1. Strengthening Student Outcomes in Small Schools There’s been enough research done to know what to do – now we have to start doing it! Douglas Reeves

2. Where Are We Going? Reflection Time: Fold your paper into 4 quadrants Top left, list 3 things that have resonated with you so far during this conference Top right, list 3 actions you intend to take because of it Bottom left, label “From the Research” Bottom right, label “Now what”

3. SSI Reviews (Supporting Student Improvement) What are they? What are we learning from them?

4. Common recommendations Whole school curriculum agreements Curriculum coherence Focused, targeted Site Improvement Plan with student targets Aligned Professional Learning and resourcing Planning for improvement Assessment for learning Effective use of data, research and evidence The leader as an instructional leader –lead the learning in their school High Expectations Targeted intervention and support processes

5. Hattie’s effect sizes Piagetian stages – 1.28 effect size Quality teaching programs – Writing instruction - 0.44 – Integrated curricula - 0.4 – Intervention and support – 0.5 – Reading instruction – 0.5 – Phonics instruction – 0.6 Instructional and Transformational leadership – Strategic planning – 0.6 – Focus on student learning and achievement – 0.5 – Teacher observations, providing feedback – 0.74 – Promoting and participating in professional learning - 0.91

6. Effective Schools - Hattie Ensuring teachers were stimulated with current research and practices – 0.64 Willingness to challenge the status quo – 0.60 Monitor the effectiveness of school practices on student learning – 0.56 Attend to classroom behaviour effect size: 0.80 Place emphasis on teacher – student relationships: effect size 0.72 Provide a safe, orderly environment: effect size 0.52 Not labelling students: effect size 0.61

7. Hattie’s Effect Size Research

8. Effective Schools - Allington Have school staff who are committed to the idea that all children can learn to read and write and they work towards producing that outcome Make substantial investments in professional learning to enhance teachers’ instructional skills and to create teaching and learning environments that support high-quality instruction Involve parents, staff and school leadership in actively contributing to the school decision making Invest in resources such as school libraries, levelled texts, big books, digital texts etc

9. Effective Schools - Allington Allocate designated instructional time to reading and writing and use multiple approaches to literacy instruction; Integrate reading and writing with Science, SOSE, and other learning areas of the curriculum Have high quality intervention programs: extra effort is made to connect intervention programs with classroom instruction and classroom teachers Assess student literacy development regularly. Assessments are tied to everyday reading and writing rather than standardised testing Involve families. Successful schools found that parents will become engaged because their children are succeeding and because they see a school community working to support their children.

10. Table Talk Chat at your tables about the research. Reflect on your current leadership state.

11. Effective teachers – SSI Review findings Differentiated curriculum Feedback – targetted for improvement Assessment for Learning Relevant and rigorous learning tasks Contexual teaching Work with others Peer observations Use evidenced data and research to plan their teaching cycle

12. Effective teachers – SSI Review findings High expectations Student voice Engagement Staff – student relationships Explicit teaching Have a clear, defined purpose for the lesson/unit/learning experience Balanced pedagogy, Model of Gradual Release of Responsibility

13. Teaching Processes observed 2009 Use of whole class worksheets (64%) Higher order thinking tasks (8%), Differentiated learning (15%), Student choice or student initiated learning (12%) Use of a range of media (2%) Varied pace/timing (19%), Group work (18%), Summarising/planning for next steps (15%) Independent learning time (12%), Assessment for learning (6%), 2010 Use of whole class worksheets (89%),  Higher order thinking tasks (15%)  Differentiated learning (21%)  Student choice or student initiated learning (12%) Use of a range of media (16%)  Building on prior knowledge and skills (91%); Explicit teaching of skills and concepts (80%) Meta cognition (28%) Use of purposeful dialogue (30%) High expectations and challenge for all (22%)

14. Bloom’s Taxonomy Observed 2009 Recall/recount 34% Understanding/Knowledge 36% Applying 23% Analysing (4%) Synthesising/creating (3%) 620 responses 2010 Recall/Recount (33%) Understanding/knowledge (25%)  Applying (30%)  Analysing (4%) Synthesising/creating (3%) 1450 responses

15. Effective Teachers - Hattie Self graded reports 1.44 – Rubrics, criteria for success, peer Provide formative evaluation of programs the use of data and evidence to inform teaching feedback for improvement – 0.90 Use meta-cognitive strategies – 0.69

16. Effective teachers - Allington Engage in enthusiastic and passionate teaching Have high expectations of student progress and express confidence in student’s ability Explicitly teach targeted skills and/or strategies Make connections to literacy in every lesson Provide many opportunities for practice of targeted skills/strategies Present learning in developmental stages Base all programming decisions on evidence Monitor closely and provide feedback for improvement Provide visible signs of progress

17. Table Talk What three outcomes can you add to your reflection sheet?

18. Effective Students – SSI reviews Authentic Student Voice – decision making, consultation etc, Student Initiated curriculum –choice Engagement Differentiation Quality intervention and support Connecting learning Contextual learning

19. 1. Establishing Goals and Expectation 2. Resourcing Strategically 3. Planning, Coordinating and Evaluating Teaching and the Curriculum 4. Promoting and Participating in Teacher Learning and Development 5. Ensuring an Orderly & Supportive Environment DIMENSIONS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP Viviane Robinson

20. Leadership Dimensions Derived from Quantitative Studies Linking Leadership with Student Outcomes

21. High Expectations What does that mean? How good is good enough in your school – “How do you know that your teachers have high expectations?” One Region’s approach to that question

23. Strategies for Strengthening Literacy Outcomes An explicit, systematic teaching and learning program scaffolds students through a gradual release of responsibility Teachers need to become experts in reading and writing instruction Learner data should be collected, analysed and embedded into the teaching program regularly

24. Strategies for Strengthening Literacy Outcomes Assessment for learning is an integral part of quality teaching of literacy Students need to be working at least at their chronological age throughout all levels of schooling. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that all students see themselves as able to read and write

25. Strategies for Strengthening Literacy Outcomes Reading, writing and oral language are interdependent elements of the language acquisition process There is a sequential and developmental way to address the explicit teaching of reading, writing, oral language Quality intervention programs must exist with diagnostic tools

26. Brainstorm the desired state Brainstorm your current state Identify the hindering forces Identify the helping forces Plan steps toward the desired state