Christ Church Pedagogy in Action

Christ Church Pedagogy in Action

Motivating boys

Motivated to become, free to be ... teachers, parents, the boys themselves and school leaders can work together to motivate boys to be their best.

The art of motivating boys Christ Church continues to be a school that is focused on motivating boys to achieve excellence individually and collectively in all that they do.

In 2009 Christ Church Grammar School created the Centre for Pedagogy (CfP) as a dedicated commitment to ensuring that the art and science of teaching is placed at the forefront of all that we do. We made this decision based on the strong belief that it is the quality of teaching, more than anything else, that makes the difference in a child’s outcomes through their educational journey.

In the first three years of establishing the centre the inaugural director observed more than 300 classes, affirming and coaching our teachers.

Her observations confirmed that excellent classroom experiences for boys are as varied as the character of the teachers and the students within.

There is no single formula that can guarantee a perfect outcome, however, there are patterns of engagement and involvement that allow the best outcomes for most boys to occur irrespective of their ability, particular character or disposition.

The Centre for Pedagogy continues to be a focal point of teacher development and enhancement within our school. The

team has evolved to include a dedicated Assistant in our Preparatory School and an E-Learning Facilitator to work from the CfP to create the best Christ Church classroom for a 21st century education.

In 2011 as we entered a new century in the School’s history, we advanced our strategic plans and identified four areas in which we would focus in the medium term. The first of these is ‘motivating boys to achieve at their best’. Motivating boys of all abilities and backgrounds across the rich tapestry of opportunity provided by the school programme is already one of our core strengths, however, we are committed to continually improving all that we do.

Consequently in that same year we undertook comprehensive research into the motivational drivers in education and what particularly motivates boys at Christ Church. The findings of this research enabled us to create a distinctive Christ Church Pedagogy. This aligned, whole school approach includes the ways teachers, parents, the boys themselves and school leaders can work together to motivate boys to be their best.

The Christ Church Pedagogy was first shared with staff, parents and boys in 2012. It is a central pillar of the Christ Church experience and is a focused alignment of our actions as a community.

I hope this booklet for parents helps to

explain the context and approach within our educational programme.

For parents who may be interested in learning about this in more detail, copies are available of the complete framework of the Christ Church Pedagogy, as well as a booklet of case studies published for academic staff. Parents can also, at any time, make contact with the Director of Pedagogy, Sharyn Bana.

Garth Wynne Headmaster

Christ Church Pedagogy Case Studies

Motivating boy s in the classroom

Motivating boys in the classroom

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Motivating and engaging boys

Motivating and

engaging boys

What inspires you to learn – to grow, change and extend yourself into acquiring new knowledge, abilities and experiences?

Some say incentives, goals and interests but when you look a little deeper, our heroes, role models and coaches who see your potential, play an integral role in motivating us to aspire to achieve personal excellence.

At Christ Church Grammar School, teachers play this valuable role in boys’ lives – motivating boys to achieve their best – not a simple task and certainly not something that happens without effort.

Christ Church has unlocked the insights to what motivates boys to learn and these have formed the pillars of the School’s pedagogical framework: • catering for individual differences; • providing structure and feedback; and • enhancing personal bests.

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Motivating boys in the classroom

The Christ Church Pedagogy, a document that describes the art and science of teaching, was developed in 2012 and underpins the learning experience teachers strive to provide for students at the School. The pedagogy is the product of extensive research into the motivation of boys and how boys learn from classrooms across the globe as well as at Christ Church.

Common threads were identified as key to motivating boys’ learning.

... a parent’s role shifts from nurturing the boy to nurturing the man he will become.

Catering for individual differences Research shows that boys don’t learn unidimensionally. The Christ Church Pedagogy encourages teachers to know their students and help them learn in the best way they can. By providing a range of ways for boys to learn a subject, boys’ individual differences in learning styles can be catered for. For example, through a combination of reading, annotated diagrams, video, research, group work, collaborating, teaching to others and testing, more areas of the brain are engaged which optimises their learning. As Christ Church’s Director of Pedagogy Sharyn Bana says, “through a multi-faceted delivery of the same content, the greater number of elements used, the greater the recall and development of knowledge”.

Providing structure and feedback Providing structure and feedback is core to motivating boys in the classroom.

Structured lessons with clear objectives, expectations and task stages are a key part of forming a safe learning environment.

“Boys need boundaries to thrive,” Ms Bana said. “Boys will push the boundaries and they need to know that they’re fixed.

That’s why it’s essential to deliver on the consequences that boys expect from stepping over those boundaries.”

Providing feedback is also integral to creating a safe learning environment.

Encouraging questioning, asking the right questions, leading students to their own answers and providing affirming and constructive feedback, allows boys to have a sense of security and freedom to be themselves.

This structure and feedback, dressed in a good dose of teachers being “fair, firm and funny”, are key to reaching boys.

Enhancing personal bests Flowing on from the role that structure and feedback plays in motivating boys is the need to discover and enhance a boy’s strengths and abilities. Expecting high standards, stretching boys’ abilities, setting goals and coaching boys to persevere, are key to achieving this. As a close score at half-time serves to motivate the losing team to win the game, having an achievable goal that is within reach and setting tasks at the right level is important in engaging boys. If boys are working at a level that is hard for them but that they’re capable of achieving, they will be engaged. If it’s a level too low or too high they will be bored or give up.

Encouraging healthy competition between the boys in the classroom is also important in making the personal quest to achieving excellence a fun experience.

How parents can motivate their boys to learn As boys enter their pre-adolescent and teenage years, a parent’s role shifts from nurturing the boy to nurturing the man he will become. Setting boundaries, letting boys experience consequences for their actions and giving them greater responsibility are key to engaging the adult within the boy. It’s about supporting boys to be self-directed and meet their responsibilities. As a parent, being available and present and reminding boys of their future goals to see them through those times when they’re feeling unmotivated, helps boys navigate through the transition to manhood.

Motivating teachers to become life-long learners The School recognises that the pedagogy’s learning architecture is aspirational and works with teachers to set realistic goals and focus areas for development. The School promotes a culture of life-long learning and provides ongoing support for teachers to accommodate professional development and growth in their busy schedules. Teachers are encouraged to challenge themselves as they challenge their students to learn and grow.

“The art of teaching shouldn’t plateau,” says Ms Bana. “We have a fantastically skilled set of staff and there are abundant opportunities for professional dialogue, to learn from each other and gain peer support. Everyone has lessons that don’t go as planned and together we can learn from and improve upon these experiences.”

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Phases of Learning

Phases of Boys journey through Christ Church’s Phases of Learning, which are the core framework of each age and stage, and the educational approach that develops from childhood through to graduation.

Learning

Our mission

Our values

'Boys educated to know, to do, to live with others and to be' (UNESCO, 1996)

Our values give meaning and purpose to our lives. They guide us as we strive to achieve our Mission.

Our motto Deus Dux Doctrina Lux God is our leader, Learning is our light

Care and Compassion: Care for self and others.

Environmental Responsibility: Respect and concern for the natural and cultural environment.

Freedom: Enjoy all the rights and privileges of citizenship free from unnecessary interference or control, and stand up for the rights of others.

Honesty and Trustworthiness: Be honest, sincere and seek the truth.

Integrity: Act in accordance with principles of moral and ethical conduct, and ensure consistency between words and deeds.

Excellence: Seek to accomplish something noteworthy and admirable individually and collectively, and perform at one’s best.

Respect: Treat others with consideration and regard.

Play with Purpose – PP to Year 2 His wonder of the world

Fun with Fundamentals – Years 3 and 4 Building his love of learning

Enquiry with Initiative – Years 5 and 6 Knowing himself

Breadth and Depth – Years 7 and 8 Exploring his abilities

Choice and Challenge – Years 9 and 10 Choosing his path in life

Engaging boys’ innate curiosity and imaginative nature making learning exciting and fun.

Creating the foundation that is core to future success and a life-long love of learning.

Enabling the unique character of the child to become more clearly understood by the boy and those who teach him, to become excited by all things and to come to know himself as he explores the world.

Boys are challenged to extend themselves in the transition to Senior School both in and out of the classroom, expanding their view of subject disciplines, themselves and the world.

Greater choice for boys over a range of academic and co-curricular subjects to explore their individual skills and talents, the first step in discovering the men they will become and shaping their future dreams.

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Motivating boys in the classroom

Responsibility: Be accountable for and in charge of one’s own actions – personal, social and civic.

Social Justice: Be committed to the pursuit and protection of the common good where all persons are entitled to legal, social and economic fair treatment.

Understanding and Inclusion: Be aware of others and their cultures, accept diversity and include others.

Excellence and Expertise – Years 11 and 12 Mastering skills for his future As young men, students take full responsibility for their learning with a focus on six subject areas in which to develop excellence and expertise. They embark on the challenge of mastering their chosen pursuits.

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Classroom case study

Rice babies show boys

how they

grow Chantal Hockey, Year 3 Teacher

This hands on classroom activity illustrates the importance of tangibility for enhancing boys’ learning.

Boys were shown an image of premature twins who were quite different in size, which led to a discussion about baby weights and sizes. As an initial homework task, the boys were asked to find out their own birth weight. Feedback from parents revealed that this ostensibly simple task often led to discussions at home about a boy’s own birth and the circumstances surrounding it. Conversations about prematurity, caesarean sections and birth weight abounded in class over the ensuing weeks and the boys’ natural fascination with this most primal of biological processes was evident.

Boys were shown how to make a rice baby using the weights and sizes of the premature twins. Each boy then made

a rice baby from a stocking filled with their birth weight equivalent which they weighed in uncooked rice grains. Googly eyes, a nappy and baby clothes completed the look. The main thrust of the learning, however, took place in the domain of mathematics. Having weighed their babies, the boys were taken through a process of sorting all the class data from smallest to largest and putting this information onto a huge scale along one classroom wall.

All sorts of mathematical discussions arose – which units are appropriate for length and weight? How much heavier is this baby than that baby? Which baby was the heaviest baby? Discussions regarding metric versus imperial measurements ensued (with birth weights provided in

pounds and ounces and kilograms); old cook books were referred to and some boys tried converting ounces to grams and vice versa.

Finally, each boy’s current weight was measured and the difference between this and their birth weight was calculated.

Results were again recorded, graphed and displayed and those who started with the smallest birth weights took comfort from the fact that they were rarely still the smallest, eight years later!

A class display of the babies included weighing scales which the boys used regularly to monitor their own and other babies’ weights. Many boys arrived at school early in the morning to greet their baby and carry it around for a while. Some

shared babies, some friends insisted their babies lay next to each other so they could enjoy a play date and one boy confided in the teacher, “I love my baby”.

Reflection – why it works The success of this learning activity can be attributed to many factors. The boys’ interest in their own life story gives it instant validity and being set in this context makes the mathematical learning more real.

The learning opportunities that arose from this activity are many and varied: • sorting from smallest to largest; • length versus weight; • concrete experiences of weight; • appropriateness of units; • weighing using scales;

• •

• • • • •

metric versus imperial; conversion from kilograms to pounds and vice versa; decimals and fractions; estimation; calculation of differences; bar graphs and looking for patterns; and the process of birth and issues and surrounding it.

The boys’ interest in their own life story gives it instant validity and being set in this context makes the mathematical learning more real.

Insight: Products that illustrate Educational theorists from John Dewey forward have proposed that a person cannot be proven to have learned something until he or she has performed an operation on it. The ‘operation’ may be as scholastically elemental as answering a question or transcribing material from one medium to another – chalk board to notebook – but at the heart of the theory is the notion that some active imposition of a learner upon the subject under review is essential to effective learning. Possibly no scholastic task requires a more thorough on-going imposition of the learner’s resources on the subject at hand as does creating something materially that demonstrates the concepts under study. Thus it is perhaps unsurprising – although no less instructive – that many teachers reported their most effective practices involved student-created products. Moreover, many of them felt that vigorous creation of products was especially effective with boys. International Boys’ School Coalition 8

Motivating boys in the classroom

Motivating boys in the classroom

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Classroom case study

Biology — where

boys

become

How do you enthral a class of boys in a biology lesson? By transforming the classroom into a crime scene that requires forensic investigation.

For this practical activity, the biology lab became a forensic pathology laboratory and the boys assumed the role of forensic scientists. The crime was described – a horrific murder – and the DNA sample found at the scene was revealed, in a flask on the front desk. DNA samples had also been extracted from three suspects and the boys’ job was to ascertain which suspect's DNA matched that found at the scene of the crime.

In previous lessons, the students had extracted DNA from plant matter such as onions or kiwi fruit and experienced spooling that DNA on a glass rod.

The boys had a basic understanding of how restriction enzymes function.

They were taught the theory of DNA

fingerprinting using electrophoresis gels and learned that different sized fragments of DNA travel at different speeds through the gel. They had seen images which portray how the visible bands are analysed and discussed the use of the process of electrophoresis on samples collected from crime scenes and in paternity cases. The legalities of the process were understood and the boys learnt that under Australian law, nine matching bands is the threshold number for a ‘match’ between DNA samples, giving a less than one in a billion chance that the result is due to chance alone.

For this activity, the boys wore science aprons, safety goggles and surgical gloves.

They were trained to use micropipettes for the first time, and shown how to measure

minute volumes of liquids – extremely small samples that could then be used in the process of electrophoresis. The boys treated the whole process with appropriate seriousness and the need to ensure there was no contamination of the DNA samples contributed to the gravity of the lesson.

The boys poured their own hot, liquid agarose into a mould then waited for it to cool and set into a useable gel. They removed a plastic comb or ‘former’ to make tiny wells into which they micropipetted samples of DNA from the scene of the crime and three suspects. After flooding the gel with buffer solution, electrodes were attached and the current allowed to flow.

By this point, the lesson had ended and the technicians ensured that the current

flowed for the required length of time and no longer.

The manipulation of the complex apparatus engaged the boys for the entire lesson, occupied in collecting and setting up numerous pieces of intricate equipment, measuring tiny volumes of solutions and micropipetting them into the agarose gel.

The following lesson, the boys received their gels in large, glass petri dishes, stained them with methylene blue and viewed them over a UV light box. The result was instantly visible and as always elicited impressed responses from the class. It was clear that one of the suspect’s DNA was a direct match to the DNA collected from the scene of the crime and the implications of this were discussed. The importance of the language

Requiring boys to take a role – whether an impersonation or as an embodiment of a purely physical process – was found by many teachers to be transitive to a deeper, surer understanding of the material under study. In many cases, too, the requirement to perform before others was found to enhance the student’s sense of responsibility for and ultimate mastery of an assigned task. Such performance and role playing obviously require a significant degree of motor activity which seems to play a central part in lessons deemed to be effective. International Boys’ School Coalition

Motivating boys in the classroom

scientists

Megan Pentony, Head of Biology, Biology Teacher

Insight: Role play / performance

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forensic used by the scientists was emphasised – pathologists cannot state “He’s guilty!”, merely that “His DNA matches the sample” as it is for the police, lawyers and jury to determine the guilt of the suspect; the role of the pathologist is to provide the scientific evidence from the DNA ‘fingerprints’.

Reflection – why it works DNA fingerprinting is a topic mentioned frequently in the news and the boys have often heard of the process without the necessary knowledge to really understand how it works. Teaching an understanding of the molecular processes behind the techniques they used ensured the boys appreciated what was going on at each stage. The subject matter itself is intrinsically

interesting and role playing a forensic scientist in the context of a pathology lab using evidence from a crime scene added a further frisson of excitement.

The boys’ absolute focus was necessary as they participated in complex procedures and encountered new practical techniques.

Working with previously unencountered, genuine scientific apparatus such as micropipettes and electrophoresis tanks maintained their interest and engagement throughout the lesson. This was undoubtedly a memorable lesson for the boys in their Year 10 Biology course.

The boys treated the whole process with appropriate seriousness and the need to ensure there was no contamination of the DNA samples contributed to the gravity of the lesson.

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The Christ Church Pedagogy

Actions

Parents How parents support and interact with the rhythms of their son’s lives, especially as role models and reinforcers of the learning that takes place at school.

Statement of intent The Christ Church Parent Christ Church parents come from diverse backgrounds and share a common goal with the School to help their boys successfully negotiate the transition from boyhood to manhood. In choosing Christ Church, each parent through his or her behaviour and example strives to demonstrate understanding and reinforces the stated aims and values of the School. They act in partnership

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Motivating boys in the classroom

with school staff to provide the best support for their boys both at home and in the school context. Parents encourage their boys to engage actively in the life of the School, to make the most of opportunities offered, to strive for personal and collective excellence, and to make choices consistent with school values. Whenever possible parents volunteer their support within the Christ Church community.

Catering for individual differences

Providing structure and feedback

Enhancing personal bests

• Have high expectations of their son’s efforts • Have reasonable expectations of their son’s achievements • Know their son and use feedback from him and his teachers to understand how he learns best • Work co-operatively with the School • Participate in parent-teacher nights and relevant parent information sessions • Trust and support the School’s decisions

• Help their son to develop a routine of good learning habits • Encourage their son to stick to appropriate periods of study • Help their son to organise himself according to school expectations, ensuring he arrives punctually and is ‘Ready to Learn’ • Guide their son as he uses feedback from his teachers to work out where and how he learns best • Ensure there is an appropriate place at home for studying and homework • Ensure distractions are removed during homework and study time • Are available for assistance but do not do the work for their son • Model effective learning • Monitor their son’s diary and use it as a means of communication with the School • Acknowledge their son’s efforts when he tries hard • Model resilience in the face of disappointment • Are aware of the range of resources and services the School offers • Keep abreast of School events and routines

• Encourage their son to achieve his personal best • Actively listen to their son and his teachers • Understand the value of constructive feedback and use it to help their son improve subsequent work • Are available to their son when he is ready to talk • Support their son in working towards his set targets • Take an active interest in their son’s learning • Enjoy and celebrate their son’s successes • Encourage their son to take academic risks • Support their son as he learns from the mistakes he makes • Ensure their son keeps them up to date with his results, achievements and difficulties • Ensure their son has a sensible eating, sleeping, studying and socialising schedule • Set clear boundaries and use consistent and appropriate disciplinary strategies • Frequently affirm their son’s efforts and achievements • Persevere when their son is experiencing challenges

Parents really influence their kids; despite what they say sometimes, kids look up to, admire and mimic their parents.

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The Christ Church Pedagogy

Actions

Students The freedom a boy feels to be himself, the respect a boy feels for himself and the respect that people have for him, enable him to act on his developing masculinity in an appropriate fashion.

Statement of intent The Christ Church Student Christ Church students are intrinsically motivated to do their very best and see the School and all its relationships as an avenue for them to achieve their own potential and contribute to the journey of others. Our students pursue excellence and celebrate success. Our students are resilient learners and understand they have a responsibility to turn disappointment into action. By their

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actions, they contribute towards the unique learning environment of their school and the Christ Church classroom according to their ages and level/stage of development.

The Christ Church student is respectful of the learning environment in which he finds himself and, by doing so, values the leadership of the teacher and the rights of his classmates to learn in a classroom which is physically and intellectually inspiring.

Catering for individual differences

Providing structure and feedback

Enhancing personal bests

• • • • • •

• Understand the need to develop good study habits • Genuinely listen to and act on advice from teachers regarding their learning • Record results, homework and study tasks appropriately in their diary • Get their diary signed at home and by their tutor each week • Regularly discuss their progress and results with their parents and tutor • Arrive ‘Ready to Learn’

• Understand how their behaviour, efforts, care and compassion can influence the progress of others • Are realistic about what they can achieve and how best to achieve it • Use constructive feedback on their work to improve subsequent work • Set themselves appropriately challenging targets and work to meet them • Accept that they will make mistakes and realise the need to learn from them • Use class time productively and effectively • Don’t give up when work is challenging or when they are disappointed with their achievements • Persevere, persist, seek help and change strategy to ensure future success • Pursue personal best in all spheres

Value learning Take responsibility for their own learning Prepare, study and revise independently Read widely and conduct research voluntarily Work hard and complete tasks Apply knowledge from different areas to new situations • Value their School and make the most of the opportunities it offers • Are proactive and ask for help when they need it • Know and use the study strategies that work for them

The Christ Church student is self-starting! He identifies weakness and seeks remedies, he wants to do well, and understand. He is always appreciative, has a goal for life and is on track to achieve it.

He does more than asked. He has a prodigious work ethic and rate, does it because he is interested.

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The Christ Church Pedagogy

Actions

Teachers Who teachers are, how they perform in effecting and modelling learning and how they relate to boys are all very significant in framing the engagement of boys at school.

Statement of intent The Christ Church Classroom The Christ Church classroom is human, warm, comfortable and happy. It is physically and intellectually inspiring.

Respect for teachers and students is paramount and there is an overwhelming sense of fairness and tolerance of individual difference. Our classrooms are places of discovery and fun. The atmosphere is safe, secure and supportive and there is constant interaction through questioning, teamwork and group discussion.

The Christ Church Teacher Christ Church teachers enable boys to find their place in a world that has endless challenges and opportunities. They interest their students in thinking, in doing, in accepting others and in being at one with themselves. Our teachers inspire our students to value learning and help them set personal educational goals. They give the boys the confidence to achieve their goals. Christ Church teachers bring a range of academic expertise and life experiences to their classrooms. They are passionate about their subjects and about teaching and they demonstrate confidence in their

abilities. This is reflected in their energy and enthusiasm and in the diversity of their teaching practice. Our teachers are aware of the emotional development and particular needs of boys. They affirm and reward learning and empower and challenge their students. At the same time they encourage creativity and foster collaboration and peer learning. They use teaching strategies that are flexible and accommodating and that cater for different ability levels. Our teachers encourage student-centred learning and have high expectations of their boys. They model excellence in all that they do.

Catering for individual differences

Providing structure and feedback

Enhancing personal bests

• Come to know their students’ strengths, weaknesses and needs in a timely manner • Plan learning activities that motivate boys • Create learning environments that motivate boys • Make reasonable accommodations to cater for students’ different abilities and learning styles • Know when to apply pressure, when to encourage and how to make boys feel valued • Support students in their quest for continuous improvement • Know when and to whom they should refer boys for help or support • Respect difference and the diverse range of our students • Teach their students a range of study strategies • Encourage boys to value their learning • Use a variety of formative assessments to regularly check understanding in different ways • Engage with the wider community to support boys’ learning

• Attain mastery of their subject matter and are up to date with curriculum and pedagogy • Plan lessons with well-defined learning objectives • Model effective learning • Give timely, regular, good quality feedback to their students • Document students’ progress appropriately • Are fair in their judgments of students’ efforts and learning • Break tasks into appropriately sized chunks for students • Encourage honest, healthy competition between students • Frequently and individually recognise and affirm boys’ efforts and achievements in their classrooms • Provide opportunities for boys to work both collaboratively and independently • Encourage questioning and answering within a safe, secure and supportive classroom • Encourage student questions as an opportunity to model research strategies • Emphasise internal factors (effort, strategy, attitude) and de-emphasise external factors (bad luck, tough marking) • Understand the value of constructive feedback and use it to improve subsequent work • Are engaged in and uphold the School’s decision making • Use summative assessment to review progress and provide feedback

• Help boys to find their strengths and achieve their personal best • Encourage boys to make the most of opportunities • Expect appropriately high standards of work from their students • Expect appropriately high standards of behaviour from their students • Help students set and meet appropriately challenging personal targets • Actively listen to the needs of the students and their parents • Are enthusiastic and passionate advocates of their subject and of learning • Use appropriate disciplinary strategies, consistently applying the School’s ‘Managing Student Behaviour’ system (Senior) or ‘Positive Relationships Plan’ (Prep) • Encourage students to take responsibility for their learning • Set challenging personal targets for their own professional learning • Have a good understanding of their role as a teacher • Understand that leaders and team members will make mistakes and learn from them • Teach strategies to help boys solve problems (both academic and social) • Persevere when students or classes experience challenges

There’s a kind of dialectic between you and them that’s just working; you can tell when it’s buzzing, you’re giving, they’re giving, even the boys who don’t want to be there enjoy it, it’s a nice electric feel like in sport when you know you’ve played a good shot.

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Motivating boys in the classroom

Motivating boys in the classroom

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The Christ Church Pedagogy

Actions

Leaders The culture of the school, its vocabulary, symbols, customs and honourable traditions define accepted practices for social interaction, behaviour and personal aspiration and help connect boys to school so that they feel as though they belong.

Statement of intent Christ Church leaders are educational leaders whose primary focus is to enable boys’ learning. They seek to help people to achieve their personal best. They lead by example, showing integrity and taking the time to get to know the teams they lead. Our leaders value people and their work, celebrating their successes as well as giving constructive feedback and setting challenging targets to encourage growth and development. They consult and involve others in decision-making but are unafraid to make the right decision themselves. They are courageous when

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difficult conversations are necessary and compassionate when people need their support. Our leaders are self-aware, recognising their own strengths and weaknesses and are not afraid to take risks, identify their own mistakes and learn from them. Christ Church leaders give and earn trust through effective communication and active listening. They are educators who bring a wide range of experiences to their leadership that enable them to build rich cultures of excellence in learning and leadership throughout the school community.

Catering for individual differences

Providing structure and feedback

Enhancing personal bests

• Know their teachers’ strengths, weaknesses and needs • Lead by example • Have appropriate, high expectations of the quality of teaching and pastoral care • Understand that different teachers have different professional needs • Provide appropriate support and professional development to enable teachers to develop their professional skills

• Build a team and direct its work.

• Engage in and uphold the School’s decision making • Model being effective learners alongside their teachers • Understand the value of timely, regular and constructive feedback and use it to improve their work • Frequently and individually affirm teachers’ efforts and achievements with their students • Are honest with their staff and hold difficult conversations when necessary • Celebrate individual and collective success privately and publicly as appropriate

• Know themselves in terms of their strengths, weaknesses and needs • Work collaboratively with the ‘big picture’ in mind • Encourage teachers to achieve their personal best • Actively listen to their teachers and understand what they need in order to teach more effectively • Show integrity and compassion in their leadership • Work with teachers to set appropriately challenging targets and support them in meeting those targets • Work with teachers both in and out of classrooms • Understand that they will make mistakes and learn from them • Persevere when staff are experiencing challenges • Develop succession plans for future staffing • Engage with the wider community on the School’s behalf • Recognise and affirm the efforts and success of teachers with their students • Understand that leaders and team members will make mistakes and learn from them • Celebrate student success eg through Chapel, the newsletter or contact with parents

Excellence and aspiration are increased more by the desire to give to others than to give to yourself.

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Queenslea Drive, Claremont, WA 6010 | PO Box 399, Claremont, WA 6910 T: (08) 9442 1555 | F: (08) 9442 1690 | E: info@ccgs.wa.edu.au | W: www.ccgs.wa.edu.au CRICOS 00433G