Pitch – football strip design competition!
Meet the artist!
Join us on 10th November at 11am on Glow TV!
An opportunity to meet Scottish artist Craig Coulthard, creator of the highly innovative art project Forest Pitch. Funded by Creative Scotland and part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Forest Pitch will culminate in two football matches between amateur players who have recently taken up British citizenship. At the Scottish Learning Festival in September this year Craig launched a football strip design competition for primary age children to come up with exciting and innovative designs for the football strips that the players will wear.
As an arts project, Forest Pitch encourages debate about national identity, citizenship, the natural world, sustainability and participation in sport.
If you have already signed up for the competition or are thinking about doing so, then join us for this exciting Glowing Thursday to find out more and get some artist’s tips and advice.
Find out more about the competition, sign up and download the design brief and support materials here
And don’t forget – taking part in this competition is a great way of demonstrating a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic values and joining the London 2012 Get Set Network. Do this before 16th December and qualify for FREE tickets for the Olympics! Find out more >>
Travelling Green is a 6 week walking project which aims to encourage as many children as possible to change their method of travel to and from school, by increasing active commuting (walking) to school.
Travelling Green is an interdisciplinary project focusing on Health and Wellbeing with links to Science, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Technologies and Languages.
Children learn about walking time and distance, they chart their progress to a more active journey to school and learn about healthy eating, why walking is good for them and how to stay safe on the walk to school.
Travelling Green is aimed at P5s (9 year olds) in primary schools in Scotland, but it can also be used in composite classes.
Increases in overall physical activity. Setting realistic, individual, achievable physical activity targets.
Sustrans has developed new, free, eye-catching interactive whiteboard flipcharts that can be used with any interactive whiteboard. The flipcharts complement the paper resource pack and provide more opportunities for engagement in the classroom. You can download the interactive resources for free from the Promethean Planet partnership pages.
More info is available on the Sustrans website.
Choices for Life is now an online event taking place on 14th and 15th November 2011. Practitioners working with children and young people are asked to log on to Glow to access a number of interactive workshops and thought provoking dramas.
Choices for Life supports learners to develop their understanding of the use and misuse of a variety of substances including alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Curriculum for Excellence coverage includes second, third and fourth level substance misuse experiences and outcomes within health and wellbeing.
This online event encourages an interdisciplinary approach in a key area of the health and wellbeing framework. Young people will engage in a number of interactive activities which allow them to explore and develop their understanding of the impact of risk-taking behaviour on life chances.
To visit the Glow Group click here. (Glow log in required)
The Daily What News for Schools in Scotland is an online news service provided byEducation Scotland for Scottish schools. Its main purpose is to help the development of literacy and language (English and Gaelic) in young people aged nine to 16 as well as support their needs for news and information. At the same time, its functions facilitate interdisciplinary learning and critical thinking skills. The service empowers teachers and learners to develop trusted learning resources and classroom activities using community-created content and group interactivity.
To visit the Science and Technology articles click here. (To access the interactive materials you will require your Glow log in)
To visit the Science and Tecnhnology Staff Area click here.
To view Science and Technology Daily What Resources that teachers have created click here. (Glow log in required)
You can also add a Daily What News Feed webpart to your Glow Group by:
– clicking on Modify Shared Page
– Add Webpart
– Search, type Daily What
– Click Virtual Server Gallery
– Drag and drop the webpart or select the relevant area on Add to
This morning I had a meeting with The Statistical Accounts of Scotland. Glow users have full access to this site, 
http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/.
Just go to the link, and choose to log in via the UK federation. Choose Glow Scotland from the drop down list and press select. Then the screen will prompt you to enter your Glow username and password. You will then be able to access the accounts.
The two Statistical Accounts of Scotland, covering the 1790s and the 1830s, are among the best contemporary reports of life during the agricultural and industrial revolutions in Europe. Learn more about the area in which you or your ancestors have lived, or use this key source to study the emergence of the modern British State and the economic and social impact of the world’s first industrial nation.
Based largely on information supplied by each parish church minister, the original (first) Statistical Account and the New (second) Statistical Account provide a rich record of a wide variety of topics: wealth, class and poverty; climate, agriculture, fishing and wildlife; population, schools, and the moral health of the people.
To find out how to use the resource click here.
You can also like The Statistical Accounts of Scotland on Facebook by clicking here or follow them on Twitter @statacc.
If you are using this resource with your pupils or are interested in using the resource, it would be great to hear from you! Please leave a comment on this blog post.
” Improving Communication Skills – Duncanrig radio” case study has been published on the Education Scotland website
Pupils from Duncanrig Secondary School and the associated Communication Support Base (CSB) which caters for pupils with autism spectrum disorders, have been taking the radio airwaves by storm with their very own radio project. The pupils have been performing their own radio shows on community radio. The project was set up to support inclusion in a realistic and fun setting as well as enhancing communication skills. Pupils showcased their work at SLF and also took the opportunity to interview Michael Russell on the day.
To advance public knowledge and understanding of the teachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Scotland, SIFC has produced the above booklet. It has recently been reprinted in May 2011. It can be downloaded here:
Date and time: 9:30am – 3.00pm, Tuesday 29 November 2011
Theme: Sustainable Development Education
This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders a wonderful opportunity to visit Garrowhill Primary School – winner of the ‘Sustainable school’ category in this year’s Scottish Education Awards.
Garrowhill Primary is an inspiring example of a school that has adopted a whole school approach to sustainable development education. The secret to the school’s success has been the embedding of sustainability across the curriculum which has had a demonstrable impact on every classroom and learner. This has been driven forward by strong distributed leadership and a positive, caring ethos which permeates the school.
A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including:
Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms, buildings and grounds. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.
How to book
To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172.
Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!
Download programme by clicking on the link below
Garrowhill PS Open Day 29 Nov 11
This is one of a series of open day events organised by Education Scotland’s Developing Global Citizenship Team. View the full programme of open day events here>>
Live from Dundee Rep Theatre, join us on Tuesday 25th October from 4.15pm for an exclusive Glow Meet with the acclaimed playwright Liz Lochhead.
This is a rare opportunity to hear the current national poet talk about her writing and in particular the modern Scottish classic, ‘Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off.’ Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off is a co-production between the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh and Dundee Rep Theatre. You can view further information and videos of the production on the Lyceum website.
Join the Glow Meet for language and drama activities, design resources and activities, as well as video interviews with the director, actors and designer.
Sign up and join us in Glow TV for this exciting opportunity.
Teenagers in Britain want to have more say in the content of sex education lessons at school, a survey finds.
Link to the story on BBC News here
Published Monday 10th October 11
Pupils from five East Lothian secondary schools put their culinary skills to the test in front of distinguished judges – in the final of the East Lothian Young Chef of the Year 2011 competition on Friday.
The nail-biting event was held at Preston Lodge High School, Prestonpans, on 7 October and the ‘home team’ of Shelby Dalgliesh and Abby Douglas lifted the trophy.
A special award for the individual chef ‘most determined to succeed’ went to Rachal Cooper from Knox Academy.
The teams of two S4 pupils had 90 minutes to prepare a two-course meal based on local ingredients, working under the scrutiny of a team of judges. The main course and dessert was prepared from a selected menu, using locally-produced pork, chicken and salmon. Accompaniments for the main course were chosen by each team. The main ingredient of the dessert had to be a dairy product. All ingredients had to be predominantly fresh, East Lothian and/or Scottish and reflect current eating trends.
The competition has been developed to complement and promote East Lothian’s rich history of local produce by involving our young people in an exciting culinary challenge and also introducing them to the idea of a career in the hospitality industry. To read more click here.
One hundred and fifty Primary 6 pupils got their hands dirty down on the farm – but it was all in a good educational cause.
Children from Annanhill, Galston, Hurlford, Silverwood, Barshare and Ochiltree enjoyed a fun Food and Farming Day at Auchincruive Estate last week, to find out about the food they eat and where it comes from, courtesy of the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET).
Youngsters enjoyed a variety of activity sessions provided by local farmers and by lecturers from the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC). They made butter and ice cream, ground some grain and toured the farm to get a closer look at dairy cows and calves. The children also tried experimental ‘egg magic’ and had some tractor fun, which incorporated basic physics activities.
To read more click here.
Every month the DGC team will be available on our new Glow TV channel to answer your questions about global citizenship and to signpost you to resources and ideas to help you embed global citizenship in the curriculum. This is an informal session open to any school leader or practitioner in Scotland – just drop into the Glow meet to pick our brains, find out what’s coming up or tell us what you’re up to.
The inaugural session will take place from 3.30-5.00pm on Wednesday 26th October. The theme for the first 45 minutes of this session will be A Games Legacy for Scotland and will showcase how the London Olympics 2012 and Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 can be used to create exciting learning opportunities for global citizenship activities and interdisciplinary learning. Find out how to get free tickets to the Olympics, hear about the Forest Pitch football strip design competition and how the organisers plan to Get Scotland Dancing.
A general Q & A/open floor session will follow from 4.15pm to 5pm. Put the day in your diary and join us for all, or part of, this event to discuss and share or get help with a particular issue. Visit Glow TV to register and take part on the day: http://bit.ly/DGCdropin
If you can’t make this one then the following drop in session will be on Tuesday 6th December 2011 from 3:30pm – 5pm. The theme will be: Developing a whole school approach to global citizenship.
There is a large amount of research evidence relating weight status in children and adolescents to eating breakfast. In 2005, a review of the literature found that although breakfast eaters tend to consume more daily calories, they are less likely to be overweight.
A follow-up review in 2009 found that most cross-sectional studies reported that eating breakfast was associated with a reduced risk for overweight or obesity. Routinely eating breakfast is associated with more regular eating habits and exercise patterns, healthy food choices and consistent energy intake in children and adolescents. Children and adolescents who skip breakfast miss the opportunity to consume a nutrient-rich meal. In addition, evidence suggests that eating breakfast as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle is associated with children’s health and well-being.
A number of studies show that:
To read the some more from the National Obesity Observatory click here
This Glow meet took place on Wednesday 28 September 16.15-17.00 – to watch again click here.
This Glow Meet demonstrated a way to provide CPD support to deliver the aspects of Health and Wellbeing that are the Responsibility of All. It was a poplar Glow meet with an very encouraging 78 people joining in.
They heard about and discussed the Iceberg Model for shared understanding of Responsibility of All. The Iceberg model helps to mark crucial learning experiences with added activities. This may support teachers identify the appropriate starting points based on a learner’s prior knowledge. This potential pathway can help teachers to consider the gathering of evidence of ‘how much and how well’ a learner has learned, when considering assessment in aspects of HWB. For more information contact Suzanne Hargreaves.
Other highlights from SLF included taking a brand new look at Physics and being introduced to Fermi’s ‘How many piano tuners are there in Chicago?’ problem.
The sessions in the Education Showcase area where pupils presented was always busy, stimulating and fun. North Queensferry Primary showed how they had created a garden to incorporate food and the environment, it was really engaging and innovative…….and the chocolate and courgette cake went down a treat!
In honour of Strictly Come Dancing starting at the weekend here are some clips that we hope will give you happy feet!
A Scottish dancing flashmob! This led to discovering this gem from last year it’s the Brain POP robot Moby in a dance off with the Consolarium team – dancing development officers
Finally Sir John Jones at the Scottish Learning Festival reminded us of this uplifting and inspirational bit of dancing. See Matt Dance!
We recently met with our HWB National Network where strategic leads from across all 32 Education Authorities as well as our NHS and Scottish Government colleagues. We had inputs around Responsibility of All aspects of HWB and skills development. There was a very enthusiastic response to our proposal to fund staff across a range of authorities to work with us on developing exemplar materials for HWB potentially on areas around assessment, profiling and Responsibility of All. It was a very productive and positive day as reflected in the evaluations.
We are going to be out and about meeting with our contact authorities seeking out emerging practice and offering support.
An online forum for practitioners and managers
If you are a Getting it right practitioner or lead professional, you can find out lots of help and information on Community of Practice. To join you will need to sign up at Community of Practice, and then apply for membership, because this is a private community, designed for practitioners and strategic managers across Scotland who are involved in implementing and embedding the Getting it right approach. Debate is fostered through a forum and a blog. You can also post news, events, shared documents and other resources.
Contact: Getting it right for every child team, phone: 0131 244 7389 Website
The Youth Literacies Network with the support of YouthLink Scotland and Education Scotland produced BLT – a non-prescriptive resource bank to assist youth workers and others embrace literacies work with young people in a variety of contexts and settings earlier this year.
The purpose of the resource is to assist you to better meet the literacies needs of the young people you work with. We are keen to know who is using BLT and in what way. Please get in touch with a brief description of how you are using them and if you have added to them or adapted the original materials.
The Big Book of Literacies Training is available to down load from here.
Contact: Heather McVey at YouthLink Scotland, phone: 0131 313 2488 [ e-mail ]
On Friday 30th September the Nourish Scotland conference was hosted at the Pearce Institute in Govan. The theme of the event was the new food economy: towards a secure and sustainable future for food in Scotland.
The event was brought to life by the arrival of Alastair McIntosh, a Scottish writer, academic and activist who made a dramatic entrance carrying a scythe, which considering we were in Govan called to mind the 1986 film Crocodile and the famous line “You call that a knife? Alistair eloquently talked about the culture of Govan, now his home and the need for a better food economy for areas of deprivation.
The event brought together over 150 delegates from all over Scotland and beyond who are highly passionate about the sustainable future of Scotland’s food industry. There were several keynotes looking at the food economy globally, in Europe and Scotland. Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment announced a substantial investment has been awarded to the Food and Drink Division of the Scottish Government.
Main focus: Learner voice and Rights Respecting Schools
Thursday, 13 October 2011, 9.30 am – 3 pm
Mearns Primary School, – this year’s Education Awards in the category ‘Global Citizenship’ -, will provide you with the opportunity to spend the day in the school to talk to staff and pupils about a high level of momentum and commitment to learner voice across the whole school for years. This has enabled the school to transform the ethos as well as the overall life and work of the school and to develop rich learning experiences and activities including:
A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward in its journey, and also to reflect on the challenges encountered along the way. Time will also be set aside for some professional dialogue and exchange of ideas.
For more information see attached document: Mearns Primary Open day
How to book
To book, please email: globalcitizens@LTScotland.org.uk or
Phone 0141 282 5172.
Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.
This is a free event!
CPD
The last of the very successful Literacy Across Learning days are being undertaken over the next few weeks and will be quickly followed by LAL2.
The Primary CPD Support for this session will focus on Learning to read and reading to learn at first and second level.
Both support sessions are currently in development and a wide variety of partners are being consulted in the process. All authorities have been approached to identify dates and the first of these days will take place at the end of October.
It is intended that participants will register there interest and intentions through CPD Central.
ROA
Anna Cartlidge has been doing a power of work with all targeted support teams to develop a resource that will promote ROA. Anna is a Primary Teacher based in Aberdeen and is a very welcome addition in coordinating the teams.
Research update
Great news on the uptake for the survey as part of the Reading research – we have reached 101 responses. This is an excellent rate and will provide a sound backdrop for the interviews. All of these tools will help build an insight into pupil enjoyment of reading. Anecdotally, the clear response from Secondary pupils is that they want to be read to more often.
Welcome to our latest news bulletin
| Download or order the brand new Global Citizenship calendar 2011/12. The calendar is free of charge. Bulk orders from Klaus Mayer. |
| Sign up for the first in the new series of DGC open day study visits: Scottish Education Award-winning Mearns Primary School. |
| New DGC open day study visit programme – limited places so sign up early! |
| National Human Rights conference organised by Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure Scotland, 27 October, Glasgow City Chambers. |
| Sign up for Forest Pitch football strip design competition – watch the video, download the design brief and support materials. |
| Find out how to take part in the Big Dance Schools Pledge and Get Scotland Dancing!Get Set Goes Global! Exciting new resources from the London 2012 Get Set team. Having trouble with your Get Set registration or applying to the Network? Get help here! |
| The new Schools Global Footprint website is now live on Education Scotland online – use it to measure your school’s impact on the environment. |
| Grants are available for school activities relating to climate change – get in touch with Climate Exchange to find out more. |
| Find out about the 95,000 jobs that will be created in the energy sector – download our new guidance leaflet for teachers and those who advise on careers. |
| ‘The History of White People’: schools invited to take part in a free public lecture by leading US race relations professor. |
| British Council support for international school link and partnerships. |
| The new Fife Earth project ‘Marks on the Landscape’ offers innovative design challenges for learners and inspires creative learning across the curriculum. |
| Video clips of the month: |
During the Technologies Seminar at the Scottish Learning Festival 2011, Claire Kane and Carla Watson from St. Nicholas RC Primary in West Lothian, joined by their pupils Olivia, Anna, Ewan and Jack presented an interesting and inspiring account of how Technologies for Learning were embedded in their Social Enterprise Project – Food for Thought Community Cafe.
You can view the presentation here. (Glow log in required)
You can also follow the project on Twitter @fftcc or visit their blog.
Why not get your pupils ready to enter Glovember’s writing & drawing competition on Glow. Find out more in the National Glow Group.
To get you in the mood, throughout November there will be Glow TV events taking place with lots of authors that you can join, or watch again later. There will also be a competition for young people to write their own stories. These will be judged by authors in 3 sections of early primary, later primary and secondary, with prizes for the winners and runners up including having your story published with the other winning entries in an eBook.
We will also be running an illustrator competition to design the bookcover for this eBook. Details regarding the authors taking part and the competition can be found in the National Glow Group here.
So what are you waiting for, get those pens, pencils and keyboards for a Write Good Glow?!
Melissa McClements article in yesterday’s Guardian:
Interactive versions of books for very young children are becoming mainstream. Are they enhancing early reading experience – or diminishing it?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/sep/27/toddler-book-apps
This Scottish Government Action Plan details the priorities for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence for 2011-2012. Details of the plan were announced in the keynote speech by Michael Russell, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, at the Scottish Learning Festival on 21 September, 2011.
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/resources/c/cfeactionplan2011.asp
This week join us in Glowing Thursdays to find out more about LGBT Youth Scotland.
LGBT Youth Scotland is Scotland’s largest youth and community-based lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual organisation who work to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBT youth and LGBT communities in Scotland.
In this Glow Meet we will be describing the work of the Challenge Homophobia Together Project, which is working across Scotland to challenge homophobia and homophobic bullying in Scottish Secondary Schools.
Sign up in Glow TV and join us on the day and find out more about the work that this organisation is doing in schools.
George Eliot is quoted as saying “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together”. The great things showcased in an #SLF11 seminar “Learning, Teaching & Assessment – Making the Connections” by inspiring practitioners and learners from the Bearsden Academy cluster started with small things. The cluster comprises Bearsden Primary, Baljaffray Primary, Castlehill Primary , Mosshead Primary and Beasden Academy. The small steps? Practitioners within the cluster talking together about transitions, about improving literacy in science. The end result? The wordle shows all that this piece of cluster work encompassed. And the impact? The learners shared with delegates the impact on their wellbeing resulting from understanding more about secondary science, more about expectations of learning in secondary and having already been welcomed into the school community. Evidence of how assessment within sciences truly can enhance learning and teaching.
The Marks on the Landscape web resource which focuses on inspiring creativity across the curriculum was launched at the #SLF11. Charles Jencks, Landscape Architect & Designer of the Fife Earth Project, is interested in human life and frequently uses ideas from biology, such as DNA and cells, as an inspiration for his landforms, gardens and sculptures.
You’ll find on the resource: opportunities to use Marks on the Landscape to inspire creativity in science; and a design challenge which extends the scientific theme encouraging learners at fourth level to study different types of enzymes and consider their qualities, shapes and functions to design a brainteaser puzzle.
Joanna McGillivray, Head of Science and Computing at Forth Valley College shared with delegates at #SLF11 on Thursday a number of exciting and innovative programmes of work which the college offers, in partnership with schools in a number of local authorities, employers and industry. Learners studying for the Science Baccalaureate have celebrated tremendous success; delegates were able to view work produced by learners as part of the interdisciplinay project element of the Bacc. The value of connecting learning, teaching and assessment to real world applications to support learners in making the transition to sustainable post school destinations, whether FE, HE, further training or employment cannot be underestimated. Read about learners’ opportunities to find out about effective science communication within the Bacc programme and see the Journey to Excellence website to hear from staff and students, the benefits of “hands on” education.
Developing skills for learning, life and work
Six filmed case studies, from a variety of primary and secondary settings around Scotland, have been published, demonstrating evidence of progression in the development of skills for learning, life and work as outlined in Building the Curriculum 4, including:
The material can be used to support the development of skills and measurement of progression at the specified levels by practitioners within particular contexts, as well as by children and young people, parents and employers.
The Marks on the Landscape web resource which focuses on inspiring creativity across the curriculum was launched today at the Scottish Learning Festival.
To view how this resource can be used in relation to Technologies click here.
There are two Design Challenges that have been created for third level Technologies Outcomes:
A busy week for the Literacy team with lots of really interesting (and popular!) SLF workshops. Ranging from Gavinburn Primary School talking about their multi-modal texts to Debbie Gardner who has a wealth of experience promoting Literacy across all sectors, there is something for everyone.
You can see some of the Gavinburn work here:
http://www.strath.ac.uk/scilt/events/past/mindsets/challengingmindsetsbreakingdownbarriers-conferencematerials/showcasingvideo-gavinburnprimary-frenchrockstars/
In the longer term we are following on the success of of our targeted support days on Literacy Across Learning we will roll out LAL 2 beginning in October. The Primary day will focus on the development of reading and is called, “Learning to read, Reading to learn” with the Secondary following on the theme of Literacy as a responsibility of all.
Both days are very dynamic and include a range of practical ideas. They are supported by materials and resources that are shared from various authorities across Scotland.
The day will be booked through CPD Central and we have advertised it to all our NLN contacts.
Glasgow Council has been working to reduce homophobic bullying in secondary schools as part of the Challenging Homophobia Together Project. 10 schools have currently agreed to ensure there is content in the school curriculum and where possible CPD for school staff. This work is led by a local Advisory Group with representation from a wide range of partners including Educational Psychology, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow Community & Safety Services, Strathclyde Police and Castlemilk Youth Project to name just a few. For more information contact Loretta Scott QIO Pastoral Care lorretta.scott@education.glasgow.gov.uk or Scott Lafferty Schools Development Officer scott.lafferty@lgbtyouth.org.uk
LGBT Youth Scotland has received an increasing number of requests from Primary Schools that are seeking resources and lessons that look at Equality and Celebrate Difference. In Dumfries and Galloway their staff delivered an assembly with all pupils in a local primary school that focused on different families and gender stereotypes. LGBT Youth Scotland feels that challenging homophobia and discussing equality and difference at an early age is essential to ensure that young people grow up to be responsible citizens. For more information regarding resources for Primary Schools e-mail info@lgbtyouth.org.uk
For many outdoor educators, Kurt Hahn is considered to be one of the greatest influences on the development of outdoor learning as we know it today.
This book will be of interest to those wishing to understand more about Hahn’s influence on the development of outdoor education, Outward Bound and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and its equivalents across the world.
Price: £25.00.
Published by: Sense Publishers, 2011. All profits will go to Maggie’s Edinburgh and the National Hospital Development Foundation.
“Alice Ozma’s father read her a story every night from the age of nine to 18. But why?” Read this inspiring article by Emine Saner at The Guardian here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/sep/10/alice-ozma-dad-read-every-night
Based on the Louis Malle film “Au Revoir Les Enfants” and the Joseph Joffo novel “Un Sac de Billes”, these engaging resources have been added to the Modern Languages National Glow Group. They encourage learners to explore the plight of Jewish people in France under the Nazi occupation. Click here to access resources
Development Officers for Sciences and Technologies, along with the team at ES, are working on a new context which will soon be added to the STEM Central resource. The Bioengineering context will feature learning journeys for sciences and technologies, based on third and fourth level E&Os, including learning, teaching and assessment ideas. Stop by STEM Central for quality assured resources, bringing relevant, engaging and exciting Scottish contexts into the classroom.
The past 6 months or so has seen the team from the Consolarium working within Early Years and Early Primary settings in Dundee, West Lothian and Argyll & Bute in order to explore the educational potential of a piece of software called The Land of Me. A number of posts have been made on the Consolarium blog (content soon to move over to this blog) about the work that some teachers have been doing with this resource. This post gathers all realted posts together so that they are easily accessible:
Posts from Argyll & Bute
Land of Me Initiative kicks off in Argyll & Bute
1/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Planning for Good Learning
2/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: A Visit from the King of the Land of Me
3/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Gleeful Children Lost in the Learning Space
4/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Parental Involvement
5/5 Land of Me at Port Ellen PS: Encouraging Outdoor Adventure
Posts from Dundee and West Lothian
Land of Me pilot: Dundee teachers’ and EYPs’ early feedback
The Land of Me in Dundee: Building Dens in Templeton Woods
West Lothian Land of Me pilot concludes
Feedback or comment on any of these posts are most welcome. If you are using this resource or any other digital world in an early years or early primary setting then please do let us know.
New HWB and OL Team are now all in place and looking forward to the work ahead in continuing to support the embedding of HWB, and the promoting of OL, within Curriculum for Excellence.
Last week the team delivered 2 joint events, one with the SCYP team and one with SCYP and the Positive Behaviour team, to lecturers from the Teacher Education Institutes and the FE colleges. Both events were very positively evaluated and a real step forward in terms of partnership work with the colleges and the universites.
This is a cross post from the National CPD Team blog http://ltsblogs.org.uk/cpdteam/2010/09/17/the-national-cpdteam/
The National CPD Team in Scotland provide strategic support for CPD and PRD throughout Scottish Education. You can find out more about the work of the team by browsing this blog and viewing this short video, which explains what we do, where we started and what are our vision, values and beliefs around CPD.
Please feel free to share it.
What is our aim?
The National CPD Team aims to improve pupil learning by building capacity to implement Curriculum for Excellence at individual, school and authority level.
How do we achieve our aim?
Who’s in the team?
The current team consists of:
So what is it we do?
Our team plan (due for completion in September 2011) will give you a flavour of our current activities:
We have initiated and/or continue to support a number of key projects including:
If you want to know more
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/CM-7980.pdf
This publication offers interesting insights into the future direction of the English school system. There is I think much to reflect on in terms of the relevance and likely impact of some of the proposals it contains.
The White Paper begins by confirming that “the first, and most important, lesson is that no education system can be better than the quality of its teachers” but notes that while the system is improving, it is not matching, nor keeping up with, the performance of other countries. It says that “our school system performs well below its potential and can improve significantly”.
The White Paper outlines wide-ranging and significant strategies that will be taken to deliver the required improvement. For example, there is a commitment to:
Lots of interesting ideas to discuss in our staffrooms!
The Creativity Portal is now eleven months old and is playing its part in promoting creativity across learning and teaching. Users are visiting the Creativity Portal for its offer of creative partnerships, resources and inspiration, as well as engaging with the Creativity Portal Glow Group behind the scenes in new and exciting ways. Here are a few of the successes so far.
Various associated Glow Groups and tools have been developed alongside the public facing Creativity Portal including a Creativity Forum, Creativity Archive of projects and lessons, Creativity Portal online newspaper, listing of Creative Glow Meets and Glow TV’s Creativity Channel.
The Creativity Portal and Creative Learning Networks (CLNs) recently held a week long online discussion around creativity and the Glow Group is still open for business – Is It Creative?. Glow Meets and the Creativity Forum were used to engage CLN and creative organisation staff building a model for future use of Glow Meet technology. For almost all users it was the first time they had used web conferencing technology and the learning curve was impressive. The use of Glow Meet by the creative partners and CLNs will no doubt prove to be a major asset over the next year in their delivery of tailored CPD and creative experiences for young people.
This is an exciting phase for the Creativity Portal and with changes happening all the time your feedback is as powerful as ever. You can access the Creativity Portal Evaluation tool here – http://glo.li/mrNuJE, leave a comment on the Creativity Forum – http://glo.li/ieF6fA, or email me direct on stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk
If you have any questions or suggestions then please do not hesitate to ask. You can also find resources to help you promote and share the Creativity Portal’s resources with colleagues in the Creativity Portal Glow Group.
The eight addition of the magazine of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association.
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