Supporting Organisational ChangeAnnette Gilbert Head of Curriculum GWSC

“Changing the Curriculum means changing your mind.”

Art Costa

Glen Waverley Secondary College 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.

To create and sustain a learning communityTo create and sustain a learning community

The Thinking Curriculum

What is Powerful

Learning?

What is it Powerful to Learn?

Based on

ResolvingResolving

defining

A set ofagreed

Values

involves involves

through

results in

through through

involves

Creating and sustaining a LEARNING COMMUNITY

where everyone continually learns and grows

Valuing diversity and

Learning to live togetherEmbracing life long

learningCreating personal

futures

A sense of self-worth and personal growth for each learner

Glen Waverley Secondary College

VISION and VALUES

- developing positive, caring relationships in a safe environment

- working cooperatively and collaboratively

- each person being valued and respected

- valuing our diversity including our diverse cultural heritages and

diverse ways of knowing and being.- embracing our responsibilities as local, national and global citizens

- connecting with and making sense of the world

- becoming adaptive, flexible,autonomous learners- pursuing excellence- being reflective and

continually seeking to improve- exploring diverse ways of

knowing, thinking and learning

- developing resilience, self-confidence and a sense of personal

efficacy and identity- embracing a healthy lifestyle and an optimistic and hopeful outlook

- developing emotional intelligence- accepting responsibility for creating

a preferred personal future (at the local, national and global level)

- developing effective communication skills

- the realisation of individual potential- the development of a moral and ethical foundation

- the development of a sustainable futures perspective

leading to

and results in

which encourage which requires

which develops and enables

which involves

is promoted by

Glen Waverley Secondary College 2001

Powerful Learning

Positive Caring Relationships

A Positive Learning Environment

Guiding the Learning Process

Scaffolding theLearning

Explicit teaching of generic skills and attributes

Metacognition

Catering for and extendingindividual thinking styles

Focusing on understanding of major concepts/ big ideas

Appropriate use of learning technologies

Constructivist approach

Frequent assessmentaround clear standards

Autonomous actionPersonal meaning and conscious

awareness

Motivation and Engagement

High Expectations

Independent and Collaborative work

AppropriateInteractions

Cooperation and mutual respect

Tolerance and understanding

A sense of self worth and personal growth

Regular feedback

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%

Creating a Common Vision and Alignment

Building Relationships and Shared Knowledge & Understanding

Educational Research Creating 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 VALUESWhat is our educative purpose?What are we trying to achieve?

What values and beliefs underpin our work?

WHAT IS POWERFUL LEARNING?

- principles of effective learningOutlined 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

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?