How to Teach Sustainability with Hope

This professional development short-course with Cool Australia was the best I've ever done! It gave me an approach, Hope Theory, which will make teaching sustainability and humane education easier in terms of tackling the big issues and problems in the world which are often completely overwhelming and depressing to think about, let alone trying to somehow fix. Highly recommended!!!

Educating Boys, Educating Girls: Is there a difference?

Interesting PD webinar today on the differences between boys' and girls' learning, with a panel of education professionals. I learned some helpful facts to keep in mind that will help me better meet students' needs.

The Resilience Project

I attended an online webinar entitled "Discovering Resilience" with Hugh Van Cuylenburg earlier this month. It has been 8 years since I first heard Hugh speak about his program at a primary school, and it has come a long way, better than ever. The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs to schools, sports clubs and businesses, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness.

Professional Development 2022

So far this year I've attended a variety of online professional development sessions to increase my teaching and learning knowledge. These include music and drama activities for the classroom, new art supplies and resources, and a session to learn more about ADHD.

More professional visual arts development: Zentangles!

Professional Development 2021

Along with my regular work as a casual relief teacher, this year so far I've done PD online in Behaviour Management, ADHD and Special Needs, Supporting Students with Anxiety and Depression, and Story Box Library Features and Functionality. I'm also looking forward to a short course about the history of Humane Education, which I'm passionate about... Humane Education teaches kindness, develops empathy, and cultivates compassion toward animals, people, and the natural world. Students gain the knowledge and tools to make more informed and socially responsible choices that counteract real-world problems: Humane Education Coalition; Institute for Humane Education; Heart.

Teachers Learning Network CRT Professional Development

Last week I attended a fabulous online PD session on Managing Challenging Behaviours for CRTs. Jane Langley provided many practical tips and strategies for classroom management. She mentioned how as teachers our number 1 skill is adaptability, and this is surely proven in our efforts now to switch from classroom to online teaching! Over 100 people attended and there were many comments and learnings from others. One of my takeaways is to use a lower tone of voice, speaking slower and less in the classroom.

Solutionary Program Online Course

This month I started an exciting 11 week course with the Institute of Humane Education. The goal of the Solutionary Program Online Course is to provide teachers with foundational knowledge and skills to implement the Solutionary Program, so that they and their students become solutionaries who address local and global challenges in ways that do the most good and least harm for people, animals, and the planet. The Solutionary Program is an academic program which engages students in learning and caring about complex, interconnected issues, celebrates their passions, nurtures their compassion, provides an authentic learning experience that connects them to their community and the world, and helps them develop vital solutionary and systems-thinking skills. I'm looking forward to this learning journey!

New Beginnings

This month in preparation for my next job in education, whatever that might be, I've been doing a lot of online professional development on literacy teaching, autism spectrum disorder, and mental health initiatives via the Department of Education and Training.

Online Art Teaching Courses

I recently completed the Teaching Art 101 (25 hours) and Summer Workshop (8 hours) courses with Patty Palmer of Deep Space Sparkle! Great fun and I learned many new techniques as well as teaching strategies. Here is a collection of my completed practice artworks.

Watching Paint Dry Webinar

As part of the Art Education Victoria Watching Paint Dry online Professional Development series, last week I attended a webinar about developing social awareness in students through visual arts teaching.

I am particularly passionate about this aspect of teaching visual arts as the emphasis is on student well-being and encouraging emotional intelligence. Steve Marks, AEV President and primary school art teacher showed examples of art lessons centered around the development of emotional awareness.

This informative series is focusing on various areas of the AusVels Arts curriculum in fortnightly webinar sessions this term.

Visual and Graphic Design Introductory Course

I have just finished an ALISON short, free online course in Visual and Graphic Design (2 hours). This was an introductory course in the elements of design, which will be helpful in my teaching of visual arts.

ZART Christmas Paper Parade Workshop

I attended a PD this week - 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional paper skills were explored in this fun and creative workshop full of paper techniques to be used all year round!

Start or Revive Your School Choir

In February I participated in this fantastic professional development day in Kew. I love these workshops as I always come away with many new games, techniques and skills to use as a teacher.