The AP's Space

Leading Schools of the Future: Using Scoopit!

2011-11-13T14:36:00.001+11:00

Recently I found the benefits of using Scoopit! This is a great tool. You simply create your own space - mine is Leading Schools of the Future. You then become the curator for your site posting what you find on the web and placing it all in one space. It allows you to follow other topics you are interested in as well. You can tweet or show your 'finds' on Facebook. It's proving to be a great tool for me.

Pedagogy: What does it really mean?

2011-08-15T13:15:00.000+10:00

As a school principal I am often using the term 'pedagogy' in my conversations and I have always known that it meant the 'art and science of teaching'. This definition has often troubled me. What does that really mean? Especially for teachers in classrooms who are very busy people and don't often have the time to reflect on their work unless the leadership around them allows time for it. Reading this article this morning has highlighted some important points about pedagogy.

'To lead the child' - that is what our work is. To lead them academically, socially and spiritually. How we do this is what we need to examine. I like the idea of thinking about the science as the data that helps to give us direction in teaching and then there is also the evolutionary process of teaching that is the art.

Teaching is in fact an inexact science. And that is why teachers want to reflect on their practice because they want to know that the interventions and processes that they put in place are making a difference to student learning. Dean's last comment rings true - balance. As with any approach in education there needs to be a balance and finding that balance is the exciting part of leadership.

Learning is the work in Victoria

2011-07-24T20:32:00.005+10:00

Reflections on Manor Lakes College and Warringa Park School

After visiting both these schools last week I have reflected on the possibilities for a mainstream school in meeting the needs of students who present with cognitive, behavioural and physical challenges.

· Whole school understanding of inclusion:

There still needs to be much discussion, learning and reflection for staffs about inclusion. There are several issues I believe teachers would fear about becoming fully inclusive: the level of support given; the organisation of learning experiences for all students; dealing with the ‘special’ needs presented; liaising with external services; reporting on student progress;

· Integration of Technological devices: i.e ipads

The use of ipads as ‘learning companions’ for students holds many possibilities. However, in the regular primary school there are some considerations:

- Cost;

- Accessibility;

- IT capability within the school, set up;

- Teacher understanding of the necessity of such devices for students beyond ‘play’;

- Teacher access to devices;

- Accountability

· In school Coaching:

The importance of this should not be underestimated. The best professional learning takes place within the school, with the students. This has been proven at Holy Family Ingleburn with the Oral Language project in 2009, the Maths Talk and the RE projects in 2011. All have been undertaken with teachers, in their classrooms with direct interaction and learning with the children. HFI is also creating opportunities for the extension of IT use and teacher skills with IT through an in school coach.

Also, in school coaches have credibility with the staff with which they work. They are aware of the needs of the school and the culture of learning, pace of learning of teachers. They are also able to adjust the course of learning according to the current needs of the school. That local knowledge is invaluable to ensure change and development takes place.

· Funding Implications:

As mentioned earlier there are implications as to what the school is able to afford. Parental education will be important here as by ensuring parental support of technology works towards ensuring that funds directed by the P&F are used to establish the resources needed to move learning in the desired direction.

· Roles of School Support Officers:

The shifting paradigm of SSO roles with students will require careful thought and planning. Whilst the skills of the SSO’s are never undervalued it is also important that students with the highest needs are not consistently working with staff that have the least qualifications. Carefully defining the balance of classroom support and withdrawal when necessary needs to be done based on what achieves higher student outcomes. Ensuring that staffing meets the needs of the students. Creatively assigning roles and time to areas of need within the school.

· Challenge Based Learning (CBL):

The need for CBL within schools is becoming more and more evident. Students need to follow a pathway of learning that meets their learning needs whilst also receiving explicit instruction of basic skills particularly within primary schools. The whole notion that students will rely more and more on their skills to access information rather than their recall of knowledge and that they will be involved in many ‘career’ paths not just the one is a reality.

· Individual Learning Plans (ILP) & Individual Education Plans (IEP):

Both these types of plans need to be further investigated in terms of reporting to parents, accountability to funding, programming teaching and learning experiences, differentiation of programs

· Use of Space within Schools:

The use of space at both schools visited demonstrated the importance of focussing on student learning and student needs – particularly at Warringa Park. The use of spaces as flexible learning areas where student needs are the priority is important. Discussion of the spaces, agreement to use spaces – indoor and outdoor – with teachers, investigating the ideas around caves, campfires and waterholes.

Finally, I think the biggest challenge will be effectively informing the system and staffs about inclusive education. That it is more than just welcoming students into a community. It’s more than just ensuring that staffing is adequate for the needs of students – it’s essentially about teaching and learning and the most effective way to bring about student outcomes.

The Power of Words

2011-04-19T09:43:00.003+10:00

This morning I received a regular email from Joan Chittister. Joan is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvannia. I must admit that I often don't read the emails but when I do something nearly always touches me in quite a profound way. This morning I watched this short video ...

How has this season of Lent changed you?

So What are our students doing online?

2011-04-18T21:03:00.003+10:00

Recently we thought it would be interesting to gather some local data around technology and its use with our students. We set up a survey for Years 3-6 using SurveyMonkey that looked at student use of computers at home, their access to the internet, the rules around the use of computers in the home, the use of mobile phones and the social networking sites that our students are accessing.

Approximately 220 students answered the survey taking in the majority of students from Years 3-6. These are children who range in age from 8 - 12. The results were quite surprising and at times contradictory to what we sometimes hear in the media about student use of technology.

Following are some of the results that came from the survey:

96.4% of students have a computer at home
68.2% of those students have a computer that they use in their rooms
86.8% have access to the internet at home
34.5% have internet access in their room

These results are probably not too surprising. Most students have a computer and internet access. However, what is more surprising is that not as many students as expected have mobile phones (35.3%) and the access to the internet via such devices is limited. We could presume here that the cost of such access is a factor for children of this age group and that those students who do own a mobile phone have it as security rather that a networking device.

Some encouraging percentages:

38.1% of parents/carers check the websites being viewed some of the time
62.8% of students have specific rules about use of computers at home
61.9% have specific rules about using the internet at home.

These percentages are encouraging as parents are obviously gathering a greater awareness of the need to be vigilant around their children's computer use. It is also a sign that our students are becoming more and more aware of what is appropriate access on the internet.

When asked to name some of the social networking sites that they were accessing 55 students out of the 142 who answered the question are accessing Facebook. I personally do not have a problem with Facebook. If used correctly, it is a great social networking tool. What does concern me is that approximately 39% of students in my school are accessing a social networking site that is far beyond the age recommendation for them.

However, as I previously posted, what we as educators need to be doing is educating our students around the safe and appropriate use of the internet in general. Students will always access sites that are inappropriate for their age, because of the content etc what we need to do is skill and inform them of what is appropriate - just as we would when teaching them to cross the road!

Interestingly, 47 students out of 143 named Google as the site to search for homework tasks while 32 out of 143 named wikipedia as a site for homework tasks/research. This raises questions around the quality of the searching being done. Are students refining searches? Are they using advanced search techniques? What is their ability when search? Do they know how to search well? Do they know how to access a website in terms of the quality of information they are finding?

I am excited about ensuring that the use of IT for students within our school is productive, informed and skilling students to be critical in what they are viewing and accessing.

What are your thoughts?

Alignment: That's the Key

2011-04-17T12:26:00.004+10:00

I often find myself talking to teachers about aligning their work. In these days where compliance is about ensuring that the doors to schools stay open the simplicity of aligning our everyday work to syllabus documents is important. Just as important is the alignment of social media technologies in schools. We need to align the technology with the work that is done in our learning spaces.

I have been reading a blog by George Couros, a Canadian Principal. He makes the point that I have always believed about the access students have to the internet. I am most in favour of having sites 'unblocked' in a school environment. It is our responsibility to make sure that our students know how to search, what to access and what to do if they come across something inappropriate. Shielding them through blocking certain sites isn't educational. That's not skilling them to become critical of what they are accessing and reading.

If I use the analogy of helping children learn how to cross the road: we don't take the trucks and buses off the road when children are learning how to get to the other side. Why don't we? They're the big vehicles that could do the most damage. Instead we show children how to do it. We take them by the hand, walk with them the first few times, show them where to cross safely, and praise them when they get to the other side.

Accessing the internet is no different. What do you think?

Bullying in Schools: An Issue Schools Do Address

2011-04-17T10:46:00.006+10:00

We have heard many reports recently within the media about Bullying in schools. This isn't a new problem and many schools are working towards effectively dealing with bullying. I am hesitant to say that schools are working toward 'solving' the problem of bullying as it is an age old problem that needs to be worked with in a proactive and informed way.

I have been reading a good book No More Bystanders = No More Bullying. If we do what we've always done we'll get what we've always gotten - this quote is taken from the introduction of the book. We do need to look at what we do to ensure that we are guarding students whilst at the same time arming them with skills and strategies to deal with bullying situations when they see, hear about or are involved in one.

But it's not good enough to stop there. We also need to ensure that parents are well informed about bullying as well. This means ensuring that the term 'bullying' is not used loosely. I have, on many occasions, dealt with issues within schools that have been termed 'bullying' by ill informed parents/carers. Often when an investigation is held the 'bully' has in fact been teasing in a one off situation. Whilst this is also not acceptable it's important that we are operating under the same definition. Dr Michael Carr-Gregg sums it up very well in this short clip.

As educators I think we need to get it out in the community that we are doing something about it. We don't let our classrooms and playgrounds become a haven for bullying - we are continually working with the students, their families and our teachers to ensure a good understanding of the forms of bullying and what we can do about it in each of our own communities.

Bringing It Altogether ... A Time for Reflection

2010-11-14T20:49:00.004+11:00

Well it's that time of the year where we start to reflect on what we have done and where we go from here. Over the last two years we have initiated so much in our professional learning community but the greatest of all these is that all the staff are speaking a common language and have a common vision.

I was reading a blog that I regularly have a look at and I really liked the points that were outlined about improvement. Here, they were used to look at system wide improvement but can easily be applied to whole school improvement. The use of these along with the School Review and Improvement Framework will allow us to remain focused as we move into 2011. Thanks for the post on your blog, Greg! As always you have got the thinking flowing ...

I have highlighted the words and phrases that I feel are key to a successful school plan ...

It’s about focus, coherence and consistency
There’s no point in having school goals if there’s no action driving it
Remove the distractions
Ensure your school teams know the focus and can clearly articulate how they’re going to achieve it (ie what are the strategies and tools are going to be used to deliver)
Instruction drives change not data
Instructional practice chases good data
Data is the catalyst for change not judgment
Capacity building @ the point of delivery
Whole school reform needs to be led by the principal and lead teacher, supported by those with expertise and orchestrated by the system
Resist the urge to tell schools everything all at once
Introduce data walls in staff rooms so that teachers can track the learning journey of all students
Everyone should be able to name and know the strategies being used to improve literacy and numeracy
Beliefs and attitudes change when teachers ‘try it’
The more collaborative teams you have, the more you foster leadership
There needs to be a causal connection between goals, strategies and assessment
Develop a language of raising the bar and closing the gap
Foster a sense of systemness at all levels of the system

So next year will be about making connections. Connecting all the 'bits' together and building a learning environment that is engaging, powerful and sustainable. It will mean embracing the changes that the Australian Curriculum may bring; continuing to focus on the needs the children present; further development of the school leadership team through the use of the ACEL framework; all the while keeping focus on what drives learning and teaching within our school:

Providing Catholic Education
Providing Authentic Curriculum and Pedagogy
Embracing the Challenges of 21st Century Education

The Use of Data

2010-10-24T14:38:00.004+11:00

This term we are focussing on the use of data within the school and how it can inform and direct the teaching and learning that occurs with our school. I am conscious that schools that are only driven by data have the potential to lose the creativity that is so desperately needed in education to ensure that we maintain high levels of engagement within students - and for that matter teachers!

This article published by the NSW Institute of Teachers has helped to begin the discussion amongst staff. The article brought several questions and reflections to mind that will help to shape the direction we take the school in 2011:

How do we / how will we transform data into constructive action?

Collaboration = change ... they are dependent upon one another

What questions can we form as a collegial community that will enable us to synthesise our data?

Teachers account for 30% of variance in student performance

What's worth teaching? Developing a shared teacher language

Three year project towards improvement

Data helps to inform the next steps

The underlying message is that the analysis of data is a whole school responsibility: we need to ask ourselves "What is the data telling us Kindergarten through to Year 6?"

Grounding Our Children

2010-09-07T11:31:00.003+10:00

I thought this was a good article. We used to think about taking away the privilege of toys, loss of sports etc. Consequences have to mean something and be connected with mistake the child has made. Reinforces a recent consequence dealt to a student at my school for trying to access inappropriate sites - the removal of the privilege of technology for a period of time was the key to his understanding of how to keep safe.

Perhaps this cartoon reflects some of our dilemmas as parents as well!

Thoughts and Conversations

2010-09-07T10:41:00.006+10:00

As with many schools in Australia mine is undergoing the Education Revolution in terms of building. This, whilst inconvenient, is a very exciting time as it will ensure that our Library space becomes the central part of our school. Last week our Teacher Librarian and I discussed Libraries and the role they have within schools. (We can talk a bit like this these days as we share an office - mine is out of action 'BER' style!) As a principal I believe that our school has the privilege of being able to provide a balance in the education of children.

Research and inquiry methods of education are becoming the norm. Children need to apply skills whilst gaining knowledge. They need to Investigate collaboratively, organise the information, Demonstrate innovative communication techniques and Express themselves illustrating the analysis and synthesis of their thoughts, ideas and conclusions. (IODE - anyone remember that?)

I want to respond here to this post by Judy O'Connell. She raises some really important points here particularly here:

There are NO short cuts to literacy, and there is no replacement for the love of reading! No amount of gaming, movie making, sport, social networking etc can replace the cognitive gains to be made by allowing our students to become deep readers and deep researchers. Technology has so much to offer in this thirst for deep knowledge and engagement with the ebook [r]evolution! However, technology is not a replacement for reading, researching, and the value that school libraries and school librarians can bring to our multimodal digital century.

Our children deserve the synergy that Judy speaks about. They deserve the balance provided by a well resourced Library - with books and access to the latest technologies. They deserve teachers who work collaboratively to guide them in inquiry, they deserve school leaders who don't lose sight of the learner or the needs of the professional learning community.

How fantastic that vision can be created around a 'knowledge - able' students who are immersed in literacy, reading and information fluency. That's the vision to work to bring to reality!

The Importance of the Search

2010-04-11T16:05:00.006+10:00

Recently, the teacher librarian at my school sent through this article. I find this very interesting as I am an advocate for well run and well resourced libraries within schools. Schools will always be places of learning and students need to know how and where to find information that is relevant, suits their needs and is reliable in its source.

My beliefs also include that education can be technology rich so long as the purpose asks for this. I think that this then comes down to the fact that students need to be able to choose, plan, evaluate and reflect upon their own learning.

This leads me to another blog post that I recently read. In listening to what Stephen Heppell says here on Bluyonder, I agree wholeheartedly. The design of the learning needs to be local. Each school is a unique educational force that needs to meet the needs of the students within it. I can see, from a very practical level, what it is that teachers are struggling with - knowing that when they make a change in their practice it will benefit the students within their care. The jump for some teachers is massive.

So does this mean that they are no longer teachers who are relevant in today's education? My short answer to this would certainly be 'no'. Highly experienced teachers can successfully implement strategies that deliver excellent student outcomes. I believe that, essentially, all teachers want to improve. It is up to us (Principals) and systems to support them on this continual cycle of improvement.

As I have mentioned in the two previous posts, I have come across some tools that can be used to allow for greater student engagement, accountability and self evaluation which includes reflection on their own learning. Flexible spaces or not the same high student outcomes can be achieved.

Many of these tools are so simple - asking 5 'Whys' for instance. Or coming to a consensus in understanding through writing individual definitions which are then supported by learning partners to agree on common elements within learning. Understanding the relationships of the elements involved in learning and where to focus first for maximum improvement in student outcomes. This isn't rocket science - it's the practical stuff that can be used at the grass roots with the students.

Sometimes, it is the processes that we put students through and then judge them on when it really needs to be the system that we look at and change. This includes working in Libraries, classrooms, with web 2 tools, as well as working in groups, as individuals and as school communities to further develop student abilities in learning. Life long learning!

No More Merry-Go-Rounds!

2010-04-08T19:25:00.005+10:00

The changes we are currently seeing in education are all about improvement of student outcomes. As a teacher and principal I want to know that the students have the opportunity to reach their potential. How wonderful it would be for students to only receive 2 grades - 'A' or 'Incomplete'. This is what I heard today. Obviously, we have outside forces that impact upon our reporting system but if we truly believed that all children were capable of getting an 'A' on their report card we would see a change in student outcomes and student learning. This is not to mention how successful we would be as teachers!

Building capacity through the simple use of a matrix, using this matrix to build quality learning criteria and then allowing the children to have a say in what they learn, the pace at which they learn and where they go as the next step are just some of the tools.

This also flows into professional learning. Have you ever been in meeting where you feel like you are on a merry-go-round? How do we overcome this? How do we allow everyone to have a voice yet bore down through the layers and get to the real issues that are affecting teaching and learning?

It's great to have the vision, the ideas of continual improvement and the frameworks under which to operate but now I have seen the tools that will enable all of this to become a reality.

Watch this blog for more!

David Langford: Quality Learning Australia

2010-04-06T19:40:00.002+10:00

I am currently doing a four day seminar with David Langford through Quality Learning Australia. It has been an interesting day. David presents a variety of tools that can be used within classrooms and among staff to achieve optimum results. The interesting thing is how closely these tools link with Quality Teaching. The whole idea centres around learning as the core business and how we put processes and structures in place whilst nurturing relationships and recognising them as an essential element in successful teaching and learning. As the week goes on I will post some of the ideas that may come to me through the use of the tools.

Having some fun

2010-03-29T19:40:00.002+11:00

I am currently having a play with this animation site. It's a fun way to retell events or to have a bit of fun with peers. The ideas are endless. I have retold an event of a recent trip with Year 5 to Bathurst. Obviously, I play with the events that occurred.

Schools and ipod touches

2010-03-22T19:35:00.004+11:00

This afternoon I went to an afternoon presentation of a great initiative. The school I went to has begun a journey introducing i-touches in Kindergarten. They are doing some research as they go along where the data will demonstrate the learning gains of the students.

Whilst this isn't new to some, it's a courageous step. The potential of this tool in education is enormous. Higher student engagement is just one of the advantages. The enthusiasm of the staff is contagious and I plan to begin the conversations in my own school.

Obviously, strategic implementation needs to be done. We need to think about many things including:

Who do we start with? Students? Teachers?
What year level do we target?
Where does this 'fit' with our management plan for 2010?
Do we put a timeline around it or let it evolve as a project within itself?

Any other ideas that will help us to bring this to reality at our school?

New Blog

2010-02-07T14:06:00.003+11:00

I have just set up a new blog for my Leadership Team. The intent here is to build a learning community discussion place that will enable us to continually ask question around what we are doing to help improve student learning within our school.

It also aims to help us to develop our own understanding of leadership. Leadership for learning.

Learning for Leadership

2009-10-17T08:32:00.003+11:00

This morning I began to read Learning for Leadership. This book has been written by Michelle Anderson and Christine Cawsey. Over the course of the year I have listened and re-listened to an ACEL podcast of Chrisine's where she presents, in my opinion, some terrific ideas, views and strategies in enabling schools to move forward with learning. Christine is the Principal of Rooty Hill High School in Sydney's west.

Anyway as I read the introductory chapter I was struck again by what I believe to be the foundation of educational change. This comes from the OECD guidelines for improving School Leadership:

" ... the proposition is put forward that leadership is more than just technique and timing; it is about the morally purposeful pursuit of change beyond individual achievement, to the collective commitment to challenging inequality - in its broadest sense."

It will be interesting to continue to read as I am seeking information that I can build into a framework for leadership development within my school. Shifting the leadership from management to embedding learning within all that is done. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated!

Liza Minelli: Legendary Entertainer Awesome Creator

2009-10-17T08:23:00.003+11:00

I was recently watching a program where Liza Minelli was interviewed. She is such a gracious woman who showed a true human side of entertainment in this particular show. One thing that struck me is that even though she has performed for many years every time she sings a song she sings it as if "it is the first time but also the last".

I started to think about this and wondered if we thought this way each time we walked into the classroom/school how much more creative we could be with our work. If every lesson I taught was a lesson that I viewed as being the first but also the last. Imagine the potential of what could happen for the students in front of me!

Tactics or Strategies: It's all about keeping the focus

2009-10-13T19:30:00.005+11:00

It's interesting how when you get so busy in the life of a school it seems like ages before you can sit down and have a good read of some research or browse of the internet. Yet when I do get these moments I really enjoy what I find. I have recently been interested in attending the ACEL Summer School and was doing a little bit of research of my own about the four days in January. Anyway, I came across the site of Dr Cheryl Doig. She has a plethora of information on this site including links to a wet paint site that discusses the foundations of building Professional Learning Communities.

Some of the interesting comments that Cheryl makes include:

Are Principals using tactics or strategies? It's the strategies that will work!
What questions are being asked when building a school culture that values 'walk throughs'?

Why would I be doing this?

What changes do I want?

Where are we heading as a school?

What collective culture do we need to build with our staff to be able to get there?

Remaining focused whilst developing the norms of working together which in turn will develop dialogue and discussion.

What is one thing we can identify that will make a difference if we explore it just that little bit further?

But most of all working in schools is about working with people. When we are working with people we need to remember:

Building people: building the common language
Working on collaborative ways of working together
Community building
Facilitation is paramount

Continual articulation of purpose: Referring back; questioning; have we met what we said we would work toward?

Most important of all I believe is the development of shared responsibility. The agreement of the norms of working together allows for all to take responsibility of the school and the learning that is occurring within it.

Adding to the Assessment Dialogue

2009-08-30T13:01:00.002+10:00

Just read a post that generates some great thoughts around the assessment process and what we are actually doing when setting assessment tasks. Pete speaks about the layers of assessment. How many layers are we creating to ensure that we are getting to the complexity of student learning? I agree here that the dialogue is crucial. Sometimes teachers just don't appreciate how much they can actually bring to the conversation and how much learning can come because of the conversation they have. The learning I talk about here is not just student learning bit professional teacher learning as well.

We have to keep unpacking the layers, adding the layers, asking questions - key critical questions about what the students are doing so that their learning and our teaching is continually informed.

Action Research - Helping to Form a Dynamic Professional Learning Community

2009-08-30T12:08:00.005+10:00

Over the last three weeks the staff at our school have been implementing action research within their learning spaces that stems from backward mapping of assessment tasks. This has been a dynamic professional learning experience to which the teachers have taken like 'ducks to water'! At our recent feedback staff meeting our teachers discussed their task and what was gained from the action research. What we have been able to do is generate some exciting professional direction that will enable us to meet the needs of students at this point in time at Holy Family.

So, what are our future directions?

Further development of structures for students when completing tasks
Differentiation of student work
Scaffolding students toward recognising their strengths in which to work
Open ended tasks
Students taking direct responsibility for their learning
Specific focus on what needs to be taught
Monitoring of student work
Identification of what needs to be taught: informing teaching and learning
Development of KLA specific language

This just highlights our next step. We are ready know to take on the challenge of embracing the Quality Teaching Framework whilst ensuring key links with the Diocesan School Review and Improvement Framework.

An exciting journey lays before us!

Positive Behaviour For Learning (PB4L) The Journey Has Begun

2009-08-17T20:24:00.003+10:00

Holy Family Parish Primary School at Ingleburn has begun working with PB4L in 2009. Whilst only at the beginning of the PB4L journey, the staff of Holy Family has embraced the framework as an alternative way of operating to improve student behaviour and therefore, student academic performance. PB4L is highlighting the need across all schools and within the community to implement a consistent and equitable approach to Pastoral Care.

The framework is a preventive approach to behaviour management that allows for individual student differences to be identified, accepted and managed. One of the most significant changes with this approach has been the collection and analysis of data from all areas of the school, particularly the playground and classroom. This data has allowed the staff to ask critical questions about the processes and procedures in place and what can be done to prevent repeated inappropriate behaviour.

The development of a set of clear school rules accompanied with an expectations matrix has allowed for significant staff discussion as well as drawing on research both within Australia and overseas. The discussion is allowing all staff to be involved and to own the framework. It has also assisted with defining the need to explicitly teach students the appropriate behaviour to display within the school context. This is vital for the sustainability of Positive Behaviour For Learning over time.

PB4L is not a program or complete package. It is a framework that is designed to be applied at the local school level taking into account the needs of the school which are defined by the staff who work within the school.

Holy Family has a PB4L team that is made up of teachers and a school support officer. The team also has a mentor from the Catholic Education Office who brings a different perspective whilst asking challenging and constructively critical questions about the implementation process.

At Holy Family PB4L offers students pastoral care at an individual level. Recognition and celebration of positive behaviour plays as equally an important role as consequences for inappropriate behaviour. Celebration and forgiveness are essential elements which allow children to learn from their mistakes and to move forward in a positive way.

Within a Catholic school environment, Holy Family looks to the example Jesus gave us in the parable of the Lost Son about forgiveness, acceptance of indiscretions and celebration of relationships amongst us.

“… But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” Luke 15:32

Celebrating First Communion

2009-06-15T21:33:00.002+10:00

Yesterday the students from my school celebrated their First Communion. It was a wonderful occasion for the community. It highlighted some significant elements of what it means to be a Catholic:

the presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist is our opportunity to be spiritually nourished;
we allow our children the privilege and the right to be a part of a Catholic Christian community; and
the preparation for the Eucharist is a time of significance for children and their families. It is a time for renewal and recognising the commitment we make as members of the Church.

Celebrations such as this are a reminder of the rituals that our church holds. They are significant to our understanding of who we are as people and where we are headed in our lives. As an adult it reinforces to me the importance of proclaiming that I am a Catholic and I am proud of my Church and her rich tradition.

Time to Think ...

2009-06-02T20:13:00.002+10:00

The last week has been a challenge for me. I am recognising that as Principal I certainly think a little bit differently to what the 'system' is directing. My beliefs about leadership within the school certainly haven't changed. When I reflect on the people I work with from day to day, I know that they have the capacity to develop in ways that they do not yet know. This is the challenge I face in my leadership.

I suppose it is this that I find really exciting - it's the 'disjointed' messages and puzzles that are sent through the system that I find frustrating. After all, I am the one leading the school. The system is there to support - but maybe someone should tell them that!

Teaching Reading

2009-05-19T21:08:00.005+10:00

I have been led to read the Report and Recommendations from the

2005 National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy.

This is an easy read and makes sense in what leaders and teachers discuss on an almost daily basis. Out of the executive summary I find the following themes emerging:

Teaching reading needs to be based on rigorous evidence
Instruction in phonics is essential in the early years
Explicit teaching of the 5 big ideas of reading is integral to a comprehensive and integrated approach to the teaching of reading
Phonics instruction needs to occur whether or not students are experiencing reading difficulties
There is no one approach or tool for teaching reading
Teacher quality makes a difference to the teaching of reading
Effective leadership where a whole school approach is adopted is important in teaching reading
Time given to staff for professional learning

Currently my school has worked extremely hard at developing a professional learning community with reading as its focus. We have come a long way in a short six months. The challenge now is to keep the enthusiasm and learning alive!

Continuing to Move Forward

2009-05-04T19:26:00.003+10:00

I have spent the afternoon listening to the key note of Dr Douglas Reeves from the ACEL 2008 conference. It is most interesting to listen and then reflect on my practice in working toward the improvement of student outcomes within my school.

Reeves asks us to consider 3 points that drive change in regards to leadership:

Leadership Matters
Leadership is Inclusive
Leadership Practices can be taught and learned

This highlights for me the need to develop structures for the leadership team which enable them to become leaders who are leading the learning - not administrative leaders.

Reeves also takes a 'tongue in cheek' look at leaders who are intent on ensuring that the '3 ring binders' are full of policies and documents in which the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed - yet they have no correlation to student outcomes. I also like the way that he describes the use of data. It shouldn't be an 'autopsy'. Does the autopsy patient get better? We need to focus on the type of feedback we are giving students to enable them to move forward at the right time - not five months after the lesson has taken place.

Part of the nature of the job is to ensure compliance and to ensure accountability of the development and progress of the school, however, I believe that the administration cannot consume the leader's time. Leaders in schools need to be pedagogically focused to ensure change occurs for the children and to ensure that teachers have every opportunity to develop rewarding professional lives. Accountability aspects can be streamlined and combined to be beneficial rather than an added aspect of the job. It's about working that bit smarter.

So what then is the next step? I am keen for teachers to develop their own 'networks' amongst themselves. By asking a simple question such as "What is good reading instruction?" Reeves also says that mere professional development is not enough. We need to allow teachers the opportunity for:

monitoring;
implementation;
focus;
specificity;
measurability

This adds to the direction of ensuring that teachers are moving forward through action research projects that will allow a focus around a specific topic where they will implement strategies which can be monitored by colleagues with a measurable outcome from the students.

It would be great to hear of any other projects similar to this that schools may be undertaking.

PhotoFunia: A Fun Photo Site

2009-04-16T10:52:00.002+10:00

I came across this site where you can make yourself - or anyone else - look really good! It's called PhotoFunia Check out this photo of me I knew I was destined for more than just working in education!!

Have a go. What do you think of this site?

At Last A Positive Message About Bullying!

2009-04-04T14:31:00.003+11:00

For a long time now I have recognised that bullying is a problem that all schools face - no secrets there! However, I have seen how poorly managed it can be. This can be from zero tolerance to ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away.

I have worked using the Shared Concern or No Blame Approach for a couple of years and it seems to be the most effective as it addresses the bully within the situation and can often uncover a multitude of issues that he/she may be facing. This short video talks about a school principal who has made a similar approach through a 'bullying survey'.

This gives me hope that there are many pro-active approaches to an age old problem.

The Next Step

2009-03-30T20:28:00.002+11:00

As the term comes to an end I am conscious of what our next step in living and working with our pillar statements will be. The intent now is to make a difference to the children. I am also keen to ensure that our parent community is walking the journey with us. This will allow a transparency of action across the school - making an informed community.

I have been interested in the work of John Hattie. In this video he speaks about 3 essential components of teachers' work.

These are:

Challenge
Feedback
Deliberate Practice

He also discusses teachers talking with teachers about student work and student learning. The importance of teachers evaluating their work to allow for deliberate and facilitative action. Teachers are those who should be setting up the interventions which are allowing for greater engagement rather than allowing students to comply in lessons with work that they already know how to do.

What will drive us forward from here?

Student data and the analysis of it for learning. Our direction to focus on reading will also allow for greater professional learning of colleagues where discussion, collaboration and informed teaching can take place.

Just had to use wordle!!

2009-03-08T20:55:00.001+11:00

This is my blog according to wordle.

Another very interesting blog

2009-03-08T19:42:00.003+11:00

I came across this blog through Twitter. It has some fantastic work on it. You can really see the potential of using some of the ideas within schools. Of particular note is the Bloom's taxonomy of the digital age. What a great way to help us think about which applications allow for the various areas of thinking with the students. Have a look and see what you think.

This diagram may help you to understand what I'm talking about. There is also a wikispace that gives more information about it.

Glogging

2009-03-08T14:00:00.004+11:00

Another keen blogger has put me on to Glogging. Here you can create different posters of your photos to share. It's good fun. This link will take you to a poster of my daughter with our other dog!

And another one

2009-03-08T11:45:00.003+11:00

Of course I have found another site worth noting. This one has come from one of my favourite blogs. The potential for use of this one is great - both within the classroom and within staff professional learning. I really like the potential it holds. Check out todaysmeet.com. What do you see that it could be used for?

Sites worth noting

2009-03-08T11:02:00.002+11:00

Spend the morning surfing the web and you can come across some pretty cool sites! I found Be Funky. It allows you to take a digital image and create some great effects with it. This is one I created using an image of my daughter and one of our dogs. It comes out quite effective and it is only one of the many options.

Pillar Statements

2009-03-05T20:42:00.002+11:00

We have begun to form our 'pillar statements' upon which we are going to continue to build the future of the school. We shared experiences that then allowed us to identify common threads or themes. These will help to form the statement. The richness of the discussion was great. The challenge is now to lean on the pillars as we move forward and not let our vision be blurred by the many 'other' items that tend to creep into the agenda.

Aligning the thinking

2009-03-02T21:33:00.002+11:00

My current task as Principal is to ensure that everyone within the school has a strong sense of what is our current focus. We are about to embark on creating some "pillar statements" which will support us in the work we do throughout this year and the next. Our statements will be around:

Providing Catholic Education
Developing Authentic Curriculum and Pedagogy
Meeting the Challenges of 21st Century Learning

In collaborating together to form these statements we will be asking one another questions, probing research for information that substantiates our thoughts and beliefs and developing our thinking around the purpose of Catholic education within our community.

One of the challenges is to move from a task centred learning to an action based learning. Some questions I am currently pondering:

What is it that will drive this type of thinking?
How can we measure our success in terms of student learning and teacher professional learning?
What evidence can we look for in these early days of change?

Developing networks ... Going Beyond the What and Who we Know

2009-02-22T15:45:00.004+11:00

I have just finished reading a post on a very informative blog that I often 'lurk' about! Today I actually posted a comment because it really struck a chord with me having just moved schools and moved from the 'physical' safety of my network. As I am now working within a new Diocese I am ever more conscious of keeping up the networks I have created over the years. I am now trying to invite my new colleagues into my network and further develop the enthusiasm found within social networking sites. I am about to set up a delicious account for my school so that we can store and share what we find together. This may be the first small step toward expanding my own network and helping others create theirs!

Applying Strategy

2009-02-08T13:50:00.002+11:00

There are times when you can't see the vision because of all the 'tasks' that have to be done. I am acutely aware of the perceived need that staff have to 'have a meeting' about this and that. I am not against the discussion that may take place or the collaboration that would occur, in fact I invite that. What concerns me is that such meetings don't fulfill the plan of the school - the development and growth of teaching and learning.

So, this week my plan is to get the 'tasks' done and to get stuck into the plan of the school so that we are able to formulate some specific goals. I am keen to place the lens of School Review and Improvement (SRI) over what we are currently doing and what we plan for the school.

The Year Has Begun

2009-02-01T21:39:00.003+11:00

Well the year is off to a great start. We had a really good first day as a staff and at the moment I am considering it my first success as a Principal. There is just so much to do! I see the future with endless possibilities and they are all about moving HFS Ingleburn from a good school to a great school. I am in a good place ... and I am loving it.

Amazing Grace

2009-01-06T17:07:00.003+11:00

I just finished watching an interesting movie entitled Amazing Grace. It is really one worth watching. It follows the story of William Wilberforce a faith-filled English politician who campaigns tirelessly to abolish the slave trade in Britain. His work seemed hopeless and yet he gathered energy from every aspect of his life including his devotion to animals and the environment. As I watched, I couldn't help but think about the courage of men - and women - in those early days which shaped society as we know it today.

The song, which my grandfather always sang, now has a very different meaning in my life and echoes the words my grandfather used to tell us ... 'there but for the grace of God go I ...'.

It begs the question - what are we doing about our faith and committing ourselves to what we believe in? How do we work toward ensuring that the world in 200/300 years time will be a better place than that which we are living in? What can we do? ...

Tags ...

2009-01-01T16:18:00.002+11:00

This nifty site helps create words in a cloud so that your thoughts are shared across your networks ...

compassion ears fun human interaction minds open personhood physical

created at TagCrowd.com

What Learning Can Look Like

2009-01-01T15:40:00.008+11:00

I have been reading some blogs of my colleagues and again the ideas are coming thick and fast. One blog linked to the speech of Dave Eggers. Much can be learnt from this short talk. I have taken these particular points:

• Schools generally don't need anything more in terms of time, resources etc. What we do need is flexibility of thinking.
• Our learning communities can be traditional rooms or they can be flexible spaces of community learning.
• Obstacles to ideas can be overcome
• Success wont come to you as leader unless you build the trust of others and look for the ‘trust’ gap
• Essential to know the community to ensure that you are putting the right people in the right job working with the right kids
• The key to a happiness: happy children = happy families = happy communities = happy cities = happy world
• Opening schools beyond immediate community and parents utilising many within the community
• Kids work harder when they know their work will be honoured
• Building transformative partnerships
• Let the teachers lead the way ...

What do you think?

Christian the Lion ... what we can learn...

2009-01-01T14:41:00.003+11:00

The following video shows an incredible amount of strength, belief and understanding by man toward the animal kingdom. It is important to know that this is a true story that occurred in England in the late '60's. How far we have come in our treatment and understanding of animals and their kingdom.

It demonstrates to me that what we do as educators in the early years of a child's life will, in fact, stay with them for many years. We may not be fortunate enough to see what becomes of their lives as these two men were. What comes to your mind as you watch it?

2009 ...

2009-01-01T14:28:00.003+11:00

The New Year has begun and with it comes excitement and a whole change agenda for my professional life. I am really keen to get started and my thought processes are already beginning. So many questions ...

What will day one look like?
What questions will the staff want to ask and expect answers to?
How will they react to my approach in leadership?

I have been listening to the ACEL podcasts from the recent conference. I like some of the ideas around leadership and successful change. A sense of humour was what has been noted as essential. At least I know I have one of those!!

Merry Christmas ... Just for Fun!

2008-12-04T21:41:00.001+11:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Where conversations will take you ...

2008-11-19T20:51:00.004+11:00

I was fortunate enough to have a great conversation with a colleague today about beginning the 'principalship journey'. I told him about the Leap of Faith and the whole idea of Appreciative Inquiry. He reinforced the ideas and took it one step further:

Use the Inquiry process to:

develop a set of guiding principles upon which the school operates
use the principles to develop strategies that allow for the achievement of teachers' professional goals
identify what the principles will and wont look like in action
use the principles to direct the key accountabilities of the staff.

The start of the journey is beginning to look a little clearer.

The Future

2008-11-18T20:27:00.003+11:00

Just reading Bluyonder and a post about Stephen Heppell. He certainly makes some significant points about the industrial model of education and the idea to make things smaller and therefore more meaningful for the children.

He elaborates on what it means to be a community with effective communication, using local experts and developing 'wonderful teachers'. It is also exciting to hear him describe children who are peer teaching one another - this is a very powerful idea and one that is extremely effective. And that tool sits right in front of us!

Taking a Leap of Faith

2008-11-18T19:34:00.005+11:00

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In further reading of Appreciative Inquiry I have come across a project done in 2003 that asks pertinent discussion points for initiating change in a positive and affirming framework:

1) Discover the best in education’s past, present and future,

2) Dream bold new visions of what we want the future to look like for every young person,

3) Design those bold new visions into statements that will guide action for the future, and

4) Create a plan for moving toward our Destiny.

I am beginning to see a way forward for those initial discussions with my 'new' leadership team and how we can create our key accountabilities which will include strategies and indicators of success in our movement towards our 'destiny'.

I'm not sure if this is a good word to describe change in education as I don't know that the 'destiny' is ever achievable. What is a better word or discussion point? Perhaps creating a plan to move forward on our journey.

Investigating the Future

2008-11-18T17:17:00.003+11:00

I have been doing a great deal of thinking around the coming new year and my new position. I understand that what I am embarking on is something quite unique and exciting. The proposition of taking a school into the next phase of its development is empowering to my leadership.

Today I received the latest ACEL magazine. This is a journal that is really a springboard for ideas. One of the articles discussed the process of Appreciative Inquiry. This is a process that I think will help take the school to the next step.

I love the way that it acts on the positive that is happening within the school - to view the school as an affirmative system and structure.

My further reading will help to reveal the process of change that I will endeavour to lead.

Just Because ...

2008-11-04T20:24:00.003+11:00

How funny is this? I just love it. It gives me a good feeling about embarking as a new principal in a new school!

New Ideas

2008-10-30T20:24:00.002+11:00

Today I had my first meeting in the Wollongong Diocese. The work completed was around School Review and Improvement. The process, as I am currently understanding it, is one that allows for alignment to be created across schools based upon their individual needs. Schools are required to rate aspects of their current 'performance' through the collection of evidence.

What I really like about this process is that it seems to be what you would work on continuously enabling consistent growth in all areas. While time frames are put into place they allow schools to explore and develop professional learning communities which will help to improve student outcomes.

I am looking forward to working with this model. It will help to give me direction as a new Principal in 2009.

The Race for President

2008-10-05T16:07:00.003+11:00

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I was on Twitter this afternoon and able to follow this link. It is interesting to listen to some of the podcasts that are presented here. Educators have been asked to give 'advice' to the presidential candidates on Education throughout the US. Many of their issues and concerns are similar to those we face here in Australia. It's just another perspective on our work but an interesting one nonetheless.

The Theory of the U

2008-09-25T13:07:00.002+10:00

It's interesting to listen to Peter Senge speak about learning. He describes learning as thinking and acting. To look at thinking and acting as a cycle of learning where the two are connected.

Where does the U come into this?

The U is how deep you want the learning to be. So if we are talking about the nature of learning we can talk about superficial learning or learning that is quite profound and leads to deep and lasting change. We are making sense of our reality and move to a different and deeper domain of thinking.

This leads us then to what is the challenge for educators. In thinking about all of this I came across this clip about the gift of learning. It is a nice story that highlights the importance of the relationship between the teacher and the student.

What are teachers doing for the children? And

What are they doing with the children?

Learning Communities

2008-09-24T20:11:00.004+10:00

I have read a couple of posts recently regarding how to create communities of learning with the use of web 2 tools. I am keen to become a part of such communities as I believe that this type of learning will help to drive education forward. I especially feel that this is important as I enter a new diocese so keeping in touch with all the committed people I currently speak to will be very important as well as extending the community to include my new one!

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Catholic Schools: A conversation

2008-09-24T20:00:00.002+10:00

Whilst not many staff were there this afternoon we certainly began some good discussion around what challenges we face as a school of evangelisation. The questions raised were similar:

How do we proclaim the Gospel to a basically unchurched or non Catholic population?
What concessions do we make for those children whose faith formation begins at school?
How do we enable people to encounter the Gospel anew?
How do we enhance and improve our Religious Education curriculum?

The next step will be to identify what is working in our Catholic school in terms of Catholicity and what is working in terms of education.

Catholic Schools - Catholic Education

2008-09-22T20:06:00.004+10:00

As a Catholic school principal I am continually challenged by what makes the school Catholic. What are we providing for children that isn't provided by the local state school down the road? Recently I was able to again read through the document put out by the NSW & ACT Bishops entitled Catholic Schools at a Crossroads. Our schools are described as 'Jewels in the Crown' - a fairly awesome responsibility! It picks up that Catholic schools are centres of 'The New Evangelisation'. How do we re-found or re-vision our school as a centre of evangelisation?

That is the question I will present to my colleagues this week. I am hopeful that this will enable good conversation around what makes our school Catholic but also to name what education at HFS is all about.

The New Future

2008-09-22T19:59:00.003+10:00

In my last post I spoke about the uncertainty of the future. I need not have worried. I have been appointed Principal of Holy Family School Ingleburn in 2009. Whilst this will be a change of Diocese I am really looking forward to driving a school into the future. I have many questions that run through my mind constantly about 2009 but I know I have to finish up here at HFS Luddenham.

January will be here soon enough!

New Future???

2008-08-31T16:44:00.002+10:00

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The week that has just gone by has been one full of challenges. I attended an interview in another Diocese and came away thinking quite positive thoughts but now having not heard anything for the past 4 days I am beginning to think that I was unsuccessful.

I keep going over the interview and its process in my mind and now am looking at it from a challenge perspective. I have to admit I didn't have a great deal of time to prepare for it - mainly due to the commitments at work. But I don't hold that as an excuse ...

All I keep thinking is that I presented as myself ... not someone or something else that I could not sustain or live up to.

I wonder if it will be a new future after all?

School Culture

2008-08-17T20:46:00.002+10:00

This weekend I attended the first part of my third unit within the Masters course about Leading the Catholic School. It was a great couple of days to reflect on the development of a Catholic school culture and to make connections between student learning, culture and professional learning directions.

I was lucky enough to sit with a member of the CEO's teacher educator team and a teacher from a christian brothers school. The contrasts between our three types of employment within Catholic education were both interesting and startling. I look forward to continuing this conversation.

The Week ... and the ship still sails!

2008-07-30T20:52:00.002+10:00

Well the first week of term has gone really quickly. It's interesting when you change a role within a school setting and how the day changes so dramatically. From having days where I did a lot of teaching to days - like today - where I:

listened to teachers discussion about parent teacher interviews
taught kindergarten reading
tracked what was going wrong with the alarm
visited the parish to talk more about the pastoral council (oh and the alarm!)
sifted through the information about the Institute of Teachers
at some point I ate!
went out to the playground to observe some children ...

and so the day continued. The danger or perhaps the challenge is to keep my focus on the learning.

How?

I think I will develop my key accountabilities as Principal for the next 6 months and then my head can centre on the learning of HFS and not the alarm!!

Best Practice or Better Practice:

2008-07-21T21:24:00.003+10:00

It just so happened that I picked up the ACEL magazine The Australian Educational Leader at quite an opportune time - when I have been thinking about how to maintain the momentum of Professional Learning within the staff. This article was quite insightful in that it looked at the paradigm of 'Best Practice' and 'Better Practice'.

Rather than trying to achieve best practice which has constantly shifting goal points due to research and other 'best practice products' we should be looking at how we can better our practice by extending and challenging existing skills of teachers.

The authors Peter Hayes and Peter Noonan are from Western Australia CEO and have worked towards revitalising the professional development strategy by creating a more integrated approach. It is based around four cornerstones:

a focus on time
a focus on support
a focus on leadership
a focus on students (the most important).

The fact that teachers make the most difference as evidenced in Hattie's research (2003) stood out to me as the most important factor in teachers coming to understand the necessity to refine their pedagogical thinking.

Hattie's research shows that teachers account for the greatest source of variance in student learning.

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The whole idea of all teachers taking responsibility for the learning of all students is an idea that I think would be worth pursuing as the next step in professional dialogue - bringing the learning to the strategies used with individual children.

Just Thinking

2008-07-20T16:34:00.001+10:00

Here I am sitting and pondering what will come up throughout the term and what challenges I may face. I came across Wordle where you can create a cloud of words associated with your thoughts. Obviously, my thoughts at the moment are all around leadership so this is the one I created. Clever tool!

WYD08

2008-07-20T13:32:00.003+10:00

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses. (Acts 1:8)

I have probably not focused as much on WYD as I should have. This morning I watched the mass from the comfort of my home but it was a moving experience in itself. The Pope is a remarkable symbol of our Church and I feel that Benadict brings a truly human face to the Church.

Much has been said about what WYD means and where to from here. I heard an interview early in the week with a Melbourne based priest who spoke of the importance of reaching out after the event. The scripture quoted above speaks to us of that. The Holy Spirit did indeed come to Sydney in the form of many pilgrams but now it is the call to be witness to that Spirit within the world. It begs the question: How will I be witness to the Spirit and my faith once the pilgrams have returned home?

OK ... What now?

2008-07-20T12:57:00.002+10:00

The last week of term 2 was quite hectic. My Principal was asked to take on the principal role of Stanhope Gardens. This appointment is for the remainder of 2008. This then allowed the opportunity for me to accept the Principal position at Luddenham. Whilst this is exciting it is also daunting. I know that Gary has set a remarkable precedent as Principal but this will be now my opportunity to develop my leadership skills. I have many questions running through my head - how will I continue to develop teachers and their skills? What strategies will I use to ensure that the focus remains on the learning? How will I manage my own time to ensure that I don't become a manager but rather continue to lead the learning?

I think I will be posting my thoughts and ideas on a much more regular basis!!

Creating Podcasts

2008-06-11T20:12:00.001+10:00

I just love having the time to explore the world of computers, technology and their capacity in learning. In helping my daughter with her homework we decided to explore creating podcasts. The potential this simple tool has for learning is just mind blowing!

Learning From Colleagues

2008-04-25T11:59:00.002+10:00

I do feel blessed when I set out to explore the wide world of the web. I work with some remarkable people from whom I continue to learn so much. One is our teacher librarian who is an avid 'blogger'. She maintains our staff blog on which there is a huge amount of information and learning to be had. Thanks for all you give Fran!

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The Things You Find!

2008-04-25T11:43:00.004+10:00

I have been reading loads of work on leadership recently but one of the most practical sites that I have come across is out of New Zealand. They have a great approach in assisting and informing their school leaders to improve the work that goes on in schools. One such site is Leadspace.

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This site looks at all the components of leadership and gives clear definitions about each of the components. It's a pretty good read!

Another place of interest is the First Time Principals Programme. I used some of the ideas here in the Learning Conversations that I have had in Term 1 with my Stage 1 colleagues.

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Investigating Shared Leadership

2008-04-21T14:18:00.002+10:00

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In completing my second assignment for my masters I was required to interview four people within my school. I am quite humbled that my principal posted his thoughts from my interview with him onto his own blog. I am now required to respond to what I see as the rhetoric and reality of shared leadership within schools. Not as easy as it sounds!

What's Worth Fighting For ...?

2008-04-20T15:35:00.003+10:00

I have been reading Michael Fullan's updated and revised book - What's Worth Fighting for in the Principalship. It is an easy read that very much puts into perspective the elements of shared leadership and how these can be effectively employed within a school. It has been good to read this especially with my current assignment in Shared Leadership in which I have to discuss the gaps between the rhetoric and current practice of shared leadership within schools.

Learning Conversations

2008-03-02T14:34:00.002+11:00

Tomorrow we begin to have Learning Conversations with our teachers. This process is going to be one that I think everyone will find challenging. The conversations will be a two way dialogue that makes connections between classroom practice and our core purpose to improve student outcomes with a focus on reading.

I'd like to see these conversations as a time for both affirmation and support but also challenge. Allowing teachers to take that next step in their own professional development. This may mean that some of the teachers will feel uncomfortable because they may have to move out of their comfort zone and really focus on what improvements could be made.

Some of the research that I have read to support me in this process has come from New Zealand. It highlights the importance not to look at teachers through my own teaching style but rather to appreciate what it is they are doing and their reasons behind the organisation of their room, their lessons and their programs.

Key Accountabilities 2008

2008-02-17T11:25:00.002+11:00

As part of the my Leadership Role it is essential that I create a list of Key Accountabilities that align with the system and school priorities. Attached are the key accountabilities on which I will focus throughout '08.

Accountability: To supervise and ensure quality learning and teaching for improved student outcomes.

· Use of grade and Learning Support planning days
· Effective classroom instruction in reading K-2
· Learning Conversations with teachers K-2
· Examination of data for effective teaching
· Implementation of Parents in Classrooms course
Utilise planning opportunities to transfer technological skills to classroom tasks

Accountability:To support and guide the development of the Catholic Community at Holy Family

· Implement a strong prayer focus within whole school assemblies
· Invitation to parents to Parents in Classrooms course
· Structured and focused prayer opportunities for Year 6B
· Values Education Forum

Accountability: To develop confidence and competence through professional learning

· Participation in Masters of Educational Leadership
· Learning Conversations with teachers
· Application of what is learnt to the classroom situation

Term One - Raising the Bar

2008-02-17T10:09:00.003+11:00

It's interesting to reflect on where we've already come in four short weeks. I have been able to be a part of assessing students in K, 1, and 2 using the DIBELS assessment tool. It is a short test - approximately 5 minutes per child - that gives a good indication of what the student can and can't do in terms of their reading.

Kindergarten students are already receiving instruction based on the needs presented from the test and are already showing signs of strong improvement. It marks the fact that when the bar is raised and the expectation is high students - and their teachers - will rise to the challenge. This will help to create greater student engagement from Kindergarten.

Proactive Staff

2008-02-06T21:29:00.000+11:00

It's great to be able to sit in a staff meeting and also to present to my colleagues in such a welcoming and professional environment. Today we had the opportunity to continue to explore the reading process and how we can become better teachers of reading. Explicit teaching and allowing the focus to be on reading rather than the written responses to reading is a challenge for us all! But for our teachers to be the "researchers" - gathering the information, discussing, applying and taking on new ideas only allows a professional learning community to come to life. The question now will be how can we continue the passion and enthusiasm generated? How will we know that the research has been effective? How can we continue to encourage teachers to take the risk? How can we ensure that every year we are enabling teachers to become more effective in what they do?

Investigating Metacognition: Visible Thinking

2008-01-09T20:40:00.000+11:00

This video is one I found whilst having a look for some information about Visible Thinking. I thought it was very interesting as it demonstrates some real thinking around the use of literature as well as highlighting the depth of discussion and questioning that can take place within a Literature Circle. It may be worthwhile to use this model as a way to assist teachers in developing strategies within reading groups.

How People Learn

2008-01-09T18:20:00.000+11:00

Brain, Mind, Experience and School

Leadership within a school can often mean revisiting some of the theories that were originally learnt in college or university many years ago. I have had one such experience in reading the first chapter of a book by the National Research Council - Learning: From Speculation to Science.

This chapter discussed the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky but gave them a modern context allowing me to reflect on what I may already know but with the experience of how students learn within today's schools and curriculum. It has helped to further refine my thinking around student's learning in today's environment.

Some key points:

Pure constructivist theory is that all knowledge is built on previous knowledge but students do need guidance and attendance to their interpretations to ensure that they are accurate
Conventional methods of teaching vs an inquiry based approach
Helping students take control of their own learning
Connecting goals for learning - teaching practices - student ability
Student competence requires 1. factual knowledge 2. facts and ideas within a conceptual framework 3. organisation of knowledge which facilitates retrieval and application
Metacognition: an internal conversation. This allows an understanding for and use of visible thinking

Much of what is written within this first chapter has some real practical applications to our school for 2008. It will help me to develop a framework with which I can assist teachers within their own classrooms in Kindergarten and Stage One. It will also allow the scope with which Stage 3 work to be widened in terms of Project Based Learning.

Key Accountabilities - To Develop Confidence and Competence through Professional Learning

2007-11-25T21:22:00.000+11:00

The year has offered a huge array of professional learning opportunities that I continue to synthesise in order to develop a sound leadership style. The Institute and its standards are an excellent yardstick by which to measure and evaluate my own performance. I have tried to return to these throughout the year when monitoring my next step.

I completed the APLDP course set by the Catholic Education Office. This was an excellent re-entry into study and has led me to enrol in my Masters of Educational Leadership in 2008.

I have been fortunate enough to attend a few sessions with Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves. Their work offers incredible insights into the future of education. They offer a new realisation for students of today. I now have a greater understanding of where we need to be as educators. It is important to also note that the work we have done at HFS is testament to our commitment of raising the bar for our students. The work of Fullan and Hargreaves is so much about building the capacity of teachers and improving student learning.

At the ACEL conference I was able to listen to Peter Senge. He is another researcher who offers practice applications for leaders in education.

As time goes on I want to take each element discussed by Fullan and reflect on the meaning within my own work.

Blogging with colleagues has also been another vital tool in my learning this year. I have been able to comment, debate and justify my thoughts and opinions. This has been an excellent and exciting tool to use as it takes me beyond the boundaries of my workplace. I have particularly been challenged by my colleagues and what they have to offer on their blogs. Their learning has directed and consolidated much of my own as well.

Key Accountabilities - To Support & Guide the Development of the Catholic Community at Holy Family

2007-11-25T21:11:00.000+11:00

At times I think we can lose sight of what we need to be thankful for, of who we are and what we represent. I have really enjoyed the depthing of my spiritual understanding through the work of Richard Rohr and Joan Chittister. The 'quote' I post on Staffnet briefing each week is one effort, in a small way to help others connect spiritually. Sometimes colleagues comment and other times they don't.

The practice of reflecting and meditating on daily life can at times be blurred by the busyness of the day. It only highlights the importance of taking time for deliberate observation of what is happening around us.

Through 2008 I hope to continue to strengthen my spiritual journey by reaching out to others through prayer and comparisons with the life of Jesus.

Key Accountabilities - Improving Student Learning

2007-11-22T15:03:00.000+11:00

In preparing for the 2008 school year I have been asked to reflect on my own key accountabilities that were created early this year. It's interesting to see how much thought, action and understanding can change in a short twelve months.

ICT

My use of, skills and knowledge within ICT has grown enormously. I have worked beside an amazing colleague who has enabled me to embrace web 2.0 as a tool for learning as well as a tool for communicating. Our work within the technology area of the school has meant that many of our lessons have been on the 'fly' but this is demonstrative of the pace with which ICT is moving. This has meant that we haven't done the traditional sit down together and reflect but we have certainly communicated and developed a team approach when working with the students. Next year we probably need to further strengthen the dynamics that we have when working together.

QUALITY TEACHING

My teaching role in Year 5 and within Learning Support has allowed me to implement backward mapping as part of the Quality Teaching Framework. While I implemented this particularly in PDHPE, I dabbled with it across other KLAs. The theory was able to be put into practice. I believe that my work in Learning Support has improved student outcomes particularly with the year 4 boys I have worked with. The incorporation of blogs, voicethreads and wikis in their work has seen them reading for purpose - a high demonstration of engagement. Next year my work in Learning Support will be further supported through the plan to allow collaborative reflection on data by all Learning Support staff which will enable in a very practical way a real differentiation of classroom programs.

I was fortunate enough to also present at the ACEL conference on the Quality Teaching Model. This allowed for collaboration with staff at CEO but also enabled me to be a part of a world wide community of educational leaders - and absolutely fantastic experience.

My work as acting Principal allowed me to refine, reflect and redefine my understanding of QTF. I was able to articulate what the framework was and offer suggestions as to how it could be used within another school environment.

My successes have been in many forms. My role as Assistant Principal is only just being established - and I doubt it will ever be truly established. In 2008 I see myself as more of a teacher leader working within the classrooms, collaborating with teachers and support staff but most importantly working with students and taking their learning further. Seeing what is happening in classrooms - not just reading about it on paper.

What Have I Learnt?

2007-11-18T13:06:00.000+11:00

My five weeks as acting principal is now up and I think it has been a great experience. I have been able to really appreciate what it means when we speak of 'cultures' within schools. It has also allowed me to develop skills of creating a vision for a school. My time allowed me to reflect on my own skills as leader. Critical to being an effective leader is:

Allowing people to be free to choose yet under direction for the overall good of the school
Giving opportunities to those who may not otherwise have them
Plant some seeds of learning and watch them grow
Allow others to experience success
Communicate openly, honestly and freely.

Acting Principal

2007-11-01T21:32:00.000+11:00

Currently I am acting principal of a school within the same diocese. This has been a most interesting experience and has highlighted for me the importance of my own role as Assistant Principal in my own school.

Why an AP Blog?

2007-11-01T20:50:00.000+11:00

I have set up different blogs for the school around both student learning and behaviour management. This blog is aimed as something a little bit different. As the title implies it's a space for me to synthesise the my own learning in my work.