Insight Education Centre Term 1 Newsletter 2015
After five weeks into Term 1 of 2015 at Insight Education, students and staff have had both
an enjoyable and productive start to the school year. With comprehensive programs delivered
in the classrooms, teachers continue to effectively integrate both the Australian Curriculum
and the Expanded Core Curriculum into all of our daily lessons and activities. Our teachers
now look forward to sharing the 2015 Individual Learning Plans of their students in parentteacher interviews to be held in the final two weeks of term.
The term has indeed been busy and the timetable has delivered weekly Gymnastics, Shopping
and Library Excursions, Wednesday Community Lunches and Sailing on Lilydale Lake.
Students continue to complete a minimum of 10-15 hours of Literacy and Numeracy each
week as well as engagement in Science and The Arts. As specialist educators of the blind and
vision impaired, teachers at Insight implement their expertise in curriculum adaptation,
assistive technology and visual and sensory efficiency skills to ensure that lesson delivery,
resources and materials are accessible and differentiated to cater for our students’ individual
learning needs.
In this newsletter you will find that I have included some short reports on a number of the
Expanded Core Curriculum excursions and activities in which we have participated this term.
On Wednesdays and Thursdays I have been enjoying recess and lunchtime games of Cricket
outdoors with the students. Last Friday I awarded Christian with the ‘most outstanding
batsman award’, with Natalie and Jemma hot on his heels and, whilst it is all just for fun, this
week I will be on the lookout for our best bowler around the grounds.
Important Dates:
– Multicultural Day
– Curriculum Day
Student free day
– Last Day of Term 1
– Students Commence Term 2
Trucks have been whirring past my office window as a noisy but happy reminder that we are
all very excited about our new sensory garden and playground which is now well underway
and due for completion late next term. We will have an extensive outdoor area with
specifically designed playground equipment and surfaces including sensory gardens that are
designed to contain plants that are distinguishable by smell and touch, and which attract wide
and different species of birds and wildlife. In addition there will be a bicycle track to enable
students to ride and to learn road skills, thereby aiding acquisition of independence. I am
proud to report that in the second half of 2015, our grounds will have been transformed into
one of the largest of the school sensory playground gardens here in Victoria. With plans to
add a second school bus to travel down the M1 from the Western suburbs to Berwick,
combined with the existing bus which travels down the East-link from Ringwood to Berwick,
we are looking forward to increasing our school population this year by providing better
accessibility for parents of blind and vision impaired children who wish to seek enrolment at
our Specialist Primary School here in the South East.
Our Mobile Classroom will soon be at capacity as we add to our current placements in the
shires of Flinders, Wyndham and Macedon Ranges, with proposed further outreach services
in both the Monash and Nillumbik regions. We have a second Mobile Classroom on standby,
ready to be on the road once the MC1 has all five days booked at Primary and Secondary
schools around Victoria as well as the option of establishing a ‘satellite school rooms’ in
partnership with mainstream schools in the North, East and West regions. Our Specialist
Primary School and additional educational services will in these ways and others continue to
expand the provision of access to Insight’s specialist curriculum framework i.e.
internationally accepted and recommended best practice available to blind and vision
impaired students in the State of Victoria.
Early in Term 2 I will oversee the implementation of comprehensive teacher led observation
and student outcome recommendation reports across the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC)
for all Insight Education students. This unique Insight curriculum focus will better inform our
teachers, students, parents and partner schools by providing targeted information to help track
students’ progress in a significantly more comprehensive manner than previously. As we
move closer to establishing a strategic partnership with a K-12 school in the South Eastern
Region we will provide our graduating Grade 6 students with an improved transition into
mainstream secondary school environments. This new reporting will not only better identify
students’ learning needs across the Expanded Core Curriculum, but also allow for our
specialist teachers to recommend and plan a more detailed and effective educational ‘pathway
to inclusion’ for our students throughout their primary and secondary school education and
beyond. I have no doubt at all that Insight Education has successfully begun what will be an
exciting and rewarding year for us all. I feel very privileged to play a part in the growth and
development of a much needed educational pathway which will allow our students the full
engagement in, and excitement about, learning as is available to all Victorian students.
Timothy Hemphill
Principal
13.03.2015
OUR EARS ARE WIDE OPEN
About 20% of musicians have perfect pitch, and in the wider population it's about one in
10,000, but I was discovering these (blind and vision impaired) children singing beautifully
in tune, time and time again.” Professor Adam Ockelford, a musician and visiting research
fellow at the Institute of Education, London.
Research indicates that 48% of blind and vision impaired children demonstrate significant
interest in everyday sounds compared to 13% of those with full sight and approximately 70%
of blind and vision impaired children play at least one instrument, compared with 41% of
their sighted peers.
The Music curriculum at Insight Education ensures a pathway of musical excellence for our
students. With plans this year for their involvement in mastering an instrument and
developing as musicians and players in one of our ensembles, teaching methods will
incorporate learning music aurally which will scaffold into Braille Music for our blind
students and/or adapted musical scores for those students with vision impairments.
This week I attended the first of the Ears Wide Open series for the year with my twin girls
and with Antonelle and her son and daughter Alia and James - two prospective students for
Insight. We all had a profound glimpse into the soul of Beethoven's genius and originality.
The inspiring and enigmatic Richard Gill took us on his playful and enlightening journey
with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Richard is a Patron of Insight Education and we
had the pleasure of meeting with him backstage after the performance.
We can hardly wait for the next event at the Melbourne Recital Centre in July when Richard
Gill discusses and conducts the MSO through Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring - a
defining work of the twentieth century, evocatively capturing the wide open spaces of frontier
America.
T.H. 02.03.15
Patron: Richard Gill OAM, Artistic Advisor Musica Viva Education, Founding Music
Director and Conductor Emeritus Victorian Opera
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays the Insight Out mobile classroom is in action.
The students are all in locations where it is difficult to get to Insight. Students are taught a
variety of technology including iPads and laptops.
Senior Room
This year we have introduced new IPad and laptop stands that the students absolutely love.
These stands allow the student to adjust the height and distance of the technology that they
are using in order to maintain optimum comfort and use. This avoids students being hunched
over or in uncomfortable positions that can eventually hurt posture or eyes. All students in the
Mobile Classroom have individual challenges and needs which Michael and Kim adapt each
day to meet these learning goals. Students have a unique opportunity to learn new skills and
have very intensive instruction in technology and other Expanded Core Curriculum areas.
Text: Kim Batten Photographs: Michael Evans
The Senior School has been getting back into the swing of things, engaging in daily reading,
writing /braille and math activities. To start the year off students discussed how the class
should be, how it should sound, what it should look like and what it should feel like to be in.
Discussions were also held regarding the expectations and the behaviors of class members.
Students whittled it down to four:
1. Respect yourself and others and be friendly.
2. Work quietly.
3. Please listen when others are talking and speak politely.
4. Clean up after yourself and keep the room tidy.
In the Art Room Students have been exploring texture and developing their skills and
accuracy with scissors, creating fantasy flowers and octopi using crazy scissors for different
shaped legs.
As part of community lunches students have made a range of different dishes over the past
weeks including savory pin wheels, muffins, salad sandwiches, fruit salad and enchilada
cake.
James Duncan
Junior Room
2015 has got off to a great start in the junior classroom. All students have returned to school
fresh and ready to learn.
Numeracy this term has focused on students recognising, modelling and reading and writing
numbers. Students use MAB and Unifix to help them count numbers and partition numbers
using place value. Students have also enjoyed learning to read and add numbers through card
games such as ‘Go Fish’ and ‘Greedy Pig’. This has been a great way to promote and
encourage turn taking and good sportsmanship between students, while they have fun
learning.
In Literacy the junior students are enjoying learning sound-letter matches and common words
through interactive games like Bingo. Those working on letter and word formation have the
opportunity to engage the senses by tracing fingers over sandpaper letters, using Wiki Sticks
and finger paints to explore directionality and build the fine motor skills needed.
Students enjoy reading to one another in the reading and listening corner and have shown
excellent listening and comprehension skills as they re-tell their buddy’s story back to the
class. Different texts, such as recipes, are explored in conjunction with the ECC as students
go through the recipe and ingredients list each week before making their community lunch.
We are investigating sound in Science this term. Last week students created ‘secret sounds’,
by recording sounds they hear from everyday objects around the school. After students
collected their sounds they brought them back to the group so that others could listen and try
to identify the sound. Some interesting ones included the microwave beep and the hand
dryer.
I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching the junior class this term and am looking forward to the
year ahead.
Hilary O’Haire
For Physical Education Term 1, our students are learning about the ins and outs of sailing, all
thanks to our friends at the Lilydale Sailing Club who run the amazing ‘Sailability’ program.
In our first lesson the students learnt about the basic anatomy of a sailing boat, understanding
that the sail is attached to the mast which is vertically arranged, which allows the sail to catch
wind to propel the boat and its crew forward. Students then made their own sail boats and
sailed them on Insight’s miniature lake. They also learnt: how to tie a reef knot; terms such as
bow, starboard, hull and rudder; how to behave around and in boats and learnt what a life
jacket is for.
At the Lilydale all students get their own boat with their own skipper. The Skipper helps
them to navigate the lake whilst teaching them about the basic operations. Finally at the
Skipper’s discretion students get the opportunity to take full control of the boat. It is a great
experience for all involved and an activity that can be pursued throughout one’s entire life.
Who knows, we may have our next around the world yachtsmen and women.
Michael Evans
The Expanded Core Curriculum sets sail...
Captain Josiah sets sail on the not too turbulent seas of Lilydale Lakes today after a much
calmer morning of Literacy and Music at Insight. The students arrived back at school late this
afternoon with colourful tales of weighing anchor and hoisting the mizzens, battening down
the hatches and setting sail. A wonderful day for them all and such an empowering
experience of 'accessible sailing' embedded with essential (ECC) mobility and independent
living skills. I have no doubt today that our students 'discovered new oceans by
finding the courage of losing sight of the shore...' T.H. 13.02.2015
Here at Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Vision Impaired we are all so proud of
Jaryd Clifford and his achievements so far in the qualifiers for the Doha 2015 IPC Athletics
World Championship. He is an inspiration for his peers and a powerful example of a visionimpaired young man who has achieved a level of confidence and self-assurance that will
ensure he has a promising future ahead of him...
T.H. 29.02.2015
When: Saturday 21st of March
Where: Scotch College Health Centre, Entry 7,
Corner of Callantina Road and Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn
Cost: Free
What to Wear: Runners, tracksuit pants, and a comfortable top
Who can attend: Event open to all ages, abilities and all sight levels.
The Victorian Goalball Association are kick starting their Autumn Season with an all ages,
all abilities come and try day. This open day is a great chance to meet experienced players,
make new friends and try a new sport in a friendly, safe and controlled environment with
expert staff on hand to take participants through the game step by step.
Every Monday morning for about an hour the students of Insight Education Centre for the
Blind and Vision Impaired travel about 400 metres down Enterprise Avenue to attend
Funtastic Gymnastics, a gymnastics program created in partnership with Blind Sports
Victoria designed to meet the specific needs of our students. The students are genuinely
excited about attending and participating because they love the new challenges and
environment the facility provides. The gymnastics coordinators utilise a one-to-one teaching
approach which is enthusiastic and encouraging for the kids.
Students are provided with many different obstacles and apparatus including balance beams,
rings, swinging ropes, trampolines, gym mats of various shapes and sizes and ladders. But
undoubtedly the most popular is the giant foam pit. All of this provides excellent
opportunities for students to work on skills such as balance, coordination, spatial awareness,
strength, flexibility, agility and taking calculated risks regarding depth perception. All of
which is great for building their self-confidence. But most importantly it's fun!
Insight Education Centre is thrilled to be working with the local community to provide
opportunities for its students, and looks forward to building on this, and other partnerships, in
the future.
Michael Evans
In Term 1, the students are looking at movement. It is important for our students to be
explicitly taught particular defined body movements, such as shrugging, swaying, pointing
etc. Students are learning about a variety of movements, and how they are, or can be
translated into everyday life. Giant exercise balls allow the students to perform or act out
certain movements. One activity consists of the students choosing a movement which is
displayed in large print and braille on a card, the student reads the movement out to the entire
class and they then perform it.
Once students can demonstrate their understanding of particular movements, we then
sequence them into a dance routine. Eventually the dance will be performed to a song which
the students themselves have created.
Michael Evans
Thank you Barb Williams for this beautiful Harp - for our ensemble in the making. Our
students will absolutely love to learn and play their compositions on its strings. Thank you
also for our rich discussion today about the direction I am planning to take with our music
program this year including teaching Braille Music. Our teaching method will incorporate
learning music aurally which will scaffold into Braille Music for our blind students and/or
adapted musical scores for those students with vision impairments.
T.H. 22.01.2015
Shooting for the Stars!
Art is at the centre of creative expression at Insight Education Centre for the Blind and Vision
Impaired. Like Music it is a powerful pathway for our students to discover culture, beauty
and the sheer joy of shaping their imaginations into reality.
At our school we teach our students to strive for excellence in everything they do. We
specialise in ensuring that every one of our students has exactly what they need; the facilities,
resources, teachers, curriculum and culture, so that they go on to develop all of their amazing
talents.
At Insight our students dare to dream, just like Francesca and Noah with Jenny and her
beautiful Guide Dog 'May' in the Art room.
T.H. 24.02.2015
Growing Confidence in the Hugh Williamson Foundation Life Management Program
Students in the Life Management Program now participate in gymnastics classes.
Riley has been participating for several weeks now. He started out nervous and unsure of
himself. Now his confidence has grown in leaps and bounds. He is eager and excited to try
new things during gymnastics and can’t wait until we get there. He is gaining strength and
flexibility each time he participates. This new found confidence spills over in to other areas
as well. When Riley is learning to cook, braille and is completing a new independent living
task, he is now excited and ready to learn. He is improving on skills that he was learning last
year.
Kim Batten
The Expanded Core Curriculum is internationally accepted and recommended best
practice for all blind and vision impaired students in the State of Victoria.’
Riley's 'Pathway to Inclusion'
With individual specialist teaching and direction, Riley completed a successful day of
learning at Insight this week. Providing Riley with access to a Gymnasium and individual
program with equipment suited to his needs, he successfully worked on his stretching,
jumping, balancing, strength and self-confidence. He has been progressing well in his Braille
Reading achieving 100 percent accuracy in word sorting. In the upcoming weeks Riley will
have access to new technology at Insight Education including TypeAbility, with Braille input
that teaches him the entire computer keyboard, scaffolding his mastery of the computer
keyboard’s letters, numbers, punctuation, as well as navigation and editing in dialogs and text
documents. Riley also uses JAWS, a screen reader for students whose vision loss prevents
them from seeing screen content or navigating with a mouse.
Riley has also been working on his independent living skills this week. In our fully equipped
and purpose designed kitchen dedicated to teaching our students this dimension of the
Expanded Core Curriculum, he has been preparing, cooking and cleaning in the kitchen
alongside one of his peers. With specialist teacher instruction from Kim Batten, he is working
towards cooking independently. Riley has been doing some intensive work on his Touch
Typing. This is another essential skill he is developing here at Insight whilst working in a
social context and focusing on teamwork and communication with one of his fellow students
on a project all about Melbourne.
T.H. 18.02.2015
Mobile Classroom Life Management Programs and ‘Satellite School rooms’ in partnership
with mainstream schools in the North, East and West regions.’
Our Berwick Campus now has an accessible footpath...
Dixon, Noah's companion Labrador came for a visit to Insight today. After a morning of
Literacy, Numeracy, Science and the Expanded Core Curriculum, after lunch we all went on
a walk up Enterprise Ave on Insight's new Accessibility Footpath that directly connects our
school with the Berwick train station. The footpath, that has just been completed this month,
now enables all students, young people and adults with the essential independent access they
need to arrive safely at our Specialist Primary School and facilities at the end of Enterprise
Ave. The project represents a victory for 'disability and accessibility' under the Equal
Opportunity Act 2010 and is a powerful example of community partnerships in action. It
could not have been possible without the tireless work of our founder Alan Lachman, the
generous support of the Mayor Cr. Mick Morland, previous Mayor Cr. Amanda Stapleton,
and the counsellors from the City of Casey. The official opening date and time of Insight's
Accessibility Footpath, will be announced soon!
T.H. 12.02.2015
Early Learning and Parent Support Program
Do you know a parent of a blind or vision impaired child aged 0-6 years?
Our Parent Support Sessions provide parents of young blind and vision impaired children
with guidance, training and support with early learning experiences and practical learning
strategies.
We commenced our 2015 fortnightly sessions on Fridays in February after school drop off
(from 9.30am – 11.00am) in the Parent Room at Insight Specialist Primary School in
Berwick. Kim Batten, one of our highly experienced Early Years teachers is running the
sessions. We encourage families to come together with her to share knowledge about the life
skills required by young blind or vision impaired children. Kim will be focusing on
developing new learning experiences for parents by providing them with support, advice and
opportunities to enhance their child’s ongoing growth and development.
The sessions are also an opportunity for families to network, share materials, resources and
first-hand knowledge over a cup of tea or coffee. The dedicated room is also available
throughout the day for our existing parents to use as a meeting area and community hub. If
you have a friend would like to know more please ask them to call the school on 03
97071585 to register their interest. Parents may also arrange an opportunity to observe
primary classes in action and discuss the many opportunities for their child at Insight.
Family Futures Forum at Vision Australia
For those parents of a pre-school (birth to school-aged) child I would also like to invite them
to attend a morning where they can meet with representatives of all Victorian support
services for school-aged children with vision impairments. This is a great opportunity for
families to discover how Insight Specialist Primary School for the Blind and Vision Impaired
can provide their child with an educational pathway to inclusion, so that they can reach their
full potential, independence and self-worth during their schooling life.
I look forward to meeting some new families and future students at the Family Futures Forum
on Saturday, March 21 from 9.30am to 12.30pm at Vision Australia, Kooyong in the
‘Community Centre'.
T.H. 13.03.2015
The need for effective and meaningful Explicit Instruction
Specialist teachers and resources delivering the expanded core curriculum in and alongside
the Australian National Curriculum with explicit instruction is a complete educational
pathway for the blind and vision impaired
In the field of education explicit instruction refers to teacher centred instruction that is
focused on clear behavioural and cognitive goals and outcomes
There is a considerable body of world-wide research based evidence that blind and vision
impaired students benefit significantly by being taught by specialist teachers who deliver the
Expanded Core Curriculum (a vision specific program) integrated into the regular curriculum.
These students generally have higher levels of academic achievement and independence,
better social skills, more successful transition from primary to secondary school settings and
have improved tertiary education and employment opportunities.
Research also indicates that learning is approximately 80% visual. Understandably, primary
and secondary teachers in mainstream schools use methodologies and resources that rely
heavily on observation and visual attention to tasks. Blind and vision impaired students
require Explicit Instruction (EI) in every area of the curriculum to overcome the gaps in
learning which result from these visual based approaches. Whilst mainstream primary
classrooms are successful for some blind and vision impaired students, many fall behind
academically, socially and in the development of independence.
As Principal of Insight Education for the Blind and Vision Impaired I am committed to
establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships and strategic partnerships with the
Department of Education and Training (DET), the Catholic Education Office (CEO), and
Independent School Victoria (ISV) Principals, whilst also working closely with Classroom
Teachers and Aides, Visiting Teachers and Vision Australia staff. Insight staff, in partnership
with the mainstream school staff and the families of blind and vision impaired students,
ensure that each student’s support group is aware of school placement options at Insight
Education. It is of paramount importance that all students have access to the most appropriate
specialised educational support at every stage of their education.
What does Insight Specialist Primary School do that is different to mainstream schools in
meeting the specific learning needs of blind and vision impaired students?
· All material, resources and equipment is provided in the student’s preferred format: Braille,
large print and/or audio. All learning tasks are planned to focus on interaction with real
objects and experiences
· Braille teaching and learning is integrated into all daily classroom and curriculum activities:
a Braille-rich environment where Braille and other print alternatives (audio,
magnification, synthetic speech, tactile materials) support powerful learning pathways
for students
· There is a clear focus on structured, sequenced and scaffolded development of
independence in all areas: Independent Living Skills and Social Skills integrated across
all areas of the curriculum and taught explicitly
· Assistive technologies are also taught explicitly and are an integral part of all learning areas
including Literacy, Numeracy, Science etc. The development of high levels of
competence with these technologies significantly increases the ability of students to
succeed academically
· Orientation and Mobility is supported in all movement around the school and on excursions:
cane usage, environmental cues, echolocation and practice with regular routes. The
school is purpose-built to ensure that students learn to use a variety of environmental
features to support independent mobility
· Focus on meaningful experiential learning: use of real objects, scaffolding learning by
moving from real objects, to models of objects, to tactual representation of objects
· Small class groups ensure that the specific and individual learning and vision needs and
goals of all students are identified and achieved
· The school functions as a hub for families and students, assists students to develop their
self-esteem and wellbeing, and enables them to establish and practice social
interactions in a safe environment. Families are enabled to develop supportive
relationships with each other in a meaningful and relevant way
· The clustering of students at the school enables the provision of welfare support and
therapies including occupational therapy, speech therapy and physiotherapy
· The hub enables group activities and integration with mainstream sighted peers including
sports days, musical performances, camps and excursions – all of which focus on the
specific learning needs related to vision loss, and provide full and effective
participation for all students
HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE TO THE MOBILE CLASSROOM?
Similar outcomes, but on a less intensive scale
· Clustering of small groups of students
· Focus on vision specific needs of each student
· Explicit instruction in the use of assistive technologies across the curriculum
· Intensive support in identified areas of need: e.g. using magnification, synthetic speech and
Braille
· Collaboration with Guide Dogs Victoria and Vision Australia for Orientation and Mobility
support
· Professional Development for teachers and teacher aides including sessions at Insight’s
Berwick campus including best practice observations in our classrooms
REFERRALS:
Mainstream staff, Visiting Teachers, Ophthalmologists, Early Intervention staff and families
all play an important role in the ongoing appraisal of what a blind and vision impaired
student’s educational needs are. Insight Education is a part of that support team and staff
meet with key stakeholders, assess medical and educational reports, and arrange for our
specialist teachers to observe and interact with students before decisions are made as to which
level of explicit instruction in the Expanded Core Curriculum is required. Students may
access Insight’s specialist education in a number of ways:
· Attendance at Insight Specialist P.S. either on a full time or part time basis
· Attendance at Insight Specialist P.S. on a short or long term basis
· Participation in the Insight Hugh Williamson Life Management support skills program at
Berwick (secondary students) or via the Mobile Classroom which travels to outer
metropolitan and regional areas (primary and secondary)
· In time, attendance will be available at satellite units in mainstream primary and secondary
school locations in the North, East and West regions
Without a full range of specialised educational options, blind and vision impaired children are
at risk of failing to achieve a successful ‘Pathway to Inclusion’ throughout their primary,
secondary and tertiary education and eventually an equal place in society alongside their
sighted peers.
Insight welcomes
to the 2015 team this year. A Teacher Aide with excellent
skills in Braille and Braille Music. She has made a great addition to the dynamic teaching
team here at our Berwick campus.
Our excellence in music ‘Wings to the Mind’ program connects our students with our
Mainstream School partners in the South East Region. This week one of our Grade 6 Students
attended St Margaret’s School in Berwick for an educational session with Luke Dollman
(conductor) and Dr Katy Abbott (presenter and composer) with the
Musicians of the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The Performance workshop included a detailed analysis of
the work by the composer, an introduction to Matthew Quick's artwork and a
discussion about the Australian environment.
The content linking in with the Australian National Curriculum Music outcomes:
·
·
·
Music Performance: Unit 2: Outcome 4 and Unit 3 and 4: Outcome 3
Music Investigation: Units 3 and 4: Outcome 2
Music, Style and Composition: Units 1-4 (especially 3-4): Outcomes 2 and 3
Francesca also had the opportunity to play with John Arcaro the chief percussionist of the
MSO. Along with our ’Wings to the Mind’ Masterclasses and Concerts, students of Insight
have every opportunity to excel in The Arts and Music as not only as lifelong skills but as a
vocational ‘Pathway to Inclusion’ an important part of their educational journey at Insight
Education Centre’s Berwick Campus.