Blog

• This is the final one of the planned 60 topics discussing the main factors impacting on your children’s success at school – and in life and work.

• To those variables must naturally be added academic attainment.

• What we have tried to do is not only provide an insight into the latest research on each of the key areas but also highlight the value of the school genuinely and actively collaborating with its homes and community in the 24/7/365 education of the children.

• For too long schools have operated in isolation from the parents providing little or no direction or help for the children’s ‘primary’ teachers.

• In a networked world where the children learn and increasingly teach themselves with the aid of their personal technology 24/7/365 it makes little sense for schools to restrict the ‘teaching’ to less than 20% of the children’s learning time.

• Disappointingly in analysing the websites of the other schools in the surrounding region all are still basically operating as ‘stand alone’ schools, telling highly intelligent and digitally aware parents, carers and grandparents what they should and should not do. There is little evidence of genuine collaboration. Of note is that all the region’s secondary schools, government and non-government, still ban the use of the student’s technology.

• Schools have immense educational expertise they should, as the research attests, share with their parents in nurturing and teaching the young.

• What Broulee P.S. is doing, like similar pathfinding schools across the developed world (Lee and Ward, in press), is daily demonstrate the immense educational and community value of a school genuinely collaborating with its parents in the teaching of the young, and how normal that arrangement soon becomes.

• You’ve undoubtedly evidenced the impact.

• At a time of generally declining enrolments elsewhere Broulee as mentioned in last week’s Scoop now has a waiting list.

• As reported the NSW Auditor singled out Broulee’s student attendance record as amongst the best in the State.

• The level of student detentions of 3-4 years ago is no longer evident.

• Read any week’s edition of the Scoop and you’ll note how actively the school collaborates with and supports its community.

• Vitally for an everyday regional state school that receives no type of special funding like most schools in the area, whose socio-economic profile sits just below the national norm and which does not teach for the test Broulee’s NAPLAN results sit above the national average.
• Tellingly a just released report on future UK schooling written by their peak business council noted:

‘When parents take an active role in setting expectations, delivering instruction and supporting learning, and backing up teachers while holding the school accountable for excellence, the benefits extend beyond better academic performance to a range of other outcomes that touch on the key behaviours we identified in the last chapter, including:

· Better preparation for school

· Better school attendance

· Improved study habits

· Fewer disciplinary problems

· Stronger links between students and teachers and between family and school’ (CBI, 2012, p 41)

• Broulee’s collaboration with you is already yielding those dividends.

• These achievements have come from astute leadership and a highly dedicated and professional staff willing to go out on a limb and provide what they believe is the best possible education for increasingly digital and networked world.

• Last week, as part of my work I involved Mrs Lowe in an interview with the leadership team at Coal Mountain Elementary in Georgia USA. The school is one of the US leaders in the use of BYOT and its collaboration with its parents.

• What hit home was the commonality of the experiences of both schools, the success flowing from the collaboration with the homes and the recognition that both schools are just beginning to realize the potential of that collaboration.

• While the logistics have obliged us to tackle a separate topic each week the reality, as you will appreciate all the topics are closely interrelated and ought be tightly integrated.

• The same kind of tight integration is also increasingly vital in all the school’s operations, in and outside the school.

• What you are seeing at Broulee PS is the emergence of a new mode of schooling where the home – rather than being divided from and neglected by the school – naturally collaborates with the school and its educators in the 24/7/365 ‘teaching’ of the children.

• Success in schooling, and of the school itself comes the tight integration of all the parts.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Are you finding yourself challenged by this series of articles? You're not alone. Perhaps you are feeling daunted by the scope and magnitude of the aspects that have been presented. Do you want to improve your children's outcomes at school but don't know where to start?

Children whose parents are involved in some way in the school perform better – that's because these parents are more in touch with what's happening at school and they get a feel for what is important to support their child to enjoy and work well at school. Doing something to help at school helps other children, too. It's a chance for us to give something back to our community. It doesn't need to be a huge commitment – but it might be an occasional day helping in the canteen or listening to reading or helping with literacy groups once a week for an hour. It may be just for a term or for a special project (Two projects coming up are helping decorate the kids' toilet walls or working on the new Imaginative Play space being planned). Your presence doing something in the school shows your children that you care and that school's important. Technology offers other ways for busy parents to stay informed and have their say.

Keep up to date via Scoop, the school newsletter. You can subscribe (if you haven't already) to a weekly email here:

http://www.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/Subscribe_1.html

The school's website and the class blogs are worth checking out – there are videos and photos of each class's activities and of school projects. These are great conversation starters to expand the afternoon question 'How was school today?'.

http://www.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/School_Blogs.html

Keep in touch with the changes happening in the school. The results of the Homework Survey will be fascinating to hear about, and it may lead to changes in the school's homework policy.

Don't forget the Parenting Inspiration Library at the front office – pick a book to delve into over the holidays.

Another way to start is by joining the Broulee P&C. It costs only $1, and gives you the right to hear about and have a say in policy issues, fund-raising and spending the money raised. It will get you involved and put you in touch with other parents, so that working side by side for our children we can learn how to better support our children. You don't need to get roped into everything – many hands make light work. Meetings are in Weeks 3 and 7 of each term. You can find out more here:

http://www.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/P_%26_C.html

Your child may be in a class which is using Edmodo - check it out. Your child can help you log on and show you how it works if you haven't seen it yet. Ask them about their 'backpack' – where they can put files to work on at home (like 'Scratch' projects).

If you have talents to share, talk to the P&C or to Sue about your ideas. Your children can benefit from the group experience as much or even more than learning directly from their parents, and other children gain as well.

I think this series has shown us that parents have more power to help their children succeed at school than we realise! The changes happening to include parents more are challenging, exciting and have great potential for the future of education.

• This article on first reading might appear somewhat radical for most schools.

• However as you might be picking up Broulee PS is not like ‘most schools’.

• Rather it belongs to that small but growing group of schools internationally that genuinely wish to collaborate with the homes in the teaching of the children.

• A key part of the teaching and learning process – in and outside the classroom – is the assessment of the children’s learning, and using that information to shape future teaching.

• For generations it has been taken as a given that only professional teachers can do that assessment.

• If parents are to better contribute to the collaborative teaching of their children, as the research in this series indicates they should, they need to be brought into the assessment process.

• Unwittingly every parent assesses their children’s development from birth onwards.

• There is the constant desire to do the right thing by the child’s education and concern when development in an area isn’t what was expected.

• Historically parents have been given little or no support or advice on how to assess their children’s academic progress, thinking skills, social or emotional development or more recently digital fluency.

• Notwithstanding most do a very good job and will often pick up significant issues before the child’s teacher/s.

• The school – working in isolation from the parents – has come to be viewed as the only body that should officially involved in the assessment. My search could find no reference to any other arrangement. This is despite the reality that schools are not in a position to provide any assessment or feedback until at least the age of five, work with the children less than 20% of the children’s learning time each year and have to undertake that assessment within sizeable class groups.

• Not surprisingly – in the absence of any other advice – parents generally accept the teacher’s assessment, even when they have misgivings.

• In writing this series of articles regular mention has been made to the sizeable body of research supporting closer collaboration between the home and the school in the teaching of the key educational building blocks.

• The articles have affirmed that in an increasingly networked world where the old boundaries are fast disappearing schools should no longer work in isolation from their parents. Rather as this series, and the staff of Broulee PS have advocated schools need to use their educational expertise to assist all the ‘teachers’ of the young.

• Those ideas are elaborated upon in a forthcoming ACER Press publication that Dr. Lorrae Ward from NZ and I have written on Collaboration in learning; transcending the classroom walls.

• What is increasingly apparent is that schools should be collaborating not only in the teaching of the children 24/7/365 but also in the assessment of the children’s learning.

• Parents have a vast amount to offer. They have a profound interest.

• With a little advice and support, and astute use of the digital links between the school and the homes Broulee’s parents could readily play a fuller part in adjudging their children’s development – particularly their thinking skills, social and emotional development and their digital literacy but also with the reading, writing, conversation and mathematics.

• It is appreciated these ideas will likely be criticised by teachers working in traditional insular paper based schools.

• However as a former head of a board of senior studies it has always been evident improved student learning requires astute on going and accurate student assessment, particularly diagnostic assessment.

• In a collaborative teaching environment like Broulee’s where the role of the home in the teaching is now well accepted it is time to put on the table for consideration greater collaboration between the home and the school in the assessment of key attributes.

• What form it might take, and where one would best start needs to be discussed.

• Such a change needs to be approached carefully and piloted.

• It is a development – even though outrageous possibly to some – whose time has come for serious consideration.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

It's mind-blowing how different Broulee Public School is from schools of my own childhood, where teachers were always right, and parents were often completely out of touch with their child's progress until they received the child's school report, which didn't tell them much anyway about how their child was approaching learning and what their needs, strengths and weaknesses were. The parents' job was to rouse the child into pulling up his socks or praise her for working hard and remind them they'd better pull them up or keep it up or else. Reading my mother's report from half a century ago, the comments were woefully shallow – 'a good worker', 'improving all the time in this subject' and 'good'.

Broulee's reports of today are much more focussed on the whole child, knowing their talents and weaknesses and giving an indication of how the child is progressing in a range of skills and objectives that are relevant to their age level. These are legal documents used to judge a student by employers and educational institutions. Most parents would know their children better than a teacher, so it seems logical and fair to involve parents in the evaluation process, which is ongoing in the classroom all year. Data is collected and children are observed – many parents would like to know the details of their children's evaluation so they can try to assist their children at home where possible. I can see the possibility of our children's whole school records being available via a password for us to check any time from home, including the latest assessment tasks and teachers' comments, with the ability to add our own comments too.

It's scary for teachers to think of the 'school walls' disintegrating and parents being much more involved in their child's schooling – some parents can be time-consuming and difficult – and measures need to be in place to support everyone through rough patches. Parents too may feel overwhelmed by the changes and at the thought of having to fit in more in their often overcrowded schedules. But perhaps if we all change the way we are investing our time and energy, we might find more children being happier as their needs are met more immediately, so they are able to perform better at school. If we can invest more time in the positive discipline and preparation, perhaps both parents and teachers would have better supported children and less negative discipline to deal with?

Technology affords various ways that parents can be more in touch and involved in their children's education. This could mean saving time in some areas to spend on others. For example, sacrificing the traditional concept of homework for something more collaborative between home, school and students could achieve better outcomes with more enjoyment and less stress all around. Perhaps 'homework' could include parent/child team contributions to evaluations?

Parents of students in the younger grades are often younger themselves, and many are tech savvy, using sophisticated mobile phones, laptops or iPads and various apps for their work and leisure. Every year the school gains a new 'grade level' of parents, greater numbers of more sophisticated technology users who welcome the changes that are happening in the school – the more democratic atmosphere, the greater 'open door' policy, the invitation for parents to share their skills, time, talents and ideas, and the easier sharing of information both ways.

The changes happening with technology can offer us the ability to build a sense of community which is experienced at various levels – on-line, within the family and in the school grounds. The school is widening its small community to embrace the local community and the global community. Digital technology gives us tools to connect home and school so together we can better support our children and meet their social, emotional and educational needs. Being connected to our school community helps us all to learn together how to be better global citizens in the digital and in the real world as we try to keep up with the rapid pace of change and prepare our kids for a world we can't even conceive.

• Following on last week’s item on constant change one of the great challenges today for all the ‘teachers’ of the young – be they in the school or in the home – is keeping abreast of the latest information on the factors that impact on the children’s success at school.

• Sifting through the stream of information available and weeding out the chaff is difficult and time consuming.

• The hope is that series has made it that little easier.

• What is particularly important is that you understand what are the key educational building blocks and that Broulee PS will continue working with you on their development.

• Hopefully that awareness will alert your reading and listening.

• Be critical of what is said.

• If no research is mentioned be very critical.

• Some of your best learning will come from observing the children – yours and their friends – noting what they are doing, be it at play, in their reading and watching or in their use of the digital.

• What you are noting is likely being replicated in household after household across the developed world.

• We instinctively think our situation is unique.

• What constantly amazes in the research on the young’s use of the digital is that the pattern is universal – whether it be in Broulee, New York, Oslo or Hong Kong.

• If for example your kids are using the latest iPad Touch, wonderful app or great game in particular ways so too will children the same age across the developed world.

• Keep yourself abreast by learning from the young.

• This is the third last article in this series.

• After two years of writing and some 60 odd articles hopefully all the main topics have been addressed. One might say exhausted.

• The plan next year is to tackle two or three key topics each term.

• If there are topics you’d like to see addressed do write the Principal, Mrs Lowe or myself at mallee@mac.com

• Importantly the school as part of its Collaborative Schooling vision will continue to use the Scoop to keep you informed of key developments and reports, particularly on the key educational building blocks.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Any parent who's been reading these articles each week will have had plenty to think about and reflect on their own parenting practices and their relationship with their children. I know I have learned so much being involved in this project, and the atmosphere and culture of Broulee Public is evolving in a positive way, inviting parents to be more involved in their children's education and in the community life of the school.

There is such a depth of research and further reading in these topics that they would benefit from a second read from beginning to end. Broulee Public School has a great resource at its fingertips which is freely accessible to all.

It's been a wonderful experience for me to be part of this project and to share in the vision of Mal and Sue as our school sails forward in largely uncharted territory. My own children have helped me by being happy to share their online experiences, and my partner Terry has alerted me to relevant articles and news items.

Keeping the channels of communication open with our kids is so important, and even if they are scornful of our ignorance, they'll appreciate our intentions and efforts to keep up with the technology they use.

• One of the more important skills your children will need to succeed at school, in life and work in the 21st Century is the ability to thrive with constant and ever faster change.

• Even more than you the children will live in an era of rapid, escalating and often uncertain change.

• Recognise children starting school next year will on the current tracking of Moore’s Law graduate in Year 12 using everyday ‘computers’ as powerful as the human brain.

• Your children everyday will use and work with ever more powerful and sophisticated technology that will in turn constantly impact society, their daily lives, education and work.

• Fortunately the research has shown since the late 90s (Tapscott, 1998) how much the young relish and thrive upon that technological and societal change.

• One has only to watch how they enjoy the new, seemingly within seconds mastering the latest technology.

• Importantly they not only relish the change but at the same time openly question the new and are critical of what is happening (Tapscott, 1998, 2009)

• Reinforce that facility to accommodate change and the mindset that questions the new and the validity of the ‘established ways’.

• In it interesting and valuable every so often to pause and get your children to reflect on the recent developments they now take for granted. Discuss the now everyday, anywhere anytime use of the Net, simple facilities like email, SMS and texting, IM, Facebook and Skype and devices like digital cameras, iPhones and the iPad and recognise how recent those developments are, what impact they have had and how readily their use has been normalised.

• One has only to think back a few years and reflect on the changes that have occurred at Broulee PS and realize how rapidly the school has normalised the use of IWBs, digital cameras, the Scoop, class blogs, apps, e-book author, iPads, iPod Touches and BYOT.

• In normalising one soon forgets the old, and often the pace of change.

• Schools like all other organisations and businesses that have gone digital will continually change and evolve structurally or fall by the way.

• In talking about those developments reinforce the importance in accommodating that change of continually developing the skills and attitudes we’ve discussed in this series, the likes of setting high expectations, personal goal setting, critical thinking, play, creativity, self-reflection, self-control, collaboration, networking and digital fluency.

• More than ever your children will need to draw upon those skills in taking control of their own learning and shape their lives in an ever-changing world.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Parents are children's first models and how we react to change is something our children will pick up on. If we want our children to embrace change in a positive way, we need to model new ways of thinking and learning, new ways of doing things, and using new technologies.

At the heart of all the technology use is CONNECTION – our human need for relating to others to satisfy various needs stemming from loneliness, self esteem, curiosity, boredom, and seeking identity. Families are the first place where children learn how to be a friend, to care for others, to express feelings, to listen to others and be listened to, and to develop attitudes, morals and decision-making tools. In the quest to be up-to-date with the latest gadget, parents are the early guides in putting technology into its context – various sharp tools that need wisdom as well as skill to put them to best use to fulfil our needs.

Sometimes old technology suits our purposes better – or is more affordable. It's really about what it can do for us and how we actually use it. As our children get older they can show us what they do with new technology and help us to update our ways.

Some reflective material

How do we teach our children about making and keeping up meaningful and deep connections with people? Are we really connecting with people when we use technology?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

A video on learning and change:

http://www.schooltube.com/video/e87e1a9c71c543569502/

Students talk about change and using technology for learning: http://www.schooltube.com/video/a925f6a85a1840bdadfa/

A digital story of the Nativity... could be used for a discussion with kids on how things have changed in 2000 years:

http://www.schooltube.com/video/02fd34c4460972a80b2d/THE%20DIGITAL%20STORY%20OF%20THE%20NATIVITY

Some reflections on changing technology, play and children's issues :

http://www.dit.ie/cser/media/ditcser/images/Play-and-Technology.pdf

An article on cultivating a creative mind in the face of change – good skills and hints to try to pass on to our children:

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/modern-lessons-from-an-ancient-master-the-seven-keys-to-creativity-20121029-28fe6.html

'Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out' is a report on an ambitious three-year ethnographic investigation into how young people are living and learning with new media in varied settings - at home, in after school programs, and in online spaces. Set in the US, the study focuses on media practices in the everyday contexts of family and peer interaction and has interesting anecdotal vignettes that show how media is changing the ways families and peers interact. You can download the book for free:

https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/hanging-out-messing-around-and-geeking-out

• An important facet of the digital literacy discussed last week is the development in the children of an appreciation of the ethics and the etiquette of the digital world.

• In most instances the ethics are no different to those observed by us, and your family everyday.

• The etiquette – or what is also called ‘netiquette’ – of the digital world is as you will know not only quite different to the traditional but is constantly evolving in form as the technology becomes more sophisticated, new opportunities are opened and society’s attitudes change.

• The children’s digital ethics and understanding of digital etiquette are invariably developed well before they enroll in school and are unwittingly applied and enhanced 24/7/365.

• For today’s children it is a normal part of growing up.

• Most of your kid’s digital ethics and understanding of digital etiquette are largely unwittingly acquired in their everyday use of the digital outside the classroom, on the move and in the home.

• It is highly likely that you have spoken with your children about each, and that they are largely modeling the approach taken in the home and by their friends.

• Conscious of the ever-evolving scene and the on-going media coverage it is suggested this is a facet of the children’s education that should be addressed collaboratively by the school and the home.

• Be it the damage that can be caused by cyber-bullying or trolls, the ethics of air brushing photos or the pirating of music or videos all are issues that should be openly discussed in the home and at school.

• Broulee PS has been addressing both aspects for some time. So too probably have you.

• This Brain Pop video - http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/digitaletiquette/ - provides a succinct starter for a discussion on digital etiquette while the Harvard University material http://www.goodworkproject.org/ourspacefiles/Our_Space_full_casebook.pdf provides some excellent ideas on the teaching of digital ethics.

• However the most effective learning will come from you grabbing the opportune moment to openly and calmly discuss an issue of the moment in context.

• Talk about the issue. Have the children think critically, look at it from both sides, possibly dig out more information and talk about where they stand.

• The older the children the more critically one can delve.

• Underscore the likelihood of revisiting the issues many times throughout their schooling and their lives as the digital world continues to evolve.

• What is great to see educationally today are evermore ‘teachers’ – in the school and the home – astutely educating the young on the ways of the digital world, rather than imagining one should or could protect them from the ‘evils of the cyber world’.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

The old adage 'Character is what you do when no one is watching' applies to our behaviour on the Internet, just as it does to drivers who are hidden in their cars. Parents need to develop our children's characters so that when children are independent they will act in ways that make a positive contribution to our society. This applies to all actions, from driving a car with respect and care for others, to using manners when buying something in a shop, and acting on the Internet with respect for others. In my mind teaching respect for others relates to teaching children to have a positive outlook on life. It's a person's character that determines their actions in our world and in the cyber world.

Digital ethics and ettiquette covers many aspects of Internet behaviour, and the basic rules are for everyone's protection and well-being - like not stealing others' work, not putting others down, being aware of your own and others' reputations. Parents are in a great position to prepare children with life skills of interacting in positive ways with others, encouraging creativity, fun and learning in the digital world while taking responsibility for their words and actions. Each aspect of digital literacy is linked – ethics, ettiquette, safety, social concern,

A helpful Canadian site with well organised topics for discussions parents could have with children of various ages on ethical issues of digital life:

http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals

http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/intersection-digital-and-media-literacy

For those who'd like to reflect on the broader philosophy behind digital ethics: http://writingcommons.org/new-media/digital-ethics

A video to watch with your kids and talk about the issues:

http://www.netsmartz.org/NetSmartzKids/BadNetiquetteStinks

Webonauts game for 8-10 year olds:

http://pbskids.org/webonauts/about/

Webonauts parent page with ideas for discussion around the game:

http://pbskids.org/webonauts/about/parents.html

Nettiquette rules for older children and good advice against cyber bullying:

http://www.nswsdpa.asn.au/files/conf_papers2012/andrew%20Fuller's%20-%20cyber.pdf

Basic nettiquette ideas:

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Kids/Get%20the%20facts/Netiquette.aspx

Annotated games list aimed at teaching nettiquette and cyber safety:

https://sites.google.com/site/cybersafetygames/

Talking about body image in relation to internet:

http://mediasmarts.ca/body-image

Teacher resources for digital literacy:

http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy-fundamentals/digital-literacy-fundamentals

Annotated list of games for improving digital literacy:

http://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/educational-games

A video on various aspects of digital parenting – worth watching:

http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/default/files/tutorials/parenting-digital-generation/index.html

• The imperative of every child being both highly literate and also highly digitally literate is fundamental to success at school, in life and work.

• None today would question the vital importance of literacy.

• Few are likely to question the growing importance of your children being able to express themselves and communicate using the appropriate digital medium. Indeed many now see ‘digital literacy’ as but a part, albeit an increasingly important part of being literate.

• It is a natural part of growing up in the 21st Century.

• Bear in mind that on current projections children starting in Kindergarten next year will graduate in Year 12 using computers with the power of the human brain.

• It is vital your school plays a lead role in ensuring your children’s best use of that ever more sophisticated technology.

• Those that are not are doing their students a gross disservice.

• Fortunately most schools globally are teaching some form of digital literacy.

• What however is sad – with little appreciation of the latest research - is that most are seeking to develop the skills in isolation from the parents and only within the schools walls.

• As we know today’s children learn, ever more supported by the digital, 24/7/365.

• Digital literacy, like the development of literacy, is one of the key skillsets that should be developed collaboratively, with the school supporting the efforts of the home, and the children themselves and addressing the development 24/7/365.

• This as you know is what Broulee PS has sought to do and why it encourages all children to bring their own technology (BYOT) in Years 4- 6 to complement that of the school.

• It is undoubtedly why the Broulee parent group has so strongly supported the school’s work and why you should continue to collaborate with the school in naturally integrating the wise use of the the digital into the children’s everyday learning and self-teaching, in and outside the classroom.

• The success of those combined efforts is being evidenced in the quality of the children’s work.

• If you’ve not viewed the quality of the e-books being produced by the children have a look at those within the iCentre online library at – http://web1.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/groups/bpsebooks/

• When you consider the level of digital literacy shown by the Year 2 students – seven years old – in the e-book Melting Moments you’ll appreciate the importance of continuing to nurture the children’s efforts, offering your support, quietly critiquing their work when appropriate and complimenting their achievements.

• However in so doing also be realistic and appreciate that some will so enjoy their time with the digital they will need your guidance to ensure the time they spend on it doesn’t get out of balance.

• The challenge is to continue working with the school in enhancing a very important skill set but at the same time balancing that enhancement with the children’s wider development.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

What is Digital Literacy and why is it important?

http://www.acma.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?WEB/STANDARD/1001/pc=PC_311470

Digital Literacy is a part of the experience of being a digital citizen.

http://digitalcitizenship.net/Nine_Elements.html

Here is a complete free curriculum for parents or teachers on a variety of digital literacy topics with drop down lists of topics for various grades:

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators

Internet advertising – how to advise your children:

http://www.webroot.com/En_US/consumer/tips/are-your-children-ready-for-the-internets-advertising-onslaught

Talk to your kids about their music sources:

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/music-and-your-kids-tips#tip_3

Advice for parents on children's digital media creations:

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/creating-digital-media

Photo courtesy of Broulee PS Media Group.

• The imperative of educating the children for life and work in the digital world is now recognized globally.

• Digital citizenship is the umbrella term used to describe the programs being included in the school curriculum globally to provide that education.

• It is an objective few are likely to question.

• Interestingly many of the offerings of the major Australian states are at this stage markedly negative in their focus addressing primarily the dangers associated with the digital.

• They reflect a highly traditional, almost Industrial Age view of schooling.

• The digital and networked world, as this series of articles has affirmed, and the work within Broulee P.S. daily attests is like all before it one of immense opportunity as well as potential pitfalls.

• The balance within the recently released Digital Citizenship guidelines for Alberta’s schools stands in marked contrast to many of Australia’s current offerings. It is designed to assist the children take best advantage of the opportunities opened in a digital and networked world while at the same time addressing the potential issues.

• Look at the major parts of the Alberta guidelines and you’ll soon see th many areas of learning that Broulee has already taken on board; topics like:

• Digital Access
• Digital Commerce
• Digital Communications
• Digital Literacy
• Digital Etiquette
• Digital Law
• Digital Health and Wellness
• Digital Rights and Responsibility

• Significantly the Alberta guidelines, as should all quality digital citizenship programs, are designed to complement the province’s strong BYOT initiative.

• The contrast with most of the Australian systems and schools that still ban the use of the student’s mobile technology in the school and cyber walls to ‘protect’ rather than educate the children is pronounced.

• They are written for use by teachers operating behind their classroom doors. Many are also written for specific teachers – such as the teacher librarians – rather than being the responsibility of and integrated into the teaching of all the teachers of the young.

• They are highly insular in nature. There is little effort made to have the teachers genuinely collaborate with the teachers of the children outside the school walls in teaching key issues in context.

• Rather one has the folly, highlighted by Grant’s (2010) research in the UK, of teachers trying to teach the astute use of mobile technologies in a school setting where the students’ phones are banned and the teachers’ access to the ‘Net is heavily censored.

• Many facets of the programs moreover reveal an idealized view of the digital world, well removed from the everyday realities where the young of the world have since the mid 1990’s universally determined the key operational mores.

• As indicated in previous articles so entrenched are the ways of the young globally one can at best hope to re-shape their use of the digital.

• The concept of educating future digital citizens is highly laudable but the teaching guidelines have to be written for a real world where

• the children are already learning, and indeed teaching themselves, with the help of their peers and their own technology 24/7/365
• all the teachers of the young collaborate in enhancing the desired and alerting the young to the pitfalls.

• Pleasingly that is what you’ll find at Broulee PS and in ever more of the newer programs.

Holistic approaches for home/school:

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/curriculumoverview_0.pdf

Some contracts or discussion points:

http://digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/ParentContract.pdf

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/parent-media-education/family-media-agreements

• Multitasking, and in particular digital multitasking is part of modern life with the young, in the home, on the move and in the workplace.

• Woman have long proclaimed how much better they are at handling many tasks simultaneously than men!

• More recently the young have proclaimed their unique ability to multitask while still learning.

• There are many such myths.

• The reality is that much harder to identify.

• The research, particularly involving the digital is still in its very early stage. Definitions of what is entailed are still being worked out.

• Multitasking with the digital is – and will ever more be – part of all our lives.

• We need to manage that use and keep its use in perspective – both with the children and us.

• They are undoubtedly many potential benefits of multitasking but also significant pitfalls. Don’t rush to judgment and declare all is great or all is bad.

• An excellent example of astute ‘multitasking’ is Broulee’s use of class blogs. Simultaneously and without any extra effort on the school’s part those blogs serve to provide:

o parents, grandparents, the local community and the children an insight into to the school’s daily activities – and what they can do to complement that work

o advice to parents on the school’s program, its calendar of events and the home study

o all interested professionals, school or system executives or politicians a window into the workings of the school

o an important indicator as to where the school is at in its evolution

o instant, on-going accountability

o a very powerful marketing of the school

o an appreciation of how well the school operations are integrated.

• On the other hand, the research and commonsense tells us one cannot safely send SMS messages while driving, nor would we want aircraft controllers multitasking while landing our plane.

• Christine Rosen’s (2008) article on The Myth of Multitasking is an excellent summary of the recent research, as is that by Claudia Wallis (2010).

• While the research on the digital is recent there is nonetheless a vast body of research affirming the importance of ‘paying attention’ when seeking to learn new and complex matter.

• Rosen quotes Isaac Newton when he says of his discoveries it was “owing more to patient attention than to any other talent.”

• All of us – young and old – when learning new ways or concepts ought focus the mind, spend time on the task and not be distracted.

• Any significant distractions will impair the learning of complex, higher order matter.

• It is an issue to be discussed with your children, not in a black and white way but openly.

• It may be necessary to multitask when undertaking a swift overview of a topic, but in other situations where depth of understanding is required there ought be few distractions.

• Developing an understanding of the context and being able to strike an appropriate balance are vital skills we all need to acquire as we continue to multitask in an ever more digital world.

Bibiography

Rosen, C (2008) ‘The Myth of Multitasking’ The New Atlantis Spring 2008 - http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-myth-of-multitasking

Wallis, C (2010) The impact of media multitasking on children’s learning and development Stanford Jan 2010 - http://multitasking.stanford.edu/MM_FinalReport_030510.pdf

In my house, the toast often burns while I'm making lunches, doing a child's hair, watching the clock and forgetting to eat breakfast...

It's really about time management, and all the things we'd like to achieve. Often I try to do so many activities that none are achieved to a depth or standard or time-frame that I'm pleased with. It's probably more efficient to focus on completing the most important task, then move on to the next task and apply the whole capacity of the brain to it, crossing them off the list as they are finished. This way, it's easier to see the achievements, too.

The research below seems to conclude that the brain struggles to do more than one complex task at once, and that we actually have to switch that attention between each activity quickly. Some activities are easier to juggle between, but for the important task of learning we need all the brain power we can harness to be able to remember and apply new information.

Generally, the quality of the task suffers if we try to do several things at once. Tasks that require the same part of our brain are very hard to do simultaneously – for example, talking on the phone and emailing a complex reply or reading. The brain needs to focus on each activity or we lose quality of attention to one or both activities. This research shows that humans can't really multi-task. We transfer our attention to one thing after another:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

Learning needs our focus without distractions

Tasks that require concentration, particularly learning a new skill or processing information, need our full attention to allow our brains to think and make connections. Bill Klemm explains what happens in the brain:

'If you try to memorise the first task and the brain immediately switches to the second task, performance of the second task interferes with consolidation of the memory of the first task.'

http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/technology/using-technology/homework-and-multitasking-can-it-be-done

What happens in our brain as we learn and remember:

http://peer.tamu.edu/curriculum_modules/organsystems/module_5/whatweknow.learning.htm

Music while doing homework

Listening to music while doing homework is a distraction that takes part of the brain away from the task of homework. It may seem that the homework is being done, but learning involves making connections with other prior learning, and thinking about what is being learned. Memory is affected by distractions because a different part of the brain may be used to process the information if the usual part is already 'busy'. Our brains are a finite resource, and the more we divide them, less quality 'brainpower' is available for each activity. Instrumental music may be less of a distraction as there are no words to focus on. Even our ability to really listen to music varies with the attention we focus on it.

Background Noise

Background noise can be a real distraction for many people, including children. Some families leave their TV on all the time in the background. This can even affect the quality of sleep. A noisy classroom could affect a child's learning by distracting their focus from the task. Open-planned offices are difficult for people who need to focus and think about their work. Noise and distractions cause our body or brain to react and deal with the input. Some people are better at 'blocking out' noise, but this requires use of brain resources, leaving less to attend to the main task. This could affect the quality of thought that goes into an essay, or the quality of an answer to a question.

This study found that young children's play was interrupted by having a TV on in the background, and parent/child interactions were reduced:

http://www.srcd.org/journals/cdev/0-0/Schmidt.pdf

Fatigue and down-time

The extra stimulus of multi-tasking can be a source of stress as the body copes with various inputs. Many children get bored easily and are not comfortable with silence or inactivity. Constant multi-tasking can set up a need for constant entertainment and stimulation. Multi-tasking can cause higher stress levels due to the hormones released.

Multi-tasking requires self-discipline

In this mass information age children will need the skills to be most efficient at working on various tasks, and part of this is the ability to decide what is important, what needs total focus and what tasks can be done together without causing an accident or mistake.

Multi-tasking can mean concentrating on a main task which is temporarily interrupted by various other inputs, juggling several activities at once, or doing one task which serves several different functions (outputs). Parents can talk to children about when to multi-task and when it's best to focus on one task. Some chores can be multi-tasked efficiently– for example, listening to music while washing dishes or tidying a room - but not while watching a movie, as the job will take much longer!!

Children need to learn self-discipline with their devices and to manage their attention on a task. I had to tear myself off Pinterest to write this article, and I can see the huge pull that games have for kids as they try to focus on homework when they know that the online games only a click away are being played without them.

Poor posture, the interruptions of choosing new music or chatting to friends in an online

roleplay game while attempting to rush through homework...

Our Year 9 student was caught in class many times playing games on his laptop instead of on his classwork. A drop in marks was noticeable. We as parents won't be following him around for the rest of his life to take away his privileges and turn his attention back to his work – he will have to learn this self-discipline or he will not achieve much in his life. In the meantime we need to let him know this behaviour has consequences, both now and in the future.

We try to cram everything into our time, but are we sacrificing quality for quantity? If we feel stressed, is it because we try to do too many things at once? Are we staying shallow on a variety of activities, never thinking deeply about our lives and our learning? A mile wide and an inch deep...

How can we help children to focus on their academic skills in the helter-skelter of the exciting world knocking at their door all the time?

· Turn off the TV, music or online game during homework time

· Have a quiet space

· Encourage children to focus by having children explain their homework

· Help children set out steps or a plan for achieving the task by the time it is due

· Be on hand for questions, to encourage their best effort and watch that the electronic device is not a distraction from the homework

· Encourage children to do the 'hard work' first and then enjoy the reward of a game or music to fully enjoy without the distraction or guilt of work that's due

· Children could try using a timer with an alarm to keep track of screen use on 'work' and 'play'.

References and further reading

http://mashable.com/2012/08/13/multitasking-infographic/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201006/will-multi-tasking-make-you-scatterbrain

• Online social networking plays a significant part on the lives of most young people from the teenage years onwards, and an increasingly important role in all the professions.

• The ability to use social networking well and astutely is another key life and work skill.

• Sadly the many benefits of social networking have been tainted by the very considerable media hype, some might say hysteria, about the supposed dangers of the cyber world.

• This kind of hype and intergenerational criticism can be found with the introduction of all the new technologies, from the telephone through to the motion picture, television, 45 rpm pop records and more recently the ‘Net. (Lee and Winzenried, 2009)

• It is important to keep the use of all new technology in perspective.

• We are all aware for example of the immense benefits of online banking and purchasing and the potential dangers but that doesn’t stop us using the facility wisely.

• The same balanced approach needs to be taken with social networking.

• As I watch my daughter use Facebook to stay in touch with the lives and work of her musician mates around the world I marvel at the hassle free, inexpensive, instant and socially important connectivity and networking it provides them all.

• Collin and her team’s recent research on the benefits of social networking (Collin, 2011 - below) identifies the many educational, social, economic, organizational and political advantages possible with the astute use of the facility.

• Little of that research will come as a surprise to those of us who use some type of social network everyday.

• In my research and writing everyday I’m making extensive use of professional social networks such as those I run and LinkedIn in my quest to stay abreast of global developments. They are a normal part of my working and social life.

• The same ought be so in time with your children.

• I stress ‘in time’ because social networking, like team work is a skill built on the successful development of a suite of other building blocks like reading, writing, social and emotional development, and digital literacy.

• Develop them well and the young will be soon social network wisely.

• Social networking is a skill ideally developed by the home and school working together over time, concentrating initially on developing the general skill set and in time the actual mechanics.

• As with the art of networking one is in general terms looking at age 10 plus before using an online social network.

• Broulee PS has in place in its iCentre program teaching the use of social networking from that age onwards, and as you’ll likely encountered is now making extensive use of Edmodo. Click here to view more fully what the school is doing and learn how you can help.

• Bear in mind under US law the likes of Facebook cannot legally be used until a child is 13 – and in high school. The reality is that if a child uses a false birth date they can join. The onus rests primarily with the home to police such breaches.

• Used wisely and astutely by those interested social networking, like the related art of networking, can be an invaluable skill, when the children are ready to use it.

[PDF] The Benefits of Social Networking Services

www.interactivemediarelease.com/download.php?...Benefits_of_Social_ ...

by P Collin

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Students who blog, text or use social networks are more confident of their writing skills:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8392653.stm

Can social media boost literacy skills?

http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Teaching%20in%20Alberta/Resources%20for%20Parents/Parent-Friendly%20Articles/Pages/CanSocialNetworkingBoostLiteracySkills.aspx

Some pros and cons of teen social media use to be aware of:

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/antisocial_networking_how_do_texting_social_media_affect_our_children_panel_discussion_csc_

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/support/991-social-networking-sites.gs

Face-to-face and online socialising – need for a balance:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/fashion/02BEST.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/health/992-social-networking-online-how-to-safeguard-your-childs-experience.gs

Parents need to be aware of cyberbullying, sexting and other issues that teens may be involved with or exposed to:

http://www.slideshare.net/didoe/top-things-parents-should-know-about-their-child-and-technology

A YouTube video about cyberbullying that would be good to watch and discuss with older students:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNumIY9D7uY&feature=fvst

Short tips for a positive social networking experience:

http://www.internetsafety101.org/SNSsafety.htm

The Art of Networking

• The ability to network with others has always been, and continues to be another skill all need to succeed in life and work.

• In an increasingly networked world where the technology makes networking that much easier and central the importance of developing this art is evermore important.

• Any involved in business or indeed any kind of administration, be it in the public sector, education or clubs will reinforce how vital it is for children to learn how to network, to share information and services with others with common interests and to constantly add to one’s social capital and capacity to call on folk when required.

• In the early 1990’s I was part of a national committee, chaired by Henry Mayer charged with identifying the key competencies all young people in Australia needed to succeed in work.

• The ability to network was one.

• While still early days the research is suggesting the art of networking as evidenced in young’s people use of online social networks is becoming a significant variable in winning particular jobs.

• It is appreciated the term ‘networking’ these days has numerous meanings. It is used to refer the physical wiring of computers and increasingly to cover social networking through the likes of Facebook, Edmodo and Twitter. While the art of networking now extends to the online world we’re referring here of the age-old, indeed ancient skill of personal networking.

• The art of networking, like team work is dependent upon the successful development of other skills, such as the ability to communicate, to relate to others, to cooperate and to set goals and plan.

• It is therefore a skill best nurtured in most situations from the upper primary years onwards.

• Generally most children network naturally, unaware early in life of the skill they are using.

• However some children don’t find it easy to mix with their peers. If that becomes apparent early in their schooling it would be advisable to talk to the school about what might be best done, conscious the teachers will probably also have noted the situation.

• As with teamwork, and many of the other social skills important to life and work the art of networking in not included in the current primary curriculum nor is it normally assessed.

• Notwithstanding good primary school teachers have always worked to develop the skill.

• Those at Broulee PS will be doing the same in Years 4-6 and will be looking to work you in its development both in and out of the classroom.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.
• 
  Teaching networking skills to children:

http://www.tip.duke.edu/node/770

Networking can help with job searching:

http://www.mcgill.ca/caps/students/job-search/networking/

Children can gain some valuable networking practice through some online games:

http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Kids-gain-valuable-skills-from-time-online-3184258.php

Networking can open the doors to meaningful educational experiences with people from around the world working together:

http://www.tip.duke.edu/node/770

Positive attitudes for networking:

http://www.sideroad.com/pass/column3.html

• Once you understand the digital learning of the young the challenge is to shape that learning for the better.

• The choice of the term ‘shape’ is deliberate in that the research affirms you’ll be seeking to vary approaches and attitudes (Tapscott, 2009) the young of the world have developed of their own volition over the past 15 years and are seen universally by them as the accepted way.

• In 2000 (Lee, 2000) I referred to this seemingly uncontrolled, episodic, random learning of the young as ‘chaotic’ learning for as with the chaos theory where there is no seeming control a remarkably common pattern of usage has emerged, whether the young are using the technology in Broulee, Tokyo, Olso or New York.

• A decade on and with the on-going evolution and reinforcement of the universal approach it will be a challenge, even when working in collaboration with the teachers to vary the ‘accepted ways’ unless one is astute and targeted.

• Decrees and campaigns by government or education authorities will have no impact unless the young understand the benefit of changing.

• All the current moves by schools to ban the in-school use of the student’s mobile technology or to markedly restrict classroom ‘Net access will do is to ensure the school’s continue to abrogate their educational responsibilities and widen the divide between the in and out of school learning.

• Broulee PS’s desire is to collaborate with you in shaping the desired learning.

• Recognize your children’s competence with the digital comes from their active, everyday use of an integrated, ever-evolving suite of digital technologies seamlessly for play, creation, learning and communication. Any efforts to address a part without considering the totality will be pointless.

• Look at their total 24/7/365 usage, actively support and encourage those aspects of learning they are handling well and identify and astutely address each of the areas where there is room for improvement or where, at least in your mind they are ethically lacking.

• For example if you opt as a ‘parent teacher’ to support your child’s multimedia creations, critique their work and discuss software that could improve their efforts you’ll likely succeed in enhancing their competence.

• If you identify shortcomings in their ability to search for information online, look critically at what they have selected and quietly discuss ways of doing it better you’ll probably help their learning.

• If however you slam their downloading of ‘pirated’ music while you continue to watch ‘ripped off’ DVDs your chance of success is minimal.

• The key as a parent and grandparent is to understand the learning occurring with the digital, to actively encourage and support the on-going development of the good, to target what you perceive as concerns and adopt strategies for each likely to assist lessen or overcome those concerns.

• If you haven't encountered the work of James Paul Gee on the lessons all teachers can gain from video gaming look at this PBS documentary: it is very telling - http://video.pbs.org/video/1767377460/

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

We keep our children's computer use in the family room where we are nearby, and try to notice opportunities for affirming the children in their activities - acknowledging their improving skills, mastery of software and creative efforts, and offering guidance. I like to keep a casual eye on what they are playing or downloading, and monitor screen time.

We set up folders on the computer for each child to save their work into. I also encourage them to save artworks they have created into their folder. At some stage I hope to photograph other major pieces of the children's artwork saved in boxes for each year, particularly the larger bulkier ones, and make a digital portfolio. This is a project the children could help with or even take on for themselves if they want to. We also ask them to save their many passwords for various games in a document in that folder as security against forgetting.

John Dewey observed that efficient learning occurs when people are 'observers, participants and agents' – when they are actively involved in directing their own learning. I notice that when my children are motivated to discover, ask their own questions and find their own answers they are much more inclined to spend time on an activity. They like to be in charge.

In the past year I've noticed the children's online activities have increased and changed. They rarely choose to watch TV and much prefer to be in control of their screen activity. They enjoy talking about their games and explaining what they are doing. I'm amazed by their dedication to attaining 'the next level' and find it impossible to wind up a session until they 'die' or get to a safe place to save. When I questioned our 7 year old's delight at being given a bonus by another player, she explained that players can help each other if they want to. I said that I hoped she thanked that player for the gift, which prompted her to write in the chatroom.

When unusual words come up in our family conversations or reading, we encourage one of the children to look up the word's meaning on their device and tell us all what it means. The old dictionary rarely gets taken down. Our kids no longer want to draw a picture for a home-made Birthday card. They want to find and print an image to stick on, or make an animated card using Scratch. They like to design their own animations and games and add music from YouTube. I find it sad that the children are no longer satisfied with their own drawings – I guess the images on the Internet are too beautiful for them to compete with.

Our 14 year old likes to browse for mods and researches about modding for online games. Although it's not my cup of tea, and I'm largely ignorant of modding, I admire his efforts and he's proud to show off his completed 'worlds' or buildings. He's enjoying the banter and humour of online 'mates' in the chat rooms of various games. That's a bit scary, noticing conversations with young fellows 'going off for a beer' etc, so I drop the occasional remark about online safety, and ask him about where the others are and their ages or what he has gleaned from other conversations – the same names crop up as he likes to relate some of the conversations he finds funny. I notice that he feels as if he's getting to know them, and he's in their 'alliance' working together against another alliance in the game.

The 10 year old is iPod mad, but still likes to play the 'full' version of Minecraft on the computer, as the cut-down version for iPod is not as stimulating. He's also playing the same game as his brother, at a lower level and in a different alliance, so I ask the older about his younger brother's 'chat' to see how he participates. Less chat, more action. He mainly likes to chat with his school friends who also play Minecraft. Great, I think! I'll keep an eye out there...

Our 7 year old also plays the same game, but doesn't bother much about chatting. She's on a lower level and working hard to follow her brothers. She also loves to look for images of birds, butterflies and flowers to print and colour in. She quickly learned to be independent, copying the images into a page to print at the size she wants. I do feel sad that she is not willing to put up with her own attempts at drawing when she can easily have a 'perfect' picture from the Internet. I love children's drawings and artworks – they are so fresh and quirky, and drawing is so creative. I note that her sense of design is developing, and she combines colours and design elements confidently, so all is not lost! But I can't help feeling she is missing something by not even attempting to draw any more, so I tried to introduce her to an app called ArtRage... it didn't take her fancy.

I like watching the children follow their own interests and I support them wherever I can. They all enjoy showing us their online creations or finds – the latest 'skins' for Minecraft, 'tweaks' for Lord of Ultima or funny animal videos on YouTube. And of course, they are proud when they can show me an easier way to use software, or find a function hidden in a menu that I'm bemoaning isn't there! I try to introduce new games or software I've come across to broaden their horizons – but it doesn't always attract them.

The children also like to see the images I've created using my photography and an online course I'm doing, or my Pinterest page of images I've collected and organised – and that exposes them to other possibilities for online activities, and shows them how I approach organising my work or play on my computer.

There is so much potential for being creative and having fun while learning to research and present information in interesting ways. This annotated list of free resources for students and teachers (or parents) is worth exploring:

http://dakinane.com/blog/resources/

Using video games as a teaching resource:

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/games/

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2011/02/ten-surprising-truths-about-video-games-and-learning/

There are so many different apps or software for being creative in getting a message across. Here are a few:

http://dakinane.com/blog/

A good app for getting students to demonstrate their learning:

http://dakinane.com/blog/2012/06/04/app-of-the-week-showme/

Last year we featured an article in this series that went out on a limb and stressed the importance of play in your child’s development, both at school and in the home.

· It drew on the latest research to emphasise its balanced use in the development of your children’s thinking skills, their creativity, and their social and emotional skills and attitudes.

· The article argued that Western society – and in particularly the US – had lost the desired balance and fuelled by the media had become paranoid about ‘stranger danger’ – and in so doing parents were stifling their children’s free play and curtailing their desired development.

· Since writing that piece you’ve undoubtedly seen the many other calls in the media by research bodies and government authorities to encourage free play.

· Many of those calls have come from the Government’s increased awareness of the fundamental importance of a quality early childhood education.

· But they also want to swing the ‘stranger danger’ pendulum back to a more balanced position.

· Last year we referred to the wonderful situation the Broulee children have in which to play. The many open spaces, beaches, creeks and the bush provide them a stimulating and safe play environment many city children would envy.

· The Broulee children also have their cyber playground in which to develop their minds.

· As I watch the young ‘tribe’ of children around me spend hours playing on ‘their’ great mound of dirt, borrowing shovels, scrounging tyres, building cubbies and generally enjoying themselves I reflect on the many, many attributes all in that ‘tribe’ are developing.

· As you may have seen or heard the School assembled late last term a diverse collection of items to place in the playground to encourage free play within the breaks.

· The way in which the children young and old have responded is a joy to behold, well worth observing.

· The real surprise has been the reaction of the senior boys who are enjoying the opportunity to play as much as the little ones.

· Broulee P & C in conjunction with the School opted to limit BYOT to Years 4-6, all wanting the young ones to use the breaks for free play and socialisation.

· Check the photos of the play at ….and you’ll appreciate the wisdom of that decision, its founding in the research and the lead it provides you in striking the appropriate balance in your children’s physical and mental, structured and free play.

· The key is to let the children play.

The goal of play is often just to play. Along the way there is incidental learning, relaxation, physical exercise, creativity and socialising - all essential for children's mental health.

The recent move by Broulee PS to gather 'props' from parents to encourage free play in the playground has been a great success. Parents have donated tyres, clean old sheets, dress-ups (hats, scarves, coats, skirts, shirts, sacks and other weird paraphernalia that children can use to prompt imaginative play – devising games, building makeshift 'cubbies' and pretending. It's important that we keep these kinds of items trickling in, as children love variety, and some things will wear out quickly. Be imaginative in what you send in - you'd be surprised at the creative uses children think of in their play. They can be handed in at the school's front office.

It's not a matter of how much money parents spend on expensive toys, but the time we spend with them actually guiding them towards mastery of the many skills needed for living in our social world. One-on-one, adult-to-child nurturing guidance through playing with them or by setting up imaginative play activities makes a difference in children's readiness for school - their ability to concentrate, relate to others, have confidence to explore and be open to learning.

School-age children still need physical play. As they get older they tend to want to play more on screens but they still need a balanced life, with physical activity, face-to-face socialising with friends and relaxation /reflection time to de-stress from the constant stimulation of our busy lives. Sometimes we need to let children be bored for a while – which can lead to them making their own fun.

My kids love a game of Spotlight after dinner - hiding throughout the house in the dark while the one with a torch comes to find them. They quickly get the dishes done so I'll play too. Laughing and having fun together is a great stress-diffuser after an intellectually heavy day.

Technology offers many options for children to play - and while having fun they can practise online skills such as communication, patience and manners, as well as being challenged to think. There are many complex online games that offer different levels of play, so that children of various ages can relate together and help each other attain the next level. The open chat rooms also allow chat with adults playing as well, which makes it important to keep an ear and eye out on the conversations and teach children about staying safe. The chat room can be an interesting melting pot of helping, humour and camaraderie. Our primary aged children love to meet up with their schoolmates in the chat rooms of their games.

Although technology offers a whole playground of possibilities, younger children especially need plenty of free play time to experiment with their 'real' world and develop their life skills. I find the Sydney Morning Herald article below from August 2011 still relevant. Using iPhones and iPads as babysitters or 'dummies' to keep young children quiet and limit their demands can give children the message that they are unimportant, and takes away from them valuable time they need to spend in free play:

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/modern-technology-needs-to-be-more-than-childs-play-20110822-1j6om.html

Helping children to keep a balanced life is important, and they all need plenty of exercise, enough sleep for their age, and relaxation/unwinding/reflection time. As children get older, play can become more screen-based. It can be hard for older children to disengage from technology and just 'play' in the old-fashioned ways, but physical play and creative activities are still important for them.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/too-much-screen-time-eating-into-playtime-20111120-1npe2.html

Play and Self-regulation

Too much screen time, too much noise, and too much stimulation can mean that children's capacity to calm themselves and concentrate can be used up, leaving little internal resources for them to physically recover from these and other 'stresses' in their lives. Play, especially physical play, helps children unwind and relax.

I recently listened to a really interesting program on self-regulation in children which touched on stress, technology and play in the early years of a child's life as preparation for learning, with direct consequences for later experiences in the classroom. Self -regulation problems can be the ground for later learning difficulties.

Dr Stuart Shanker is the 2012 Thinker in Residence employed by the WA Commissioner For Children and Young People, Michelle Scott. He is one of Canada’s leaders in child development. He specialises in self-regulation. He is the director of the Milton and Ethel Harris Research Initiative (MEHRI), focused on cognitive and social neuroscience and based at York University in Toronto, where he’s also Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Psychology.

You can listen to ABC Life Matters Presenter Natasha Mitchell talking to Dr Shanker and Commissioner Michelle Scott:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/self-regulation3a-dr-stuart-shanker/4106588

For more on self-regulation read the article below. The comparison of self-regulation to compliance has direct implications for both parents and teachers:

http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/self-regulation-calm-alert-and-learning

Play changes and develops as children grow:

http://www.learninghouse.com.au/learning-through-play.html

Play fosters creativity and invention:

http://www.centerforchildhoodcreativity.org/research/articles/fostering-creativity/

http://inventionatplay.org/

Many creative people talk who about their childhoods spent a lot of time playing freely, largely unsupervised. Inventors were generally 'tinkerers' in their childhood:

http://inventionatplay.org/matter_main.html

For teachers:

http://inventionatplay.org/iapeducatorsmanual.pdf

Open-ended and child-directed play – what is it?

http://www.baykidsmuseum.org/nurture-childhood-creativity/why-creativity/frequently-asked-questions-about-creativity/

Play for under fives

This Western Australian Government site has a list of short fact sheets useful for parents of young children:

http://www.pmh.health.wa.gov.au/health/infant_care/play.htm

Sand and messy play:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/docreg/Education/Population/Child_Health/Play_and_Learning/HP001784_FS_9sand_and_messy_play.pdf

Ideas for home-made toys:

http://www.health.wa.gov.au/docreg/Education/Population/Child_Health/Play_and_Learning/HP1797_FS_22child_toys.pdf

Understanding Digital Learning

(45)

• The research continues to affirm the children’s everyday use of all manner of digital technologies is having a marked and generally positive impact on their learning and total education (Tapscott, 2009).

• However much of the technology usage potential remains underdeveloped and several key shortcomings have still to be successfully addressed.

• The key is to understand the nature of your children’s learning with the digital and to use that understanding to assist shape and enhance the desired learning.

• Understand digital technology is an integral part of growing up and learning in a networked world.

• Deprive your children of that opportunity – however noble your intentions – the research affirms you will disadvantage them socially, educationally and economically. (Chowdry, 2009) (Cassell and Kramer, 2008) (Growing Up Online, 2009)

• The young of the world have long since normalized the everyday use of the digital everywhere except in most classrooms.

• Broulee PS remains one of the exceptions.

• The normalized, all pervasive use of the digital and networked strongly shapes the young’s thinking (Tapscott, 2009).

• Theirs is a networked mindset where much of their everyday life, social interaction, learning and work will involve the use of all manner of digital technology. Moreover we are only at the dawn of its usage.

• In the post PC world it involves far more than desktop computers.

• It is as natural to the young of the world as paper been to ours.
• ‘In many ways today’s 6th graders are much more technology savvy and fluent with the emerging technology than even their older siblings…’ (Project Tomorrow, 2011, p2)

• Click here to get a fuller insight into today’s 6th grader’s use of the technology, which while a US survey is virtually the same globally.

• Pleasingly the research (ACMA, 2007) is revealing – something that is probably evident in your home – the vast majority of young use the technology in a balanced manner and live balanced lives.

• As ever there will always be a few who go overboard who need greater direction.

• Importantly the technology, and in particular the ‘Net have enabled the young of the world since the mid 1990’s – the aptly titled ‘Net Generation – to employ a style of learning outside the classroom highly appropriate to an ever changing networked world. While traditional teaching tends to be strongly linear with the pace and delivery closely controlled by the teacher the young favour a more flexible, ‘just in time’ discovery-based approach, often working with their peers. To some teachers the approach appears chaotic, but in reality it is a highly effective ‘constructivist’ approach. (Wikipedia, 2011-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory))

• In using that approach and their ‘play’ they have unwittingly developed a suite of very important life and work skills such as their
• ease in using all manner of technology
• information gathering and willingness to question the information,
• social networking
• ease of working with others across the globe
• critical use of Web information
• willingness to embrace the new and on-going change. (Tapscott, 1998, 2009)

• That said recent research is revealing aspects of the above where there is need for significant improvement and ‘teaching’. Generally their information gathering and analysis of that information requires considerable development (Hay, 2010), as does their digital citizenship and ethics (Pesce, 2009).

• In seeking to further your understanding of your children’s digital learning bear in mind the earlier mentioned research that suggests those under 10 ought have supervised ‘Net use.

• As many of you who have senior students using their own technology in the School’s classroom will be aware the burgeoning array of apps makes that it much easier for parents of the very young to let them use the digital with minimal supervision.

• Appreciate the digital now occupies a vital part in the development and education of your children that you as a parent or grandparent have to understand.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Self & Peer Teaching (44)

• The research reveals (Tapscott, 1998. 2009) (Green and Hannon, 2007) children increasingly teach themselves but also like to learn in the company of friends, using what is known as peer teaching.
• Nurture both types of teaching. Don’t make the old mistake of viewing peer teaching as cheating.
• Both forms of teaching are vital lifelong skills.
• Both are moreover skills that will grow as the children move through their schooling developing the complementary learning skills like information literacy, critical thinking, taking greater control of their lives and setting their own goals.
• Openly encourage your children even from a relatively early age to teach themselves and when they believe appropriate to join with their peers – face-to-face and online – so they can collectively teach each other. Seek to wean them off relying too much on you for all information.
• The ever more sophisticated and intuitive home and mobile technology is making it that much easier for the children from a very early age to teach themselves – something classroom teachers don’t always recognise. As you’ll have noted they very quickly understand the workings of the gear, the ‘expertise’ of Google, the ‘lessons’ within You Tube, how to use the apps and how to go online to contact those who can help when they are stuck.
• The research (Tapscott, 1998) (Green and Hannon, 2007) has long affirmed the young’s strong preference for learning with their support of their peers, of learning with others and their reluctance to turn to their teachers, even when the latter are available online. Online peer learning can be very effective.
• Perelman (1992) noted 20 years ago that the vast majority of the world’s PC users had never had a lesson on how to use the computer.
• The same applies today, particularly with the young. They don’t, and don’t need to have lessons on how to use SMS, IM, an iPod, an e-book or to create a basic interactive multimedia production.
• In time as they move toward the expert phase they might.
• They teach themselves or look work with their peers.
• The challenge for parents is get the young to use those self, and peer teaching skills in all areas of learning, be it with history, mathematics, engineering, critically examining literature, communicating and presenting to others or in undertaking projects.
• These two types of teaching fit neatly with project based teaching, collaborative and networked learning and the development of teamwork.
• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

I've noticed how much kids really love to teach and support each other in online games. This weekend when we had a visiting family with a child not so familiar with Runescape, and my 10 year old delighted in getting his visitor up to speed so he would have another worthy opponent. They love the experience of playing together, navigating to the same place in the game, swapping stuff and co-operating to achieve the next level (levelling up!). If my children are not in the same room, they love to use Skype to chat to their friends as they play together, giving hints, planning strategies and sharing the high moments and catastrophes of the games.

Many of the apps available have built-in lessons – for example, 'Fatify' shows what you would look like if you were much fatter – enough to frighten anyone into healthy eating!

Games are so attractive to some children that it can be hard to direct them to any other useful sites. I often find it's from my own device (computer, in my case) that I have most control. Their own devices have been 'timed out' but I can call them over for something extra to try on my computer, which may get them to open it later on theirs. Here's a few sites I've collected:

Fun Stuff for Kids and Big Kids to Explore

Pinterest is an image organising and sharing site. My daughter loves to collect images from the Internet to use in card making and for colouring in.

http://pinterest.com/laceagegirl/

http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/index.html

http://www.amnh.org/ology/index.php?channel=anthropology#

http://ziptales.com/

http://www.dragoart.com/

http://adrianbruce.com/computers/educational-software.htm

http://www.funbrain.com/journal/Journal.html?ThisJournalDay=1&ThisPage=1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/

http://www.blockcorner.com/content.html

http://www.citycreator.com/

http://thekidzpage.com/mainnew.htm

http://www.exploratorium.edu/

http://kidsknowit.com/

http://www.printablereadinggames.com/

http://www.rif.org/kids/readingplanet.htm

http://www.scholastic.com/kids/stacks/games/

http://www.wordsforlife.org.uk/

http://www.nga.gov/kids/zone/seasaws.htm

http://jennymannion.com/kidscomputergames/

http://natgeo.trymedia.com/t_14th/s-1_3036_15813/AllGames/Hidden-Object/Nat-Geo-Games-Lost-Chronicles-Fall-of-Caesar.html

http://isleoftune.com/

http://www.cbc.ca/artzooka/

http://www.permadi.com/java/spaint/spaint.html

Some other games to try out:

bubbleshooter

Drop7

connect4

words with friends

Mathletics

wizard 101

whyville

secret builders

build a bear-ville

super secret

webkinz world

club penguin

smallworlds

· Project – based learning (PBL) is a style of teaching that fits very readily with Broulee’s desire to foster collaboration, the astute use of the student’s technology and the flexibility of the primary school timetable.

· As the name suggest it involves the students working as a group taking responsibility for the addressing, planning, organising, researching and managing a major project.

· The projects used are normally inter-disciplinary in nature and require the children to work collaboratively in the rigorous examination of a complex task.

· The approach focuses on issues or questions that oblige the students to understand the central concepts or principles underlying the area/s of learning.

· The teacher acts as a facilitator.

· The children organise the group’s handling of the task, the planning, allocation of jobs, the timetable, discussing what is learned and preparing and delivering the presentation.

· Importantly project based learning requires the students not only to understand the subject matter but also to use and refine their use of the key twenty first century thinking, organisational, social and digital skills. Skills like critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, peer learning, information gathering and digital fluency are all drawn upon.

· It assists the development of all the key educational building blocks.

· It is an approach that encourages the students to make extensive use of their own and the school’s digital technology and to use those technologies anywhere, anytime, and not simply in the classroom.

· It reinforces the use of BYOT and importantly allows the students to make astute use of peer teaching.

· As a parent or grandparent you, like the teachers should act as a facilitator and provide guidance. Ensure however the student’s bear the major responsibility for the project.

· You are well placed to help ensure the skills applied in the project are transferred over to the children’s daily lives and everyday learning.

· The research affirms project based teaching should supplement the existing teaching, and because the approach makes extensive use of well developed thinking, social and digital skills is best used in the upper primary classrooms.

When children are interested and involved in a project they are more likely to learn. Sometimes children's interests can be used as the starting point for a project - finding out more and presenting their information in creative ways. Allowing them to take at least some control of the direction and management of a project provides more opportunities for problem-solving and communication, as well as 'owning' the project. Thinking skills and creativity are promoted when students interact with their peers to brainstorm, explain, present creatively, question, disagree, persuade, and problem-solve. Before they can do these higher order skills they need to be familiar with their subject, so turning their interests into a group project can be a starting point for practising the higher order skills.

Using technology students are familiar with and enjoy can motivate them to deepen their knowledge and skills. Creative endeavours take more time, and these projects could be extended at home with portable technologies. To support the project, parents can listen, offer ideas, give feedback, be a practice audience, be actors on the screen, or assist with different software programs used at home.

These kind of open-ended projects can be fascinating to adults, too.

As a parent, I have longed to be able to share some of the projects we have done at home using technology. Short photo stories using Animoto or videos or a slideshow could be sent in as well as the shell or nest found on the weekend. Digital scrapbook pages done together at home could be shared with the child's class. Technology can be such a powerful communicator, requiring less time to say a lot. The time it takes at home means it wouldn't happen every day for every child. I look forward to a time when channels open up to make this home/school sharing easier. Perhaps we need a separate network like Edmodo for parents to be able to send links to projects done at home...

Many projects would benefit from parent/teacher/student collaboration. Here are a selection of ideas for projects that I wish I'd been given when I was at school, with an iPhone or iPad in my hand!!!

Here's an inter-generational project where young people with good skills in technology get a lesson in history by recording the story of a senior person:

http://www.21learn.org/site/archive/a-study-in-reciprocity-minimizing-the-digital-divide-and-the-intergeneration-gap-children-tutor-seniors-at-computer-and-internet-skills-and-get-a-lesson-in-history/

Photographic images

The use of the iPhone camera is having a huge impact on photography and the presentation or styling of images. Children can use these portable cameras easily too. Visual images are an important way to communicate.

The 5 Photo Story idea teaching visual communication skills – this would be a fun collaborative project for students. Wesley Fryer's wiki is a great source of info on teaching using media and technology. He also has many 'how to' videos on YouTube:

http://wiki.wesfryer.com/Home/handouts/5photos

A list of good sources of copyright friendly images:

http://copyrightfriendly.wikispaces.com/

Turn photos, video clips, and music into video masterpieces to share with family, friends or the world. Fast, free and simple to use:

http://animoto.com/

Health and well-being is a family matter as well as school:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/technology-teach-health-wellness-mary-beth-hertz

Various topics are set out for K- Year 6 for 'webquests'. Some of these could be done a special group project:

http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/

A wealth of online information, some for students, some for teachers, is available in this database. It's arranged by topics.

http://www.educationindex.com/education_resources.html

Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Musical collaboration over the Internet

Students can find striking examples of collaboration on the Internet to inspire creative ideas of their own. Music is one area where collaboration can happen via the Internet with musicians across the world:

http://www.atmosmusic.com/wordpress/2010/12/top-5-internet-services-for-musical-collaboration/

An amazing musical collaboration where you can interactively listen to musicians from around the world playing different instruments in different patterns and rhythms in Bb major:

http://inbflat.net/

Musicians listening to each other in headphones, busking in public places around the world playing 'music for change':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM&feature=relmfu

Blogs for Kids

Mr Avery is a primary school teacher based in Massachusetts USA. His blog (below) has links to his students' blogs, where the children are doing a variety of interesting projects. Mr Avery makes the point that discussion that can occur through the comments is a great learning experience, too. It's great source of ideas for teachers wanting to implement creative use of technology in the classroom which can involve units of work in various subject areas.

http://mravery.edublogs.org/2012/05/14/meetus/

A blog can be like a diary where students can reflect on their own learning path, recording the projects they are most interested in using different media such as photos, videos, slideshows, writing, cartoons, sound recordings and drawings. Teachers who give each student in their class a blog which is open to the rest of the Internet need to take time to monitor both the students' work in the blogs and the comments from outside sources to keep a positive and safe learning environment – a significant ongoing extra time commitment. Parents can of course do this with a child, too. Children with iPods can easily shoot movies and photos which can be put on their blog.

Here is one of Mr Avery's Year 4 student blogs:

http://awesomebryan.edublogs.org/

A simple writing project involving classes from other countries (which would still be effective collaborating with another class or local school):

http://4kmand4kj.global2.vic.edu.au/2012/05/02/the-tale-trail/

Games Designing

A challenging project where kids design games – scroll down to the video:

http://boingboing.net/2012/04/02/game-design-with-kids-an-inte.html

Free game designing software for schools and home:

http://www.sandboxgamemaker.com/

• Early in 2011 Broulee PS made the very important decision to adopt a more collaborative style of teaching and schooling.
• It took the seemingly natural, but sadly uncommon step of deciding to work more closely with all the teachers of the children – namely the parents, grandparents, carers, pre and day care teachers and the children themselves – in the 24/7/365 development of the key educational building blocks.
• It believed that by combining the teaching of the home and the school it could significantly improve every child’s success at school.
• The reasons were spelt out in article 19.
• A year on an ever-growing body of research affirms the wisdom of Broulee’s move and reveals the school’s adoption of the collaborative approach, like other pathfinding schools across the Western world was prompted in large by it’s normalised use of the digital technology in its everyday teaching.
• Research by Lee and Ward (2012) indicates that when schools go digital and all or the vast majority of teachers naturally use the digital in their everyday teaching the school moves naturally to work more collaboratively with its parents.
• Virtually overnight schools move from years of little or no genuine collaboration to working every more collaboratively with their homes.
• Interestingly the research (Lee and Levins, 2012) shows that when schools go digital they also move naturally to enabling the students to use their own technology in class (BYOT) – as has happened at Broulee PS.
• The everyday use of the digital appears to open teacher’s minds to the immense teaching and learning opportunities opened by the networked world outside the classroom, to recognize the considerable teaching and learning happening outside the classroom and see the sense of pooling the home and school teaching expertise and digital resources in the teaching of the young.
• Look at the schools around you and sadly you’ll find this collaborative teaching – this closer bond between the school and its homes- is limited to those schools like Broulee that have:
• the appropriate suite of digital technology in every teaching room
• teachers willing to make wise everyday use of that technology in their teaching
• an integrated digital communications suite, built around the school website that allows all in the school’s community to stay in touch
• an astute school principal willing to have the school collaborate closely with its homes.
• Schools in the US, UK, NZ and Australia with these characteristics were not only using an ever more collaborative form of teaching but are able to move at pace to keep up with the parent’s and students ever-rising expectations about the use of the digital.
• Schools and teachers that rely on pens, paper and blackboards still see teaching as the sole responsibility of the professional teacher operating behind the school walls – wanting little to do with the parents or indeed to use the children’s digital technology (Lee and Ward, 2012).
• Those schools are unwilling and indeed unable to break with the traditional way of teaching, daily becoming ever more out of touch with society’s expectations.

Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Technology is making collaboration easier. People scattered across the world are working together in ways we never could have dreamed even ten years ago. This Successful Schooling Blog is a good example of collaborative efforts combining the talents of four individuals from school, home and community.

Class Blogs at Broulee PS

The wiki/class blogs accessed through the Broulee Public School's website below have made a huge difference in putting parents in touch with what is happening within the school and in each classroom. Parents can talk about their children's week at school and ask real questions that promote conversations beyond 'How was school today?'. They can make comments back to the class and teacher if they like, too. Teachers can let parents know about upcoming units of work and parents may have skills or ideas to offer.

The children enjoy showing their family members the photos posted and reviewing fun activities they've participated in at school. Some families post links to their child's class blog (in Facebook or other social media) so grandparents can see when they receive awards, make special artworks, or learn in unusual ways.

http://web1.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/groups/12f/blog/

http://www.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/School_Blogs.html

It will take time to change habits and get busy parents all regularly reading the online school newsletter or checking out the latest posts on the class blogs, but gradually Broulee's families are realising the benefits of being more in touch with the school's activities.

Having the children remind their parents about blog updates could help increase traffic to these blogs. Teachers may not always have time to regularly update their class blog, which means parents may forget to keep looking out for new entries. As technology and software improves, it will hopefully become easier and less time-consuming for teachers to manage the processes and for parents to keep in touch. The class blogs are excellent, and parents can catch up to previous entries whenever they want to.

Broulee PS has also begun using Edmodo as a safe restricted space for students to chat and share work. Teachers can post homework on it and students can submit completed homework on it.

Perhaps as parents become more familiar with Edmodo, teachers may be able to post reminders or links there for parents to check out new additions to their class blogs.

About Edmodo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzPHQr1ONaA)

One of the strengths of Broulee PS is that the school is embracing changes and opening its doors through its communication channels with parents and the community. Encouraging collaboration requires good communications channels working both ways - easy, positive and quick. Secure private channels are needed as well as public ways for parents to relate to teachers. It needs to be able to be initiated in both directions between home and school. Protecting teachers' time and causing extra work for them remains a tricky issue to balance here. Parents as well as teachers can participate in the change process as well as be swept along by it.

At Broulee we have moved away from the old ways where teachers sent notes home and parents merely responded with permission notes and money. Technology is opening the field of communication to be more inclusive. The school is becoming more than a building limited by its walls as parents and the community are invited to participate more in many ways, assisted by the technology available in homes and the school. There are many initiatives of parents that the school is embracing. An example is our recent 3 day workshop with Jon Madin, a music teacher from Victoria was initiated and organised by a parent and funded by the P&C. There are a couple of videos of the workshop's final concert on a Year $t's blog:

http://web1.broulee-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/groups/4t/blog/

Teachers collaborating over the Internet

Our teachers have their local professional blogs where they can collaborate – Mang and Yammer are a couple. The Internet also opens the world up for teachers to collaborate on projects internationally with their students. This site has a wealth of creative ideas for collaborative learning:

http://plpnetwork.com/2012/02/13/what-is-creativity/

There are many sites where teachers can share resources on a variety of subject areas:

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/pshe/pshe.htm#all

It's timely to watch Sir Ken Robinson's award-winning presentation on creativity, changing the educational paradigm and collaborative learning, keeping our efforts at Broulee in mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Schools need to adapt to changes or risk becoming irrelevant to young people. This video highlights some interesting stats on technology use over the past century:

http://plpnetwork.com/the-shift/

iPod touches at school – a teacher's blog about trying to encourage creativity:

http://creativityquest.global2.vic.edu.au/

Last two images from http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

References

. Green, H and Hannon, C (2007) Their Space. Education for a digital generation London Demos

· Lee, M and Levins, M (2012) Bring Your Own Technology Melbourne ACER Press

· Lee, M and Ward, L (2012) Collaborative Teaching Melbourne ACER Press

• The resounding message coming from all the research is work upon developing all the main educational building blocks from the outset from birth onwards, and get all well formed before your children enter school.
• Get it right first off.
• Prevention is always better than cure (Deacon, 2011, p16)
• Don’t rely on remedial teaching. It can only do so much, in some areas.
• Work to avoid your children falling behind those the same age.
• By now you will appreciate how vital it is to simultaneously teach all the building blocks and that success will depend on how well the key blocks are cemented together, integrated. If for example your child has developed most of the key skills but has poor self-control success will be limited.
• Communicate from birth your high expectations, the importance you attach to a good education and the opportunity of going to university.
• Put in the time on their development and use that limited time astutely.
• Appreciate that as your child’s first ‘teacher’ how important it is that home develops the key social skills and attitudes – the patience, the self-regulation, respect for others, the self-control and ability for children to evaluate their own efforts.
• Indeed the research (Wagaman, 2011) is suggesting in the very early years you ought be giving as much attention to ‘teaching’ patience and self –control as you give to reading and maths.
• This is not what schools normally say.
• But as you saw earlier (29) the degree of self-control shown at age 3 could be as strong a predictor of school success as is IQ, the difference being that you can ‘teach’ self-control.
• It is a case of readying your children socially and attitudinally.
• As the research attests (Strom and Strom, 2010) (Deacon, 2011) if you as a family are prepared to put in the time and ‘teach’ the key educational building blocks your children will very likely succeed at school.
• While the emphasis from schools has always been – and continues in most instances to be – on the academic skills commonsense, the research and Broulee PS says the home has prime responsibility for nurturing the desired social skills and attitudes at the same time as it helps with the academic.
• No amount of remedial teaching within the school can redress what is not done by the home on the social skills, particularly in the pre-primary years.
• Equally vital is the building of your children’s vocabulary through hours of rich conversations. If your children’s vocabulary is not well developed by the age of 3 no amount of remedial teaching will bring them back on par with their age group.
• When you recognize that 90% of a person’s vocabulary is in place by the age of 6 you’ll appreciate how important is the ‘teaching’ you do in the early years (Strom and Strom, 2010)
• Broulee PS’s homes, with virtually all now with ‘Net access and the technology are far better placed than even a few years to ensure all children develop all the key educational building blocks appropriately first off.
• However if you have concerns about the progress being made with any of the key skills and attitudes contact the school at - broulee-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au and it will advise you on what can best be done – even if the child has yet to enrol.

• Copyright. Mal Lee. Email – mallee@mac.com Article used by permission of the author. Graphics by Greg McKay.

Measurement (40)

Peter Cribb

Peter is one of Australia’s leading math’s educators, and was for many years a member of the board of Cambridge University Press.

Comparing leads to measuring. Ordering is a consequence

Measuring requires the development of the properties of objects – length, weight, time, temperature, area, capacity

An awareness of the properties requires the development of appropriate language.

Kids construct knowledge in a social context

Experience need to be engaged that allow children to engage the property

What informal units are appropriate to the situation; a teaspoon or a cup to measure the water in the bucket? The appropriate unit is conditional to the task.

Develop a sense of error, not exactly three hands

Direct comparison, then indirect comparison leading to the need of a standard unit.

Does the property change if orientation is changed – length of string stretched and coiled.

Equipment at home, a knotted string, a coat hanger weighing

Length, area and volume/capacity are the starting points.

· So many home tasks involve measurement and are a rich source of wonderful shared activities with your children. Professor Ken Clements (2003, pxi) wrote “Measurement … has its roots, both historically and in individual development, in significant everyday activity. Thus it can be developed in the earliest years from children’s experience …. it spans and connects mathematics and other sciences …. (and) it can serve as a foundation for the development of other topics within mathematics”.

· The measures common to a child’s experience are length, area, volume (capacity), weight (mass) and later time, temperature and even speed. These area measures that they will observe being discussed and used in the home and so will be of interest to them. All of these will be addressed by your primary school.

· Critical to being able to measure is the ability to identify the parameter in question. In the very young the claim that something is bigger could refer to weight (mass), height, area, or volume. Shared experiences will provide an opportunity to refine these ideas. Lots of enriching tasks during cooking, bath time or in the sandpit allow the child to learn what can be done to the object without changing the parameter in question. The string does not change in length when it is straight or wavy, the leaf has the same area in different orientations and the same amount of liquid can exist in different containers.

· Strengthen their understanding by revisiting ideas in different settings, for example, width, depth, height, perimeter, thickness, are all applications of length. Confidence in working with length is also a key understanding to the effective reading of clocks and many displays on thermometers, scales, speedos, etc

· As they gain confidence in identifying the parameter appropriate to the task they will use it to order objects by that parameter. When ordering family members by height they will become aware that tall and tallest might be more appropriate than big and biggest.

· In ordering objects by height, for example, they will firstly use a direct comparison by placing the two objects in contact. It takes some time for them to start to use another unit, eg wooden blocks, to make the comparison. Even then, they might not initially use the same size blocks to measure both objects! They have become fairly sophisticated when they are able to announce that one object is 8 paper clips long and another only 7 paperclips in length. The opportunity now exists to discuss the use of an appropriate unit and for them to appreciate that measuring the length of the kitchen is better using pacing rather than hand spans. In turn an understanding of the errors inherent in a particular measuring will emerge. Questions like “is it closer to 11 steps or 12 steps” will normally trigger a rich discussion of the accuracy of the claimed measure. “How many of my paces do you think” stimulates a comfort in making estimates.

· Measurement experiences are also a good opportunity for the further understanding of fractions. The sharing of a doughnut by my grandson didn’t initially involve halves but has proven a lovely repeated experience over time with the idea of two equal portions as halves emerging. His experiences have now led to the division into halves being based more on volume when the doughnut is irregular in shape.

· The home is a rich source of measuring tools and the use of these with your child fosters an appreciation of how they are used and what they measure. Kitchen scales, rulers, egg timers, thermometers and measuring jars are common to most households. They are a rich setting for shared learning experience and the opportunity to clarify function and the associated language. Kids can be confused by the use of measurement terms in common language. They might be asked to turn the volume down, or to wait a minute in everyday discussions and for this to create some confusion with their understanding in measurement contexts.

· Time measure is a little tricky for kids as it does not involve any physical attribute. Your child’s understanding will move through an awareness of the duration of time and an ability to order events in time, eg eating breakfast after getting dressed. Reading a clock face is a more advanced concept and starts with reading clock time to the hour and then to ‘minutes past’ before other equivalents. Digital clocks may be an easier introduction to ‘reading the time as so many minutes past the hour.’

Recommended Reading

Bobis, J., Mulligan, J. & Lowrie, T. (2009). Mathematics for Children. Sydney: Pearson Prentice Hall. (on reserve)

Cooke, Heather. (2007). Mathematics for Primary and Early Years. Developing Subject Knowledge.

Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works. Research- Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Hawker Brownlow Education

McIntosh, A., Reys, B., Reys, R., Hope, J. Numbersense Publisher: Dale Seymour Publications

Reys, R., Lindquist, M., Lambdin, D., Smith, N. & Suydam, M. (2009). Helping Children Learn Mathematics

Sullivan, P., & Lilburn, P. (1997). Open-ended maths activities: Using good questions to enhance learning. Melbourne: Oxford University Press

Web-sites

A Maths Dictionary for Kids http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html

Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers http://www.aamt.edu.au

Australian Curriculum: Mathematics http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/Rationale

Count Me In Too http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/countmein/teachers.html

Education Services Australia http://www.esa.edu.au

First School years. http://www.firstschoolyears.com/

Hotmaths http://www.hotmaths.com.au/

Mathletics http://www.mathletics.com.au/

National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics https://www.ncetm.org.uk/

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics http://www.nctm.org/

New Zealand Numeracy Project http://nzmaths.co.nz/

Primary Home Page DEECD https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/primary/pages/Default.aspx

Sparkle Box http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/md/index.html

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/mathematicssubjectarea

WEBCT: http://webct.vu.edu.au

Numeration (39)

By Peter Cribb

Peter is one of Australia’s leading math’s educators, and was for many years a member of the board of Cambridge University Press.

· Formal schooling focuses on numeration, not just numbers. Numeration is the study of numbers and their properties and many new ideas will be introduced to your child in the first years of school. These understandings will be vital to their future school and even life successes. Numeration is a key tool in sorting, describing, ordering, predicting, comparing, etc. All of these applications are aspects of everyday activities of cooking, playing, etc in the home.

· Number words, symbols and collections are everyday experiences in your child’s world; they will see them in books, on the TV, in the shops, on packaging. Discovering these occurrences can be a rich shared activity and provides positive encouragement that the use of number is useful. How you react is modeled by your child; give a positive lead to their involvement.

· Wanting to count is common to all children and learning to recite the number names is the starting point in most cases. Soon your child will consistently recite number names to ten or beyond, often with omissions, egg, “one”, “two”, “four”, “five”, “six”, “ten”, “seventeen”. Encourage and gently correct as this is only a game of memory in the early stages and is not actually counting. Counting occurs when the child is able to ‘touch count’. This is when the child touches or points or nods at each successive item as they say the number word. This skill may not be evident until after they have started school.

· Children will start recognizing the symbols for the numbers very early but have limited specific knowledge of the specific meaning, it takes a long time before they will be able to draw/make a collection of say six and correctly assign the number word and name to the collection. This stage will be a key target in your child’s early schooling. Teen numbers are tricky in most European languages as we read some numbers forwards and some backwards, egg, 18 is read backwards but 81 is read forwards. If yours is a multicultural household you might think about number names in that language, Asian language number names are much more logical and all are read forward. eg “13” is read as “ten and three” and “23” as “two tens and three”, etc. Another common error in a child’s early work with number symbols is to record “sixty-five” as 605.

· Activities will occur in cooking, craft, play etc to count and later to compare groups, order a series of collections, etc. Have fun with your child, make it a positive experience and focus on exposing them to new ideas rather than teaching them. The experience will be a powerful tool to their acquiring the ideas when they are formally introduced.

Recommended Reading

Bobis, J., Mulligan, J. & Lowrie, T. (2009). Mathematics for Children. Sydney: Pearson Prentice Hall. (on reserve)

Cooke, Heather. (2007). Mathematics for Primary and Early Years. Developing Subject Knowledge.

Marzano, R.J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works. Research- Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Hawker Brownlow Education

McIntosh, A., Reys, B., Reys, R., Hope, J. Numbersense Publisher: Dale Seymour Publications

Reys, R., Lindquist, M., Lambdin, D., Smith, N. &Suydam, M. (2009). Helping Children Learn Mathematics

Sullivan, P., & Lilburn, P. (1997). Open-ended maths activities: Using good questions to enhance learning. Melbourne: Oxford University Press

Web-sites

A Maths Dictionary for Kids http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html

Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers http://www.aamt.edu.au

Australian Curriculum: Mathematics http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Mathematics/Rationale

Count Me In Too http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/countmein/teachers.html

Education Services Australia http://www.esa.edu.au

First School years. http://www.firstschoolyears.com/

Hotmaths http://www.hotmaths.com.au/

Mathletics http://www.mathletics.com.au/

National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics https://www.ncetm.org.uk/

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics http://www.nctm.org/

New Zealand Numeracy Project http://nzmaths.co.nz/

Primary Home Page DEECD https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/primary/pages/Default.aspx

Sparkle Box http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/md/index.html

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/mathematicssubjectarea

WEBCT: http://webct.vu.edu.au