Tuesday, June 21, 2005

and...

The other thing last month, was a discussion around behaviour issues of 15-17 year-olds. Jennifer Bailey from TAFE Q ETRF network requested information and I sent round an email to staff here. Got a few responses. Issues around general lack of maturity and lack of motivation (especially flexible delivery programs). Very few instances of violence or severe disruptive behaviour.

June update

Forgot to mention last update, Susan and I also ran a micro-skills workshop in Mareeba on May 19. We then ran another one May 31 in Atherton, and in Cairns on June 3.

Small attendance, but worthwhile in that we honed our skills and knowledge in presenting, and had the opportunity to talk with teachers and get their views. We had only one participant - Denise - in Cairns but the quality of her input made up for the size of the audience. A key thing I took away from that was an emphasis on creating the environment. To me this is the unspoken side of establishing expectations. It's not just about being clear on rules, it's about establishing a welcoming environment where everyone is encouraged to participate.

Colleen and John and I met May 24 and talked about the training program. We agreed that we need a video to demonstrate the micro-skills and strategies. The exciting news is that Jacquie is going to produce the video. Next step is to organise a brainstorming session with the TROPIC team and other teachers who can contribute ideas for the script. This is going to be an exciting process and will produce a great product.