LTLL Final Gathering

1. LTLL Final Gathering St Laurence’s School, FORBES Monday 28 November 2011

2. What did we set out to do? Reflecting Teacher knowledge and skill development Provide meaningful feedback to students and parents Focus 1: The transformed learner Focus 2: Teacher as Leader Focus 5: Educative Leadership (leadership for professional learning) Focus 6: Authentic Learning (Assessment FOR and AS learning) Learning from colleagues Learning journeys / 3 way interviews Integrate ICT Engaged learners Authentic learning experiences Authentic assessment

3. Why? Focus 1: The transformed learner • We want our students to be excited by learning, to be critical and creative thinkers and problem solvers. • We want to try different ways of teaching to accommodate different learning styles while providing ‘real’ learning experiences. • We saw the need for a better use of technology within the curriculum.

4. Why? Focus 2: Teacher as Leader Focus 5: Educative Leadership (Leadership for professional learning) • We want to provide our students with authentic learning opportunities to assist them to become transformed learners. • We want to become more skilled on how to provide authentic learning experiences. • We want to continue to learn; build our knowledge, skills and to also change our practice. • We want to become more active in our contributions to the educative leadership of our school. • We want to seek professional learning opportunities outside of the school while also utilising the many skills of our teaching staff to share their knowledge and skills in school based workshop sessions.

5. Why? Focus 6: Authentic learning (Assessment FOR and AS learning) • We want to become more confident and build our skills when assessing our students. • We want to provide our students with authentic learning experiences and learn how to use authentic assessment strategies to inform our teaching. • We want to make assessment an integral part of the teaching and learning process; basing our assessment on the curriculum and using the assessment data to shape our teaching and learning. • We want to become more effective at providing regular, clear and meaningful feedback to students and parents.

6. What did we actually do?Recap of our Mid-Point Presentation • Developed an action plan. • Surveyed the teaching staff regarding Professional Development interests. • Surveyed the teaching staff regarding their areas of expertise and colleagues that they would like to observe in ‘action’ to appreciate and learn from. • Scheduled Professional Development Workshops into the staff meeting agenda utilising the skills of ‘guru’ staff members.

7. What have we actually done? Recap of our Mid-Point Presentation (continued…) • Implemented Learning Journeys/Three Way Interviews K-6 (Term 1 & Term 2). • Surveyed teachers, parents and students regarding the Learning Journey/Three Way Interview process. • Organised and allowed teachers to be released to observe their colleagues in ‘action’ to appreciate and learn from them.

8. What did we actually do? Since our Mid-Point Presentation… • Scheduled Professional Development Workshops into the staff meeting agenda utilising the skills of ‘guru’ staff members (3 Workshops ~ ICT/IWB, iPads and Literacy). • Organised and allowed teachers to be released to observe their colleagues in ‘action’ to appreciate and learn from them. • Looked at the Generative Questions posed at the Mid-Point Presentation. • Looked at research from New Zealand regarding Learning Journeys/Three Way Interviews. • Term 3 ~ Learning Journeys: whole school Religion, Maths & Literacy focus (parent survey) • Term 4 ~ Open classroom (Monday) ~ Formal parent/teacher interviews (Wed & Thurs)

9. Research Workshops & Observing Colleagues ‘Peer Coaching Overview; introduction to peer coaching. Topic 3 Coaching roles and responsibilities’ Partners in Learning Networkhttp://us.partnersinlearningnetwork.com • “Teachers lack time and opportunities to view each other’s classrooms, learn from mentors, and work collaboratively.” • “Peer coaching is clearly at the centre of effective professional learning.” • “Effective professional learning is intensive, ongoing, focused on the classroom and occurs during the teachers’ workday.” • “When all teachers in a school learn together, all students in the school benefit.” • “Highly effective schools enabled teachers to learn from one another by providing time and support for educators to co-plan learning activities, observe each other teach, and reflect on what they saw.” • “If you want good teachers, you need to have good teachers train them.”

10. Research Learning Journeys/Three Way Interviews ‘About student-led conferences and three-way conferences’ http://assessment.tki.org.nz/Reporting-to-parents-families-and-whanau/Examples-and-templates/About-student-led-conferences • “The process gives students an opportunity to share with their parents their growth as a learner. They accept accountability and responsibility for their progress and achievement, and demonstrate a growing understanding of their development as independent learners.” • “Some schools set up stations, often for the younger students, where students and their parents move around looking at different aspects of learning.” • “Schools regularly modify and improve their processes each year as they respond to feedback from their community and strengthen their practices in this area.”

11. Research Learning Journeys/Three Way Interviews ‘Student-led and three-way conferences’ http://www.assessmentforlearning.edu.au/professional_learning/student_self-assessment/student_strategies_enhance.html#1 • “The setting of learning targets, or goal-setting, is an intrinsic part of the iterative nature of self-assessment.” • “Students will increasingly assume responsibility for setting their learning targets and also for the monitoring or tracking of those targets. In practice, of course, students' ability to do this will vary, and teacher assistance will be more important to some students than others.” • “As with other aspects of instruction, the use of modelling and explicit teaching is of relevance here. Teachers commonly use the SMART acronym as a way of guiding students in the design of a learning target.” S = Specific M = Measurable A = Achievable or Attainable R  = Relevant T  = Time-bound

12. How did our plans change along the way and why? • After parent feedback from Term 2 Learning Journey/Three Way Interview – we scheduled open classrooms and formal interview for Term 4. • We narrowed down the focus to ‘step by step’ – went for depth rather than breadth. • At the beginning each stage did their own thing. We came together to share with whole school then refined the process to have a more uniform approach (specific KLA focus per term across the whole school).

13. What difference did our actions make? For staff: • More confident using ICT in classroom. • Shift to partners in learning (teachers with students). • Ability to see what is happening across the school not just in our stage. • Parent feedback affirmed our hard work. • Hands on workshops focused on things that were helpful and immediately being able to be used. • Has built stronger camaraderie within the staff group/team. • Helped provide a basis for professional conversation; we feel more confident to share with each other. • Made our teaching more authentic.

14. Evidence.

15. Evidence. 167 parent surveys returned after Learning Journeys in Term 3 compared to just 46 in Term 2 – WOW! Parent Comments: • “This is an excellent idea to encourage the kids to come home and actually talk to us about what they are doing.” • “We appreciate the opportunity to have an insight into our children’s learning and progress.” • “A great way to connect one on one.” • “Jacob is very proud of his work, he can see where he has improved also know where he needs a little work.” • “I think it is great that the students are able to talk us through the processes involved in their learning. Thank you!”

16. Evidence.

17. Evidence.

18. Evidence. • “It is so good to be working through these ‘skills’ with others and have someone to help if you get stuck.” • “Loved it. So worth our time. Great to find so many new resources and look back at others.” • “This is just what I have needed. The talent in this area of our young staff members has been utilised today. I loved this workshop.” • “Thank you. Wonderful sharing of the talents of staff who helped those of us who are a little challenged!”

19. Evidence.

20. Evidence. • “Such an insightful and practical workshop, what great ideas I can use in my own classroom.” • “An excellent workshop affirming some of my current practice (that made me feel very good ) and giving me more ideas to go with.” • “Great to learn from a colleague with enormous experience and knowledge.” • “I loved watching you in action (video clip). I also loved seeing some THRASS resources I haven’t seen before.”

21. What difference did our actions make? For students: • Younger students have the ability to reflect. • Improvement in oral language. • Flexibility to represent their learning in different formats. • Feeling of ownership of their learning. • A feeling of pride to be given the opportunity to share their learning with their families. • An awareness and understanding of their strengths and weaknesses.

22. Evidence. Reflecting on the Learning Journey process K-6 – students’ perspective. • Video Interviews

23. What have we learned from the LTLL Project? • Can be difficult to get students to identify specific skills that they would like as goals rather than just the ‘big picture.’ • Quality not quantity. • Across our staff we have a broad range of skills to share with one another and to be creative with the resources that we have e.g. RFF ICT. • It is ok to make changes and it is ok to be apprehensive. • New technology skills and we have built upon previous skills. • How to reflect and how to get our students to reflect. • About Learning Journey/Three Way Interview initiative. • A range of assessment tools that we can further explore as a result of the whole Learning Journey/Three Way Interview process.

24. What now? • Continue to incorporate Professional Development Workshops into the staff meeting agenda. • Continue with the implementation of Learning Journeys/Three Way Interviews – sustainable because it will become part of our practice and part of our Literacy and Numeracy plan. • Develop a Learning Journey/Three Way Interview Scope and Sequence & outline procedures (staff days in Week 11) • Continue to look at research to assist with Learning Journeys and Three Way Interviews, goal/target setting. • Continue with colleague observations.

25. The End! Thank you for listening to our presentation. 