Week 2

Using Publisher and e-portfolios


Today we've been experimenting with Microsoft Publisher! My long lost friend. I've been a big fan of Publisher since way back in Primary School. I've always been very big on presentation and used to use Publisher to publish all of my assignments. So I felt very comfortable in today's lesson. From my experience, presentation of work is so important - it promotes a sense of pride and achievement. I can't stress enough my belief in students 'finishing work'. Unfinished work tends to be forgotten and the lessons learned are disregarded after the lesson is over. Gone are the days of stuffing your work in your desk once it's completed. There's nothing more satisfying for a child than that feeling of achievement and pride, showing off your hard work around the classroom - Publisher provides a great tool for facilitating this. On my last teaching rounds I was so disappointed to see that the teacher didn't present student work around the classroom. It's been so refreshing to come in to this class today and to reinforce that creativity and presentation is still so important and it's not all about getting through the curriculum!

Subsequent to this, Publisher has so many other benefits. It can be used to make business cards, calenders, postcards, greeting cards and more. I'll definitely be promoting it's use in my classroom! Being a Microsoft program, it's familiar and easy to use.

See my rushed attempt at a brochure (so much for my philosophy on finishing work!) promoting Mexico here. I love 'playing' with Publisher, so it was lucky you told us to stop Greg and move on when you did or I would have ended up going on with this all day!!!


Now...onto another topic. E-portfolios and interviews! I'm back to square one, where I left off last week feeling a bit uneasy when I created this blog. Not in familiar territory here! I started collecting bits and pieces from my previous placement in preparation for my portfolio, but it feels as though there's never going to be enough. I found it interesting that you mentioned using past experience if it's relevant no matter how long ago you did it. I was a gymnastics coach way back in early high school. While it's certainly relevant to primary school teaching, is it really worthwhile adding to my resume when I did it so long ago?

Thanks Greg for going through the interview process with us. I'm really enjoying the practical nature of these lessons. It was nice to hear that 'the panel want you to do well, so don't let one question disturb your confidence if you're having trouble answering it!'

I liked your tips: Always have a question, but don't ask about salary. Use the term 'if I'm a preferred candidate...' Don't carry on too much though to allow for other interviews. Don't use too much perfume! (liked that one - considering I gave my mentor teacher hayfever with my perfume on my rounds, that's a great tip!) Dress appropriately (can't believe your story about the girl in the trackies!). End with, 'I'd love to be a part of the team at ..... Primary School!'

E-portfolios. I have to admit Greg, I'm not convinced. The Woodward and Nanlohy week 2 reading suggests that one of the inherant dangers with digital portfolios, for example is the that the technological novelty of the product could overshaddow the purpose of the portfolio. While the significance and relevance of the technology is recognised a balance must be sought so that the value in the work behind the digital presentation is maintained.

On the other hand, the article suggests that having that extra involvement and aspect of creativity in the making of an e-portfolio promoted creativity and interactivity that was not seen in paper-based portfolios. According to the research, the development of digital portfolios refined students thinking and constantly challenged their beliefs and their learning. By adding the element of digitalism as apposed to a paper based portfolio, it added the extra element of having to decipher how to present themselves to an audience. I can certainly see the merits here. However, it is the role of the e-portfolio in the interview process that concerns me most.

I am nervous enough as it is about the interview process, without the added component of an e-portfolio to present. I have been warned that if you have a portfolio then use it. There is nothing worse than bringing in a big document but not utilising it effectively in an interview process. A great e-portfolio can make an interview, but it is a case of being able to use it to your advantage and integrate it into your answering of the key selection criteria. I believe as an inexperienced interviewee and with a lack of IT confidence, I would feel more comfortable with a paper-based portfolio. I do however believe that a candidate who presented a portfolio effectively in an interview would most certainly impress a panel.

On the point of checking for jobs in the Age, I've already found some graduate jobs online beginning Term 1 next year on the department website: https://schooljobs.education.vic.gov.au/psp/ROLPRD_EA/APPLICANT/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL (you may not be able to access this without login details) - but there are two graduate jobs at Port Melbourne Primary School (the school I'm at for my second semester teaching rounds). I can't believe they're advertising already! Can we apply without having passed our degree or having registration? A question for the union when they're here next week!

I've just been looking around for some tips on interviewing and stumbled across this: http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/job-interview-tips/careers.aspx?247SEO=N&WT.srch=1&referrer=geditorial&type=P&gclid=CPLa4JunxKMCFQy3bwodgjCfXg

While it's not specific to interviews for teachers, it's certainly relevant. I'm wondering if any of the unions or the DEECD provides interviewing tips and perhaps some resume help and assistance addressing criteria. I'm going to do a bit of a search now...

Here's what I've found...There is a section in here which explains a bit about recruitment online, not what I'm really after, but still useful:http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/hr/procedures/rol_v89/ROL_Applicant_Help_Manual_2009-final.pdf

I found quite a lot of tips for the selection panels on the deecd website, but nothing really relevant for applicants. Hopefully we'll get some more help with this before the end of the year.