Sunday, August 30, 2015

sMAG August ENews

Term 3 holds the music education performance calendar.  Please remember to take time out for yourselves and re-energise throughout the winter!


Victorian Inquiry Implementation Update

PREVIOUS PARTNERSHIP ACTIONS ANNOUNCED AND IMPLEMENTED

Action 1: The VCAA is developing the Guide and will consult on a regular basis with stakeholders.  Inviting participation, via the Notice to Schools is one consultation strategy that will be used. Members of the education community are invited to email Helen Champion directly, as she will hear expressions of interest to participate in development of the guide: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/correspondence/notices/2014/81.aspx 

Action 2: ONLINE NING - contributing to the professional conversation.  The DET are engaging in this NING, empowering your public voice in policy development and are quoted here "Your engagement with, and input into the discussions in this space will provide guidance and direction to inform the development of policy, frameworks and advice on music education for Victorian children and young people." Please click:http://musiceducation.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp and make your thoughts known.

Action 3: National Music Teacher Mentoring Program - Victoria.  The focus - Singing in the P - 2 space!  Teachers already trained with a Bachelor of Education, some with a music background, some with a music specialisation, a few from the independent and Catholic school sectors also participated.  Of those, 16 will be selected to mentor 2 teachers each.  By the end of the year we will see around many teachers trained to deliver singing curriculum in P- Year 2 levels.  Martina Golding attended, and provided some enthusiastic feedback: http://smag-schoolmusicactiongroup.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/national-music-mentoring-program.html
ACTION 4: Musical Futures Australia – Teacher Professional Learning Programs 2015 – 2018
ON May 22nd, DET published the bulletin on Edugate with the opportunity for schools to submit an expression of interest to the Musical Futures PD: https://edugate.eduweb.vic.gov.au/newsevents/schoolbull/Pages/Musical-Futures-Australia-Teacher-Professional-Learning-Programs-2015-2018.aspx
Expressions of Interest were garnished from schools to participate in Musical Futures Australia Teacher Professional Learning Programs to support the delivery of quality music education in Victorian schools. Around 107 schools and 143 teachers have enrolled in the program, and the PD is now being rolled out across Melbourne and various regional centers.  http://www.musicalfuturesaustralia.org/victoria.html

Annual Action: DET have taken their second round of data in the annual schools census, which furthers meeting the requirements for Recommendation 1 in the inquiry report.

Ongoing Action in consultation:
·       DET Music Education expert reference group:  Consultation for invited stakeholders.

MUSIC EDUCATION SYMPOSIUMS

The fourth DET sponsored Music Education Twilight Seminar offered a presentation from Richard Gill OAM  “Quality music education for all” on August 6, 2015.  The inspiring hour was filmed and is available on the Music Education Ning.  To view the video, please login or request membership to join the Ning and go to the ‘Seminars’ page.

Music Education Ning

Planning for symposiums for Term 4 and into 2016 have commenced.  We look forward to many and varied free PD offerings supported by DET over the next 12 months.



VICTORIAN REVIEWS – sMAG Submissions

VET Funding Review
The sMAG Teacher Training Working Party submitted a substantial paper to the VET Funding Review with a focus on Music Education.  27 initial recommendations have been published for discussion in an issues paper – see page 3: http://vetfundingreview.vic.gov.au/docs/vetissuespaper_WEB.pdf .

PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES REVIEW
The Education Minister, Mr Merlino is calling for all Victorians to have their say on the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD).http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/have-your-say-on-supporting-s… Parents, carers, students, principals, teachers, support and specialist staff and advocates are encouraged to submit their solution-focused ideas in writing to the PSD Review team by Friday 11 September. Many music teachers are keenly interested in students with special needs, as music engages so many with positive outcomes.
Email your ideas to: psd.review@edumail.vic.gov.au before Friday 11 September and you can also register your interest in taking part in the online survey in September. To register, please see: PSD Review - Education Victoria.

The Education State – Consultation paper
sMAG submitted an extensive response to this process: http://educationstate.education.vic.gov.au/
The thesis aligned various positions from previous reviews to the consultation paper.  It is well worth a read, as it provides the probable direction for Education in general for the next few years.
In summary the consultation paper proposes:
·       Primary schools reduce generalist teaching time, and increase specialist teaching times similar to the Singapore model of delivery.  Our submission supported this proposal as it aligns with our vision to see expert specialist trained music teachers provided protected time on the timetable.
·       Secondary school ‘lighthouse’ models in geographically appropriate locations.  Our submission supported this in alignment with the Victorian inquiry findings.
·       Subject mentoring support structures aligned to a new Institute.  We supported this notion.

A direct quote from our submission around The Education State’s vision to address equity and inequity in the system:
We agree that schools with a lower socio economic catchment, high levels of disengagement, and a high intake of special needs students need added funding. Given that music can meet the needs of the disadvantaged, the disengaged and the special needs student we argue that further funding to employing, training and maintaining a specialist teacher workforce would assist greatly in achieving the aspirations of the new Andrews Labor government. To achieve this, structural change to pre-service training, mentoring programs and remuneration to teacher leadership structures need to be examined.“
We also raised concerns against the Terms of Reference in regard to funding structures, Human Resourcing (Classroom and IMT) and Special Needs students.

We made 8 recommendations to improve in all areas mentioned.


SOUNDS GREAT - VICTORIAN MUSIC EDUCATION CONFERENCE
Sounds Great 2015 was held in the outstanding facilities of Arts Centre Melbourne.

sMAG held an Open Forum at Sounds Great.  The Plaza room was full!! Many and varied questions came forward.
We reported verbally what we have been reporting in our ENews over the last few months.  We still have a long road ahead of us.  Music Education needs a considerable time, investment, and collective effort from everyone in the Music Education community to ensure our agreed vision becomes reality and makes significant difference for generations to come. We have a real opportunity at this point in time.  The Andrew’s government is clear on its commitment:  An Andrews Labor Government will help bring music lessons to every Victorian school. so all Victorian government schools get the chance to refresh or commence music education in their  classrooms.”  (Labor media release and policy announcement November 12th, 2014.  So let’s ride the wave while the surf is up!  Let’s all find something we can contribute to the vision and make a real difference for generations to come.

sMAG is a non partisan committee, consisting of volunteers from all sectors of the music community, and we welcome your input.  A survey is being developed to invite people’s input, however anyone is welcome to email us at any point and make a contribution: smag.schoolmusicactiongroup@gmail.com.

FEDERAL TEMAG REPORT ACTIONS
AITSL have published an agenda of implementation priorities following the TEMAG report.  A dedicated website to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/ite-reform and a summary can be found here: http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/ite-reform-an-overview.
The survey closes on September 11, 5 pm AEST.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Mentor relationships are rewarding for both mentor and mentee.  Across the field there are numerous graduates coming into the music education classroom with new energy and vivacity.  Some of us are closer to retirement and have a wealth of knowledge to share!  Why not speak to your principal and/or networks and see if there is a relationship that can be established in your local area?  The intrinsic rewards are far reaching, and may blossom to have high impact at this exciting time in music education.  We don’t need to be employed or appointed to take on such an endeavour – it can just be a matter of finding the right relationship for your circumstances.

Become your own marketing manager.
Music Play For Life offer significant online resources to equip the local music teacher to speak out on behalf of their own programs, and the need for Music Education in Schools.  Have a look at the website: http://www.musicplayforlife.org/pdf/mpfl_lobby_kit.pdf and display some of the posters, and notices throughout your school, both in print and online.


Music Count Us In
Music: Count Us in (MCUI) is a great way to encourage participation in your music programs. To register or for more information visit the MCUI website: https://musicaustralia.org.au/program/countusin/register/  OCTOBER 29 – Mark your calendars!
LOCAL MUSIC EDUCATION NETWORKS
News of music teachers forming DET professional networks has come through to us. Congratulations on the Moreland  Municipal Council music teachers getting started - Great news!  Your initiative to do this off your own steam shows great leadership.  We hope to hear of more such networks being developed through Melbourne municipalities and regional Victoria, as it will bring such strength to our community.

ON FACEBOOK
sMAG ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/sMAGVic?fref=ts   Yet another way to network, and share your ideas and new finds in the music education area!


Please share our news with your friends, and post your ideas to our Facebook page – we love hearing from the whole community.

FEDERAL TEMAG REPORT ACTIONS

AITSL have published an agenda of implementation priorities following the TEMAG report.  A dedicated website to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/ite-reform and a summary can be found here: http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/ite-reform-an-overview.


This paper is intended to stimulate discussion on how teacher education programs in Australia can demonstrate their impact on school student learning. Evidence of impact is central to the approach to accreditation outlined in the Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers (Action Now) report, and the Australian Government’s response to it. The response highlights that better quality assurance of teacher education programs is essential to ensure every program is preparing classroom ready teachers with the skills they need to make a positive impact on school student learning. This paper builds on the strengths of the current national approach to accreditation of initial teacher education, and the work of states and territories in an effort to help Australia’s teachers be their best. It proposes three questions for consideration: 
1. Which of the proposed components of evidence of impact would convince you about the quality of initial teacher education programs? 
2. What components of evidence of impact should be mandatory, and which should be optional? 
3. What evidence of impact could initial teacher education providers feasibly collect? 
The paper is intended to promote discussion of these important questions as a basis for developing an approach to accrediting initial teacher education programs that is based on an assessment of their impact. Have your say. You can submit your answers to the questions here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DRRQYQZ
The survey closes on September 11, 5 pm AEST.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Video of Richard Gill's Presentation


A video recording of the Twilight Seminar, “Quality music education for all” presented by Richard Gill on 6 August 2015 is available on the Music Education Ning.

To view the video, please login or request membership to join the Ning and go to the ‘Seminars’ page.

Music Education Ning

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship program - IMTs can qualify to teach Classroom

The University of Melbourne is offering a new opportunity . . .
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship program provides an opportunity for instrumental music teachers to complete a teaching qualification with a double music method whilst retaining and teaching in their current position and receiving a regular income.
The Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education is an employment-based pathway into teaching, attracting high achieving graduates and career-change professionals.
With strong discipline knowledge in the areas of instrumental music teaching and performance, you have much to contribute to your school community. Our rigorous selection approach, which tests both commitment and aptitude for a career in teaching, ensures quality interns are carefully selected and meet your school’s particular requirements. Before you begin teaching in classes unsupervised, you will complete a six week intensive study program and school induction to prepare you for leading a classroom. You will also arrive at your school at the beginning of the year registered by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) with Permission to Teach (PTT).  Throughout the three year program, you and your school will be closely supported by a network of professionals including an MGSE Clinical Specialist, a school appointed Transition Coach and School Mentor. They will work closely with you to guide your professional learning.
If you are committed to developing your pedagogy further and being qualified to teach (unsupervised) in classroom and instrumental settings, then the Master of Teaching (Secondary) Internship is worth considering. If you’d like more information about the program and how it could benefit you and your school, please contact Hilary Smith, Program Manager, on 03 8344 3589 or h.smith@unimelb.edu.au or visit our website: http://education.unimelb.edu.au/…/master_of_teaching_second…
How Will It Work?

Teachers will continue to teach in their current position on a 0.8 teaching load
Teachers will continue to be paid at their current salary level at 0.8 time fraction
Teachers attend intensive on campus studies for six weeks over summer, and one week during winter, as well as online work throughout the semester
Teachers will teach unsupervised in classroom, instrumental and ensemble music settings
Teachers will be supported by a Mentor Teacher in their school, together with a Transition Coach and a Clinical Specialist who will visit regularly from MGSE
On completion of the course teachers will receive a Master of Teaching (Secondary) with a double music method which meets with the VIT requirements for employment as a fully qualified classroom and instrumental music teacher.