TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEAVE: TEAM OF TEACHERS
Janne Dempster, Ciro Ferra, John McLoughlin Hampton Park Secondary College
KNOWLEDGE BANK http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/knowledgebank November 2006
Linking Up - a whole school approach to strengthening relationships within our College community
Janne Dempster, Cirro Ferra and John McLoughlin developed a Tribes Training Action Plan which outlines how they intend to share their learnings with staff this year. The Team found that teachers who are prepared to trial ‘Tribes’ lessons and adopt ‘Tribes principles’ in their schools/classrooms are achieving positive outcomes with regards to student engagement and student management.
Knowledge Bank Template for Teacher Professional Leave Team 1. Title Linking Up - a whole school approach to strengthening relationships within our College community. 2. Types of activity undertaken through Teacher Professional Leave: Targeted research Action research We looked at research and best practice aimed at developing positive relationships between staff/students, staff/staff, and between the College and business communities. We looked at how we could „nest‟ relationship-building actions into our school via professional development activities, classroom practices and in our interactions with the business community, whose support is vital for the sustainability of our vocational programs (including VET, VCAL, School Based Apprenticeships, Careers Choices Workshops). 3. Context of school Hampton Park Secondary College - Southern Metropolitan Region, 1200 students, like Group 6, highly multi-cultural, high % of EMA students, 27% NESB. 4. Areas that TPL aimed to address We aimed to: research issues relating to student engagement, performance, attendance, retention and attitudes to school research practices which aim to develop social competencies and citizenship in students, which are acknowledged as important elements within the VELS research and implement methodologies for developing positive relationships within the classroom investigate best practice and develop new partnerships to assist our delivery of vocational pathways programs 5. What we tried to do/improve? How the problem was identified? We are trying to improve: Attitudes to School data - where some age-groups have responded that they don‟t feel safe at school, some say they don‟t have good relationships with their peers and/or teachers.
AIM, CSF and VCE data - although many programs are in place already which aim to improve academic outcomes for our students, we felt there is also a need to develop their social competencies so they are more able to build relationships with their teachers, employers and each other. This should help to develop their resilience and employability in the longer term and improve the quality of their learning in the shorter term. Real Retention Data - has been low in the past; students don‟t appear to have strong connections to the school despite having access to a huge range of academic and vocational programs, welfare, student leadership and sporting programs.
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What we’ve achieved so far. TPL has allowed us, as a team, to investigate best practice in schools such as: Pt Lonsdale Primary School - Tribes in Action in a Primary setting Lara Secondary College and Flinders Peak Secondary College Tribes in Action in Secondary settings Carrum Downs Secondary College - Tribes professional development for the whole staff Mornington Secondary College (LSF school) - use of large open space/team teaching/negotiated curriculum Pakenham Secondary College (LSF school) - use of large open space/ICT rich/implementing LSF changes, the early stages TPL has also allowed us to: facilitate Tribes Training for 10 dedicated teachers in the Southern Metropolitan Region (including ourselves) and roll out professional development based on Tribes teachings at the school level to Hampton Park Secondary College staff travel to Brooks High School - a Lighthouse School for Beacon Foundation - No Dole programs and initiatives, to research vocational education and essential learnings curriculum “five years on” in Tasmania meet on a regular basis with staff from Lyndhurst Secondary College to implement Beacon Foundation - No Dole Initiatives, taking a combined schools approach explore industry needs and develop partnerships to facilitate a new program in 2006 - VCAL Pathways into Engineering at Hampton Park Secondary College strengthen existing relationships with industry and training providers.
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What we learned. Our TPL team learned that by exploring „best practice‟ at other schools we can directly influence the directions we take at Hampton Park Secondary College
from the Tasmanian experience that by adopting Essential Learnings, negotiated curriculum and team teaching we can encourage students to be independent, resilient, life-long learners a host of Tribes activities based on developing Inclusion, Community and Influence in the classroom that teachers who are prepared to trial „Tribes‟ lessons and adopt „Tribes principles‟ in their schools/classrooms are achieving positive outcomes with regards to student engagement/student management developing partnerships with other schools is an excellent model for achieving a common outcome - we hope to maintain contact with many of the people we met during our TPL experience working together as a team - as we did for our TPL - achieves more incremental change at the school level than working as an individual building and maintaining good quality relationships within the school is the foundation for improving the quality of our learning and teaching building and maintaining relationships with industry and training providers is essential to ensure the long term sustainability of vocational programs at Hampton Park Secondary College.
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How this learning has been applied to practice At the school level: We have developed a Tribes Training Action Plan which outlines how we intend to share our learnings with our staff this year. Leading Schools Fund - our TPL learnings have been incorporated into our Leading Schools Fund application via our observations of best practice from other schools ie. Tribes methodology, curriculum, team teaching practices, use of ICT Implementation of SMART FUTURES - a Beacon Foundation No Dole program: We developed a partnership with Lyndhurst Secondary College to plan our first major event, a Business Breakfast which was well attended and publicised in the local press. We are currently organising our next major event, a Pledge Ceremony for all Year 10 students, which will also involve parents and the business community. We have managed to secure some high profile sponsors from the Industry and Training sectors to support our Smart Futures programs. Beyond the school: Southern Metropolitan Region TPL Forum - our team presented at the briefing for Round 2 applicants on how to prepare an application, how to manage TPL as a team and accountability from the school perspective, how to share the learnings at the school level and beyond Tribes Schools Support Network - ongoing communication within the cluster of schools who were involved in Tribes Training in the Southern Metropolitan Region as we support one another both formally and informally to implement Tribes in our schools.
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How the application of the new knowledge/skills might impact on student learning outcomes? Impact Improved Student Engagement Improved Student Learning More formal relationships with employers offering work placement in our Vocational Programs Measures used Attendance data, student management records, Attitudes to School data, anecdotal evidence CSF data, AIM data, VCE data, reporting to VELS indicators Retention/Completion/Destination data students are able to secure work placement for their senior VET, VCAL, SBNA programs providing viable pathways to employment for many of our students ie. VCAL Pathways into Engineering - new partnerships currently being developed to provide a continuity of work placement opportunities for students in the local Engineering and Manufacturing industries
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What we hope to achieve in the next six months, drawing on Teacher Professional Leave learning? improved relationships between teachers/students and within the student body both within and outside the classroom development of a range of strategies which encourage teachers to create stimulating, student-directed learning environments improved student engagement and learning outcomes - as indicated by AIM, CSF, Attitudes to School Data a successful Leading Schools Fund application, which will facilitate a major review of classroom practices, encourage team teaching and student negotiated learning consolidation of our relationships with the local business community; formal acknowledgment of the invaluable support they provide to our students in structured work placements, work experience and SBNAs consolidation of our relationships with other schools and training providers ie. Lyndhurst Secondary College with whom we set up a partnership to run a combined schools SMART FUTURES - Business Breakfast Event, Narre Warren P-12 College with whom we recently set up a partnership to offer VCAL Pathways into Engineering - a new program for 2006. We‟ve also formed informal „partnerships‟ with staff from Carrum Downs Secondary College and Wellington Secondary College as we share experiences while introducing Tribes in our respective schools.
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Further Information on Leave Relationships - Power in the Classroom: guest speaker to whole staff professional development activities: Ray Lewis Tribes Training contact: Fay Agterhuis Principal, Pt Lonsdale Primary School. Beacon Foundation - No Dole Contact: Murray Johnson - Beacon Foundation Consultant to schools.
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Contact details for those interested in obtaining further information: John McLoughlin Ciro Ferra Janne Dempster Hampton Park Secondary College Tel: 8795 9400 Email: dempster.janne.j@edumail.vic.gov.au
Individual Team Member: Janne Dempster 1. The specific area you have addressed within the team TPL focus. 2. Generating interest in the project from the outset representing the TPL team on the visit to Brooks HS Tasmania, as it had a vocational learning focus and I am the Later Years Pathways Coordinator at the College representing the team at Smart Futures - Beacon Foundation meetings and events relating to business partnerships developing relationships with training providers and businesses organising presentations/events linked to our TPL goals.
Your role within the team. Research and collate material to generate our initial plan for the TPL modify the plan as ideas evolved and other team members dropped out/came on board devise strategies which would help us to achieve the goals of our TPL plan, ie. in relation to Tribes, VELS, Beacon Foundation Initiatives promote and organise Tribes Training as a Professional Development activity in the Southern Metropolitan Region take an active role as part of a team of staff implementing Smart Futures- Beacon Foundation No Dole initiatives (in partnership with Lyndhurst Secondary College).
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What you have achieved and learnt I am currently trialling Tribes activities in VCAL classes We are working together to run Tribes Training for our staff on the 1st of August I have worked with members of the LSF application writing team to offer observations based on my experiences so far I was involved in the organisation or our Smart Futures Business Breakfast event and continue to work on related programs/events.
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How this learning has been applied I have recently taken up the position as VCAL Pathways Program Coordinator to develop our new VCAL Pathways into Engineering program - set up new partnerships with Narre Warren P-12 and Chisholm Institute to run this program across the two schools. I am currently involved in formalising our partnerships with a host of local businesses to support this program with work placements. I have initiated VCAL Engineering Pathways as a new program in the school for 2006 - this evolved as a result of industry relationships we consolidated at the Smart Futures business
breakfast. I secured funding for this program and arranged a new partnership with Chisholm Institute for delivery of the Cert II in Engineering.
Six months on: Janne Dempster 1. Has the learning been sustained? How? The learning has been sustained in a variety of ways at Hampton Park Secondary College. A number of initiatives at the College have been informed by TPL findings. the College is moving to a 4 period timetable in 2006 a Leading Schools Funding submission was made during 2005 and the College was recently informed that this was successful shortened days were trialled this year to allow extended (internal) staff professional development sessions. In 2006, our meeting schedule will be restructured to allow professional development on a weekly basis. This will provide our team with opportunities to train staff in more “Tribes” strategies which they can implement across the college subsequent to our visit to Brooks High School Tasmania, a number of Beacon Foundation - No Dole initiatives were introduced at the College during 2005; many existing partnerships in the careers/pathways areas were formalised and new partnerships were developed the Brooks High School visit allowed us to see Essential Learning curriculum and practice “5 years on” which will be used to inform VELS implementation in 2006 2. What has supported/inhibited sustained learning? A supportive administration has ensured sustained learning at the College There are a number of staff at the College committed to trialling innovative ideas and seeking continuous improvement All staff have been introduced to “Tribes” and offered the opportunity to attend additional training sessions as Professional Development Many key staff in Careers, Transition and Coordination positions supported the implementation of SMART FUTURES (our version of the Beacon - No Dole program)
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What further learning has taken place? we have continued to visit and maintain contact with staff from other schools and learn from their experiences as our Leading Schools Fund submission evolved, we were able to develop our understanding of effective teaching and learning and plan a new model of teaching at Year 7 in 2006. This will grow to
include Years 7, 8 and 9 in 2007 the industry support evident at our SMART FUTURES events (Business Breakfast and Charter Signing Ceremony) was so encouraging, we submitted an application for funds to run a VCAL Pathways Program in Engineering. This was successful and will run as a Pilot Program in 2006 (one of only 7 in the State)
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What are the major changes that have taken place over the last six months? 4 period timetable in 2006 Successful Leading Schools Funds Submission Greater focus on Professional Development Higher profile for school/industry partnerships Impact on student learning outcomes Longer blocks of class time Improved facilities/resources Improved Pedagogy Use of Tribes Expanded VCAL program Impact on your own practice Improved pedagogy Improved leadership skills Greater knowledge Broader networks Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Student attitudinal data School Level Report Real retention data VCAL completion data Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Staff Opinion Survey Annual Review Sustainable vocational programs
Principal‟s input 5. What has been the impact of Teacher Professional Leave on the school and the individual teacher’s practice? The significant changes within the College for 2006 as indicated above (in paragraphs 3 and 4), have been powerfully impacted on by the learning from Teacher Professional Leave. The Smart Futures Beacon No Dole Program at Year 10, supported by TPL, has reinforced the already strong careers/pathways work with students in the College. The range of in-house professional development included significant time invested with staff being introduced to “Tribes” understandings. 2006 will see additional training sessions for staff as part of the College in-house professional development program. Changed teacher practice is already evident in the practice of a number of teachers and this will be consolidated.
Individual Team Member: Ciro Ferra 1. The specific area you have addressed within the team TPL focus. I looked at research and best practice aimed at developing positive relationships between staff/students, staff/staff, and between the college and business communities. I worked very closely with my existing networks to seek to further understand their own experiences in Community building. 2. Your role within the team. research and collate material to generate our initial plan for the TPL modify the plan as ideas evolved and other team members dropped out/came on board devise strategies which would help us to achieve the goals of our TPL plan, ie. in relation to Tribes, VELS, Beacon Foundation Initiatives promote and organise Tribes training as a professional development activity in the Southern Metropolitan Region take an active role as part of a team of staff implementing Smart Futures- Beacon Foundation No Dole initiatives (in partnership with Lyndhurst Secondary College)
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What you have achieved My classes look and feel different I have learnt from the my experiences of visiting other schools, other classrooms My students enjoy my classes. My student management inside the classroom has significantly improved. I model co-operation with other teachers and relate my experiences inside the classroom to Impact on student learning I have refreshed my approach to learning and involve the students in a range of learning opportunities I value the relationship building opportunities between the students and myself.
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What you have learnt. Key Learning Exploring ‘best practice’ at other schools we can directly influence the directions we take at Hampton Park Secondary College Learning activities that most promoted learning We met with a range of teachers and Principal class members. We spent significant time in classrooms and witnessed the work that that schools are doing and how they are building
Tribes activities developing Inclusion, Community and Influence in the classroom Teachers who are prepared to trial ‘Tribes’ lessons and adopt ‘Tribes principles’ in their schools/classrooms are achieving positive outcomes with regards to student engagement/student management developing partnerships with other schools is an excellent model for achieving a common outcome - we hope to maintain contact with many of the people we met during our TPL experience.
relationships across the board. We took every opportunity to talk to students to learn from their perspectives. Four days of Tribes training with Faye Augeteris, Principal from Point Lonsdale Primary School. Working with other teachers who have done the program with in the college. Building an internal network has been invaluable in sustaining what we learnt in the training. Registering on the Tribes website gives you access to Tribes Communities of learning world wide. Creating a formal network for the 4 schools who took on the training we initiated in the Southern Metropolitan Region.
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How this learning has been applied (or intended to apply) to practice? Facilitating training for staff in the Southern Metropolitan Region, five from Hampton Park Secondary College and five from other Colleges Introducing the program to the College Using the Tribes agreements in my classrooms.
Six months on: Ciro Ferra 1. Has the learning been sustained? How? The learning has been sustained in a variety of ways at Hampton Park Secondary College. A number of initiatives at the College have been informed by TPL findings. The College is moving to a four period timetable in 2006. A Leading Schools Funding submission was made and the College was recently informed that this submission was successful. Shortened days were trialled this year to allow extended professional development. In 2006, our meeting schedule will be restructured to allow professional development on a weekly basis. This will provide our team more opportunities to implement “Tribes” across the College which we began trialling this year.
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What has supported/inhibited sustained learning? A supportive administration has ensured sustained learning at the College. There is a number of staff at the College committed to trialling innovative ideas and seeking continuous improvement. All staff have been exposed to 180 hours of Tribes sessions for Professional Development
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What further learning has taken place? We have continued to visit other schools and learn from the experiences of others. As our Leading Schools Fund submission evolved, we were able to develop our understanding of effective teaching and learning and plan a new model of teaching at Year 7 in 2006. This will grow to include Years 7, 8 and 9 in 2007.
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What are the major changes that have taken place over the last six months? 4 period timetable in 2006 Successful Leading Schools Fund Submission Greater focus on Professional Development Impact on student learning outcomes Longer blocks of class time Improved facilities/resources Improved Pedagogy Use of Tribes Impact on your own practice Improved Pedagogy Improved Leadership Skills Greater Knowledge Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Student attitudinal data School Level Report Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Staff Opinion Survey Annual Review
Principal‟s input 5. What has been the impact of Teacher Professional Leave on the school and the individual teacher’s practice? The significant changes within the College for 2006 and indicated above in paragraph four have been powerfully impacted by the learning from Teacher Professional Leave. The range of in-house professional development included significant time invested with staff being introduced to “Tribes” understandings. 2006 will see additional training sessions for staff as part of the College in-house professional development program. Changed teacher practice is already evident in the practice of a number of teachers and this will be consolidated next year.
Individual Team Member: John McLoughlin 1. The specific area you have addressed within the team TPL focus. Targeted research Action research 2. Your role within the team. I looked at research and best practice aimed at developing positive relationships between staff/students, staff/staff, and between the College and business communities. I worked very closely with my existing networks to seek to further understand their own experiences in Community building. 3. What you have achieved. 4. I have learnt from the my experiences of visiting other schools, other classrooms My students enjoy my classes. I ask them often. My student management inside the classroom has significantly improved. I model co-operation with other teachers and relate my experiences inside the classroom.
What you have learnt. Key Learning Exploring ‘best practice’ at other schools we can directly influence the directions we take at Hampton Park Secondary College Learning activities that most promoted Learning Lara Secondary College Mornington Secondary College Glen Waverley Secondary College Point Lonsdale Primary School We spent significant time in classrooms and witnessed the work that that schools are doing and how they are building relationships across the board. Tribes activities developing Inclusion, Community and Influence in the classroom. Four days of Tribes Training with Faye Augeteris, Principal from Point Lonsdale Primary School.
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How this learning has been applied (or intended to apply) to practice? Facilitating training for staff in the Southern Metropolitan Region, five from Hampton Park Secondary College and five from other Colleges Introducing the program to the College Using the Tribes agreements in my classrooms.
Six months on: John McLoughlin 1. Has the learning been sustained? How? The Tribes trained leaders conducted a half day whole staff professional development activity on building the tribes philosophy inside the classrooms. From there we asked for any staff member who was interested in further training. We are now facilitating that training by liaising with the Tribes –Train the Trainer Coaches and seeking appropriate dates and venues. The learning has been sustained in a variety of ways at Hampton Park Secondary College. A number of initiatives at the College have been informed by TPL findings. Shortened days were trialled this year to allow extended professional development. In 2006, our meeting schedule has been restructured to allow professional development on a weekly basis. This has provided for our team more opportunities to implement “Tribes” inside our own KLAS and across the college as a whole. 2. What has supported/inhibited sustained learning? The College was successful in the LSF Phase Three and the learning centre that will be constructed as a consequence will be an ideal environment for this program to build the concepts of mutual respect and collaborative learning. A supportive administration has also ensured sustained learning at the College. There is a number of staff at the College committed to trialling innovative ideas and seeking continuous improvement. The junior school coordinators are all very supportive and it fits very well with the commitment the college has had towards Restorative Justice. 3. What further learning has taken place? The learning has been less of the formal type and more of the situational and ongoing nature that occurs as part of normal classroom practice. The five originally trained Tribes members talk often about how the program is running in the college and use it to exchange our experiences in the classroom and with the program.
The College will provide PD time inside out Professional Learning framework for this to happen later on in Semester Two. 4. What are the major changes that have taken place over the last six months? 4 period timetable in 2006 Successful Leading Schools Fund Submission Greater focus on Professional Development College embraces Restorative Justice as a concept Impact on student learning outcomes Longer blocks of class time Improved facilities/resources Improved Pedagogy Use of Tribes Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Student attitudinal data School Level Report Anecdotal evidence on how classrooms feel Suspension and detention rates Student focus groups Measures used to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes Staff Opinion Survey Annual Review
Impact on your own practice Improved Pedagogy Improved Leadership Skills Greater Knowledge Confidence Focus on outcomes for the person and the class work Principal‟s input 5.
What has been the impact of Teacher Professional Leave on the school and the individual teacher’s practice? The significant changes within the College for 2006 (indicated above in paragraph four), have been powerfully impacted by learning from Teacher Professional Leave. The range of in-house professional development included significant time invested with staff being introduced to “Tribes” understandings. 2006 will see additional training sessions for staff as part of the College in-house professional development program. Changed teacher practice is already evident in the practice of a number of teachers and this will be consolidated this year.