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Meanjin End of Year Breakfast and Awards Celebration – December, 2007
After devouring our
mid-morning orderings, sharing highlights and the impending joy for the
summer vacation around the corner, our President, David Macknish, called
on Executive members to deliver our heartfelt thanks to the three retiring
Executive members: Sue Butler, Valmai Nolan and Dr Robyn Henderson.
Sue, who has quietly guided Meanjin’s vision for sometime, delivered at least a dozen professional development sessions to our membership, authored articles for our professional journals, hosted a run of key teacher days at the Carindale venue, and actively supported Meanjin’s membership drive. Although Valmai could not attend the event, her role as our corporate memory, and the consummate ease with which she ran the registration desk on numerous occasions was not forgotten. We also offered our thanks to Valmai for her commitment as a reader when Meanjin was editing ‘Practically Primary’, as well as hosting our meetings and a run of professional development sessions in her schools over many years. This has been a huge commitment and one for which we are eternally grateful. Robyn’s farewell was bitter-sweet: she wasn’t leaving ALEA, just Meanjin. Robyn’s recent appointment as a Senior Lecturer at USQ necessitated her transfer to Darling Downs LC of ALEA. Robyn fulfilled the role of Meanjin treasurer, delivered professional development sessions, and also authored articles for our national journals. We certainly wish her, and our friends at the DDLC of ALEA, all the best for the upcoming year.
Big smiles from departing Executive Dr Robyn Henderson (L) and Sue Butler (R), pictured with Meanjin President David Macknish.
The 27th Annual Meanjin Writers’ Camp – 8-11 November, 2007 In early November a number of tireless Meanjin members met up with some very talented children’s authors to host the 27th Annual Meanjin Writers’ Camp. This year, under the leadership of Meanjin Executive members, Jann Scott and Helen Cooper, we returned to the conference centre at Brookfield where nature’s choir provided the perfect backdrop to stimulate the minds of 66 exceedingly keen young writers.
Presenters’ expertly crafted words lead us through an array of experiences where we were laughing at our own idiosyncrasies and in the next instance moved to tears as events with which we had no first-hand experience were made to feel real. Strong friendships were formed, new understandings were gathered and just as importantly, the zest for communicating through written text burgeoned. Sincere thanks and gratitude to Jann Scott and Helen Cooper for again giving so much of themselves and their time to plan and conduct such an important experience for these talented middle school youngsters.
On Saturday 8 September, at QUT Caboolture campus, Meanjin members and their colleagues were treated to a day of high quality inservice in the form of a Functional Grammar seminar conducted by Bev Derewianka, Professor of Language Education at the University of Wollongong. Her presentation was an inspiration to would-be users of Functional Grammar in the classroom and gave those who were already au fait with Functional Grammar some new insights into using it in their lessons. A master class, held after lunch, gave enthusiasts a chance to ask questions that had been vexing them about aspects of Functional Grammar and there was also the opportunity to swap ideas with colleagues. Handouts: Grammar - Why all the Fuss? and Moving along the mode continuum
As well as the presentation and masterclass given by Bev, a series of spotlights gave a variety of teachers the opportunity to highlight their usage of Functional Grammar in classrooms ranging from Prep to Senior High School. Gail Young who teaches a Prep/Year One class at Holland Park State School showed us that Functional Grammar terms can be readily accepted and used by the youngest of school age children. PowerPoint Keiran Abel, a Bachelor of Education student at QUT, gave us an insight into the complicated language of worded maths problems and how Functional Grammar can help children to master this discipline-specific language. Handout: Early Years Worded Mathematics Texts Tony Grant, from Seven Hills State School, showed us how teachers can develop their students’ ability to build up language to express themselves when describing a piece of visual art. Handout - Grammar in the Brain Shelley Drew, from Green Bank State School and Louise Stewart, from Woodcrest College clearly demonstrated that Functional Grammar is a valuable tool that has allowed them to help their students to understand the workings of the English language and their students have used it to make their writing more expressive and interesting to read. Shelley's PowerPoint The day was, overall, a very informative look at Functional Grammar and it clearly demonstrated the fact that this theory is a tool that can be used in any classroom in any area of school life. The fact that over 90 people gave up their Saturday to attend the seminar is an indication that teachers are keen to develop their skills in this area.
A huge thank you to DEST, EQ, ISQ and
Catholic Education, QUT Caboolture, the trade sponsors and to the many
people who helped to plan and implement the day – your efforts were
greatly appreciated. A big thank you for prize donations and to our sponsors ...
ALEA National Conference – Canberra July 2007
Key Teacher Program 2007
Enjoying hands-on activities at our Maths/Science Key Teacher Professional Development workshop at Robina. In 2007, Meanjin Local Council of ALEA and QAMT (Queensland Association of Mathematics Teachers) joined with STAQ (Science Teachers Association of Queensland) to host another two day professional develop for key teachers. The first of these days was held at four venues in Queensland’s south-east: Carindale, Chermside, Robina and Raceview. Two venues were booked out weeks before the event. Our guest speakers from QSA (Queensland Studies Authority) briefed the 177 strong audience on ‘What’s new with the diagnostic net in 2007 and beyond’ and overviewed the QSA English Syllabus. We thank Carolyn Harrod, Anthony Shearer and Jane Buchanan for their time and efforts with meeting with our members. Teachers reported these sessions were ‘very informative…one of the best PD’s I’ve done…Thanks for the handouts – at least I can remember and discuss back at school now’. The final session of each day was a return to the ever popular key teacher discussion groups. Whilst some key teachers have been in the role for many years, others are just new, and their evaluations indicated they very much appreciated this format. One Raceview participant wrote ‘It was a good opportunity for discussion. Validates current practices’. A participant from Carindale wrote ‘It is interesting to hear how different key teachers face the challenges put to them at their schools’. Another Carindale participant advocated for ‘more discussion of this in the future’. One member from the Robina venue wrote ‘Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this session. I did find the discussion session extremely worthwhile’. QAMT & STAQ co-presented the August run of key teacher days at the same venues to 90 enthusiastic participants. This time we thank Racquel O’Connor (EQ), Jan Cavanagh (QAMT), David Fittell (EQ), Janeen Lamb (EQ), Ann Heirdsfield (QUT), Robyn Anderson (EQ) and Mike Berry (EQ) for presenting what you called ‘useful hands-on experiences with immediate classroom application, a great collection of ideas presented in passionate and relevant ways’. A Raceview participant evaluated it as ‘the best workshop yet’. This is resounding applause because we know you are experienced teachers and often difficult to impress when it comes to learning something new. We thank you again for your support of our associations and the work we do with teachers and students to future the profession. If you supplied us with your email details, we will be sure to send you information about our upcoming professional development events in 2008.All members will receive a personal mailout early in the new year. We also send faxes to all schools, so keep your eye out for the stylised ‘A’ logo.
NLNW Tips and Tricks for Application Writing - 29 March 2007 On Thursday 29 March, twenty-six Meanjin member schools attended our first ever ‘Tips & Tricks’ for writing award and grant applications. This free event for Meanjin members was run to encourage more applications for the awards and the money on offer. NLNW 2007 Coordinator, Paula Hackney, and past coordinator, Carmel Armstrong, provided a raft of suggestions to motivate school personnel that what they are doing in their schools is worthy of national attention. They also reviewed the range of awards on offer: Excellence Award (1 x $10 000), Highly Commended (8 x $5 000), Conference Grants (12 x $4 000), Celebration Grants (25 x $500) & Minister’s Awards (5 x $10 000). For more information, check out their PowerPoint presentation, visit the NLNW website or phone Paula toll free on 1800 189 518. More information about the Minister’s Awards can also be found online. Jan Burton, Deputy Principal at Thornlands SS and writer of their successful Highly Commended Award in 2005 ($5 000) and Excellence Award in 2006 ($10 000), provided tips that included adding anecdotal comments from students, parents and teachers and presenting benchmarking data in a clear and concise way for judging. Finally, Beryl Exley, a Celebration Grants judge, spoke about the range of activities schools have been awarded grants for, including a blogging project (Coopers Plains SS), a theatre restaurant (Wowan SS) and Scientific Board Games (St Thomas More, Sunshine Beach). These grants are worth $500 and must indicate how activities will be publicised. The suggestion is to publicise your outcomes in an ALEA journal, either ‘Practically Primary’ or ‘Literacy Learning: Middle Years’. You can find information about these journals and guidelines for authors on the ALEA website. Special thanks to Valmai Nolan for hosting the event at Morningside SS and for arranging the wonderful afternoon tea.
Saturday Half-Day at Brisbane Boys College - 10 March 2007
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In
what is starting to become somewhat of a tradition, friends of Meanjin met
for a breakfast at a café in New Farm to celebrate the year that was and
to offer an effusive vote to thanks to three long serving and
exceptionally hard working Executive Members. 
Congratulations
to our young charges who accepted the challenge to come along and share
their literary works with new friends and established professionals alike.
As always, the highlight of the camp was the sharing evening where
everyone could take stock of all that had been achieved in the space of 4
days. 
Meanjin member, Kylie Smith with
ghost of Alfred Deakin
