Learning from those around

us…

Presented by: Mark Hendon – Mark.Hendon@education.wa.edu.au

Judith King – Judith.King@education.wa.edu.au

Background InformationPrincipal & Deputy Principal at Boulder Primary School in the Goldfields – Western Australia.

Goldfields Education Region

-54 schools

-59,000 people

-10% of the regions population are of Aboriginal descent, substantially higher than the state of WA as a whole.

-Some of the most disadvantaged children in Australia.

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Bottom quarter Middle quarters Top quarter

School Distribution 65% 23% 10% 2%

Australian Distribution 25% 25% 25% 25%

Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA)

School ICSEA value 846

Average ICSEA value 1000

- 370 students- Large number of graduate teachers and teachers in their first

five years of teaching.- 40% Aboriginal population. - Limited Professional Learning Opportunities.- Low expectations for students, low socio-economic status of

the school.

Boulder Primary School

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Our AimTo raise expectations across the school – instil a belief in our teachers that all children have the capacity to learn and disadvantage does not define ones destiny and cannot be used as an excuse for poor results.

What can be achieved by my students? What do high expectations and standards look like? What other strategies can I use to increase standards and academic outcomes for my students? What assessment practices and techniques are being used?

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What did we do?• An overview was given to the staff• Learning walks were introduced at our school, involving all staff. ACER presentation\WALK THROUGH notes.pdf

Opportunities provided- WOW (Watching others Work) - WWO (Working with Others).- Teacher target setting or Admin suggestions through Performance

Management processes.

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Feedback and reflections were expected from all visiting teachers.

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Network Learning Walks and WOW

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We started with 5 schools across the Network.Small groups – phase teams completing Learning Walks together.Take notes – photos – example worksheets etcReflection as a team – off site.A copy of the reflection is always given to the school visited.From the initial learning walks WOW sessions were organised.Floodgates opened, staff from all schools e-mailed Judith to organise Learning Walks or WOW sessions. Networking across schools became common practice.

Walk through expectations2.pdf

(STRENGTHS)

(OPPORTUNITIES)

(ASPIRATIONS)

(RESULTS/RESOURCES)

Teacher Reflections – Network

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STRENGTHS

- Rotations as seen in Kindergarten - “Good work” display area - each child having their own display area.- Painting of classrooms – coloured walls in pre-Primary.- Set up one of the outside sheds as a home corner for outside play.- DEVELOP A WRITING PROGRAM THAT GETS RESULTS- Very impressive play areas, develop ours, science lab, garden, vet, book corner etc.- YCDI! Displays in classrooms and school.- Focus on planning – details in others planning documents was fantastic

ASPIRATIONS

- Children knew what was expected of them.- Strong weekly structures – timetabling.- Classrooms were very inviting (and the teachers). Bright and amazing!- Work modified for specific groups of children, local connections.- Collaborative planning across classrooms was evident, just had their own spin on it, shows you can still be creative and bring individual talents but plan as a team.- The students writing abilities were AMAZING- Ownership of Learning- PP Portfolios, simple effective Rubrics accompanied work samples, this was fantastic.

- Kindergarten visits asked for to learn more about innovative programs happening.- WOW and WWO sessions to be organised to go and see the writing program to bring ideas and strategies back to Boulder, get our children achieving to the same level.- WWO sessions regarding the portfolios and rubrics- Go back and just watch some of the teachers at work, behaviour management, classroom organisation etc.

OPPORTUNITIES

THREATS- Kindergarten visits asked for to learn more about innovative programs happening.- DEVELOP A WRITING PROGRAM THAT GETS RESULTS- IPad utilisation in the classrooms using Wi-Fi.- Kidney Shaped tables in junior rooms.- Portfolio Rubrics to be developed.- Focus on planning and working in collaborative teams to plan across all phases of learning.- Teachers we have connected with whilst visiting.- Schools and their resources visited.

Teacher Reflections(video)

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Principal Reflections

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