Supporting Organisational Change Annette Gilbert Head of Curriculum GWSC “Changing the Curriculum means changing your mind.” Art Costa

Glen Waverley Secondary College

Supporting Organisational Change In 1996 Glen Waverley SC began to explore and implement models and programs to develop a “Thinking Curriculum”. It was a whole School approach. Systemic Change A conversation began ……….. What does effective teaching and learning “look like” and “sound like”?

Supporting Organisational Change Evolutionary Aims: To engage students in deep and powerful learning. To teach students how to learn and how to think, how to be more effective thinkers and problem solvers. To develop autonomous learners (independent and interdependent learning). To create lifelong learners (intrinsic ‘love’ for learning). To develop a Learning Community, where all members of the Organisation are seen as learners. To build the leadership capacity of the Learning Organisation.

Factors impacting on student achievement (Kalantzis, 2003) Student background - socioeconomic & cultural background, family and peers The teacher The curriculum approx. 45% approx. 40% approx. 15%

SCIENCE KLA ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS

Creating a Common Vision and Alignment

Building Relationships and Shared Knowledge & Understanding Educational ResearchCreating an ongoing conversation about T & L. Constructivism Expertise and Critical Friends ( Julia Atkin ) Building effective teams PD Drawing on the expertise of staff Ongoing PD and support (T & L coaches) Appraisal model

Appraisal Model Catering for individual teacher needs Goal one: focus on T & L Action Learning Teams Goal two: focus on using ICT in the classroom to enhance student learning outcomes What PD and ongoing support is needed.

Benefits for Teachers Improved relationships and more connectedness with team members and the organisation as a whole. Happier more energised staff. Confident and more articulate staff. Innovative and more willing to take risks.

Benefits for Students More confident and articulate students. More effective learners and thinkers. More creative; more willing to take risks. Increased interest in and enjoyment of learning (especially for Science!).

VISION and VALUES What is our educative purpose? What are we trying to achieve? What values and beliefs underpin our work? WHAT IS POWERFUL LEARNING? - principles of effective learning Outlined in Powerful Learning Map WHAT IS IT POWERFUL TO LEARN? - what is essential? - what is desirable? WHAT PRACTICES, ORGANISATION & STRUCTURES WILL ACHIEVE THESE? - student groupings - timetable structure - learning culture - nature of learning experience - curriculum offerings/structure - pastoral care policy & practices - assessment and reporting policy and practices - use of learning technologies - professional development program - management structure Glen Waverley Secondary College TOWARDS A PREFERRED FUTURE Adapted from Julia Atkin, 1999

Years 7 to 9 Learning Community – a new model Multi-disciplinary approach Communities of Thinking (model) ( Harpez and Lefstein) Designing new learning spaces Pastoral care model? Flexible student groupings? Curriculum/TT/ structure??? Teams of teachers responsible for delivering the curriculum to a group of students?

What promotes POWERFUL LEARNING?

The ‘empty vessel’ view of education