Teaching Strategies by Teaching Treasures Publications

Whip Cracking

2012-01-30T13:20:00.001+11:00

You may wonder what whip cracking has in common with teaching but I found this great web site where recycling is number one for the original inventor of tubewhips, Nathan Griggs. Nathan's tubewhips are made from recycled inner tubes of cars. If you are planning a project for your classroom about recycling, you may like to consider this as an option. Simply visit the web site http://tubewhips.com/ and learn more about different recycling techniques and how your students could implement perhaps something like this.

More Outdoor Industry Outcomes

2012-01-28T16:08:00.000+11:00

OUTDOOR SAFETY
Duty of care, Basic first aid e.g. snakebites, stings, insects, Safety & welfare of self and others, Cause & effect of decision making, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Team building skills, Observation skills & techniques, Weather conditions, Appropriate clothing.

NAVIGATION
Duty of care, Map reading, Compass work, Process of orientation and landmarks, Group work, Cooperation, Communication skills, Cause & effect of decision making, Implement navigation skills individually & as a group.

INITIATIVE GAMES
Duty of care, Team building skills, Building better relationships, Cooperative learning, Communication skills, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Group risk management, Cause & effect of decision making, Leadership & Planning, Health, safety & welfare of self & others, Improving problem solving, Breaking down larger tasks into smaller tasks, Behavioral & social issues, Learn through challenge, Understand team goals, Respecting and understanding others.

CHALLENGE COURSE

Duty of care, Team building skills, Cause & effect of decision making, Cooperative active learning, Group planning and negotiating, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Challenge and be challenged using a safe environment.

BUSH ART & CRAFT
Duty of care, Project planning, Decision making Implementation & process management, Use of natural resources e.g. sticks, rocks and leaves, Teamwork, Cause & effect of decision making, Caring for the environment, Minimal impact, Communication skills, Behavioral & social issues, Emergency procedures, Recycling, Health, safety, and welfare of self and others.

CAMP COOKING

Duty of care, Emergency procedures, Minimal impact, Hygiene procedures, Food safety, Food storage & handling techniques, Safe water for drinking & cooking, Cooking & cleaning techniques, gas, trangia, wood, bbq etc.

SURVIVAL SKILLS
Duty of care, Basic first aid - snakebites, stings, insects, How to light a fire, Collect drinking water, Make an emergency shelter & make a simple animal trap, Cause & effect of decision making, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Wildlife encounters & Bush tucker, Communication devices & how to get help, Finding your bearings, Safety & welfare of self and others.

WHIP CRACKING

Duty of care, What makes a whip crack, How sound travels, Parts of a whip, How & why whips are made, Leather whips & recycled tube whips, Implementing reduce re-use recycle, Learn how to crack a whip, Types of whips, Whip cracking demonstration.

UNDER THE STARS

Duty of care, Camping practices & safety issues, Camping hygiene procedures, Safe toileting practices, Living in confined areas, Behavioral & social issues, Cause & effect of decision making, Minimal impact, Erecting tents or other temporary shelters, Clothing & equipment, Equipment handling.

ANIMAL SPOTTING
Duty of care, Observation techniques, Endangered local plants, Weeds & wildlife, Impacts of local farming practices, Minimal impact, Animal tracks & droppings, Safety and welfare of self and others.

BUSH WALKING

Duty of care, Codes of ethics, Planning process for bush walking, Cause & effect of decision-making Maps, compass, navigation, orientation, landmarks Emergency procedures, Walking techniques & skills,

Health, safety & welfare of self & others, Behavioral & social issues, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Environment, Public & Private Land Teambuilding & cooperation, Minimize risk Observation skills, Minimal impact, Safe toileting practices, Food & drinking water requirements, Skill, experience, physical fitness, Communicate ideas & information, Personal equipment.

CANOEING

Flat and White water, Duty of care, Codes of ethics Minimal Impact, Planning process for canoeing, Cause & effect of decision making, Appropriate clothing, Water safety issues, Hypothermia, Dehydration, Paddling strokes, Equipment handling, White water hazards, Entrapments in watercraft, Natural & unnatural strainers, Rocks & obstacles, Safe toilet practices, Emergency procedures, Communication and signals, Behavioral & social issues, Teambuilding skills, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Health, safety and welfare of self and others.

WATER SAFETY
Duty of care, Equipment handling, Team building, Hydraulics & river mechanics, White water hazards, Foot entrapments, Defensive swimming techniques, Communication, Signals, Roping skills, Rescue techniques, throw bags, vector pull, Mechanical advantages, Cause & effect of decision making, Health, safety and welfare of self and others, Recognise individual strengths and limitations.

GARDENING
Garden tool safety, First Aid – bites, stings, allergies, Health, safety & welfare of self & others, Soil structure, texture, pH, Organic growing, Herbicides and Pesticides safety, Pests and diseases, Weed control, mechanical, chemical and biological, Direct seeding skills versus seedlings, Soil preparation Mulching, Harvesting and picking techniques.

POI & FIRE TWIRLING

Duty of care, Recognise the dangers of fire twirling, Fire Risks and Safety, What is glow Poi, How to use the Poi, Learn how to use the Poi, About fire twirling and demonstration.

WIND WATER SUN
Duty of care, Wind Water Solar energy, About Hydro-Electric Power Stations.

If you would like to know more or are after further information then I would suggest you contact GOAL. They can be found here: http://www.outdooradventurelearning.com.au/contact_us.html

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://www.outdooradventurelearning.com.au/schools.html

Continuing on from my previous blog regarding outdoor activities and their outcomes, I have located some interesting outdoor activities from GOAL (Griggs Outdoor Adventure Learning) and posted these below (with permission).

Each activity states what the participants will be learning and these are important when you as a teacher wish to add an activity to your curriculum and cover certain outcomes. Many outdoor providers will give you some idea as to what your class will be doing and learning so it is up to you to choose the best options.

Outdoor Industry Outcomes

2012-01-25T15:18:00.000+11:00

Having had a number of blogs about the outdoor industry providers and the things you should look out for, I thought I would now start digging up some good points in favour of the outdoor industry. Of course the best outcome in taking your class to an outdoor camp is the physical exercise and the team building which takes place over several days.

Outdoor providers should strive to deliver a creative learning process by catering for the needs of each individual and to provide academic, artistic, and social aspects in each program through active participation. If they don’t promote this then they are sadly lacking as far as my opinion goes. Staff who provides the activities should be trained in first aid and CPR and carry a first-aid kit during activity time. Of course schools will always need to provide their own containing the medication or equipment needed for their students.

Instructors should specify that they take child protection issues extremely serious and all staff should have undergone stringent ‘Working with Children’ checks and abide by a code of conduct. Because each group of participants has different needs, outdoor providers should be flexible and be able and willing to adjust their program to suit your needs. As far as activities are concerned these should contains outcomes to complement your curriculum.

For example bush walking should contain some or all of the following: Duty of care, Codes of ethics, Planning process for bush walking, Cause & effect of decision-making, Maps, compass, navigation, orientation, landmarks, Emergency procedures, Walking techniques & skills, Health, safety & welfare of self & others, Behavioral & social issues, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Environment, Public & Private Land, Teambuilding & cooperation, Minimize risk, Observation skills, Minimal impact, Safe toileting practices, Food & drinking water requirements, Skill, experience, physical fitness, Communicate ideas & information, and Personal equipment.

If you like water activities such as canoeing then outcomes such as these should be part of the program: Flat and White water, Duty of care, Codes of ethics, Minimal Impact, Planning process for canoeing, Cause & effect of decision making, Appropriate clothing, Water safety issues, Hypothermia, Dehydration, Paddling strokes, Equipment handling, White water hazards, Entrapments in watercraft, Natural & unnatural strainers, Rocks & obstacles, Safe toilet practices, Emergency procedures, Communication and signals, Behavioral & social issues, Teambuilding skills, Recognise individual strengths and limitations, Health, safety and welfare of self and others.

Of course water safety should always be delivered before any water activity so these outcomes should be found in their program: Duty of care, Equipment handling, Team building, Hydraulics & river mechanics, White water hazards, Foot entrapments, Defensive swimming techniques, Communication, Signals, Roping skills, Rescue techniques, throw bags, vector pull, Mechanical advantages, Cause & effect of decision making, Health, safety and welfare of self and others, Recognise individual strengths and limitations.

Besides Canoeing, Water Safety and Bush Walking, I will track down and discuss more activities and outcomes that these should contain in my next blog such as:

TEAM BUILDING
NAVIGATION
ABSEILING & RAFTING
INITIATIVE GAMES
CHALLENGE COURSE
BUSH ART & CRAFT
OUTDOOR SAFETY
GARDENING
CAMP COOKING
SURVIVAL SKILLS
THE ENVIRONMENT
POI & FIRE TWIRLING
WIND WATER SUN
WHIP CRACKING
UNDER THE STARS
ANIMAL SPOTTING

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://outdooradventurelearning.com.au/

Good Outdoor Providers

2012-01-23T16:07:00.000+11:00

In order to finalise my issues regarding psychopaths, sociopaths, pedophiles and unscrupulous managers in the outdoor industry, I must stress the following point.

Please do not discount all outdoor adventure learning providers should you encounter a rogue provider. And certainly don’t lump all outdoor adventure learning providers in the same category. There are many good ones out there, many family orientated providers and fantastic, fun filled instructors. It is the same old adage… one rotten apple tends to spoil the whole lot.

Don’t let this happen as children will start losing their outdoor learning opportunities all to soon and we have fought long and hard for these opportunities to finally become part of our curriculum and aspirations for a wholesome learning environment.

A good outdoor provider is one who insists on children wearing appropriate clothing. A pedophile instructor for example will be happy enough for children to wear skimpy, floppy shorts or t-shirts so that when they participate in an activity he has the opportunity to view something he shouldn't. For example climbing activities including upside down or crawling exercises. Water activities such as sit-on tops or kayaks where children's legs are parted and all is in plain view of the pedophile instructor.

A good outdoor provider does not blame his staff for everything. Does not lurk in the dark. Does not spy on girls or boys in the amenity block. Does not unnecessary touch in inappropriate places. Does not allow skimpy clothing such as extremely short shorts. Or in the case of a water sport such as canoeing allow bikini tops or pfd's with just the bikini bottoms on and no decent shorts. Does not allude to sexual references, gestures or the like. Does not pretend to be something he isn't etc. etc.

Perhaps by now you have understood where I am coming from. Perhaps you have experienced some or all of what has been penned down so far. Perhaps it is time for you take action and put a stop to this terrible behaviour which is happening to your children.

Don't be afraid to try out a new provider if you suspect your current provider. Just because you have used the same outdoor provider for several years doesn't mean that the place is ok. Perhaps you have heard rumours and perhaps these rumours are right! Open your eyes if you go on camp with your classroom and watch what goes on. Listen to the conversations of your students and watch those kids who suddenly become withdrawn or quiet. What has happened! It is your responsibility to care for those placed in your trust.

When a manager, or instructor boasts about the number of girls supposedly asking him if he would like to sleep with them then you can bet that you are dealing with a very evil man and that you will need to take action. When a manager or instructor boasts about what he has seen on some of these camps... again, you are dealing with a very evil man and you will need to take action. Please listen to your conscience and protect those who can not protect themselves.

Feel free to leave your comment.

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://teachingtreasures.com.au/

Sexual and mental harassment

2012-01-21T15:17:00.001+11:00

My previous blog stated about the fact that outdoor learning is more motivating than classroom based learning and that it provides a stimulating impact. In most cases this is correct however, it really should read positive motivation. It should definitely include the word positive.

If a child were subjected to sexual or mental harassment it would definitely provide a stimulating impact but definitely not in a positive way. It could cause irreversible damage, bring about many psychological problems in the future and ruin a child’s chance in life.

How do we identify these perpetrators? They often work in management positions – alone. They can’t keep good staff – good staff always leaves and often without receiving their proper pay. Your gut feeling tells you that something is wrong but you can’t put your finger on it. They promise the world but deliver balderdash.

I think I am going to divert a little here but I believe it is important for the safety of children and adults alike. The Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) is a diagnostic tool used to rate a person's psychopathic or antisocial tendencies. People who are psychopathic prey ruthlessly on others using charm, deceit, violence or other methods that allow them to get what they want.

The symptoms of psychopathy include: lack of a conscience or sense of guilt, lack of empathy, egocentricity, pathological lying, repeated violations of social norms, disregard for the law, shallow emotions, and a history of victimizing others.

According to Mind Disorders the twenty traits assessed by the PCL-R score are:

•glib and superficial charm
•grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
•need for stimulation
•pathological lying
•cunning and manipulativeness
•lack of remorse or guilt
•shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness)
•callousness and lack of empathy
•parasitic lifestyle
•poor behavioral controls
•sexual promiscuity
•early behavior problems
•lack of realistic long-term goals
•impulsivity
•irresponsibility
•failure to accept responsibility for own actions
•many short-term marital relationships
•juvenile delinquency
•revocation of conditional release
•criminal versatility

Now, unless you spend some time with a person it will be difficult to determine many of the above character traits so I think that we should listen to what some may call gossip. We should hear what is being said and come to a conclusion which will determine your next step.

So dare I repeat myself?

"Of course the most important issue with any outdoor learning activity are the safety codes and codes of conduct. These safety codes and codes of conduct provide clear boundaries and should be adhered to at all times by all participating school children but should also be adhered to by teachers, parents, caregivers, and activity providers with no exception. Outdoor learning should be delivered in a safe environment."

I will continue this blog....

http://teachingtreasures.com.au/

How to Recognise a Sociopath

2012-01-18T15:22:00.041+11:00

Coming back from my previous blog about psychopaths or sociopaths in the outdoor industry perhaps you wonder how you can identify these people who are not suitable for the delivery of outdoor learning activities.

Take a look at the manager or the boss who runs the business, organisation or not-for-profit group. Can he keep his staff? Does he have a large turnover of staff? Does he blame the large turnover of his staff on "seasonable working conditions" which is by the way another one of his many lies.

Is his current staff happy to be there or are they just putting on a fake happy face because they need to keep their job? Is he married, divorced, living in a de-facto relationship? If he is single who is his girlfriend, how old is she, who is she? You may say that all of this is irrelevant but I do not believe it is. You as a teacher has the responsibility to take care of those children entrusted in your care by the parents. How would you feel if it came to light that one of those young girls was sexually molested by the manager of the outdoor centre or by the activity provider?

Therefore it is your duty to make sure you choose a safe environment for your outdoor learning adventures and provide for the physical and mental care of each child that is placed under your wings for protection. To come back to the issue of listening to rumors, it may be in your best interest as a teacher to listen but also to make informed decisions.

Don’t just listen to one person, ask around. Ask staff, cleaners, maintenance guys, cooks, gardeners, instructors, and anyone else floating about who works there or has worked there in the past. Ask about the boss? Is he ok or does he have serious issues. If staff will not give you a direct and honest answer up front, be rest assured that there is something terribly wrong. No person should be afraid to tell you what a wonderful boss she or he has!

No person should be afraid to sing praises about the great job and working conditions she or he has. They are afraid however to speak up if they are threatened of loosing their job, not receiving their rightful pay or worse, be subjected to mental or sexual harassment. Many people will not speak up for themselves because they need the job in order to pay the bills and it is hard enough to get a job so the last thing they want is to loose it. I guess their manipulating psycho-boss has them literally working in limbo land (or hell).

I will continue this blog....

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://www.teachingtreasurespublications.com.au/2012/01/outdoor-learning.html
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/newsletters/bullying.htm

Psychopaths in outdoor industries

2012-01-15T14:49:00.000+11:00

In my previous blog I stated that teachers taking their students to outdoor centres should question the validity of management and staff and look at issues such as those who display signs of a psychopath, pedophile, sociopath, or physical, mental, or sexual harassments. I will now look at those issues more closely and also at the sadness of the fact that sometimes working with children clearance means just that. A clearance on paper perhaps but in reality that person simply has not been caught yet or not convicted yet.

For example the staff employed may be perfectly all right however, the manager may be a pedophile or dare I say may even display psychopathic or sociopathic tendencies and uses good staff as a smokescreen to cover up his terrible deeds. Does management look after their staff and is staff paid their dues? If staff is treated poorly, unfairly or with contempt then be rest assured you will receive low quality, low caring activity standards from your outdoor provider.

Low standards are often not because the staff is inadequately trained but rather because management is not doing the right thing.

How often is staff checked for working with children? Perhaps staff is checked regularly but who checks up on the big boss? Who checks the manager? Most likely…. no one. He just disappears under a smokescreen, quietly moves about his business and in the process wreaks havoc among innocent children, staff, parents, the community, and society in general.

A psychopath in a management position is extremely dangerous. He may seem like a nice, amiable sort of a person when you first meet him but this is all a facade. Underneath he is anything but nice, a menace to society and a threat to our children. A psychopathic boss often uses intimidation to clamp down on staff who are ready to blow the whistle. He will also use phrases such as: "It is so difficult to get good staff these days." He will always blame his staff for his inadequacies, refer to his staff as being lazy, unreliable or not able to follow commands. He will always use the blame-shift tactics.

You may wonder how I managed to get so sidetracked from the original article of "Outdoor Learning." You see my previous statement that outdoor learning should be delivered in a safe environment sparked all of this. A safe outdoor environment is absolutely necessary for any child to learn outdoor skills.

Taking children out of the classroom and into outdoor learning situations will open many doors for unscrupulous people. People who will take advantage of young girls and boys and who have no conscience or remorse. Just because a certain person has been in the outdoor industry for ten years or more does not mean he is ok. Just because someone has working with children clearance does not mean he is ok. It just means he has not been caught yet if he is doing the wrong thing.

I will continue this topic in my next blog.

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://teachingtreasures.com.au/
http://www.teachingtreasurespublications.com.au/2012/01/outdoor-learning.html

Active Outdoor Learning

2012-01-13T02:00:00.000+11:00

As stated in my previous blog I believe that outdoor learning is the process of active learning in the outdoors. With active learning I mean that participants learn through what they do, through what they are confronted or challenged with and through what they discover.

They learn about the outdoors, they learn about themselves and about others while also learning outdoor skills through investigation, experimentation, providing feedback, reflecting on happenings, reviewing situations and of course team building and cooperative learning.

Looking at all of this I think that most readers would agree that outdoor learning is true learning because participants use natural environments to see, hear, touch and smell the real thing. They use actions that will deliver and experience results and consequences. Outdoor learning provides for participants to respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities. They have to manage risks, cope with change, behavioral issues and have the potential to discover abilities and interests they didn’t even realize existed.

In a nutshell… outdoor learning can help to bring classroom-based subjects alive, stimulate unexplored interests and in essence is not limited. Of course the most important issue with any outdoor learning activity are the safety codes and codes of conduct.

These safety codes and codes of conduct are usually found in a business' Child-safe Child-friendly Policy and Code of Conduct statement, provides clear boundaries and should be adhered to at all times by all participating school children but should also be adhered to by teachers, parents, caregivers, and activity providers with no exception. Here is a good example of a Child-safe Child-friendly Policy.

Outdoor learning should be delivered in a safe environment. Child safety checks should be done. For example in New South Wales you would visit the NSW Commission for Children and Young People either online or in person at their office in Surry Hills NSW. They will tell you who is prohibited from working with children.

Basically a person who has been convicted or found guilty of a listed serious offence against children (whether in NSW or elsewhere) is prohibited from child-related employment. And also anyone registrable under the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 is prohibited from child-related employment. It is an offence for prohibited persons to apply for or attempt to obtain, undertake or remain in child-related employment in any capacity, whether paid, volunteering or self employed.

Teachers taking their students to outdoor centres should question the validity of management and staff. Rumors may sometimes be just that but why do rumors start? Perhaps there really are not so nice people at the helm. Look at issues such as pedophilia and physical, mental, or sexual harassment. I will look at those issues more closely in my next blog and also at the sadness of the fact that sometimes working with children clearance means just that. A clearance on paper but in reality that person simply has not been caught yet or not convicted yet.

Teaching Strategy Link:
http://www.outdooradventurelearning.com.au/childsafe-policy.html

Outdoor Learning

2012-01-10T14:04:00.000+11:00

Having looked at the statistics for obesity in our November 16, 2011 blog and the general decline of health for school children one must wonder if outdoor learning should be taken more seriously. According to the Outdoor Learning Org. outdoor learning is really a very broad term which includes outdoor play in the early years, school projects, environmental education, recreational and adventure activities, personal and social development programs, expeditions, team building, leadership training, management development, education for sustainability, and even adventure therapy.

I would have to agree with Outdoor Learning Org. in that outdoor learning does not really have a clearly defined boundary however, it does have one common core in that all forms of outdoor learning value direct experience. This experience is in stark contrast to the indoor classroom.

I think we can all agree on the fact that outdoor learning is more motivating and provides a stimulating impact in most cases. It has been debated whether or not outdoor learning has more credibility as far as learning is concerned, so I think I will leave this issue up to you as a reader to decide. Credibility through skilled teaching or being able to facilitate an outdoor experience has certainly proven in the past that outdoor experiences are a better stimulating source of fascination and personal growth for the participants.

Some may argue that outdoor learning is a breakthrough in learning but I beg to differ. We haven’t always had formal, compulsory classroom based schooling. Over the centuries most great explorations have been achieved outside the classroom so to state that outdoor learning is a new breakthrough in learning would be incorrect. I believe that outdoor learning is the process of active learning in the outdoors. I will however explain further about active learning in my next blog.

Teaching Strategy Link:

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/outdoor-education/main.html

Team Building

2011-12-12T14:45:00.000+11:00

Most teachers look for an opportunity to develop teambuilding skills with their students and to push them beyond their boundaries or in other words, to help them learn new skills outside their familiar surroundings. Bearing that in mind, using outdoor adventure learning camps to facilitate these learning outcomes would have to be ideal. I was reading the other day on the NSW Department of Education and Training web site that the educational value and purpose of activities should deliver the following:

Engage and challenge all participants to discover and develop their individual talents and capabilities for lifelong learning
Develop positive self-concepts for all participants
Encourage active, effective and responsible participation for all participants
Respect the importance of moral, ethical and spiritual differences for all participants
Implement the enjoyment of learning for all participants and encourage them to be self-motivated, reflective, competent learners
Promote a fair and just society that values diversity
Assist with the continuity and coherence of learning, and facilitate the transition between learning levels for all participants

I guess easier said than done would be the consensus here unless you can dig up an outdoor activity provider who will deliver all of the above and hopefully more. Personally, I believe that all educational activities should deliver academic, artistic, and social aspects in each program using a creative learning process.

The emphasis here is on creativity, uniqueness and the ability for outdoor instructors to keep their participants for the entire length of time that the program runs for. If you have paid for a 4-hour canoeing session for your students, they should get 4 hours and not 2.5 or 3 hours. If you have booked in for a 4 hour low ropes session then your students should get that time and the instructor should not loose the group after a couple of hours or less.

Parents pay a lot of money for these outings and they should get value for money. Teachers spend a lot of time organising these camps so they too should get value for their effort. The teaching strategy here is simple... you should get value for your money so search for the right place to take your students because if you don't.... you or your students will not have benefited from any of these outdoor learning activities from these providers.

Teaching Strategy Links:

http://www.outdooradventurelearning.com.au/

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/outdoor-education/main.html

Basic principals of maths

2011-11-21T10:55:00.001+11:00

The nature and the learning of mathematics are difficult for some and often a daunting task like it used to be for myself. As I got older and started understanding the basic principals of how and why certain mathematical equations came to a specific answer, I can now relate to students who approach maths with the same trepidation as I did many years ago.

Maths can be complicated and hard to learn but I believe that with the right guidance and an element of fun it can be learned and students may even acquire a taste for it. I believe a step by step approach is good and as each step is achieved or peeled back another step or maths challenge is uncovered. A Curtin University student was presented with the following question to answer in one of her unit studies for the Bachelor of Education. If mathematics were a food what would it be and why? Her answers were as follows.

If mathematics were a food it would be an orange. A very small daily intake of vitamin C keeps me strong and healthy just like a small daily dose of mathematics keeps my brain active, which is beneficial for the many daily tasks I do.

If mathematics were a food it would be 2 minute noodles. Quickly prepared, fun to eat, all tangled like many maths problems yet easy to digest and remember.

If mathematics were a food it would be a gingernut biscuit. Not so hard after all once soaked in your hot drink.

If mathematics were a food it would be shortbread. It looks boring and dry yet it is sweet once eaten and fulfilling.

Finally, if mathematics were a food it would be the cherry on my cake. Without the cherry, the cake is plain and boring just as plain and boring as life without maths would be.

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more2.html

The Obesity Problem Solver

2011-11-16T04:00:00.028+11:00

Yesterday I was reading about the issue of the amount of people (including children) being overweight. According to news-medical.net, obesity and overweight have in the last decade become a global problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) back in 2005 approximately 1.6 billion adults over the of age 15+ were overweight, at least 400 million adults were obese, and at least 20 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight.

Experts believe if the current trends continue by 2015 approximately 2.3 billion adults will be overweight and more than 700 million will be obese. The scale of the obesity problem has a number of serious consequences for individuals and government health systems.

This really is an alarming issue and because of this a new outdoor adventure crowd called Griggs Outdoor Adventure Learning - GOAL have started up as discussed in my earlier blog. They have viewed these worrying statistics and believe there is a desperate need to encourage our young and old to adventure outdoors. As the author of this blog I believe that we can learn so much from each other and outdoor adventure programs are in essence designed to rejuvenate that love for the outdoors. So I wonder if you would agree with me by saying that: "Outdoor recreation could be the best obesity problem solver there is!"

GOAL runs fun, safe and professional outdoor programs that will help in the effort to reduce these alarming statistics and currently offers a Massive 20% Discount if you make and pay for a booking during December 2011 or January 2012 for small school groups or home education groups. So if you are in the Nymboida area and would like to take advantage of this offer, simply mention this blog when obtaining a quote to receive your discount. To make further inquiries or read about the activities simply visit http://outdooradventurelearning.com.au/

The main Teaching Strategy here is of course that we must keep our children or students active while learning. However, there is a desperate need to keep ourselves active too, how else are we to keep up with these fit youngsters and continue teaching them. We need to live by example and being fit and active ourselves is a good thing.

Outdoor Adventure Massive 20% discount

2011-11-13T13:13:00.000+11:00

Most schools (including home educators) look for some sort of outdoor recreation or adventure learning program to improve their students' educational outcome. A new outdoor adventure program has just started up in northern NSW, Nymboida called Griggs Outdoor Adventure Learning - GOAL which is supported by the original founders of Teaching Treasures Publications.

Their goal is to deliver a creative learning process by catering for the needs of each individual and provide academic, artistic, and social aspects in each program. They like to bring out children’s imagination, promote truthful behaviour and furnish children with a feeling of responsibility in order to strengthen self-initiative and develop their overall education.

Their instructors are dedicated to accept each person as they are, to teach them new skills with love and respect, and are enthusiastic and creative in their approach. Programs can include all or some of the following activities: Art & Craft, Canoeing, Bush Walking, Initiative Games, Navigation, Teamwork, Camp Cooking, Camping, Survival Skills, Water Safety, Outdoor Safety, Fauna & Flora, Whip Cracking, Poi, Wind Water & Sun Activities, and the Environment.

GOAL encourages students from all schools to come and enjoy their stay in Nymboida with them. Public, Private, Christian, Steiner, Montessori, Alternative, or any other school is welcome to contact them for a quote and check out the program to make sure it is suitable.

Home educators who would like to get away for a few days with their children are also most welcome. The Griggs Outdoor Adventure Learning family has over 20 years of home education experiences to share and they believe that there is bound to be something to talk about. While home taught children are learning some new skills with their instructors, parents can share homeschool ideas and experiences with one another and with the original founders of Teaching Treasures, Peter & Ingrid or join in the fun with the rest of the group.

This blog is proud to offer you a Massive 20% Discount if you make and pay for a booking during December 2011 or January 2012 for small school groups or home education groups. Simply mention this blog when obtaining a quote.

The Teaching Strategy in all of this is that learning through outdoor adventure programs are an excellent way of enriching your educational program.

The fun of Maths

2011-11-12T07:20:00.000+11:00

I believe mathematics can be fun and should be fun in order to stimulate a desire to want to learn. It should also combine several learning outcomes so that there is creativity and variation and not just one factor to learn but several to avoid tediousness.

I also think that it should create a sense of achievement in every student, which can be done if students work in small groups and help each other with problems and come to an agreed solution. This also covers the mathematical concept of learning as a social activity according to Booker, Bond, Sparrow and Swan who state that "both the mathematics and the manner in which it is learned are influenced by the way children interact with each other and with their teachers" (Booker et al. 2004, p. 6).

Learning maths is also like putting building blocks together to make something and the achievements of the end product are satisfying and a confidence builder for the students. Although students may come to see maths as unrelated, irrelevant and a waste of time, I believe it will be my duty and pleasure as a teacher to come up with ideas and innovative ways of presenting maths to my students. It is the teacher’s job to show students that maths is "all joined together, accessible to all, and everywhere you look" (Frid 2001, p. 16).

Learning Strategies Links:

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/homeschool/Bible-Projects/homeschool-projects-main.htm

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/maths6-8/main-worksheets6-8.htm

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more2.html

The nature of maths is power

2011-11-09T06:22:00.000+11:00

According to personal believe, the nature of mathematics is power. If one possesses not only the knowledge of maths but also the understanding of how it works, their position in life is often of a higher degree compared to those who simply have not mastered mathematical concepts. Mastery of maths presents job opportunities such as lawyers, doctors, engineers or scientists. These are job opportunities that require knowledge rather then muscle.

No adeptness to mathematical concepts leaves positions such as manual labour, which in turn can create health problems to those who are physically incapable of doing these kinds of labouring tasks. Personal positive experiences in maths certainly have not come until much later in life.

For example the benefits of knowing the time tables by heart have paid off on many occasions however, the lack of understanding simple concepts have hindered many experiences which should have been fun and uncomplicated, yet they presented problems and frustrations beyond measure. I now understand mathematics to be like the foundation of a house. The foundation needs to be laid properly so the rest can be build upon it. If the foundation is not square and done properly, nothing else will fit and cause enormous problems and one must start from the beginning again.

If mathematics concepts are not understood right from the beginning in primary school years, the students once they reach high school, will be left floundering and possibly fail due to either poor teaching or their own non-mastery of mathematical concepts such as was mine. According to the Board of Studies NSW (2002, p. 6), mathematics teaching needs to have a practical application, provide opportunities for creativity, challenge and leisure. It should support concurrent learning across other key learning areas and build a foundation for future mathematics education.

I believe that children learn many mathematical concepts through play and games as I did. I also believe that hands-on experiences in real life situations are extremely important. Simple tasks such as shopping, working out quantities, cooking, building projects such as a model plane or a rabbit cage are all ways and means of teaching children how to grasp mathematical concepts. Not only will children be reading on how to do a project, they will also be working out mathematical equations and if done in small groups, the process of collaboration will also help them gain social skills as well as academic skills.

Maths is used in everything we do, be it playing music, paddling a canoe or reading a book. Teaching maths from a textbook or drumming in times tables by rote is easy enough to do; but getting children to understand the maths concepts of how and why it works the way it does is something I believe teachers should focus on. If children can understand the reason why they are learning what they are, then maths will no longer be tedious, frustrating and cause bad memories and a life-long distaste for anything mathematical.

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more.html
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more3.html

Learning Anxiety

2011-11-06T08:27:00.000+11:00

Did you know that mathematics anxiety is a learned fear of mathematics? Many learners suffer from this and curriculum tailored incorrectly will increase the problem. Did you also know that tests and speed drills can add to mathematics anxiety?

Also unrealistic expectations can add to mathematics anxiety as well as worrying about what others think about one's learning abilities. Not to mention emphasizing memorisation above the meaning and understanding of mathematical issues increases mathematics anxiety.

So how do you reduce mathematics anxiety? What could be a key teaching strategy to solve this problem?

Perhaps model problem solving strategies rather than giving worked solutions may lead students to think about how they think rather than copying other people’s methods. Also encouraging students to express how they feel about the mathematics they are experiencing may reduce mathematics anxiety.

Students who monitor their mathematical thinking search for understanding, not just the answer and this reduces anxiety to ‘get it right’. Positive thinking about how you think and what you already know also reduces maths anxiety.

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/main-maths.htm
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/Maths_more.html

The Process of Learning

2011-11-03T10:00:00.000+11:00

Over the years the content and nature of any school curricula have been changing and no doubt will continue to change due to factors such as advancements in technology and the electronic media like the Internet and interactive (electronic) whiteboards for example.

As a teacher or home educator it is your professional ability to intelligibly communicate key aspects of these changes with regard to what currently constitutes ‘best practice’ in teaching and learning. Therefore as you identify, analyse, synthesise and evaluate aspects of let’s say English teaching and learning, you need to document and justify your ideas about what constitutes the ‘best’ curriculum and teaching practices for helping your students learn english.

Consequently it is up to you to keep up to date with technology, probe around places such as Twitter, Facebook, Utube etc in order to assess the possibility of either using these systems or not. It requires forethought, discretion and wisdom to make sound judgement in order to make a safe decision for your students. Are these systems really necessary for your students to learn or do they chew up valuable time, create more headaches and leave a trail of destruction behind for some.

Your key teaching strategy in all this is to remember that education is the process by which all people learn no matter what background they are from, whereas instruction refers to the facilitating of learning, generally by a teacher. Teaching encompasses the actions of imparting learning to the student and learning is to impart specific knowledge, skills, or abilities that can be applied immediately upon completion by the learner.

http://teachingtreasures.com.au/

Our Children’s Privacy

2011-10-31T18:30:00.000+11:00

Should we allow ourselves, and our children to be ignorant of the underhanded methods used by corporate empires to gain much of our personal information through the use of online free apps (applications)? Like all things there is an opposite opinion, not to discourage the use of online apps as teaching tools. If you are online you will inevitably use some of these apps. Do not however be mistaken by the use of the word FREE especially when it comes to big business.

Large corporations do not provide anything without considering the future…. and that is the bottom line. In other words, they are giving something away that will cost them very little in order to cash in on something that we really should value more carefully…. our personal information. This personal information is gleaned about your habits such as your likes, dislikes, belief, daily schedules, intellect and whatever other private information to further manipulate your life into the future.

"How can they do that?" you ask.

By gaining your personal information they can tailor advertisements to the online services you use and before long you begin to rely on these. Make that "Free" product more tailored to your future use to gain even more of your attention and before long you’re hooked, or rather tied into their little controlled system and it can reach as far as just about everything you do.

Many of these companies are tied to other companies who utilise the information gained and the control of your personal life is increased. If you don’t believe this is happening, just keep on letting it go on. In the not to distant future you may understand and realise what has been happening.

With the responsibility of teaching children and how to use these supposedly free apps, we should spend equal amount of time teaching children how to protect their valuable privacy. Educators and parents need to inform children not to rely too much on the ‘honesty’ of these corporations who try to glean as much information out of us as possible with these ‘free’ apps.

Is your freedom or the future freedom of our children of so little value that we simply give away our precious privacies? Why should a shopkeeper want your postcode, date of birth or any other information? Online purchases are of even more of an invasion into our lives. Should we continue to be ignorant and be manipulated, or should we educate ourselves and our children and be in control of who we are, what we buy, and what information is necessary for anyone else to know.

Do you want to live in a world socialising with apps and gadgets or do you want to live in a world where real people socialise with one another? Perhaps these supposed free apps will be blamed in the near future for our children’s anti-social behaviour among other reasons.

A further thought: Is it not true also that there is no privacy where there should be privacy and where unscrupulous people should be exposed, these same people are protected by our privacy policies?

http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/sitemap.htm

Twitter, Facebook or Utube

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000+11:00

Are these systems really necessary for your students to learn or do they chew up valuable time, create more headaches and leave a trail of destruction behind for some?

http://teachingtreasures.com.au/

http://teachingtreasurespublications.com.au/

Six key elements of successful learning

2011-10-30T10:18:00.000+11:00

Apparently there are six key elements of learning any subject matter. If a learner is able to answer the 6 questions below then a demonstration of higher level thinking skills has been applied and the key teaching strategy in all this is to encourage higher level thinking skills so that learners are pushed beyond their limit as much as possible. It may seem frustrating for both learner and teacher at times but according to educational experts it should produce results worth while.

The 6 questions are:

What did I learn?

Which Learning Outcome did it address?

Which activities enabled me to learn this?

How will I use the learning?

Why will the learning help in my development?

What references support my claims to the questions above?

I would think that it is totally safe to state that ALL learners will definitely not be able to answer the above questions. It would also be safe to state that MOST learners will not be able to answer the above questions. However, SOME learners will be able to answers the questions and aid their teacher in developing an appropriate curriculum for the future. I wonder how teachers are coping with all this? Let me know your thoughts.

http://teachingtreasurespublications.com.au/

USA online game

2011-10-13T11:13:00.000+11:00

For students who would like to learn the States of America there is a great interactive game online found at http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/gknowledge6-8/usa-online/usa-states.htm

It also covers the capital cities of each State found at http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/gknowledge6-8/USA-capital-cities.htm

Explore the USA, South America and Central America with these online games in order to either teach, or use as a supplementary resource with your own program.

Recycling

2011-10-12T11:39:00.004+11:00

If you would like to delve into a recycling project with your students then Nathan's Tubewhips found at http://tubewhips.com.au/ may be ideal. It is all about recycling the inner tubes of cars and turning these into great stock whips. Your normal stock whip is made of cowhide and of course you have the beautiful roohide whips. These tubewhips however are unique in that old inner tubes from cars are cleaned up, cut into strips and plaited into whips.

Nathan's web site shows a wonderful display of images and is full of information. The best part though, is that if you are looking for something to do regarding recycling and being an entrepreneur for high school students, Nathan himself is only a young fellow of 18 years old. He started when he was 16 and has been developing his tubewhips ever since.

The fact that Nathan is young and has had the fortitude to explore his options for a career, a passion and future financial opportunities it is well worth exploring this area as a project for those who don't mind a 'whip cracking' opportunity as an educational outcome with a difference. His inner tube whips are just one way of implementing the 3 R's... Reduce, Re-use, Recycle.

Teaching Strategy Links:
http://tubewhips.com/index.html
http://tubewhips.com/about-us.html

Value of Online Games

2011-10-11T11:12:00.000+11:00

Recently I expressed my concerns about children playing games without educational value. Of course there needs to be some element of fun in children's lives and therefore I believe that senseless shoot em' up games needs to be restricted in order for young children to develop into well adjusted social persons.

The following games provided within this area are for students aged between 5 and 15, are interactive and provide a fun way to perhaps achieve some of the students' outcomes. Activities may be chosen by students, parents or teachers and are designed to provide an interest in maths, english, science, art and general knowledge.

Many students place high value on video games, online games and downloadable games for relaxation, pleasure or something to share with their friends. These games incorporate an element of fun combined with a constructive educational value. Teachers could utilize certain gaming software within their curriculum and parents could encourage educational gaming software to further their child's learning.

Teaching Strategy Links:
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/English6-8/english-online-main.htm
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/more_free_stuff.html
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/science4-5/mainscience4-5.htm
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/art/artK-3/main-art.htm
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/teaching-tools/gknowledge6-8/main-online-general-knowledge.htm

$41 million for online curriculum

2011-10-03T08:00:00.000+11:00

The Hon Peter Garrett MP Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth released the following statement:

$41 million for online curriculum support to benefit teachers and students

"Students and teachers are set to benefit from a $41.2 million digital curriculum package which will provide new digital resources, helping teachers implement the Australian Curriculum. School Education Minister Peter Garrett said the package will give all schools in metropolitan, rural and regional areas access to new online materials for the first seven subject areas rolled out under the curriculum, as well as cross-curriculum capabilities."

With all this money going toward online learning one would hope it is not going to end up supporting social networks where bullying is not uncommon. Let's hope that the earmarked $10 million, which is going to "support teachers by providing high-quality online professional learning resources that further their professional development and may include helping teachers learn how to use wikis and blogs" is going to prove a disaster.

Are wikis essential learning material for our children?
How do children benefit from making another blog and joining the already millions out there with most of these containing copyright material and causing serious copyright breaches?
How are more brand new computers (with the latest software) in classrooms going to benefit already struggling families who can not purchase or upgrade their exisitng PC?
Is it going to make it easier or more difficult for students to go online and bully others through social networks?

These are just some of the questions or rather concerns I have. Feel free to leave your comment.

Teaching Strategy Links:
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/newsletters/bullying.htm
http://teachingtreasures.com.au/

American Teacher Film

2011-10-02T08:00:00.000+11:00

Lauren Woodman, General Manager, Worldwide Partners in Learning has announced that Microsoft Partners in Learning is "teaming up with a soon-to-be-released film called the 'American Teacher' which tells the collective story by and about those closest to the issues in our educational system—the 3.2 million teachers who spend every day in classrooms across the country.

The feature-length documentary brings together educational experts, student interviews, and a year of documenting the day-to-day lives and sacrifices of public school teachers. American Teacher raises important questions about how we value our strongest, most committed, and most effective teachers, and the ripple effect this has on how our children learn and their potential for future success."

The film should be of interest to many teachers, parents, home educators and the general public as it should expose some of the joys and frustrations of teaching. Australia is not immune to similar or identical issues which will be raised in this film so it will be interesting to watch the outcome of all of this!

Teaching Strategy Links:
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/newsletters/teaching-joys-frust.htm
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/newsletters/teaching-strategy.html
http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/index.html