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
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.
AITSL
have also published a white paper and is inviting feedback on 3 key questions: http://www.aitsl.edu.au/initial-teacher-education/ite-reform-strengthened-accreditation/ite-reform-what-is-classroom-ready?utm_source=AITSL+eNews+Updates&utm_campaign=ac507b8f90-AITSL_eNews_update_August8_26_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_72de9f2d1b-ac507b8f90-82859681&mc_cid=ac507b8f90&mc_eid=273c485092.
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.
