PiL Innovative Schools Forum–Perth November
The 2012 Partners in Learning Innovative Schools program was brought to a close in Perth with the third and final schools forum of the year. The forum, hosted in partnership with Western Australia Department of Education, was opened by David Axworthy, Deputy Direct General, Schools in the Department of Education and Cheryl Robertson, State Director Microsoft WA. Finishing the program in Western Australia proved rather apt as two schools from previous years in the program, East Butler and Waggrakine Primary Schools were announced as Partners in Learning Worldwide Mentor Schools demonstrating how WA Schools were continuing the journey beyond the national program and taking their place on the global education stage.
At the first forum in Canberra each school was tasked with completing a project for Perth that focused on reform/innovation/a meaningful improvement and transformation of learning for kids and teaching practices and was structured to enable whole school conditions that support scalability, i.e. beyond 2012. The projects were aimed at tackling one key challenge in the school and was not meant to be a PhD. What was delivered by each of the 20 schools astounded all present and provided brilliant scope for discussion between school teams. The benefit of the projects were summed up perfectly by Gus Napoli, "even if I got nothing else from today, I have 20 school problems, solved in 20 different ways that are all relevant in some way to my school."
I encourage anyone with an interest in actual school and classroom innovations to read and watch the 20 projects in the following links.
Churchlands Senior High School
Horsham West and Haven Primary School
Strathfieldsaye Primary School
Frenchville State Primary School
Manunda Terrace Primary School
Once the schools were able to relax know the presentations were over, it was time to get back to the Joan and Travis show and finish this year's program journey. Focusing on how to keep the community alive and engaged beyond this year program, the cohort have provided fantastic feedback on how we reengineer the schools forum and I look forward to sharing the program format from 2013 onwards. A big thank you to the group for their valuable input and ideas. Ireland for the next Australian Schools forum is my particular favourite.
Once again at a schools forum, we were lucky enough to be joined by Wayne Craig, Regional Director of Melbourne Metro North Schools who was able share with us the truly fascinating system wide transformation in Melbourne North.
As the forum and the 2012 program has come to an end, I want to extend a public thanks to everyone for making it a fantastic program to be part of. Stay tuned for 2013!
p.s. For what really happened in Perth just search for #pilaus.
Snapshot at Perth
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