Some other writing

While you are busy digesting the article I mention below, here are a couple of other recent publications. Both are co-authored with Katrina.

One was written as a result of our participation in the Monash University Teaching History Fellowship, run by the brilliant Rosalie Triolo. It has been published on the National Museum of Australia (NMA) website, and is called "Storytime in the Classroom: Lessons from Museums" (link). It has a history focus, but argues for the use of narrative and metaphor in the classroom.

The other is a short piece we were asked to write for the propaganda organ ('iteach') of the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), a new (2003) teacher registration and regulation body. We were asked to write about our experiences of teacher education and what we believe is the best way to prepare teachers. I'm not sure it's what they wanted, as the institute is currently conducting a 'review' of teacher ed courses in Victoria, probably in view to suggesting changes etc. So we felt as if there was an undercurrent of 'can you please bag your teacher ed course'. I mean I don't know for sure if that is what they really wanted, but that is my feeling (speculation, OK). Anyway, in the end they published what we wrote with no real editing. You can find it here. You may need to flick throught the newsletter and find 'The Beginning Teacher'. I'll post a copy here later.

Part of the problem, or suspicion, with the VIT is that the institute sells itself as 'independent' but it's board is half made up of unelected (but apparently 'representative) government appointed experts (9 + the secretary of the Dept of Education and Training or nominee), with the other half being 'elected' members (10) - see here for the policy. I'm not sure where or when these 'elections' took place, but I was never asked! I'm not really sure what to make of this, and as yet things have been fairly quiet in terms of happens etc. so perhaps this year we will see and understand more.

Anyway, that is a couple of things that I've been working on lately, in between writing my thesis and teaching and everything else.