Special Publication

staff professional learning

Professional Learning

Dylan William (Institute of Education, University of London) is quoted as saying:

“If we create a culture where every teacher believes they need to improve, not because they are not good enough but because they can be even better, there is no limit to what we can achieve.”

Professional Learning at Good Shepherd Lutheran School is enacting our vision statement “Active and connected, growing for LIFE.” Teachers as learners impact students outcomes as they inquire, grow and immerse themselves in a world of change and opportunity.

 

The Australian Professional Standards for teachers, developed by the Government organisation AITSL, make explicit the elements of high quality teaching. Teachers at Good Shepherd record a personal professional learning log, and are accountable to the professional standards for teaching.

 

The following learning principles underpin learning for all members of our community:

Professional learning at Good Shepherd can be divided into three key areas of:

  • learning that supports the whole school development plan;
  • learning that supports team development e.g. Stage and staff teams; and
  • negotiated learning which supports the individual’s personal growth according to individual interests, past learning and previous feedback.

Learning principles -  Learning teams focussed on one learning principle and set a yearlong goal/growth area and met regularly to give feedback and share their learning in this area. This led to highly focussed growth across each stage learning team.

 

The whole staff focus learning areas were:

  • Embedding Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics
  • Assessment practices including Moderation and the Learning Progressions in the Australian Curriculum
  • Restorative Practices
  • Good Shepherd as a school which embeds and grows a Culture of Thinking : "For classrooms to be cultures of thinking for students, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers"
  • Agile and flexible learning spaces

AISSA Metapraxis project – the Learning Innovation Team, led by Director Learning Innovation embarked on a three year project in partnership between AISSA and the University of East London. 

http://www.metapraxisproject.org/

 

General Capabilities idea lab - cross sector leadership - The Director Learning Innovation was invited by AISSA to be involved in a SA cross-sector idea lab to amplify the General Capabilities in South Australian schools. Innovative leaders were involved in prototyping and developing a plan for their educational site.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19cz_A747ZX42toCqPFoxMQOznKnDsdfJ/view

 

AISSA - Leadership Impact Hub  - The Director Learning Innovation continued to participate in a parallel “Leading Thinking Skills Hub” action research project which gives leaders an opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills as they implement a teaching and learning priority in their school. Through AISSA, support was given to lead a current change initiative that was linked to school priorities, and considered research and sustainability for the change process. This inaugural Impact Hub completed it's learning at the end of 2019.

 

Lutheran Education South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia (LESNW) - Primary Leaders - The Director of Wellbeing and Education Administration and Director Learning Innovation were involved in leadership days with a focus on the LEA Growing Deep Framework. Using the framework and working within the System Leadership Process, they are developing strategies for collective leadership. 

 

Professional learning of staff is coordinated by the Director Learning Innovation. In 2019 staff were involved in the following professional learning activities:

Learning that supports the whole school development plan:

Learning that supports team development e.g. Stage and staff teams: 

  • Several of our teachers attended ‘Equip’ Professional Learning days to support them in teaching Christian Studies. Teachers who had undertaken this course were certified as ......
  • Ongoing training in Restorative Practices led by trained staff members.
  • Ongoing training in the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) into all learning areas occurred throughout the year.
  • Various Learning Support workshops for the teaching team throughout the year, led by our Learning Support leaders including strategies for teaching students with Dyslexic type behaviours; reading data and how to use it; the collection of NCCD data.
  • Ongoing professional discussions at team and whole teaching staff level on matters of curriculum: unit evaluation, moderation of student work, inquiry, integrated curriculum, Christian Studies,  and Cultures of Thinking.
  • Moderation and development of quality assessment tasks.   Following the year long project in 2017,  the Learning Innovation Team developed our moderation protocol for English, Mathematics and interdisciplinary, based on the learning from the project.
  • Professional learning discussions and development of curriculum at a Connected Schools level including ICT, Integrated Curriculum, Music, LOTE, Principal meetings, Deputy Meetings, Director Learning  Innovation meetings.
  • Valuing Safe Communities training was undertaken by new staff members.
  • A school wide focus on Positive Education and Growth Mindset training for the staff.
  • Australian Curriculum – various training opportunities through the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA)
  • Paraprofessionals training our teaching team eg. Cystic Fibrosis; Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum.
  • Review of the testing calendar and implementing a more strategic direction through external and internal tools for collecting data.
  • Cultures of Thinking: Theory; practice; thinking routines; 8 Cultural forces – what is happening now and where to next? Led by the Director Learning Innovation.<