In its second year, our Quality Teaching Conference, held on the Pupil Free Day on Wednesday 11 August, brought together over 90 educators from Kurwongbah State School and Hercules Road State School as well as individuals from other local schools, in a day of professional development, practical workshop presentations, and productive partnerships.
Kurwongbah Principal, Larry Burke, welcomed conference delegates to Kurwongbah and Shan Wood from Murrumba District Office officially opened the 2004 Quality Teaching Conference.
The Key Note Address, Learning Journey and Curriculum Itineraries, was delivered by special guest Mark Snartt. Until the end of June 2004, Mr Mark Snartt was the Manager, Syllabus Development and Accreditation with the Queensland Studies Authority and was responsible for managing the development and accreditation of syllabuses P-12. Before the QSA was formed in 2002, Mark was the Assistant Director (Curriculum Development) with the Queensland School Curriculum Council, where amongst other things he managed the development of the Years 1 to 10 Science and Technology Key Learning Areas; the position papers on the cross-curricular priorities of numeracy and a futures perspective; and the subject area syllabuses and guidelines for Home Economics, Industrial Technology and Design, Agriculture, Business Education, and Information and Communication Technology. Mark is currently working out of the University of Queensland as an Adjunct Research Fellow researching a range of areas related to curriculum development and implementation.
Conference participants chose from 18 workshop options over three sessions including presentations focusing on Thinking skills, The Arts, the Curriculum Exchange, ICTs in learning, Literacy Circles, Group work strategies, Literate Futures and Practical teaching ideas for mathematics. One hour sessions allowed participants to experience hands-on activities and strategies and to discuss the educational application of these strategies within their classrooms. Presenters included classroom teachers and specialists from Kurwongbah, Hercules Road and Deception Bay North State Schools.
An extensive Trade Fair organised by Hercules Road Teacher-Librarian Donna McCarthy, allowed participants to browse new teaching resources and products. Many conference delegates participating in a Passport Activity on the day won wonderful prizes generously donated by companies displaying their wares at the Trade Fair.