Dear Teachers
Thank you for your comments with regards to the VCE Improvement workshop at the recent MAV conference and request for materials/references. Over the next 24 hours you will receive a couple of emails that contain a collection of documents relating to improving VCE results. (Sending all the attachments in one email would make it too big!)
All these attachments and files will make sense when I send through the summary document that provides more detail on each and a considerable amount of discussion on why these items are effective and how they have been used.
Document 1 – Sample Work-guide
I have used this style of work-guide in years 7, 9 and 11. Year 7 students adapted to this quickly and easily figuring it was ‘just how things are done in high school’. Existing year 9’s and 11’s had a transition period as they got their head around how the changes and structure. After a few topics however students essentially demanded these documents at the start of every topic so they could commence planning. Homework compliance increased, classroom engagement increased as students were more focused and I observed a lot more ‘self starting’ students. (Don’t have to start lessons by telling students to ‘get their books out’... as many of them started automatically!)
Feedback from other teachers / schools that have already started to use similar systems has been fantastic! Example: One teacher suggested that question levels within exercises be included to help cater for the varying abilities of the students. While this would make the document much bigger, I can see many benefits to incorporating such detail. It is one thing that I will implement. The choice is yours, the document is designed to generate ideas on how things might be done differently.
Thank you for your patience as I respond collectively to the large number of requests. I think the large response is indicative of the pressure teachers and schools experience with regards to a focus on ‘improving VCE results’.
Note:
Further suggestions and feedback on documents soon to arrive in your ‘inbox’ are also welcomed. I can pass on the suggestions to others that requested information.
Regards,
Peter Fox
Education Technology
Teacher Support
Phone: 03 8540 5215
Toll Free: 1300 138 140
Mobile: 0439851580
Email: