The Big Picture USA Study Tour

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BPEA invites you to participate in an exciting Big Picture school study opportunity to be held in the USA in November 2014.

USA Study Tour flyer in pdf formatLearn from seeing

BPEA invites you to participate in an exciting Big Picture school study opportunity to be held in the USA in November 2014. We will be spending two days in each of four BPL schools.

The aim of the study program is to develop our capacity as leaders, school coaches and advisory teachers to implement the design and strengthen academic learning.

Learn through interaction

At each school you will interact with students, advisors, mentors and leaders. Find out what they do and think. You will have the chance to find out what you need to know.

We know from our experience in the last 10 years that this is the very best professional learning. The impact on you will be deep and long lasting.

Learn with each other

We will work together over the visit to share our impressions, give and get feedback on our thinking, explore new ideas together and plan for how we might use what we are learning.

THE SCHOOL STUDY TOUR

On Monday and Tuesday, November 3rd and 4th we will begin at the New Village Girls Academy – a BPL school that is a highly supportive learning environment for young women living in urban communities throughout Los Angeles.

Wednesday and Thursday (6th and 7th) we will have moved to the year 9 – 12 METSAC High School in Sacromento California.

The weekend is yours for the taking but we need to get to Providence Rhode Island by the Monday morning.

Monday and Wednesday (10th and 12th November) will be at the original BPL 9 - 12 school The Met in Providence Rhode Island - which in reality is a collection of 6 BPL schools. (Note: Tuesday 11th November is Veterans Day and a public holiday).

Finally Thursday and Friday (13th and 14th) we will visit a school (TBC) in New York or New Jersey.

Along the way we talk about what we are seeing, we notice what we are learning, we develop new questions and think about how we will use our learning.

A two-week feast of Big Picture Learning – schools catering for different cohorts and different locations – plus a visit to where it all started.

COSTS

The cost per person for the full professional development and schools program (not including travel and accomodation) will be $3 000 plus GST.

Travel and accommodation costs are not included in this fee but can be arranged as an additional cost by Big Picture Education.

OPTIONS

Or you can choose to do just one week (at a cost of $1 500 plus GST plus travel and accommodation costs) either the first week on the west coast or the second week on the east coast or some other variation (cost negotiated).

In order to support the collegial nature of this work BPEA will arrange the accommodation and local transport for each school visit location. Individuals (or schools) will be invoiced for their share.

All travel arrangements can be made through BPEA (but costs covered by individual or school).

THE OPPORTUNITY

The BPE design for school is having an impact. In Australia we are making significant inroads into schools and systems, exploring the BPE design in many and different settings. Students are re- engaging in learning and transforming their lives. Teachers, leaders and families are too.

Across the world the BPE design has been noticed. It is identified by influential education experts as one of the big ideas for schools this century. Many elements of the BPE design have been described amongst the 10 big ideas for 21st century learning. The President Obama has praised the original MET school in Providence Rhode Island and Big Picture Learning. Explorations of the Big Picture design are starting out in new countries – from UK to Italy to India.

THE JOHN BLADEN SCHOLARSHIP

We will award two lucky advisory teachers a John Bladen Scholarship. Award winners can choose to have the BPEA cost of the school study tour ‘covered’ OR to have $1 000 cash towards their travel expenses. Winners of the scholarship will be required to write a report for BPEA e-news. Please contact John Hogan for further details. See email address below.

ACCREDITATION

Participants can apply to Barry Down, Murdoch University to get credit towards a post-graduate unit by attending this study tour (this would require an additional writing assignment).

Contact us for ore information

When
November 3rd, 2014 9:00 PM to November 14th, 2014 5:00 PM
Deposit
Deposit to secure place on tour. (remaining $2 500 + gst will be invoiced on October 1st, deposit not refundable after October 1st.) $ 550.00 + $ 55.00 GST