Wiripaang Public School - text explanation of sample
This piece of evidence from Wiripaang PS is titled 'Collaborative culture to improve teaching practice' and is presented in a table format. The table has a sub heading called School Excellence Framework: Domains and elements. The table has three columns. The titles are Learning, Teaching and Leading. In the learning column, the school has identified learning culture, wellbeing, curriculum and assessment as areas relating to this evidence. In the teaching, column they have identified effective classroom practice, Professional Standards and Learning and Development. In the Leading column, the school has identified Educational Leadership.
Through the analysis of data sets supporting this evidence set of Teaching the school found:
- Professional learning on rich mathematical tasks has supported teachers to develop tasks with a low entry point and high exit to differentiate tasks for a range of learners. Teachers work to anticipate student responses to support instruction and set learning goals. Evidence based approaches to mathematics instruction support teachers to identify and regularly monitor individual student learning needs (3.1, 3.2, 3.3).
- School wide expectations for planning number talks and investigations (3.1) are made evident in artefact 3.2 where teachers are planning for instruction based on school wide expectations ensuring that lessons are systematically devised using student performance data and personal reflections to aim for continuous improvement.
- Mentoring and coaching is provided to teachers to ensure that high expectations for student learning is evident in every classroom (3.3, 3.7, 3.8), these coaching opportunities are directly linked to school wide goals for implementation as outlined in the school plan.
- Curriculum delivery has been enhanced by learning alliances with other schools, universities through the Early Action for Success reform (3.12). Evidence of the best practices provided by these alliances can be found in our Teaching and Learning Handbook (3.1) as well as in each teachers teaching and learning programs (1.11, 1.12).
- Our Teaching and Learning Handbook drives a whole school approach to evidence based teaching methods providing teachers with school wide systems for administration and curriculum provision (3.1, 3.5). The methods outlined in the Teaching and Learning Handbook are implemented after consultation and professional learning (3.1, 3.5). Effective teaching strategies are promoted through Impact Meetings where student progress is monitored, looking for continual growth (3.3, 1.3). 'What a Good One Looks Like' walls and student workbooks show evidence of teachers providing explicit, specific and timely formative feedback (3.4, 3.6) that is directly related to clearly defined success criteria (3.4).
- Impact Meetings provide the opportunity to develop a professional learning community. Teachers engage in collegial discussions about student learning, achievement and planning for the next learning cycle to ensure continuous improvement (3.3, 1.3). Impact meetings as well as lesson studies facilitate professional dialogue and collaboration where teachers view videos, observe lessons of effective practice and provide specific and timely feedback to each other (3.3, 3.8). The dialogue between teachers is based on school wide agreed practice and drives ongoing school wide improvement related to these evidence based practices (3.1, 3.3, 3.9). Mentoring and coaching support is provided to ensure the ongoing development and improvement of all teachers (3.3, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9).
- Systems are in place so that teachers can actively evaluate professional learning activities individually and with other staff to promote effective teaching strategies and improved teaching and learning in order to improve whole school practice (3.9).
- Performance and Development Plan goal setting systems provide a coordinated whole school approach that supports the development of professional standards for all staff (3.10). We have put in place systems to collate the professional goals of teachers to identify strengths and build capabilities within identified areas (3.11).