Letter from Viv June 2011

Big Picture Education Australia is a network of colleagues trying to improve education in Australia. It’s a big job. We are taking on this job together.

A big part of my job is to help grow the Big Picture network – to link students, parents, advisers, mentors, supporters and many others. My job is to link people with similar vision and help them take action.

A network like ours grows in different directions at different times. The more we all learn about the network, the stronger we’ll be.

So, I’ll write an E News every few weeks so that you can share the initiatives.

The Schools

This week I was honoured to be involved in the first exhibitions in our BP school in Launceston. The place was buzzing with enthusiasm and nerves. Joe Wickert and our film crew are here with two Launceston students - Tui and Brendan who have be filmmaking interns to our film crew and communications workers.

They have been coached on line for the past few weeks. They are exchanging good learning about filmmaking for helping document their Big Picture experiences and their school. They have arranged the film schedule, set up interviews and been part of the crew doing sound and project management. In short, they are making a professional film.

They are so excited and connected and realise now how important planning is to the whole process. They say that filmmaking is a hard thing to do that requires concentration and flair...and focus. And that’s what they are willing to give.

I sat in on 16-year-old Dana's exhibition.

Dana is a student who was not happy at her old school, rarely attended, never handed in work and generally made trouble for herself and most others in her orbit.

This year she enrolled in Big Picture at City Campus. Everything changed. She has missed only two days, she’s handed in all her work, exhibited it today in front of a film crew, her mother, a US principal Charly Adler who she met via Skype six weeks ago and me (who she insisted I be there).

She had a narrative, a teacher narrative, her projects and the project proposals.

When asked what she was most proud of she said she read her very first novel this year, she did this highly polished and articulately presented exhibition in front of a film crew, her mum her friends and a number of strangers!

She took feedback really well, and reflected on who she would improve her work next term...

It was nothing short of spectacular!

The Network

These last couple of weeks have been very busy managing our relationships with the many people who wish Big Picture well.

The Board

Big Picture Board met by phone to discuss important issues.

The board is overseeing our development and supporting the work – wherever it is.

We have to grow and use good governance at the same time.

We have to make sure government and business and community can understand what we are doing and why.

Funders

Big Picture is exciting many philanthropists. Many people see education as the powerful way to grow society. These people want to help that happen and Big Picture is attractive.

Big Picture change needs resourcing. So, it is a possible win-win.

So, we meet potential funders, explain what we do and why and negotiate how they might become involved. In the last few weeks, we have been talking deeply with Social Ventures Australia and other major funders.

We are developing relations with SVA and we have to get it right. We want to create a strong bond with government and philanthropy and SVA have offered to help.

New Zealand

We are working with our New Zealand colleagues to develop distance learning based on Big Picture principles. The New Zealand distance-learning network has thousands of students doing all sorts of courses. We are working on developing a Big Picture model for the distance learning. It is a big challenge with huge potential. Origin Energy is considering support for this prject.

You’ll hear more about this one.

Research

Big Picture Education Australia is seeking knowledge. We are starting a big research project. We want to know what is working in Big Picture in Australia, for whom and why. Many people are interested in measuring the outcomes and Origin has contributed to the research.

It is very early days. You’ll get an E News about it very soon.

A New School in WA

The Smyl School is joining the Big Picture network. We’ve had conversations about how and why.

Newcastle, NSW

We met the education directors in Newcastle recently who are looking to see if a Big Picture school would be useful there.

Scholarships

The Public Education Foundation, a small group of dedicated educationalists have approached us to make contributions in the form of small scholarships for students. They seem to like what they see in see in Big Picture and are prepared to invest in student futures. Thank you.

The Substation

Big Picture office is in The Substation in Newport Melbourne. It is a converted power facility that aims to support the community. Big Picture aims to support community too. So, we are discussing how to help each other. We are especially focussing on how link the creative community into Big Picture – Head, Heart, Hands.

Network back

If you have any big ideas, give us an email or call. If any of this information strikes a chord, communicate with us.

Together we will grow this Big Picture network and change student learning for the better.