Fantastic Links
Free Tools
Time saving tools, templates and ideas that I have written, trialled and tested, that work. Send in your best templates and ideas for teaching and I'll put them here to share.
Creativity & Inspiration
Videos Cleese, Jobs, Mitra, IB
Video2 Chomsky, Gilbert &
What if Money didn't matter ?
Video3 SHOCKING! The real purpose of your life!
FLOW, The SECRET to Happiness, How I fell in love with a FISH.
Video4 How a boy became an ARTIST
DESIGN Thinking
Infinite Thinking MACHINE
Video5 Shane Koyczan: "To This Day" ... for the bullied and beautiful.
Ken Robinson says SCHOOL KILLS CREATIVITY
What will be OBSOLETE in 2020
Video6 Dr Eric Topol & the SMART future Health care
Why Education in Finland Works
Finland's Revolutionary Education System
Flashmob, Jane Goodall
Video8 Quadcopters
George Lucas Visual Literacy Martin Scorsese Visual Literacy
Video9 Ramsey Musallam Curiosity Comes First
Video10 Benjamin Zander: The transformative power of classical music
Mind Candy
Newsletters
Articles & Seminars
About VT
VT began in 1998 providing computer solutions for teachers. It gradually grew from requests and questions from teachers at my school. I published questions and links online so everyone could have easy access. It contained Online Lesson Plans, Great Sites, Free Stuff, Tips, Time savers, and templates etc.
In 2000 I was giving seminars and inschool tutorials at a number of schools and setting up computer networks. I was linking up with many teachers with lots of questions so the VT Newsletter was born. Archival Newsletters click to view them. In all I wrote 156 of them between 2000 and 2008 until events, time and the weight of the world conspired against me.
Since then the world has changed dramatically, we have had the GFC and we are still struggling with the aftermath. The whole world is engulfed in an evolution. No one is sure of anything anymore. Today's students will be adults in a world we cannot even begin to predict.
Virtual Teacher isn't just a website, consulting service or awesomely cool newsletter. It’s about a belief in the future of education, about changing the way we teach in the digital era. A way of working: smarter, better and happier.
About Me
by Cathy Brown
My Life has been driven by insatiable curiosity, it has covered many areas including Education, Technology, Graphic Design, Writing, Art, Filmmaking and Marketing. Each one is 99% transferable. The variety has enhanced my life it is a way of working smarter, better and happier.
After my graduation with Honours from Sydney University, I taught extensively in both the private and public sectors, from Preschool to Tertiary. I worked as an Educational consultant for Holt Saunders, Harcourt, Brace, Janovich, as well as for Lego Australia and also Horwitz Martin Education.
My fascination with computers began in the mid 1970’s with my research work using Sydney University’s mainframe computer, this lead to my work on the development of the first vacation computer course for students, sponsored by Metropolitan Business College and supported by IBM. I taught basic programming, and one of the programs was a simple multiplication Q & A.
In 1987 I was Co-Founder and Director of Combridge International Pty Ltd a Film Production Company - Combridge International producing a number of feature films, TVCs and Corporate Videos. During the Nineties I worked in the film industry in production, marketing and distribution and have film credits including executive producer, producer and production co-ordinator.
I was IT writer for Classroom Magazine in 2001 and have written an e-Maths book - "Do You Need a Hammer to Do Multiplication". I was also the founding publisher and editor of the internationally read Virtual Teacher website and newsletter, a free newsletter and information service for teachers worldwide. I have lectured at both TAFE and Universities as well as working in training and development for the Department of Education.
In 2003 - 2012 I ran a successful Graphics Arts and Design Studio in Sydney.
During this time I was also providing ITC In-service and Training for schools and was guest speaker a number of Educational Conferences.
2012 to present. I continue to write Virtual Teacher and the Virtual Teacher newsletter. The subscriber base is approximately 7,000 teachers internationally. I have provided Teacher(Inservice) Training on Technology, Creative Writing, Creativity Thinking and Future Education and I worked on several Curriculum Committees developing 21st Century Curriculum Initiatives, goals and benchmarks. I have also developed an extensive range of Group Learning Activities and a learning series called "Big Ideas" based on the work of Pythagoras, Fibonacci, and incorporating 4 Colour Theory and Fractals, with activities designed to engage and challenge Primary school students from K-6.
© Cathy Brown 1998 - 2019