promoting teacher learning

Promoting Teacher Learning

Central North Shore ICT PD ClusterLearning@School 2008

JENNIE STEWART

PRINCIPAL SUNNYBRAE NORMAL

MARGARET HARRIS

PRINCIPAL TAKAPUNA PRIMARY

FIONA GRANT

TEAM SOLUTIONS

FACULTY OF EDUCATION , UOA

PROJECT DIRECTOR

FACILITATOR

PRINCIPAL

JENNIE STEWART

PRINCIPAL SUNNYBRAE NORMAL

PROJECT DIRECTOR

Relationships

Project Director/Facilitator

Principals/Deputy Principals

Lead teachers

Teachers

Cluster Extranet

CENTRAL NORTH SHORE ICT PD CLUSTER ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE

The cluster is comprised of 5 schools; 4 Primary Schools and an Intermediate. Sunnybrae Normal School is the Lead School and is centrally located. The Principals belong to the same Principals' cluster group and meet regularly. There are a number of pedagogies and ideologies that the 5 schools share which strengthen the commitment to the cluster vision and have formed the foundation for a solid union between the schools. All 5 principals are committed to leading the way and have selected lead teachers with proven leadership skills. Each school is organised in teaching teams which will also have an identified teacher to take a lead role in supporting professional learning.

Curriculum

Integration

Differentiated

Learning

Higher Order

Thinking Skills

Gifted and

Talented

Education

Shared Cluster Vision for Teaching and LearningIntegrated Learning for the Future

Inquiry Learning

Senior Teachers

Individual

Teaching Teams

Senior Teachers

Individual

Teaching Teams

Senior Teachers

Individual

Teaching Teams

Senior Teachers

Individual

Teaching Teams

TAKAPUNA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Principal: Margaret Harris

Lead Teacher: Karen Crabb

Teachers: 15

NORTHCOTE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Principal: Deborah Heasman

Lead Teacher: Louise Dallimore

Teachers: 19

NORTHCOTE INTERMEDIATE

SCHOOL

Principal: Rose Neal

Lead Teacher: Annie McCabe

Teachers: 16

TEAM SOLUTIONS

FACILITATOR

Fiona Grant

LEAD SCHOOL PROJECT

MANAGER

Sunnybrae Normal School

Principal: Jennie Stewart

Lead Teacher: Stephen Gordon

Teachers: 19

MILFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Principal: Peter Tapp

Lead Teacher: Linda Vane

Teachers: 21

School Intranet and

Website

School Intranet and

Website

Our Facilitatorcan work successfully with adults

high level of expertise and passion

push people just enough

builds capacity to lead

builds confidence

Developing a VisionShared goals across all schools

Consultative approach to decisions - inclusive culture

Regular contact built into action plan through scheduled meetings

Involving lead teachers - DPs at 4 schools

Leading the learning …

Provide professional development programmes, which focus on improving teaching quality and learning outcomes for all students and strengthening communities of professional practice.

Increase capability of teachers and principals to effectively use a range of relevant ICT resources and materials.

Develop and contribute to the growing resource of expertise, experience and materials in the effective use of ICT.

and …

Shared goals …To develop teacher and student confidence and skill in using ICT in the classroom and for sharing presentations to a wider audience.

To truly integrate ICTs across the curriculum as tools for learning.

To combine ICT knowledge with educational pedagogy and explore learning in exciting, interesting, and effective ways.

To develop a professional learning community online using an extranet for the sharing of resources and ideas.

To access hardware and to provide technical support and knowledge where needed.

... more shared goals

FIONA GRANT

TEAM SOLUTIONS

FACULTY OF EDUCATION, UOAFACILITATOR

Taking the time to reflect critically on the things

we are doing in our classrooms is perhaps the

most effective thing we can do to ensure that

what we are doing is having the desired

outcomes, and is changing our practice in the

ways we want it to." (Wenmoth, 2007)

So we can start where we are at in terms of our own confidence and with what

interests us as teachers.

To enable teachers to engage as a learner and recognise that our professional

learning often needs a formal structure in order to develop.

To be challenged in our development as teachers.

To have time to talk with colleagues about teaching and connect teachers in

different roles across the school, cluster and ICT PD network.

To construct new knowledge and opportunities for teacher professional learning.

Rationale for our Teacher Inquiry 2007

http://educationcounts.edcentre.govt.nz/goto/BES

Continuing to strengthen our professional learning community to

build sustainability.

Using online tools to support F2F learning, facilitator time, cluster

shares, goal setting and teacher inquiry. See our wikispace at www.centralnorthshore.wikispaces.com

Using research to inform our programme of professional learning.

2008

Teacher Professional Learning and Development BES (2008)


Two key qualities and several related conditions are

identified...These include participants being supported to

process new understandings and their implications for teaching,

and a focus on analysing the impact of teaching on student

learning.

The Qualities of Professional Communities that

Promote Teacher and Student Learning



Teacher inquiry and

knowledge-building

cycle to promote valued

student outcomes.

10.4.5 Implications for professional learning and development



These included a focus on opportunities to process new understandings

and their implications for teaching, the introduction of new

perspectives and challenging of problematic beliefs, and an

unrelenting focus on the impact of teaching on student learning.

Participation in professional learning communities can either promote

professional learning or work against it (by reinforcing the status quo).

Communities that promoted professional learning in ways that impacted

positively on student learning had a set of definable qualit ies.

Simply giving teachers time to talk was not enough to promote either

their own learning or that of their students.

MARGARET HARRIS

PRINCIPAL TAKAPUNA PRIMARYPRINCIPAL

ICT development at Takapuna Primary

Creating a community of practice

Acceptance of the agreed cluster goals to improve teacher capability & student use of ICT to optimise learning outcomes

Role of the Leadership team

‘Buy in & commitment to the project’

Share ICT contract and goals with staff – inform and communicate

Make connections between ICT contract goals and other school goals / strategic plan

Ensure contract goals are part of school’s direction / not an ‘add-on’ or MORE

Takapuna Primary School

Strategic Plan

NAG 1 CURRICULUM: Teaching and learning at Takapuna Primary School will support students to gain key skills to succeed in ever changing environment.

2008 2009 2010

1.To embed best practices in the teaching

of Literacy & Numeracy•Undertake reviews to give specific focus for

improvement

Linked to Ministry targets in Written

Language (also EHSAS target)

NZCER analysis of PAT’s (also EHSAS

target)

1.2 To use Information Technology to

develop teacher & student confidence & skill

in using ICT to optimise learning outcomes

Year 3 of the ICT professional development

contract

Induct new staff member

Tcher ICT goals incorporated into

performance agreements

Attendance at Cluster shares & TOD

Ongoing PD and investment in ICT according

to ICT plan

Plan to sustain the growth

1.To implement the TPS Inquiry Learning

model

Integrated approach to Science, Soc. Sciences,

Technology based on TPS inquiry model

including ICT supporting student inquiry

(ICT contract)

Review and update Inquiry model within

Integrated curriculum

Implement changes as recommended in 2009

1.4 Assessment and Evaluation. To ensure

data collected is useful& increases student

achievement outcomes

Align with EHSAS assessment goals

Investigate asTTLe as an assessment tool to

be introduced during 2008 (also EHSAS)

Continue to refine Classroom Manager

application

Collate student achievement data to provide

basis for annual targets:

Develop use of asTTLe Continue to use

PAT’s?

1.5 To identify Gifted & Talented students &

ensure programmes challenge their learning

1.6 To identify students at risk and ensure

programmes in place to improve their

opportunity

Ensure school based identification criteria

used by Class t’s.

Use IEP system as appropriate

Allocate appropriate support hours – Teacher-

aide / RTLB / GSE /

IEP’s

1.7 To provide opportunities for regular

physical activity that develops skills and

promotes health

Ensure programmes are developing identified

skills. Introduce MOE document ‘Physical

activity for healthy confident kids’

Review programme survey community to

ensure meets needs

1.8 To align and implement EHSAS goals (see

EHSAS action plans)

EHSAS action plans attached

1.9 To work towards becoming a ‘Green

Gold’ Enviro school

Base activities on “Enviroschools’ awards

critieria

(see chart) Each class to identify one area to

pursue this year

Goal to become a “Green Gold School” Continue to promote Enviro schools

objectives

1.10 participate on the TravelWise programme With NSCC & ARTA develop TPS Travel

Wise goals for implementing into classroom

programmes & involving community

Cluster ‘Launch’ day – all teachers from the cluster attended

Opportunity for meeting, sharing, talking, learning, questioning, clarifying

Choice of Lead teacher – ability to lead, guide, communicate, plan, motivate

Initial surveys show position at start of contract and follow up surveys indicate increased capability

Creating a community of practice for teacher learning @ Takapuna Primary

Staff meetings & five minute sharing / professional readings

Expected attendance @ scheduled Cluster meetings

Performance agreements (example)

Focus groups = ICT / Assessment / Inquiry / goals supporting the school goals

Wonderful Facilitator support

Online support and development

Frustrations associated with technical aspects

Peer support

Offering of lunchtime training options

School intranet / investigating LMS

PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

Name: TW Date: Term 2, 2007

Performance Dimensions: Professional Knowledge: Teaching Techniques: Motivation of Students: Classroom Management:

Communication: Support and Co-operation with Colleagues: Contribution to Wider School Activities:

Goals Actions, Indicators and Timeframes Support Needed Next Steps

Personal Goals 1.Review & establish new ways of developing and using

student portfolios.

•Lead investigation and introduction of e-portfolios in

Middle syndicate•Feedback from parents.•Review current portfolio practice by surveying teaching

staff.•Liaise with EHSAS to review portfolio practice undertaken

at other schools•Feedback to staff

•EHSAS lead teachers•Fiona Grant

How do we want to use portfolios

in 2008?

Investigate e-portfolios in other

schools.

Team Goal (on student performance outcomes)1.Develop a reading log so each teacher can track their

students’ reading progress and show improvements

2.To up skill across the syndicate on Mimeo use, to

enhance teaching programmes. (Cross-curricular)

•Reading logs set up in Term1, 2007.•Using logs on a regular basis by end of Term 2.•Feedback to team evidence of student achievement through

log book. •Integrated regularly into some classroom programmes

across syndicate by end of 2007.•Confident use of the Mimeo by all teachers in syndicate.

•Share L.O.’s across syndicate so not all writing own.•Regular feed back to syndicate – what is working well, how

can we support each other•K. D. and S.B. to trial Mimeo first and feedback in

syndicate meetings.•T.W. to trial later in year.•Support each other when training to use Mimeo.•Support from other teachers in school more experienced.

Log books used to inform –

Reading tracking sheets

C.M. entries

Reports

Feedback to parents

Be able to identify successful use –

e.g. brainstorming, sequencing etc…

School Goals 1.Full participation in EHSAS contract

2.Full participation in ICT contract

Observations of good practice in other schools as appropriate •Take part in EHSAS sport day (Term 2) and other joint

ventures.•Participate effectively in designated Focus Groups. •Team to develop e-portfolios with students in our

syndicate•Feedback from parents (end of 2007)•Team to undertake action research on e-portfolios and

feedback to school/ ICT cluster.

•Guidance from S.B. as EHSAS lead teacher.•Joyce Reeves to support Assessment Focus Group•Support from other schools•Team support and guidance•Fiona Grant

2007: Teacher inquiry ‘action learning’ requirement –

• Part of teacher’s performance agreement –

• Trial and development of e-portfolios in one syndicate

• Visit via wiki – include parent survey

• Process – staff discussion about current model portfolios

• Attendance at 2006 ‘ULearn’ Conference workshop on e-portfolios

• Development by Middle syndicate through 2007

• What’s in store for 2008? Where to next?

• Involvement of leadership, support, readings, discussion, staff meeting reflections

• Sharing leadership, providing opportunities for teachers to take on new roles, sustaining the growth

What has been the impact of our changed actions?