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:
Open day CPD event – Garrowhill Primary School, Glasgow
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:
- Making the most of the curriculum to provide momentum and sustain programmes
- A strong focus on pupil voice to lead learning and activities
- The effective use of programmes such as Eco-Schools, Fairtrade Schools and the John Muir Award to support learning and teaching
- Extensive partnerships with the local community to transform the school’s ageing buildings and grounds through the development of an outdoor classroom, wildlife area and vegetable garden which are regularly used for curricular activities
- The reduction in the school’s energy consumption by 30% through sustained commitment.
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>>
The Place2Be in Action
Once again Glowing Thursdays is delighted to welcome back The Place2Be. This time there will be an opportunity for pupils and school staff to listen to Edinburgh pupils’ views on how The Place2Be and other strategies (such as circle times, mentoring, and talking to friends) helps them cope with the worries in their lives so they can get the most out of their education.
Hosted by The Place2Be, (a school based counselling service providing support to over 58,000 children), in partnership with Enquire, the Scottish Advice Service for Additional Support for Learning.
Find out more about Place2Be and Enquire on their websites.
We hope that you can sign up and join us in Glow TV to find out more about these important organisations and how they might be of benefit to staff and pupils in your school! Sign up in Glow TV.
Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off!!
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.
Do you know about the work of Doctor Suzanne Zeedyk?
Suzanne Zeedyk is currently Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology at Dundee University. Suzanne’s work focuses on parent-infant relationships. She is frequently invited to speak to groups of parents and professionals on the importance of such relationships, and how babies’ early experiences influence the development of their brain, bodies and psyche.
Click the links below to find out more:
Scottish Youth Work Week Conference & YouthLink Scotland AGM
The Scottish Youth Work Week Conference will take place on Wednesday 2 November 2011 in Edinburgh. The AGM will take place during the lunch break, all members are invited to attend (lunch will be provided).
The format of the conference will include round table discussions in the morning and interactive sessions in the afternoon.
The round table discussions in the morning will take a closer look at using volunteers to deliver youth work programmes, mentoring using a youth work approach and evaluation to demonstrate social return on investment.
The afternoon interactive sessions will focus on a generic range of youth work policy and practice topics.
Interactive Sessions
A list of the interactive sessions on offer at the conferece is now available to view here.
Please note that the top ten sessions chosen by delegates will run on the day.
Booking
Booking online is now available here
The cost for members is £50.00 plus VAT and £75.00 plus VAT for non-members.
Contact: Susan Symington at YouthLink Scotland, Tel: 0131 313 2488 [ e-mail | Online Booking ]
Teenagers want a say in sex education, says charity
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
Home Economics Good Practice : Young Chef of the Year
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.
Learning about food: down on the farm
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.
International and Citizenship education within early years
Woodacre Nursery School invites practitioners to their newly built school on the South Side of Glasgow in Pollok to share their experiences in gaining full International Schools Award, Green flag status and the ‘Trades House Citizenship Award’. The nursery school has been involved in Global Citizenship Education for the last 6 years embedding many initiatives related to this theme into their curriculum.
Click the link below to find out more!
Glow Meet – Global citizenship DROP IN
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.
Parents urged to Play Talk Read
A national road-show launches this week to encourage parents and carers to play, talk and read more with their younger children.
Launched on 6 October by the Minister for Children and Young People, Angela Constance, the road-show will visit all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities as part of the next phase of the Scottish Government’s Play, Talk, Read campaign which focuses on the early years of children’s lives.
In partnership with Scottish Book Trust, the Play@Home scheme and other voluntary organisations, the roadshow kicks-off in key shopping centres across Scotland offering fun and free play and Bookbug stories, song and rhyme sessions in an engaging pop-up area. The Scottish Government’s new Play Talk Read Bus will then take to the streets, visiting towns and cities across the country.
STEM Central and Education Scotland newsletter
If you haven’t seen the first edition of the new Education Scotland newletter you can find it using this link http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/ESNewsletter_tcm4-674651.pdf. The front page highlights the new STEM Central resource, and the importance of sciences, technologies, engineering and maths for the future of Scotland’s economy. The newsletter also announces the role of Education Scotland in supporting practitioners with the delivery of the new qualifications, with learning resources to be published in spring 2012.
Does skipping breakfast help you lose weight?
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:
- overweight or obese children and adolescents eat breakfast less frequently
- girls tend to skip breakfast more than boys
- skipping breakfast increases as children age into adolescence
- parental eating and living in two parent families are positively associated with adolescent breakfast consumption, whilst families are positively associated with adolescent breakfast consumption, whilst socioeconomic deprivation is inversely associated with eating breakfast
To read the some more from the National Obesity Observatory click here
Iceberg Glow Meet – Responsbility of All
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.
SLF Highlights
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!
Health and Wellbeing Network
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.
Reintegration and Transitions – Guidance for Local Authorities, Community Planning Partnerships and Service Providers
This guidance aims to provide an overview of best practice within reintegration and transitions for young people under 18 who offend. As this age group can cross over child and adult services it is important that we recognise this to ensure that the transition process is as smooth as possible and that the service the young person receives meets their age and stage of development.
Getting it right for every child Community of Practice
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
Are You Using BLT: The Big Book of Literacies Training?
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 ]
Meeting needs through Curriculum for Excellence
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Nourish Scotland Annual Conference 2011
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.
Health and Wellbeing Event for PDGE Student at Glasgow University
On Wedneday 14th September this event was attended by 300 PDGE students and was very enthusiastically received. The day included an inspiring input from Suzanne Hargreaves (HWB Team) around putting Health and Wellbeing into context within CfE.
There were inputs from Head Teachers Teresa Verrecchia of St Dominic’s Primary, Glasgow and Tony McDaid of Calderglen High School, Glasgow. They regaled the audience with tales from the ‘frontline’ and shared the great joy that comes from meeting the needs of children and their families.
Finally the day was completed by Alan McLean introducing the students to ‘The Motivated School’, this was an entertaining and at times challenging presentation that encouraged the students to contemplate their future classroom practice.
School open day: Mearns Primary School (East Renfrewshire)
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:
- Implementing a highly effective pupil participation strategy
- Developing international education programme through the ‘Connecting Classrooms’ programme (British Council) and links with other foreign schools.
- Forging strong partnerships with parents and a wide range of local community groups and businesses.
- Establishing a whole school ethos based on justice, fairness and human rights agenda leading to Rights Respecting Schools accreditation and peer assessor status.
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!
Micro – Tyco Glow Meet
Lots of schools are asking about what they are going to do over enterprise month this year.
Tune in to the Glow Meet on Thursday at 12.30,1.30 or 3.30 to hear social entrepreneur Mick Jackson talk about the popular WildHearts Micro-Tyco Challenge and how it can engage whole communities in enterprise education and at the same time raise awareness and tackle social injustice.
Click here to visit the Aberdeen City Glow Group for more information. (Glow log in required)
Or better still join the Glow Meet Briefing Room on Thursday 6th October at 12.30,1.30 or 3.30 by clicking here. During the Glow Meet teachers and pupils will have an opportunity to engage with Mick about the Challenge and to ask him any questions you might have about enterprise in general or the challenge specifically.
Developing Resources to support AH Physics
I mentioned before that we are progressing development of resources to support AH Physics. Whilst discussing ideas with a teacher from the West Coast, he mentioned a valuable resource available on the National STEM Centre website : a series of films demonstrating various practical work in Physics including a demonstration of wave motion using masking tape, jelly babies and wooden skewers. I am reliably informed by the adventurous Scottish science community that it works well for AH and also to amuse your own children on a wet weekend. Don’t forget that for Higher Sciences, revised or traditional, you can find lots of resources on the Education Scotland NQ Higher Sciences site.
World Porridge Day
World Porridge Day on Monday 10th October will see the celebration of a traditional Scottish dish and the chance to explore the work of the charity Mary’s Meals.
To many in the UK, porridge is a hearty breakfast, but to over 479,000 school children in Malawi who receive a daily mug of maize-based likuni phala from Mary’s Meals, it is a powerful incentive to go to school, and the only guaranteed meal they will have each day. Mary’s Meals provides a daily meal to chronically hungry children to attract them to school where they can get an education which could lift them out of poverty in later life. It costs Mary’s Meals just £6.15 to provide a daily meal for a child for a whole school year.
200 S1 pupils in Holyrood Secondary School Glasgow will be served porridge at the same time as pupils at the Catholic Institute Primary School in Malawi with a live link via Glow. Join us and tell us how you are celebrating World Porridge Day and find out exactly what World Porridge Day means to the pupils in Malawi.
Join us for World Porridge Day on Glow TV
Hosted by Holyrood Secondary School, Glasgow
A live link with Malawi
Monday 10th October 2011
10am
To sign up for this event on Glow TV click here (Glow log in required).
To find out more about Mary’s Meals visit the Glow Group (Glow log in required).
Modern Studies Conference – Live from East Lothian
Join us live from Musselburgh Grammar School on Friday 7th October from 9.45am to take part in the ‘Higher Modern Studies Conference East Lothian 2011‘. The conference will have speakers presenting on Health and Wealth and also the impact of the media on politics.
We already have Susan Deacon, former Scottish Cabinet Minister and Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland Political Editor as speakers at this event. Susan from 9.45 – 10.45 and then Brian will be speaking at 11am. The full programme is still being finalised so join us on Friday for an exciting morning.
Literacy Team Update 3rd October 2011
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.
Early Years Saturday Conference
Early Years Saturday Conference
Maximising Children’s Learning: Getting it right with parents
Saturday 12th November 10 am – 2.30 pm
Please click the link below to find out more!
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/newsandevents/events/2011/eventgeneral_tcm4674611.asp
What every supply teacher should know about CPDStepin
CPDStepin is still going strong! This CPD Community on Glow is for supply teachers and others who may not be able to access CPD and PRD through the usual channels. The community is facilitated by Anne McGhee, a CPD Team associate and supported by Susan Lafferty of the National CPD Team at Education Scotland.
In this video, Anne chairs a discussion with CPDStepin colleagues and mentors which features the benefits from membership of the community. You can watch the video over at the CPD Team blog . Enjoy!
Remember,
If you are a supply teacher and want to join CPDStepin, then see this link here. If you don’t have a Glow username, we can help with that
if you have mentoring or other skills that can support CPDStepin colleagues, please drop us a line at stepin@educationscotland.gov.uk
Developing Global Citizens – News bulletin September 2011
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: |
SATH Autumn Conference 2011
A message from Neil McLennan – President Scottish Association of Teachers of History
It gives me great pleasure to attach the programme for the SATH Autumn Conference. We are indebted to the University of Edinburgh for their kind offering of magnificent facilities at the Old Medical School (now the home of the History Department) and to the Heritage Education Forum for thier support and sponsorship of the programme.
I have attached a paper copy of the programme. The link to send around colleagues is:-
http://bit.ly/SATHautumn2011
Please do circulate the paper programme and the link widely amongst other history education professionals. This link will be used to drop in further information about the various speakers as the event approaches. It is also a place where SATH members can link up with history educators to share ideas, teaching resources and learning ideas.
Interest is likely to be high given the wide variety and high caliber of speakers on offer. The theme ‘Learning from each other’ brings together inputs from Europe , the academic world, primary schools and secondary schools. We even have an input from students which brings an interesting perspective. Furthermore there will be plenty of opportunity to network and share with colleagues at the history fayre where history and heritage education providers will be on hand to share what resources and ideas they have to offer.
I hope that the programme is of interest to you and I very much so look forward to seeing you at the conference.
SLF 2011: Technologies: Curriculum for Excellence: Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Making the Connections: Part 2
During the Technologies Seminar at the Scottish Learning Festival 2011, Debbie Kennedy and Marisa Anderson from St. Kentigern’s Academy in West Lothian delivered an interesting presentation describing how the Business Education and Computing departments in their school have collaborated together to create an interdisciplinary course for S1 called Informatics.
You can view the presentation here. (Glow log in required)
SLF 2011: Technologies: Curriculum for Excellence: Learning, Teaching and Assessment, Making the Connections
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.
New Media Literacy Resource
Screening Shorts is a major new online resource to help and show teachers how to use moving image education in the classroom.
Log in using your glow password to access over 30 short films with teaching resources and helpful advice as to how to use moving image in the classroom. The films are copyright free and can be downloaded for editing/mash ups. The shorts are suitable for all curricular areas and age ranges.
SLF 2011: Education Showcase – Technologies
Using Glow/Technologies to support Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Karlie Robinson and Jack, Becky and Kieran from Bridgend Primary in West Lothian presented at the Scottish Learning Festival about how they have been using Glow and other Technologies to help with learning, teaching and assessment across the curriculum.
They presented on a number of topics including:
- how Glow can be used to connect with other schools across Scotland and collaborate through topic work
- why Glow is important in the delivery of lessons
- the impact of using technology in lessons on pupils through their own words as they discuss their learning experiences
- challenges and successes experienced by class teachers in delivering these types of experiences
To view their inspiring presentation click here (Glow login required).
You can investigate how Bridgend Primary have been using Glow and other Technologies by visiting the West Lothian Sharing our Learning Blog.
You can also get the pupils thoughts on their first visit to the Learning Festival here.
A RIGHT Wee Blether – Live in a Nursery
Are you involved in the Wee Blether? It started on the 12th September and nurseries and Primary 1 classes across Scotland are taking part.
Following on from the very successful RIGHT blether, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Tam Baillie would like children between the ages of 2 and 5 to have their very own creative conversation using their own forms of expression. It’s important to get involved as it is a chance for young children to inform the Commissioner’s work, to celebrate the variety and diversity of the ways in which children might choose to participate and to encourage their active engagement and involvement.
Find out more about the Wee Blether and how you can be involved on the SCCYP website.
Why not join us live in Glow TV in a nursery setting in North Lanarkshire to see how the children there are getting on with their wee books and talking to staff? You too can join us to share your experiences of a RIGHT Wee Blether and take part in some interactive activities during the Glow Meet.
Why not sign up and join us in Glow TV on Tuesday 4th October from 11-12pm.
We look forward to seeing you then!
Glow Science video resources
Glow Science is a great free resource offering rich engaging learning material for pupils aged 8-14. Inspire your pupils to engage with Science across the curriculum.
As we progress into the second year of CfE implementation, the search for engaging, curriculum driven resources is high on the agenda of most practitioners.
Glow Science is a stunning video-based learning resource designed for pupils aged 8 to 14 to engage their imaginations and enhance their understanding of Science in the modern world. Over 500 three-minute films and their associated learning materials (including quizzes, lesson ideas, extension questions, diagrams, images), cover Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science. The videos are searchable by a unique mind map tool, or by E&O code.
Topics in Chemistry and Physics include the Periodic Table and Newton’s laws of motion; Biology includes films about the brain, heart, pregnancy, senses, muscles, lungs, hormones; Earth Science covers a wide range of topics from volcanoes to renewable energy.
Glow Science can be used in many different ways to support the Sciences experiences and outcomes, as well as other areas of Curriculum for Excellence. It has been available free to all teachers in Scotland since April 2011 and is accessed using your Glow username and password.
Katy Sowden, principal teacher at Williamston Primary school in Livingston, has seen a marked improvement in levels of pupil engagement since she started using Glow Science as well as helping to deepen her own understanding of science concepts. You can read a cookbook of Katy and her pupils using the resource in class.
Williamstown Primary School, Livingston
New content is regularly added to Glow Science. The latest Biology module is called Healthy Living and covers Health and Disease, Substance Misuse, Fitness and Nutrition.
You can download a list of over 500 films from the Glow Science website.
Glow would love to hear your ideas for using this rich resource with learners.
Glovember
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?!
Alarm bells and whistles:Toddler book apps
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
Sciences on Glow – Developments on the National Glow Group
Sciences DOs worked with RM today to plan and begin implementation of updates to the Sciences National Glow Group
. Why are the changes needed? A word which often appears in practitioner feedback is “overwhelmed”. The success of Glow means there are a vast array of resources available, and busy practitioners can find there is too much to navigate easily. So we are hoping that you will find the changes beneficial and make Glow an even more useful tool. We will keep you up to date with a date for the new site to go live, and look forward to your feedback to help us improve it further. Many thanks also to the practitioners who joined us “live” to feedback on use of the new Glow Science videos resource.
Curriculum for Excellence Action Plan – details announced at #SLF11
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
Online resources for French, Spanish and Italian
I’ve posted a web link in the resources and sharing area of the Modern Languages National Glow Group. Loads of free activities are available on the Euroclub Schools website. Check out the “Jukebox” for Italian arias and resources to go with them. The Birdy Song in French is worth a listen as well, not to mention El Baile de los Vacas!!!
To access the link click here (you will need your Glow password)
SERA Early Years Network Conference
The Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) is holding an early years network conference on Friday 7 October at the University of Strathclyde’s Jordanhill Campus. The theme of the event is ‘Unravelling concepts of educator, pedagogue and early years teacher specialist’.
Please visit our website for more information:
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/newsandevents/educationnews/2011/educational/august/news_tcm4671926.asp
Scottish Government news release – early years investment
Over 20 charities are set to receive a share of a £6.8 million funding boost for vulnerable young children and families.
The Early Years Action Fund delivered by Inspiring Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government will invest in a total of 28 projects delivered by 24 charities across Scotland.
Please visit the link below for more information:
Glowing Thursdays – LGBT Youth Scotland
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.
#SLF11 Planning for…CfE in Sciences!
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.
#SLF11 Marks on the Landscape – Creativity and Sciences
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.
#SLF11 Learning, Teaching & Assessment in Sciences – Making the Connections
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.
#SLF11 – Sciences showcased in the Education Village
We were delighted to be working with learners and practitioners from Fox Covert RC Primary School and partners from SSERC to bring Forces and Motion to the Education Showcase Focus on Sciences at the #SLF11 on Thursday. Learners were a credit to themselves, their school and their families and carers as they discussed and demonstrated their understanding; delegates got hands on to understand how simple equipment can be effective in enhancing learning in science in the primary classroom. Not sure about how to approach Forces in the classroom? Look out for forthcoming STEM Central context on Rescue Vehicles for first and second level…
SALT conference University of Strathclyde 5th November 2011
Please note the change of venue – this year’s SALT conference is at the University of Strathclyde.
To view the programme and register online for this year’s SALT conference please click on the link
Languages: Bridging Primary and Secondary
Sarah Breslin from SCILT gave a very interesting presentation at this year’s Scottish Learning Festival on primary/secondary transitions. The slides from her presentation have been postd in the SLF section of the Modern Languages National Glow group. They make for very interesting reading and could provide the ideal stimulus for professional dialogue and collegiate planning in your school/cluster.
To view the slides click here
European Day of Languages
How did you celebrate European Day of Languages? If you did something exciting in your school, please let me know and I’ll do my best to share it with the nation via the Modern Languages National Glow Group. Please get in touch with me at
fhiona.fisher@educationscotland.gov.uk
or post a comment below!
Les Fantômes du Cyberspace sont arrivés
After my presentaion at the Scottish Learning Festival, a few of you asked about the Ghost story resource that was used in Douglas Academy’s NAR project. It was first published on the MFLE a number of years ago so many of you may have already seen it. You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve freed the ghosts from the archive and posted them in the Modern Languages National Glow Group for you to use in time for Hallowe’en! You can find them in the Sharing and Resources section, or if you
click the link to release the ghosts!
