Sustaining System and School Improvement

82. Differentiated Support

I see consultants as the GLUE that holds system and school improvement together. For several years now I have had the luxury to meet with Primary and Secondary schools in the Eastern Region of MACS. They have had PL that has embraced Whole Group – Small Group and individualized learning with me and also their Eastern Regional Consultants. Pre-preparation and attendance by all is a pre-requisite. Julie Stewart talks to me about the hidden benefit of COVID as ZOOM Meetings have kept schools ‘on track’ in learning together in very small, personaliazed groups.

81. Consistent, Persistent, Insistent

Canadian Leaders, Mike and Elaine, from Manitoba, who meet regularly with leaders across the world doing the CLARITY work, focus on their:1. Principal Learning Teams: getting CLARITY from learning with others2. The Learning Fair: how to celebrate the work teachers and leaders are doing3. The Reciprocity between Reading and Writing4. And ‘3 Words’ that help set the work in progress for 2022In this session listen for the 3 Words that create momentum and purpose for leaders and teachers.

80. Celebrate Small Wins

Ali Busuttil is the epitome of Parameter #2: Embedded Instructional Leadership. It is hard work because we are asking teachers to refine their practice; to engage in student-centred leadership; and to build relationships, by staying true to the Co-Teaching Cycle. Ali embraces all the Parameters, particularly Parameters # 3 and 13, with a foundational focus on Parameters #1 and #14 – that is, building a culture of learning with an unwavering focus on learning. The stellar outcome is ‘collective teacher efficacy’: with an impressive effect size of 1.57 and, as Hattie says, one year’s growth for one year at school. Kingswood School in Parramatta Diocese has a collaboratively planned, structured approach to school improvement which has really ‘paid-off’ in terms of ALL students exceeding expectations – BRAVO staff, Ali and Trish Reilly, Principal!

79. Relentless Focus

Ali Busuttil is the epitome of Parameter #2: Embedded Instructional Leadership. It is hard work because we are asking teachers to refine their practice; to engage in student-centred leadership; and to build relationships, by staying true to the Co-Teaching Cycle. Ali embraces all the Parameters, particularly Parameters # 3 and 13, with a foundational focus on Parameters #1 and #14 – that is, building a culture of learning with an unwavering focus on learning. The stellar outcome is ‘collective teacher efficacy’: with an impressive effect size of 1.57 and, as Hattie says, one year’s growth for one year at school. Kingswood School in Parramatta Diocese has a collaboratively planned, structured approach to school improvement which has really ‘paid-off’ in terms of ALL students exceeding expectations – BRAVO staff, Ali and Trish Reilly, Principal!

78. Knowledgeable Others

Ali Busuttil is the epitome of Parameter #2: Embedded Instructional Leadership. It is hard work because we are asking teachers to refine their practice; to engage in student-centred leadership; and to build relationships, by staying true to the Co-Teaching Cycle. Ali embraces all the Parameters, particularly Parameters # 3 and 13, with a foundational focus on Parameters #1 and #14 – that is, building a culture of learning with an unwavering focus on learning. The stellar outcome is ‘collective teacher efficacy’: with an impressive effect size of 1.57 and, as Hattie says, one year’s growth for one year at school. Kingswood School in Parramatta Diocese has a collaboratively planned, structured approach to school improvement which has really ‘paid-off’ in terms of ALL students exceeding expectations – BRAVO staff, Ali and Trish Reilly, Principal!

77. Student Voice is a Key to Success

Listening to students and really hearing them are two very different things. Last week, teachers from St. Bernadette’s The Basin planned for ongoing assessment of students’ work which led them to celebrate students being able to set clear goals for learning in every subject area. Emma, her teachers and leaders are very impressive! Is Emma assessment -capable?

76. Planning for the FACES in each classroom

Students rise to the occasion when teachers and leaders have high expectations for them. It begins with careful and ongoing PLANNING to ensure that each FACE is improving if not soaring! Teachers at St. Bernadette’s demonstrate how precise planning leads to student goal-setting and feeling confident as learners who own their improvement – the astounding results are evidence of CLARITY in teachers’ assessment that differentiates instruction.

75. Resistance and Changing Practice

I am often asked how do you deal with resistors? This is a key question to unpack if we need ALL staff members to ‘buy-in’ to our core business of improving ALL students’ growth and achievement every day, in every school. There are many reasons why and how we should deal with resistance and resistors. How do you deal with resistors? I would love to hear your thoughts! 

74. Parameter #1 and the Tiger Story

Parameter #1 is the easiest to say and the hardest to do. Do we really believe all students can and will learn? The ‘Tiger’ Story says it all. What stories do you have that show you really believe all students can learn?

73. Students as Teachers

How good is it when students become teachers!! A Kindergarten student in the Diocese of Lismore is excelling in his Oral Language Development when ‘Learning from Home’!! This student’s impressive growth and achievement just doesn’t happen by chance. It takes careful planning on the part of his leaders and teachers – carefully crafted concepts from the Assessment Waterfall Chart (CLARITY p.124) such as: Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, Descriptive Feedback, Peer- and self-assessment and finally Individual Goal setting. Then students can become teachers to their teachers and peers!