Fountain Gate

Primary School

450 students50% LBOTESFO: 0.66

A Tale of Two Strategic Plans………………….

University of Sydney

Pressure for Change

Where does this come from?Most powerful when it comes from teachers. Open, honest discussion about what we are happy with and what needs to change.

Depends on relationships of respect and trust

Math Survey for specifics

Why do we need to change? e.g. “Did you know?”

Research: Necessary but not enough

John Munro: How learners learn: What teachers need to know to be effective University of Melbourne

Roswell PSNo 0051

purpose

MATH SURVEY RESULTS

Other School Issues•Kids don't see the purpose for learning maths•Why do so many kids 'hate' maths in the upper grade and believe

they can't do it?•Procedures are being taught without full understanding, going

through the motions.•Need to develop more open-ended activities to help children with

maths.•I am not sure that we all have the same understandings as to

what makes a good mathematics program•Are we trying to do too much without giving kids enough practical

experience?•Literacy tends to be our 1st priority and mathematics takes 2nd

place.•It is not consistent in our team. Some people are not really sure

about what they are meant to be teaching and when.•Catering for the range of ability levels within the classroom is

sometimes difficult. •All the children having different needs and finding the time to truly

cater for them all with open ended tasks.•Not clear with the planner expectations.

Imagine it is April 2014………..Our current Strategic Plan is finished.What will be happening in our classrooms? What will we be doing? What will our students be doing?What will have been the key changes to teaching and learning?Choose one of the key changes you have considered. Talk with your team and make sure you all come up with something different.Take a photo in your classroom that shows an example of that change. Email it to Jenny.The photos will be put together in a PowerPoint.At the first staff meeting after the holidays, you will be asked to explain briefly what you believe a key change will be and how your photo relates to that change.

Shared Vision

What are the major trends?

Teachers will move from

Teacher-directed>Student-centredStandard>Differentiated

Isolated tasks>IntegratedCovering>Deep understanding

Worksheets>Diverse learning

Abstract>Real life

So that students move from

Dependent>IndependentIndividual>Collaborative

Passive>Active

We will know this is happening when we see …

EngagementAttitudeLearning

UnderstandingCollaborating

Needed to find pedagogical models that would help us meet our Strategic Plan Improvement goals in Working Mathematically and Reading Comprehension in the context of our vision for learning.

Australian Developmental Curriculum (Prep & Grade 1)

Readers’ Workshop: Deb SukarnaAims to make children’s thinking explicit, encourages abstract, complex thinking.Encourages connections with real life, other media.Allows student choice of reading material.Uses peer connections.Explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies in the context of student choice.Increases the time actually spent reading.

Basic Structure:Book Chat (2-3 minutes)Mini Lesson (10-15 minutes)Independent Reading (30 minutes)Share Time (5-10 minutes)

Quality Learning of Mathematics

Expert/Critical friend: Michael Ymer

Fountain Gate PS beliefs about teaching mathematics •Maths is now focused on understanding, not covering.•Teachers do less rescuing, it’s OK for students to be challenged, need to articulate their thinking.•Tasks are open-ended.•Students work collaboratively part of the time.•Teacher knowledge of how to teach maths has improved, all levels have a copy of Teaching Primary Mathematics (G Booker).•Correct mathematical language is used from the beginning.•Planning has changed so that all of Term 4 is allocated to revising and consolidating.•Ongoing assessment and point-of-need instruction.

•What can we stop doing?•Professional development for key personnel•Classroom Observational Rounds, facilitated by leadership team•Principal class walkthroughs and feedback•Extra planning days•PD in staff meetings •Whole-school goal alignment linked with Performance Reviews

Capacity For Change/First Steps/Model the Way

The strength of an innovation is primarily carried in how widespread it is. Not every teacher will engage at the same level, but everyone will want to be part of the success. e.g. every teacher will have an Opportunity for Improvement about maths

One of the leader’s jobs is to articulate the story, use real life examples.

e.g. I know of a boy in grade 2 who ………..

Embed change in the system, planning, documentation, assessment processes, room arrangements

Having a sense of collective efficacy; This is the way we do things here.

e.g. Document beliefs about maths

Reinforce and Solidify Change

Evaluate and Improve

Feedback to Leadership team through

•Professional Learning Team meetings•Planning Days•Literacy and Numeracy teams•Performance review process•Staff opinion survey.

ChallengesTime and mental space required to think through new initiatives>impact on staff opinion survey.

Can be confronting for students when they are used to a particular culture, e.g. students felt students were misbehaving because the classrooms weren’t silent any more.

Maintaining focus on main game, keeping everything else at bay.

Progress is not a straight line; dealing with the dips.