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Recent headlines . . .

Abbott makes funding cut prediction

NATIONAL - Opposition Tony Abbott has taken a swipe at the inquiry into school building spending. Abbott also argued that after the election, if they are re-elected, the Rudd Government would cut private school funding.
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Cut private school funding: expert

NATIONAL - Former OECD analyst, Ben Jensen, has said private school funding should be cut to help decrease social inequity.
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Controversial half-day school plan

VIC - Critics of a plan that would see the school day at Dinner Plain seasonal school for primary students split in half, have said it will compromise the education of students involved.
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Hold up on NSW ethics classes

NSW - Minister for Education, Verity Firth, has yet to approve the curriculum for new ethics classes, despite the subject scheduled to commence classes today.
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Playing fair or hardly fair?

QLD - There is controversy over whether private schools are playing fair when offering scholarships to students who excel at rugby union.
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Principals upset over building comments

VIC - The Victorian Principals Association has said it is disappointed at Education Minister Bronwyn Pike's suggestion that principals should relinquish management of school building projects.
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Anti-bullying plan generates overseas interest

QLD - An anti-bullying initiative created by business students at Bond University is generating interest in the USA.
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Ian Thorpe launches awareness initiative

NSW - Champion swimmer, Ian Thorpe, has helped launch an initiative to help bring awareness to Indigenous issues, with a focus on literacy and education.
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Opinion . . .

My School versus NAPLAN tests

NATIONAL - Program Director in Education at the Gratton Institute, Ben Jensen, has said the Australian Education Union should reconsider its stance on NAPLAN tests, and instead focus its attention on the My School website.
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Education and your vote

NATIONAL - Director of the Education Standards Institute and education author, Dr Kevin Donnelly, writes on the impact of education policy on the next federal election.
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Good news . . .

Imaginative African student creates robot

AFRICA - African student, Sam Todo, has created a robot out of old televisions to help inspire other young Africans to learn more about science and maths.
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International

Education to help remedy violence

USA - First Lady of the US, Michelle Obama, has made a trip to Mexico to speak about improving education for youth to ultimately help prevent drug violence.
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Teachers to amend Chinese textbooks

CHINA - Education experts and teachers are being asked to work together to help revise school textbooks for China's elementary schools and junior high schools.
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ACEL Noticeboard

ACEL's Travelling Scholar: Jan Robertson

Building Leadership and Learning Capacity Through Partnership
In an education context that is typified by change, complexity and challenge, new conceptions of leadership and learning are essential. Turbulent times require a type of education community that can ride the ebbs and flows of multiple discourses and ethical dilemmas – together taking the responsibility for the successes and the challenges still to be taken.

The essence of effective leadership and effective learning is in trusting, respectful relationships within the learning community. Jan’s work on the coaching partnership is acclaimed internationally for the powerful impact it has on educational leadership practice, the facilitation of professional learning, and in the development of formative learning relationships. Partnership is not a concept commonly practiced in education and therefore skill development is essential to this process. Jan is a highly sought after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator internationally.

The day will include the following content:
• Leadership and learning through partnership;
• Developing pedagogy for changing times;
• Formative learning relationships;
• Developing coaching cultures;
• The leadership of learning;
• Facilitating professional learning and building leadership capacity;
• Coaching skills of active listening, reflective interviewing, self-assessment and goal setting.

This day is a seminar and workshop. Participants will receive a work booklet as a coaching resource and will have many opportunities to reflect on their own professional practice, and will be equally challenged by the expertise in the group to take new thoughts of leadership and learning practice back to their own education communities.

Please click here for more information on this exciting event.

Inspire: ACEL Leadership Program

Are you a highly competent principal? Have you noticed that it’s always your team who get the in-house training budget rather than you? Are you ready to reignite your passion and continue to find purpose in the difference you are making? Are you building your legacy daily?

Mackerel Sky in partnership with ACEL has created the Inspire program. Mackerel Sky has worked with thousands of leaders across a range of industry sectors including IT, engineering, accounting, education and health care. Our programs unpack and name what it is that great leaders do. In this way CEO’s and executives gain insights on their existing strengths and clarity on the development pathways important to them.

In each one of our programs, leaders discover new ways to develop the leaders they serve. They gain clarity around what they do that works so well. Supporting the development of others is easier when you can clearly articulate what it is that has been working for you. Participants are delighted to discover easy to apply models and frameworks that serve as a guide in challenging situations.

The Inspire program sits alone in a market rich with offerings to emerging leaders. This program is uniquely placed to stretch experienced, senior leaders. You will create a powerful network of other strong leaders whilst covering the latest in leadership theory and practice such as:

• Talent management - attraction, retention and engagement across the generations
• Succession Planning – growing leaders from within
• Leaving a legacy – making sure your today is resourcing your tomorrow
• Connecting with Community – making a bigger difference
• Cultural Intelligence – creating cultural competence for leaders
• High Performance Teams – secrets of teams that go the extra mile

For more information on this special event please click here.

ACEL Winter School

The London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education works in London, nationally and internationally and offers a vibrant and refreshing learning community to support your learning in the heart of London. The London Centre for Leadership in Learning works in partnership with practitioners and policy makers at the critical edge of research and practice and are at the forefront of developing new knowledge for and about leadership and learning.

In her role as Director of the London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Professor Alma Harris and her team will provide a Winter School during the week of the 5th – 9th July 2010 at the London Leadership Centre.

The Winter School will be built around the ACEL Leadership Capability
Framework and participants will have the opportunity to design the
program of their choice from a menu of opportunities including visits to
schools and workshops that focus on distributed leadership, strategic development in professional learning, coaching - building a coaching culture, emerging leaders, experience leaders, leading for learning, parental engagement, network for learning and deep dive learning sessions with London Leadership Centre consultants and leaders.

Participants will also be provided with pre and post conference learning activities that combined with conference will provide university credit. This program will be designed to support leaders informal leadership positions.

Participants will be invited to join the ACEL Alumni as a result of attending this Winter School and will be recognised in the Class of 2010.

Program Objectives
Participants will:
• Learn about the English educational context and learn from and
with educational leaders in London and the surrounding area
• Engage in participatory, reflective seminars and workshops lead by the London Centre for Leadership in Learning - Institute of Education colleagues
• Participate in the London Centre for Leadership in Learning Annual Conference on July 7th and interact with a wide range of educational leaders from schools in England.
• Personalise their own learning and development through reflection of their own experiences and practice
• Evaluate the impact of the week on their own learning and consider consequent implications for future practice

Click here for more details.

Hosting and Harvesting conference:
Creating the change we wish to see in the world

Final words ...
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." - Peter F. Drucker