The Educator 4.01

EDUCATORONLINE.COM.AU ISSUE 4.01

EDUCATION REPORT School leaders reveal their aspirations and challenges for 2018

THE BIGGER PICTURE Why it’s time to pay more attention to digital rights protection in schools

00_OFC_OBC_SPINE-SUBBED.indd 2

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT The new principal of Melbourne’s St Michael’s Grammar outlines her vision

EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP How principals can ensure they’re backed with the best leadership team

2/03/2018 1:18:13 PM

IFC-01_TOC-SUBBED.indd 1

2/03/2018 10:27:35 AM

ISSUE 4.01

CONNECT WITH US Got a story, suggestion, or just want to find out some more information?

CONTENTS

twitter.com/TheEducatorAU www.facebook.com/TheEducatorAU

UPFRONT 02 Editorial

What’s on educators’ minds?

20

FEATURES

38

FINDING THE RIGHT LEADERS What can principals do to ensure senior leadership vacancies are filled with the right candidates?

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

42

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

As new data breach legislation comes into law, digital entrepreneur Colin Anson highlights the importance of digital identity protection in schools

14

06 Head to head

Thoughts on NAPLAN’s impact on student outcomes

07 Opinion

How the school funding debate is diverting attention from other issues

08 News analysis

Is the Independent Public Schools model achieving what it was designed to do?

Why principals need to shift their focus to facilitate the best education

Australia’s education leaders have spoken. In our second biannual Education Report, The Educator presents their goals, challenges and aspirations for their schools

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE

The ever-increasing demands of the job are taking their toll on school principals

10 Learning and development update

SPECIAL REPORT

PEOPLE

04 Statistics

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Terrie Jones, the new principal at Melbourne’s St Michael’s Grammar, discusses her plans as the school’s new leader

12 Technology update

Should children under 12 be on social media? A mental health expert says no

FEATURES 34 Taking time back

A deputy principal and timetabler reveals what timetabling software has meant for him, his staff and his students

46 Learning literacy

Denyse Ritchie, co-author of THRASS, discusses her decades-long mission to enhance student literacy

PEOPLE

50

56 Other life

Meet a Queensland PE teacher who’s become a world bodybuilding champion

FEATURES

INVESTIGATIONS BEYOND REPROACH Five tips for facilitating more effective workplace investigations

EDUCATORONLINE.COM.AU NOW ONLINE www.educatoronline.com.au

IFC-01_TOC-SUBBED.indd 1

1

2/03/2018 10:27:38 AM

UPFRONT

EDITORIAL www.educatoronline.com.au

What’s on educators’ minds?

I

n 2016, The Educator published its inaugural Education Report. We invited senior educators from around Australia – across the government, independent and Catholic systems – to participate in the survey in an effort to ensure our finger was on the pulse of the sector.

The report, published in June 2016, spotlighted the biggest challenges facing school leaders, ranging from staying up-to-date with technology and new teaching methods to enhancing communication channels between students, teachers and parents. The report also afforded insights into the skills most participants perceived to be crucial to education leadership over the coming year, as well as the work schools were undertaking to address student wellbeing. On a lighter note, respondents told us what they would

Unsurprisingly, this is a sector that remains steadfastly focused on the pursuit of excellence do if given the opportunity to be federal education minister for a week, and we received a raft of interesting responses.

In this first issue of The Educator for 2018, we are proud to present the results of the second Education Report – results that, unsurprisingly, reflect that this is a sector that remains steadfastly focused on the pursuit of excellence. I encourage you to read the full report.

Elsewhere in this issue, we take a look at the impact on schools of the federal government’s Independent Public Schools model; University of Newcastle lecturer David Roy argues for the need to pay greater attention to underlying issues affecting performance rather than focusing on funding; and Brett Henebery catches up with Terrie Jones, the new principal of Melbourne’s St Michael’s Grammar, about the plans she has for leading the school.

As we have done since our launch in 2014, The Educator team will continue our unwavering efforts to keep senior leaders in the sector apprised of the news you need to know. This year, we are excited to be able to formally recognise more of the outstanding work of educators with the launch of the Australian Education Awards, which will be held in Sydney on 17 August. Nominations for the inaugural awards are now open, and I encourage you to visit educatorawards.com for all the details.

Here’s to another great year focused on the business of education.

MARCH/APRIL 2018 EDITORIAL Managing Editor Iain Hopkins Editor Tim Garratt Journalist Brett Henebery Contributors David Roy Luis Izzo Production Editor Clare Alexander

ART & PRODUCTION Designer Joenel Salvador Traffic Coordinator Freya Demegilio

SALES & MARKETING Marketing & Communications Manager Michelle Lam Business Development Manager Dominic Tusa

CORPORATE Chief Executive Officer Mike Shipley Chief Operating Officer George Walmsley Managing Director Justin Kennedy Chief Information Officer Colin Chan Human Resources Manager Julia Bookallil

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES brett.henebery@keymedia.com.au

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES tel: +61 2 8011 4992 • fax: +61 2 8437 4753 subscriptions@keymedia.com.au

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES dominc.tusa@keymedia.com.au tel: +61 2 8437 4710

Key Media Regional head office, Level 10, 1–9 Chandos St, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia tel: +61 2 8437 4700 • fax: +61 2 9439 4599 www.keymedia.com Offices in Sydney, Auckland, Denver, London, Toronto, Manila, Singapore, Bengaluru

The Educator is part of an international family of B2B publications and websites for professionals in the HR, mortgage, insurance and legal industries

Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the editor. Contributions are invited, but copies of work should be kept, as the magazine can accept no responsibility for loss

Tim Garratt, editor

2

www.educatoronline.com.au

02-03_Editorial-SUBBED.indd 2

2/03/2018 4:31:58 AM

02-03_Editorial-SUBBED.indd 3

2/03/2018 4:32:03 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION UPFRONT

STATISTICS

Shining a light on leaders

HOW MANY HOURS DO PRINCIPALS WORK EACH WEEK? The average working hours for Australian school principals have remained stable over the sixyear life of the survey, and that trend continued in 2017. That means working hours remain too high to be conducive to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. On average, 53% of principals worked upwards of 56 hours per week during term, while approximately 27% worked anywhere from 61 to 65 hours per week.

The latest figures on principal wellbeing present a somewhat bleak picture of the demands of the job THE EVER-INCREASING demands on school principals are taking an alarming toll on their health. That’s a reality emerging from the 2017 Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey, which revealed that principals across all school systems feel their jobs are 1.6 times more demanding than those of the general population, while the levels of emotional demand and emotional labour required exceed those of the general

5,580

Number of respondents over the six years of the survey

2,789

Number of respondents who completed the 2017 survey

population by 1.7 times.

According to the report’s author, Dr Philip Riley of the Australian Catholic University, mounting administrative pressures on principals will require a major rethink of the role.

“The accountability framework around principal workloads is so vast that without a serious redesign of the job, there won’t be much of a change in principals’ workloads and working hours,” Riley said.

70%

Survey respondents who work as principals (28% are deputies)

National

The national average is approximately 54 hours per week

2017 7.58 2016 7.55 0 = Less than 10 hours 1 = 10–25 hours 2 = 25–30 hours 3 = 31–35 hours 4 = 36–40 hours 5 = 41–45 hours

58%

Respondents who work in primary schools (27% are in secondary)

6 = 46–50 hours 7 = 51–55 hours 8 = 56–60 hours 9 = 61–65 hours 10 = 66–70 hours 11 = 70+ hours

Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

THE EFFECT ON HEALTH

THE SHADOW OF VIOLENCE

Principals report a higher rate of stress-related health troubles than the general population. Sleeping troubles, in particular, are 2.2 times higher among school leaders.

School leaders are much more likely to have to deal with offensive behaviour – and violence in particular – than the general population. In 2011, 38% of principals reported receiving threats of violence; by 2017, that figure had jumped to 45%.

60%

3%

50%

45% Threats of violence 8%

40%

Physical violence 36% 4%

30%

34% 8%

Unpleasant teasing 8%

10%

51%

56.1%

44.6%

47.1%

24.9%

Burnout

Stress

Sleeping troubles

Depressive symptoms

22.4%

26.9%

Somatic Cognitive stress stress symptoms symptoms

Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

4

General population

Bullying 8%

20%

0%

School leaders

Sexual harassment 3%

Conflicts and quarrels 57% 39%

Gossip and slander 50% 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

www.educatoronline.com.au

04-05_Stats-SUBBED.indd 4

2/03/2018 9:01:40 AM

Northern Territory 2017 7.54 2016 7.84 Queensland 2017 7.56 Australian Capital Territory

2016 7.52

2017 7.60 2016 7.39 South Australia

New South Wales

2017 7.90

2017 7.72

2016 7.73

2016 7.61

Western Australia 2017 6.86

Tasmania

2016 6.97

Victoria

2017 7.74

2017 7.78

2016 7.67

2016 7.65 Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

TOP SOURCES OF STRESS

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

When asked to rate the most stressful aspects of their job on a scale from 1 (least stressful) to 10 (most stressful), school leaders once again put time pressures at the top of their list. This year’s results also showed a continuing increase in concerns about the mental health of both students and staff.

Professional support: Provide opportunities to engage in professional support networks on a regular basis

Level of stress

9

Professional learning: Provide ongoing professional learning to assist principals and deputies with skill improvement and through the benefits of increased perceptions of support

6

3 8.01

0

7.89

6.91

6.60

Sheer Lack of time Employer Mental quantity to focus expectations health of work on teaching issues of and training students

6.55

6.45

Parentrelated issues

Studentrelated issues

6.27

6.16

Government Poorly initiatives performing staff

5.99

5.97

Mental health issues of staff

Resourcing needs

Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

Balance work practices: Review the work practices of school leaders to ensure resources are available to buffer the demands Address bullying and violence: Create an independent authority tasked with investigating instances of adult-adult bullying, threats of violence and actual violence in schools Source: The Australian Principal Occupational Health Safety and Wellbeing Survey 2017

www.educatoronline.com.au

04-05_Stats-SUBBED.indd 5

5

2/03/2018 9:01:46 AM

UPFRONT

HEAD TO HEAD

Is NAPLAN improving student outcomes?

There has been a recent global surge in standardised testing in an effort to improve student outcomes. But is it working?

Michael Nagel

Robert Randall

Associate professor, School of Education University of the Sunshine Coast

CEO ACARA

Executive director Australian Secondary Principals Association

“NAPLAN is a waste of time and money.

Ten years of results tell us very little and highlight decades of research identifying the frailty of standardised testing when it comes to understanding learning and overall academic achievement.

Standardised tests like NAPLAN do not really tell us much, given that they focus on very surface-level learning, they are often socially and culturally biased, and they are misused to compare students and/or schools. In many respects, NAPLAN is a convenient way for politicians to look like they are fixing ‘schooling’ … they offer a quick and easy – but by no means accurate – way to chart learning.”

“Numeracy and literacy are at the heart of a well rounded education. Young people need to be literate and numerate to learn at and beyond school. NAPLAN is the means by which we know how well young people are going in these vital areas – individually and at the school, state and territory, and national level.

NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment.

On its own, NAPLAN can’t improve student outcomes. However, data generated through NAPLAN fuels discussion so that parents, teachers and schools can work together to help every child achieve their full potential. One can’t blame the bathroom scales if the exercise regime isn’t paying off; having information and acting on it is what causes change.”

“No tests, of themselves, produce improvements in learning outcomes.

The experience of NAPLAN has been to focus a nation on test results. Test results are not outcomes. This has led to Australia continuing its fascination with league tables which have been used to rank our schools.

Recent research indicates that students who display cooperative, socially responsible and helpful behaviours at the start of school score 24 to 26 points more in Year 3 and 5 numeracy and writing tests. While most school principals find some value in the diagnostic dimensions of NAPLAN, this student-by-student information is available through other means like ACER PAT testing.”

Andrew Pierpoint

NAPLAN’S PROGRESS NAPLAN was launched in 2008 to help develop better schooling policies and provide teachers with information to improve student outcomes. Nearly a decade’s worth of results reveals only marginal progress in the areas of reading (a 3.52% improvement) and numeracy (a 2.55% increase), along with a slight decline of 2.04% in writing, which Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham deemed “of real concern” in an interview with the ABC following the release of the 2017 results.

6

www.educatoronline.com.au

06_Head to head-SUBBED.indd 6

2/03/2018 4:33:13 AM

UPFRONT

OPINION

GOT AN OPINION THAT COUNTS? Email brett.henebery@keymedia.com.au

Missing the point The private versus public school funding debate has distracted from underlying issues in education, writes disability advocate David Roy IN 2017, the education funding wars were in full flow: Gonski 2.0 was announced by the LNP, and opposition parties challenged for alternative perspectives. Much of the public discussion centred around the need to reduce (or remove) funding to independent and Catholic system schools and for there to be greater equity in the system.

As is often the case, funding was presented and argued, whilst the underlying issue of why non-public schools flourish was ignored.

I would argue we need to reframe the debate away from funding and more toward why alternatives to public schooling exist and thrive. Advocates for non-public schools argue that the quality of teaching staff is better, the outcomes are better, and the learning environment is superior. There are truths, half-truths and fallacies contained within these arguments.

All teachers receive the same education training. There is not an ‘independent school’ teacher training, and most graduates will apply for multiple jobs and be grateful for the first permanent post they are offered, whether public, Catholic or independent. The difference comes when teachers are employed.

Independent schools have the ethos and resourcing to offer meaningful professional development, and thus make the financing available to resource pedagogical change.

Many independent and Catholic schools have the right to have specific ethos and policies that they can enforce, and thus have an element of selective choice over pupils. More

so, parents are making an active choice to send their children to a specific establishment, thus creating an intrinsic positive educational culture in the school.

Add to this the carrot for increased earning by staff and the stick of the employer’s ability to remove incompetent/abusive staff, and a completely different culture of learning evolves. So, whilst independent and Catholic

The solution is to approach these issues from a positive, as opposed to a negative, perspective. Rather than cutting funding from schools to create a diminishing equity, look to what creates a better learning environment; argue to create the best facilities and resources in public schools; properly fund staff in public schools to have the highest levels of empirical-evidence-based professional development; increase staff wages, but also expect staff to engage in the wider extra-curricular elements; develop an ethos for success and engagement and motivation; remove incompetent, abusive staff; and give schools greater freedom to adapt to their community needs.

Let’s raise all schools to the level of the best schools rather than argue for a diminution of all. If we want education to have professional respect, employers need to start investing in meaningful, ongoing staff development and respecting the skills and judgement of the staff.

Staff will need to earn and maintain that respect once again by treating all children as

“Rather than cutting funding from schools to create a diminishing equity, look to what creates a better learning environment” schools regularly have high achievement results, there is no evidence that the actual teaching is better. This is especially true given the high number of students who receive private tutoring in both independent schools and public ‘selective’ schools. No matter the school, it appears that students succeed or fail despite the education system, as is shown by the increasing numbers of families choosing to homeschool, and at a percentage rate higher than any other school system.

What cannot be denied, however, are the better facilities and resources in many nongovernment schools. Thus, better support for staff, better working conditions, a sense of belonging and positive learning ethos, and well resourced classrooms and facilities make independent and Catholic schools an attractive choice.

deserving a quality education, and potentially by having working conditions similar to other high-level professions. Parents, children and politicians need to recognise that educators are experts in their fields, and they need to let them be the experts. They also need to support and provide the highest-quality resources and facilities for the future of all children. By creating a system where all teachers – and education – are once again celebrated, we as nation will have a productivity that could be the envy of other nations.

David Roy is a lecturer in education and creative arts at the University of Newcastle.

His research interests include pedagogy, homeschooling, drama and arts, and dyspraxia and inclusion in education.

www.educatoronline.com.au

07_Opinion-SUBBED.indd 7

7

2/03/2018 4:34:07 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION UPFRONT

NEWS ANALYSIS

What impact is IPS having?

The Independent Public Schools model was designed to make schools more effective and accountable – but some say it’s creating a two-tiered system

IN 2014, the federal government introduced a $70m Independent Public Schools [IPS] Fund to encourage more than a quarter of Australian public schools to become independent by 2017. Under the IPS policy, states and territories have the flexibility to implement the programs, activities and initiatives that best suit the specific needs of their schools and students.

However, several reports have questioned the impact this is having on schools. A 2016 parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia found no evidence that the model had improved student outcomes and was even exacerbating inequalities in schools.

“It’s also too early to tell whether the IPS initiative has created the conditions which will lead to improved student outcomes in

The report added that it is unsustainable for some schools to remain outside the IPS system because they would then be expected to take all teachers rejected by IPS schools.

Internationally renowned Finnish education expert Pasi Sahlberg, who was previously director general of Finland’s Ministry of Education, has said that in the United States, “school autonomy has often led to the lessening of teacher professionalism and autonomy, for the benefit of greater profits for those who manage or own nongovernment schools. It is about the freedom of the school management – not necessarily the teacher – who operate without due regard for the community or for local democratic control.”

Dr David Zyngier, a senior lecturer at the

“Any weakening of public education through systems such as IPS and selective schools is a weakening of our democracy” Dr David Zyngier, Monash University the future,” read the report by the Education and Health Standing Committee. “While the Department of Education acknowledges that teacher quality is paramount in improving student outcomes, it is not clear to the committee how the IPS initiative directly promotes improved teacher quality. This ought to be the primary focus of future educational reforms.”

8

Faculty of Education at Monash University, tells The Educator that there “is no place in the Australian public education system for competition between schools. In fact, research shows we need more collaboration if we want to raise student outcomes,” he says.

“The research from the OECD and the Senate Select Committee on Education reinforces these findings that there is little benefit in

such policies.”

Zyngier adds that, in reality, competition causes further “residualisation” of schools that is “the inevitable outcome” of having a system composed of IPS, select entry schools and specialist schools.

“Organisations such as the newly formed Public Education Network believe that because public education is a public good and that public education is for the common good, therefore it requires a well resourced public school in every community,” he says.

“Any weakening of public education through systems such as IPS and selective schools is a weakening of our democracy.”

However, Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham tells The Educator that he has heard firsthand from principals and parents – particularly in Western Australia – about how the IPS initiative is helping schools.

www.educatoronline.com.au

08-09_News Analysis-SUBBED.indd 8

2/03/2018 4:34:42 AM

HOW IPS AIMS TO HELP SCHOOLS BECOME INDEPENDENT

Professional development and training for principals

Training for school leadership teams and school council members

Programs to improve parents’ understanding and involvement in school decision-making processes

Education programs for the school community “[Through the IPS model], schools can make decisions on program implementation and recruitment that meet their local needs and circumstances,” Birmingham says.

has locked in needs-based funding and will inject an extra $25.3bn into the IPS system over the next decade.

“This means schools will be able to

“Schools can make decisions on program implementation and recruitment that meet their local needs and circumstances” Simon Birmingham, Federal Education Minister “Through this greater autonomy, principals have strengthened parental engagement and helped schools connect with local employers, businesses and organisations, becoming more integrated members of their communities.”

Birmingham says that in order to give schools the resources to improve student learning outcomes, the federal government

continue – and expand – successful programs such as specialist teachers or targeted programs for children falling behind,” Birmingham says. “David Gonski is leading a panel of experts that will help identify key reforms to ensure our teachers and schools have the right tools and resources to focus their passion and hard work to boost the outcomes of all students.”

Birmingham says this includes ensuring principals have the skills and support they need to succeed.

“This way, they are equipped to provide the school leadership needed to see our children succeed,” he says. “That’s why I have also tasked the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL] with developing new guidelines on how we can nurture school leadership to ensure all aspiring principals have the preparation, skills and knowledge they need.”

According to Birmingham, this combination of record funding and the identification of best practices – such as empowering principals and other teacher development programs – will be pivotal in delivering better results in the classroom for both teachers and students.

FEBRUARY 2015 | 9 www.educatoronline.com.au

08-09_News Analysis-SUBBED.indd 9

2/03/2018 4:34:47 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION UPFRONT

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Principals must rethink their role

A respected educator says principals need to shift their focus to ensure students get the best education

in the 2018 Australia Day Honours list.

“There has never been a better time to be involved in education than now,” Whitby says.

“We have great resources available, well trained teachers, and an outstanding theory and practice base. There is still the challenge of equity in our education systems, but by any measure, Australia is well positioned to meet the changing nature of the world in which we live.”

“You simply can’t do the same thing year in and year out and be doing a good job”

In light of rapid change in the education landscape, Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta executive director Greg Whitby says school leaders must rethink their role.

“Leading any successful organisation requires vision and collaboration,” Whitby says.

“It is a collective responsibility that requires principals to be experts at supporting the work and learning of teachers. Principals need to be able to let go of the procedural and administrative side of schooling and focus on the central

NEWS BRIEFS

challenge, which is how to ensure every child achieves successful outcomes.”

Since 2006, Whitby has led a system of 80 Catholic schools in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains. He is credited for having improved student outcomes across both public and private education in NSW for more than 40 years, reshaping the educational narrative along the way. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, he was recognised as the best educator in NSW last year and was also included

Wellbeing grant will help stressed principals

Burnt-out principals in the Northern Territory have been thrown a lifeline in the form of a $600 wellbeing grant from the education department. “School leaders will be able to use the wellbeing grants on coaching or wellbeing-focused professional development that will support them to flourish and excel in their schools,” said NT Education Minister Eva Lawler.

“Maintaining positive wellbeing ensures that principals are better positioned to support teachers and school staff as they undertake the important work in our schools of educating Territory children.”

10

One example of Whitby’s impressive work is his instrumental support of a revolutionary new model that acknowledges the 24/7 nature of modern schooling as more working parents move into the city suburbs.

“Our simple focus is on learning,” he says.

“Everybody is a learner, and everybody is connected. And that means students, teachers, parents, school leaders, regulators, service providers – in fact, anyone involved in the enterprise of education.

“Learning is about changing,” he adds. “You can’t learn without changing, and you learn the work by doing the work. If we’re all learners, we’re all changing. If you accept this, you simply can’t do the same thing year in and year out and be doing a good job.”

Most principals not prepared for the job

According to a Federal Department of Education analysis obtained

by The Daily Telegraph under Freedom of Information laws, the majority of school leaders feel they lack adequate support to prepare them for the job. The 2016 survey of 985 principals at primary, secondary and special needs schools found that just one-third were confident there was “probably” a clear path for them in preparing for the kind of school they headed. At special needs schools specifically, only 11% of principals felt adequately prepared.

www.educatoronline.com.au

10-11_Update L&D-SUBBED.indd 10

2/03/2018 4:35:22 AM

Q&A

Anita Torr Acting general manager AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP [AITSL]

Fast fact Funded by the Australian government, AITSL provides national leadership for the federal, state and territory governments in promoting excellence in teaching and school leadership

Teacher registration comes under review In February, a National Review of Teacher Registration was announced on the back of agreement by all Australian education ministers. Its expert panel will include eight individuals with a vast range of expertise in education and regulation, and will be chaired by Chris Wardlaw, who is currently chair of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and deputy chair of AITSL. AITSL acting general manager Anita Torr provided The Educator with some insights into the reasons for the review, as well as what it will entail.

Standards for Teachers?

The teacher standards are a significant element of the national framework for consistent teacher registration.

The standards were developed in consultation with the profession and are now deeply embedded across Australia. The standards support quality teaching and will continue to do so. The focus for the national review is to examine to what extent there is national consistency and rigour in teacher registration processes across Australia in terms of the application of the teacher standards.

Why have a National Review of Teacher Registration?

In 2011, Education Council agreed to a national framework for teacher registration, including the use of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers as a basis for registration. It is timely to review how far we have progressed in implementing the framework since then, because we know the quality of teaching is what makes the biggest difference to students in schools.

Like students, our teachers deserve to get the same level of support and development, no matter which state or territory they live in. The review will let us know the extent to which that is currently the case, and will make recommendations to improve the experience and impact for educators. The test for any change would be that there is a benefit to learners right across Australia.

What areas will the National Review seek to gain input on?

The National Review will explore where there are positive features of existing registration systems operating in jurisdictions and how they can be built on.

Consideration will be given to registration requirements for vocational education and training [VET] teachers in school settings, as well as the registration arrangements for early childhood teachers.

How much will the National Review focus on the application of the Australian Professional

Partnership aims to enhance leadership skills

Professional development organisation Educator Impact [EI] has partnered with Independent Schools Queensland [ISQ] to allow teachers and school leaders to objectively assess and enhance their practices and leadership skills. The partnership will enable 150 school leaders from Queensland independent schools to build their leadership capability through 360 feedback, reflection and goalsetting. “The partnership will provide both EI and ISQ further ways to highlight the strengths and development opportunities for school leaders,” said EI CEO Ken Wallace.

How do those interested in participating in the consultation process find out more?

We always welcome feedback from all areas of the education community. There will be a broad consultation process underpinning the review, where you will have the opportunity to participate and provide your view.

We invite you to register your details at aitsl.edu.au/ teach/national-review-of-teacher-registration so we can provide you with updates as the work progresses.

EI and Fogarty team up to improve outcomes

Educator Impact [EI] has announced a partnership with the Fogarty Foundation, an organisation working to improve educational opportunities for students. According to EI CEO Ken Wallace, the goal of the partnership is to build a framework for teaching and leadership practice that will support schools with low socioeconomic status. “We believe the work of Educator Impact aligns to the Fogarty Foundation aim of improving educational opportunities for all students,” said Caitlyn Fogarty, the Fogarty Foundation’s program officer.

Principals to get research boost

A new initiative known as Informed Sources will provide principals access to articles on recent educational research relevant to the issues facing parents and teachers, including key topics such as bullying, literacy, STEM learning and the best ways to help students deal with high-stakes testing such as NAPLAN and Year 12 exams. Leading the drive is the Media Centre for Education Research Australia, which aims to better inform public debate on major issues by improving links between the media and the educational academic community.

www.educatoronline.com.au

10-11_Update L&D-SUBBED.indd 11

11

2/03/2018 4:35:23 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION UPFRONT

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE NEWS BRIEFS New app aims to save principals time and money

A mother of two has developed the Skool Loop app in an effort to improve communication between schools and parents. “School staff spend a significant amount of salaried time each week handling enquiries from school parents, including phone calls, visits to the office to ask further information about school events and chasing parents for information on absentee children,” said Skool Loop developer Sharlene Barnes.

“The Skool Loop app helps solves these issues by combining all school event information, electronic permission form submission and an absentee function in the one place.”

Government announces cybersafety funding

Victorian students can learn how to stay safe online with the rollout of the eSmart program. The program provides support for government, Catholic and independent schools to create cybersafe environments for their students through policies and practices that encourage students to use technology responsibly. In February, the Victorian government announced a $2.5m funding boost for the program – in addition to the $12m already provided – that will enable more than 1 million students to use it for free every year. More than 1,500 of the state’s 2,246 schools are already using the program.

Education minister calls for schools to ban smartphones Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham recently called on Australian schools to ban the use of smartphones in classrooms.

Birmingham told the Sunday Telegraph

12

that while learning to work with tech­ nology is essential, phones can be a distraction from lessons and a platform for bullying unless schools have the right policies in place. “Those running school systems need to lead from the front with firm policies that ensure the problem isn’t just left to hard-working teachers and principals,” Birmingham said. “Clear policies and support to keep distractions out of the classroom are essential.”

NAPLAN automated essay scoring plan scrapped

The controversial plan to have NAPLAN English tasks marked by computers has been scrapped, the Education Council confirmed in late January. “In December 2017, the Education Council determined that automated essay scoring will not be used for the marking of NAPLAN writing scripts,” said South Australian Education Minister and Susan Close, who is the Education Council’s chair. “Any change to this position in the future will be informed by further research into automated essay scoring and be made as a decision of the Education Council.”

New research highlights the value of online learning Online teaching might improve high school students’ attitudes towards and outcomes in science, new US research suggests. According to a study published in the International Journal of Science Education, students who learned through online science units significantly deepened their knowledge compared to students taught the same content in traditional classrooms. The three-year trial involved 2,303 high school students and 71 teachers across 13 schools in two US states. Around half of the teachers involved in the project found that online modules made a positive impact on students’ attitudes toward science education.

Is social media a liability?

A youth mental health expert says no child under 12 should be using social media Whether it’s used for the purpose of school marketing or to heighten student engagement with learning, social media has a ubiquitous presence in K-12 education. But while it has its benefits, social media can also have a profoundly damaging impact and even be a potential liability for schools.

In January, Amy ‘Dolly’ Everett, a 14-yearold from the Northern Territory, took her own life after being bullied online – one of many examples of how social media can be used for sinister purposes, and with devastating consequences.

Given the potential repercussions, youth mental health expert Dr Michael Carr-Gregg strongly believes children under 12 should be banned from using social media.

“It is as simple as that – yet I go to primary schools right across Australia, and the principals are pulling their hair out because the parents aren’t enforcing this,” Carr-Gregg told ABC News. “You have got up to 60% or 70% of primary school kids on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, and they simply do not have the neurological maturity to manage their digital footprint.”

Carr-Gregg added that society has a responsibility to communicate that message to parents. “We have to educate them,” he said, “and at the moment we are not doing enough.”

Some US studies have suggested social media may be responsible for an increase in youth mental health issues. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, reports that depression and anxiety

www.educatoronline.com.au

12-13_Update Tech-SUBBED.indd 12

2/03/2018 10:44:04 AM

in teens began spiking in 2011 and 2012, when more than half of Americans got a smartphone.

“The arrival of the smartphone has radically changed every aspect of teenagers’ lives, from the nature of their social interactions to

Speaking to The Educator recently, Paul Geyer, CEO of the Principals Australia Institute [PAI], said, “Our children live in a constantly connected culture thanks to smartphones and social media, which can lead us to compare ourselves to others to a sometimes

“Our children live in a constantly connected culture … which means it’s difficult to truly escape unhealthy interactions that previously could be left at the school gate” their mental health,” Twenge wrote in The Atlantic. “There is compelling evidence that the devices we’ve placed in young people’s hands are having profound effects on their lives and making them seriously unhappy.”

obsessive degree, and also means it’s difficult to truly escape unhealthy interactions that could previously be left at the school gate.”

In an effort to tackle these issues, the PAI is offering a Family-School Engagement

Workshop this year as a professional learning opportunity for principals to network with peers, share ideas and learn about best practice in this important area of school management.

www.educatoronline.com.au

12-13_Update Tech-SUBBED.indd 13

13

2/03/2018 10:44:08 AM

PEOPLE

THE BIG INTERVIEW

SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE Colin Anson, CEO of pixevety, discusses digital identity protection and why Australian educators must pay more attention to this growing issue

COLIN ANSON’S career in the digital world began in 1999, when he had the chance to join the News Limited’s newly formed online division, News Interactive. “At that time, the team was relatively small compared to our competitors, but all truly innovative thinkers and committed,” he says.

In the days, weeks and months that followed, the team grew exponentially. Anson considers himself fortunate to have worked in the digital space at that time.

“News Interactive offered the ability to create an online presence for Australia’s largest and most influential media operation, if not global,” he says. “I am extremely proud of my time and influence during Australia’s online infancy. It was an exciting, extremely stressful, but highly rewarding experience being part of the dot-com era. But what it taught me was that even though the environment had changed, the values and core principles remained resilient.”

Anson’s experience at News Interactive encompassed everything from membership of one of the nation’s first e-commerce products to an influential role in formulating and commercialising some of today’s digital household names, including Realestate.com. au and News.com.au.

“All these learnings have helped me to grow and be effective in the digital space,” Anson says. “The key highlight that has helped me get where I am today has been the

14

privilege of working with some of the world’s most creative and influential people – people who have been truly successful by pushing the boundaries, who have succeeded by taking the harder path. Success was not given to them on a platter.”

The next chapter Anson says those people have inspired him to continue fighting for causes he believes in,

knowledge, let alone consent,” he says. “In one instance, her image was used in a manner that made her highly embarrassed and caused her some significant emotional pain.

She was only eight at the time.

“My wife and I have always been cautious about our privacy,” he adds, “so when we also witnessed photos taken and being freely shared with parents without any idea of how they would be used … well, we saw that as a

“When bad things happen as a result of sharing photos online, the experience can be deeply personal, hurtful and embarrassing.

Frequently these bad experiences are not reported publicly, but still result in a lifetime impact on the individual” including child rights and digital identity protection, which led him to found pixevety in 2012. The business provides a secure digital platform that facilitates the sharing of images while ensuring that protection of individuals’ privacy remains front and centre.

The company came into being as a result of Anson’s own personal experience.

“My young daughter’s photos were being openly published by the school without our

major privacy concern. We don’t want our daughter to miss out on a full experience at school, but we also realise many folks do not know that, under the law, personal information includes a person’s photo, making photos very important assets to protect in any business – even more so when it concerns the digital identity of our kids.”

Anson says pixevety’s mission is to assist schools in doing a better job of protecting

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd 14

2/03/2018 10:26:11 AM

PROFILE Name: Colin Anson Company: pixevety Title: Co-founder and CEO Year the company was founded: 2012 Fast fact: A digital entrepreneur, Anson started his first business when he was just 19 years old

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd 15

15  

2/03/2018 10:26:19 AM

PEOPLE

THE BIG INTERVIEW schools are using these services to communicate to parents,” he says. “It’s not just about all the information these companies collect for primary use, but the secondary data uses as well, such as selling individual profiles to other companies for benign marketing purposes – or worse still, for purposes far more sinister, like attempting to exploit the vulnerable.

“Recently there was the case where successful applicants at Harvard had their offers rescinded because of their ‘offensive’ social media profiles. These services are having major consequences on people’s lives, and it’s a really scary thought when you think about the future of our kids.”

Outlining particularly concerning facts people are often unaware of, Anson says these same services often take full ownership or perpetual rights over a user’s data, which means the user loses total control over their own content. Additionally, he says, photos today often hold more personal information than simple text.

“When bad things happen as a result of sharing photos online, the experience can be deeply personal, hurtful and embarrassing,” Anson says. “Frequently these bad experiences are not reported publicly, but still result in a lifetime impact on the individual.

Such incidents are more prevalent than we believe; the risk is increasing and will have a major reputational impact on any organisation involved, including schools. It’s better to take action now versus play the ‘wait and see’ game.”

New industry event for professional development of school leaders and decision makers

“[Schools] have a duty of care to protect our children’s digital footprint whilst they are in their care, and the security of school photos should be at the heart of everything they do when it comes to protecting personal information” the digital identity of their students while also ensuring the task doesn’t become too great a burden.

“I felt that schools simply needed help in navigating this constantly changing, risky and increasingly regulated digital environment,” he says. “They have a duty of care to protect our children’s digital footprint whilst they are in their care, and the security of school photos should be at the heart of everything they do when it comes to protecting

16

personal information. Currently, many schools lag behind in their privacy programs, and pixevety is here to help to provide advice and a tailored solution.”

Anson highlights the kinds of trouble that can occur when it comes to sharing images on widely known digital platforms.

“So-called ‘freemium’ storage and photosharing services fund the free or low-cost service by selling personal information, so it makes it extremely concerning when I hear

The local landscape Anson also highlights the fact that data breach incidents are happening more frequently than schools may realise, and that failing to update privacy practices could leave a school exposed to a considerable amount of risk.

“The Australian Privacy Principles set the rules for how most schools must handle personal information,” he says. “Schools can fall afoul of any of the APPs as a result of barest minimum and outdated privacy practices. Failing to secure personal information properly or to recognise when personal

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd 16

2/03/2018 10:26:24 AM

TE_Lead

f n

New industry event for professional development of school leaders and decision makers

SAVE THE DATE 17 August 2018 • Dockside Sydney

Find out more at www.educatorleaders.com

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd TE_Leaders Summit 2018_FP ad.indd 1 17

17

2/03/2018 AM 1/03/2018 10:26:28 9:14:42 AM

PEOPLE

THE BIG INTERVIEW information has been compromised is where they risk falling afoul of the new data breach rules.”

In a 2017 LinkedIn post, Anson cited internal team research showing that, at that time, 80% of breaches reported in the Australian press were from the education sector. “Data breaches are more common than we think at schools, and with mandatory reporting coming into play, I am guessing it will shed new light on this matter and lead to an increase in reporting when breaches do occur,” he says. “Until now, I believe schools have been largely unaware that sharing

Anson says a key risk area for education leaders is the use of cloud services and internet-enabled technologies to streamline their processes and provide new avenues for delivering education.

“On the one hand, these services and technologies are fast, cost-effective, and able to manage vast amounts of data,” he says.

“On the other hand, the fact that these services and technologies largely deal in personal information – such as student profiles, academic records and images – means that there is an increased positive obligation on school administrators and

“Data breaches are more common than we think at schools, and with mandatory reporting coming in to play, I am guessing it will shed new light on this matter and lead to an increase in reporting when breaches do occur” photos – via email, on a data stick or on social media – without permission can amount to a data breach.”

The new mandatory reporting rules Anson refers to are contained in the Notifiable Data Breaches [NDB] scheme, which applies to all agencies and organisations with existing personal information security obligations under the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988.

This new regime, which came into law on 22 February, could have a significant impact on leaders in the education sector, Anson says.

“Education leaders will need to feel satisfied that their in-house privacy programs are sufficient to meet the requirements set out in the APPs to protect personal information from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, modification, destruction or loss,” he says. “If their privacy programs are not sufficient, their risk of a data breach increases, as does the likelihood that they will have a notifiable data breach on their hands. A notifiable data breach is where there is a reasonable belief that the breach will cause significant harm to the individual concerned.”

18

educators to pick apart their agreements with vendors and ask tough questions. They need to know how privacy is protected in the new environment, where in the world the data – especially the personal stuff – is stored and if the storage facility is secure, and whether their agreement to the vendor’s terms will erode the privacy rights of anyone whose information is being collected and managed within that environment.”

In addition, he says, education leaders should carefully consider whether it is worthwhile to invest in services and technologies that have gone through a Privacy by Design process.

“Many services today, especially those that operate via social media platforms, may appear to be privacy-conscious,” he says.

“However, a good look at their terms and privacy policy might reveal areas of risk in terms of a school’s obligation to secure personal information in accordance with the APPs. The risk is significant, both financially and in reputation. Civil penalties can reach up to $2.1m for body corporates and

BRINGING THINGS INTO FOCUS “I think schools have it really tough these days,” says Colin Anson. “They’re not only needing to be experts in providing a world-class education to our kids, but also in how to run a business.” Anson outlined some of the common mistakes made by education leaders with respect to online photo sharing.

“The first mistake would be to not see photos as critical pieces of personal information. They are, especially in this world of public cloud services and socially driven technology.

Schools face serious reputational and financial penalty for a breach of privacy, and given that any privacy breach is likely to involve the personal information of our kids, I believe this particular mistake needs correcting urgently.”

“The second mistake is to assume all schools are across privacy require­ments to the same extent. A simple privacy policy that states a school must contact a family and ask for specific consent before using a child’s photo is not too much to ask – we created pixevety to help schools automate this entire process. It’s not just about controlling the collection of personal information like images, but also how you store, use and disclose that personal information. The first question I always ask when I meet a new school is, ‘Who is your privacy officer?’ When they ‘umm’ and ‘err’, I expect that there is a gap in their privacy practice.”

$420,000 for an individual.”

In times ahead, Anson says pixevety plans to expand to New Zealand and the European Union, and will continue focusing on functionality improvements to its service.

And, of course, the company will remain firmly fixed on championing awareness of child image protection.

“Any way we can make a difference in protecting the digital identities of our children, we will,” Anson says.

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd 18

2/03/2018 10:26:33 AM

www.educatoronline.com.au

14-19_The Big Interview-SUBBED.indd 19

19

2/03/2018 10:26:39 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

2018

EDUCATION REPORT For The Educator’s second biannual Education Report, senior members of the profession from across Australia shared their goals, their plans for achieving those goals and the challenges they will face in executing those plans. The leaders have spoken – and once again, their responses reveal a sector committed to its students and teachers 20

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 20

2/03/2018 3:03:34 PM

THE EDUCATION leaders who offered their insights for The Educator’s second biannual Education Report named adapting to changes to curriculum and funding as the top challenge their schools are facing, followed closely by keeping up with new technology and teaching methods. That’s unsurprising, given that a wealth of discussion among education professionals remains dedicated to the shape our world will take in the future and how quickly major change will be upon us.

Asked about the specific challenges they face as leaders, respondents spoke of difficulties associated with leading development of the curriculum, ensuring students have the capabilities necessary to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce, and taking care of the wellbeing of both staff and students.

There was also talk about the work needed to improve facilities and embark on new building projects, ensuring educators are able to deliver optimal education outcomes, and being able to support those outcomes while juggling the administrative duties that now form a substantial part of the principal’s role.

Overall, the 2018 Education Report attests to the commitment leaders continue to show in providing Australian students with a worldclass experience and ensuring our educators are best placed to offer that experience.

ABOUT THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS

WHERE ARE RESPONDENTS BASED? Respondents came from a range of metropolitan, regional and rural locations; New South Wales was particularly strongly represented.

STATE WA

NT

19%

1%

QLD

10% NSW

42% SA

5%

VIC

22%

ACT

1% TAS

1%

LOCATION

52%

Metropolitan area

33%

Regional area

16% Rural area

WHAT TYPES OF SCHOOLS DO THEY TEACH IN?

GENDER

35% male

65%

female

AGE Under 25 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65 or over

Independent 28% Catholic 11% Government 61%

Kindergarten–Year 6 44% Kindergarten–Year 12 27% Year 7–Year 12 29%

FEBRUARY 2015 | 21 www.educatoronline.com.au 21

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 21

2/03/2018 3:03:40 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

KEY CHALLENGES: THE SCHOOLS Respondents named adapting to government and regulatory changes to curriculum and funding as the most significant challenge that schools in Australia currently face. Unsurprisingly, given the relentless pace of change, keeping up with new technology and teaching methods was not far behind.

WHICH CHALLENGES OR ISSUES ARE SCHOOLS CURRENTLY FACING? Respondents were asked to score a list of priorities in terms of importance. Here are the overall results, from 1 (not a challenge) to 5 (significant challenge)

Not a challenge

Significant challenge

Average score 3.77

Adapting to government and regulatory changes to curriculum and funding

3.61

Keeping up with new technology (such as 3D printing and robotics) and teaching methods

3.49

Introducing or improving new school facilities

3.35

Improving communication between teachers, students and parents

3.28

Staff attraction and retention

3.03

Maintaining or increasing student enrolment numbers

2.75

Introducing or improving extra-curricular activities

KEEPING UP with the pace of change is a significant challenge across industries.

According to survey respondents, adapting to government and regulatory changes to curriculum and funding will be a major issue facing schools around Australia this year.

Respondents gave this issue an average score of 3.77 out of 5, putting it on the top of a list of seven challenges. One respondent commented on the “forever changing” landscape and said that “implementation is often rushed or left to schools to unpack”.

Another respondent provided concerning feedback: “This has become a nightmare, with the implementation of significant changes to [a] number of subjects at the one time, and a lack of funding to enable teachers to come to terms with the changes.”

Respondents’ complaints often centred around the lack of time available to educators to implement changes. “The requirements of the Australian Curriculum, particularly in the humanities, are difficult to meet due to the lack of time available to us,” one respondent commented. Another leader reported that their school “won’t have trouble adapting”, but will “struggle with time to adapt”. Another respondent said, “Curriculum is now fairly settled, although timetable allocation is still a problem; funding uncertainty and anticipa-

KEEPING THE LINES OF DIALOGUE OPEN Respondents told us how they are working to improve communication between teachers, students and parents.

“We use Class DoJo, as well as a parent app and Facebook.”

22

“A new parent portal, Schoolbox, was launched this year.”

“We employ a school community liaison officer who produces the newsletter, takes photos and acts as a conduit between school, home and the community.”

“We implement PLP meetings every term with 80%+ attendance and have an open-door policy in our classrooms and office.”

“Regular emails, Caremonkey, online newsletter, Facebook, online reporting – only problem is having parents accessing information without being reminded.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 22

2/03/2018 3:03:45 PM

WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY “We have come a long way in this area and have established a team to focus on this for 2018.”

“We are very innovative and progressive in this area, and staff are very keen to adapt teaching strategies to effectively use technology in the curriculum.”

“We are well equipped at our school, but more teachers need to be upskilled.”

“These new technologies will provide a tool for engaging students who may otherwise disengage from their studies.”

“So much to learn – such exciting times! Always a challenge keeping up with technology – and expensive. We have a long way to go.”

tion of [a] decline in funding is causing angst.”

Respondents ranked keeping up with new technology and teaching methods a close second on the list of issues facing Australian schools in 2018, giving it a score of 3.61 out of 5.

“Appropriate times to use new technology is constantly debated in our community,” one respondent said. “Staff need assistance with embracing new technology.”

One educator believed their school was “doing well”, but in light of the rapid pace of change, the challenge lay in the “need to stay agile and responsive”.

Another respondent indicated that in their school community, the challenge wasn’t so much keeping up with technology, but

rather having the financial means to implement it. “We have a robotics program but can’t afford a 3D printer,” the respondent said. Another educator added, “We have drones and 3D printers, but our computers and printers don’t work,” while a third complained of a “lack of expertise of staff and outdated equipment” as a technologyrelated challenge in their school.

At the other end of the spectrum, one survey respondent commented that keeping up with new technology and teaching methods is “not an issue for people with the right attitudes and supportive leadership.”

Rounding out the top three challenges was the issue of introducing or improving new school facilities, which scored an average of 3.49 out of 5. Speaking to the importance of quality facilities, one respondent said, “It is essential to maintain a stimulating and inviting school environment. Maintenance and new additions are a costly but vital component to morale.”

Some respondents shared details of specific projects currently underway. “We are transitioning to a more holistic learning environment, with team teaching and multi-grouped learning for learners,” one respondent said. Another reported, “We are planning on building a whole new secondary school complex to start in 2019, so now is the design phase.”

One respondent, however, raised issues impacting on projects already on foot in their school, reporting that “fears of uncertain budgetary situation” were “restricting what can be achieved”. Another respondent mentioned being hampered by “bureaucracy and lack of funds to do some really great innovative things with learning spaces and various facilities”.

Another respondent bemoaned the fact that “providing adequate facilities for STEM subjects, technology and the arts is a constant battle in public schools, as is maintenance of existing facilities”.

FEBRUARY 2015 | 23 www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 23

2/03/2018 3:03:50 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

KEY CHALLENGES: THE LEADERS Education leaders were asked to name the biggest challenge currently facing them in leadership. Responses ranged from facilitating change and dealing with unreasonable parents to having to work with an excessive amount of red tape and ensuring students are equipped with essential 21st-century skills.

TOP STAFF CHALLENGES

Asked about attracting and retaining staff, respondents named a variety of challenges, from difficulty sourcing high-performing teachers and securing good casual staff to receiving a very low number of applications to fill vacancies.

One respondent opined that an increase in administrative work is driving people out of the education profession: “Primary teachers in particular complain of endless gathering of data, which is put to no use. Secondary teachers complain of lack of teaching time, as students are away from the classroom so often.” Another respondent echoed that sentiment: “Staff are burning out at very high rates. The increased paperwork, lack of support and high injury level often lead to staff taking extended leave or leaving altogether.”

One respondent shared a situation in their school last year that resulted in a wealth of experience quickly lost: “Nine experienced teachers have left … and been replaced with nine first-year teachers.” Another respondent complained that in their school, “morale is very low at the moment, due to time pressure and the impact of administrivia, as well as school leadership that does not meaningfully consult with staff before or during the implementation of significant changes”.

IN ADDITION to asking respondents to share the major issues facing their schools, The Educator also asked them to name those challenges that currently represent their greatest obstacles as leaders. Four key themes emerged in their responses: curriculum, teachers, parents and time.

On the subject of curriculum, one respondent identified their biggest challenge

24

as “balancing the requirements of curriculum and demands of tertiary bodies with the 21st-century skills that are required by students to be able to be active and creative individuals”. The respondent added that assisting students in doing so while “maintaining [their] health and wellbeing” exacerbates the challenge.

Another respondent articulated their

biggest challenge as “the dichotomy that exists between compulsory high-stakes standardised testing and industrial-era models of education, when compared to nascent educational research that advocates studentcentred, differentiated instruction”. Other curriculum challenges raised included “preparing for the new ATAR system in 2019” and “teaching children to develop common sense and calculated risk-taking skills in a restrictive and inhibiting education system”.

When it comes to hiring, retaining and managing teachers, one leader said their biggest challenge was “equipping teachers to collect and use appropriate data to maximise student learning”, while another said it was a challenge to “manage teacher performance and development to improve student outcomes”.

Leaders also spoke to the challenge of attracting staff “as staff begin to retire from the teaching profession in larger numbers”, as well as the issues of “attracting staff to [a] small regional city” and “a lack of casual relief and emergency teachers in rural and regional centres”.

Developing current staff was also a concern.

One leader worried about the “stability of staff, passion of staff [and] professional development of staff”, while another mentioned the need “to motivate older teachers to adapt and effectively use new technology in the classroom”. Another respondent put it very simply, characterising their biggest challenge as “leading a culture of change”.

On the topic of parents, one respondent described “bringing parents along with new educational practices” as their current key challenge. Another school leader said their biggest obstacle was responding to the community because of “a cultural shift in expectations about education.” And another respondent mentioned that “the lines between teachers and parents have become more and more blurry, requiring more from teachers than ever before”.

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 24

2/03/2018 3:03:56 PM

2018–19 OBJECTIVES WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT STAFF ATTRACTION AND RETENTION “As a small rural school in an isolated location, it can be difficult to find casuals.” “[It is] difficult to attract teachers to low SES schools where there are many students with challenging behaviours and learning difficulties.”

“I wish I could appoint all staff more quickly and more efficiently.”

“Our school has difficulty attracting staff, but no trouble retaining staff.

Staff [members] are sourced from early career teachers, who stay on staff for a number of years.”

Training and development was the number-one focus for schools in The Educator’s inaugural survey two years ago, and it retains its ranking in the 2018 Education Report. Training and development will be at the forefront as schools seek to achieve their business objectives in the next 12 months.

WE LIVE in a fast-paced world, which

Eighty-eight per cent of respondents said they plan to oversee the rollout of staff training and development to ensure teachers are properly equipped to prepare students for the future. Given this focus on staff training, it’s also little surprise that an equal 88% of respondents told The Educator that they will turn to teachers and staff for guidance or advice on achieving their business objectives.

requires education leaders to devote serious thought to determining the skills that will be essential in tomorrow’s workforce. In that context, it’s hardly surprising that the overwhelming majority of leaders who responded to The Educator’s survey plan to invest in staff training and development in order to achieve their schools’ key objectives this year.

WHAT WILL YOUR SCHOOL DO IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TO ACHIEVE YOUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES? Invest in staff training and development

“We need to raise entry standards and pay accordingly.”

88% Review the structure of school operations to improve efficiency

And then there are the competing demands on time – one respondent said having “time to complete all tasks” was their own biggest leadership challenge. Many respondents were concerned about the time being taken away from enhancing student learning outcomes because of other tasks – or, as one leader put it, “growth in administrivia and compliance measures taking us away from the core business of teaching and learning”.

Responses along those lines came up frequently in this year’s survey. Another respondent said: “It is very difficult to be an instructional leader when there is always a mountain of paperwork, data collection and compliance documents to write, read or disseminate. This work takes us away from the important job of walking alongside our staff in the classrooms.”

62% Collaborate with other education providers to improve school operations/quality of education 61% Develop partnerships (e.g. with universities, other schools, artists in residence) to create opportunities for students 54% Improve or acquire new facilities or equipment 46%

FEBRUARY 2015 | 25 www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 25

2/03/2018 3:04:01 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

2018-19 OBJECTIVES WHAT SOURCES WILL YOU TURN TO FOR GUIDANCE OR ADVICE ON ACHIEVING YOUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES? 100% 88% 80%

74% 63%

58%

60%

40%

40% 20% 0% Teachers and staff

Parents

Students

External consultants

Industry groups/ associations

WHAT SKILLS OR KNOWLEDGE DO YOU THINK WILL BE MOST CRUCIAL FOR EDUCATION LEADERS IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? “Strong skills in data analysis and program evaluation, in addition to the ability to manage teacher performance and accreditation processes. Education leaders need to connect and collaborate with others across networks of schools to build their capacity.”

“Know how children learn and how best to respond to their needs.

Leaders need to know how to educate by focusing on the child, rather than test scores, assessment levels and other student performance measures.”

“Balancing the growing needs of the students with the increased level of

26

external pressures on schools, such as funding, compliance and parent expectations.”

“Identifying and nurturing potential leaders within the school and providing opportunities for them to practise and demonstrate those skills.”

“I’m considering an MBA, as the role has changed to be more focused on financial strategic leadership.”

“Leaders need good-quality information about evidence-based programs ... what really works.”

“Developing meaningful performance and development plans to address underperformance – [an] ability to have difficult conversations and knowledge of strategies that improve teacher quality.”

“Developing social competencies, critical and creative thinking, and a sound basis in the analysis and use of technology and data across all KLAs.” “A sound scientific/mathematical literacy – the importance of STEM is always stressed, but many teachers have little real concept of what this entails.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 26

2/03/2018 3:04:16 PM

Almost two-thirds of respondents (62%) reported that they will be reviewing their schools’ operations in order to improve efficiency.

Meanwhile, 61% indicated that they intend to collaborate with other education providers to improve school operations and/or the quality of education. That’s consistent with the widely held belief that the best solutions often arise through collaboration.

But it’s not just collaborations with other education providers that are on the cards for many Australian schools. More than half of respondents (54%) said their schools will be looking to develop partnerships with organisations such as universities for the purpose of creating opportunities for students.

“Learning how to teach students how to reduce and manage stress, increase resilience, and learn to live well and harness the skills to enable them to flourish.”

“Understanding welfare issues and dealing with delicate family situations.”

“Educating the community on their responsibility to their children to actually parent them and not leave it all up to the school.”

FEBRUARY 2015 | 27 www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 27

2/03/2018 3:04:22 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

STUDENT WELLBEING What are Australian schools doing to look after the wellbeing of their students? There are many different programs and activities available for schools to use in those efforts, and many survey participants shared details of their own work on this front.

LAST DECEMBER, The Educator’s online news service reported on a national survey that highlighted the impact of students’ mental health on their school outcomes, as well as their engagement in learning. The survey, led by the University of Western Australia and conducted at the Telethon Kids Institute, found that mental disorders had affected one in seven students in the previous 12 months and that students with mental disorders scored lower on

average than students without mental disorders in every test domain and year level.

At the time, Principals Australia Institute CEO Paul Geyer told The Educator that schools that include school wellbeing in their strategic plans are better equipped to help principals to manage their own mental wellbeing.

“Better planning and focus on ensuring their school implements key programs, professional learning and time out for whole school

WHAT WELLBEING PROGRAMS ARE SCHOOLS USING? Here are some of the programs respondents to the 2018 Education Report have implemented in their schools.

Bounce Back!

Created by Toni Noble and Helen McGrath, two educators and psychologists, Bounce Back! is an awardwinning positive education approach to wellbeing, resilience and social-emotional learning for primary school children.

Bounce Back! is said to have been the first positive education program in the world.

Breathe Project This independent initiative aims to have a simple breathing technique become a part of all Australian primary and secondary schools for three minutes every day as a means for all students and teachers to alleviate stress and anxiety.

STEP UP Delivered by Unleashing Personal Potential [UPP], STEP UP is a secondary school program designed to assist students in developing an understanding of growth mindsets and neuroplasticity, using evidence-based practices for setting goals, developing healthy habits, and establishing and nurturing healthy relationships.

28

KidsMatter An Australian mental health and wellbeing initiative set in primary schools and early childhood education and care services, KidsMatter creates positive school and early childhood communities, teaches children skills for good social and emotional development, works with families, and recognises and gets help for children with mental health problems.

MYTERN This program creates a common language that, when introduced into schools, is said to bring about major changes in behaviour in the playground, the classroom and at home, and has helped students, staff and parents to better cope with the pressures of study, work and life.

Positive Behaviour for Learning [PBL] PBL is an evidence-based whole school systems approach that supports school leaders to create positive learning environments that enable student learning and wellbeing.

Growing with Gratitude The aim of this program is to help teachers, students and families easily develop the habits of gratitude, kindness and mindfulness. It’s based around learning the Five Habits of Happiness and can be completed by children in every primary year level with their teachers or with their parents at home.

Youth Aware of Mental Health This evidence-based mental health promotion program for 14- to 16-year-olds does not offer a specific set of skills or rule-based discipline; rather, participants are invited to reflect by comparing, explaining and evaluating their actions or reactions.

Youth Mental Health First Aid Course The course is designed for adults working or living with young persons aged 12 to 18 who are developing a mental illness or experiencing a worsening of an existing mental health condition, until appropriate professional assistance is received or the crisis is alleviated.

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 28

2/03/2018 3:04:28 PM

wellbeing will not only help the principal but also the teachers, and ultimately this will have a positive effect on students,” Geyer said.

Respondents to the 2018 Education Report talked about a raft of programs that have been rolled out or will be introduced in their schools over the next 12 months as part of efforts to improve student wellbeing.

“We are focusing on real opportunities for students to be more engaged in their learning and in their community,” one respondent said. “This includes student leadership, service to aged care communities, small business operations, cultural visits to reflect on their own culture and others, [and] involving families in virtues discussions.”

Another respondent reported: “At my school we have established a pastoral care committee where we discuss how best to

develop safe and supportive relationships with our students, promoting the wellbeing of all.

One of the next innovations we are hoping to start early in 2018 is a senior boys’ group.

This group [will] meet regularly with male teaching staff. They [will] develop strong relationships and do things like industrial and design technologies, learning to kick a football, [and] throwing a boomerang.”

One respondent shared some of the formal programs their school has implemented for student wellbeing. “Our school implements the Positive Behaviour for Learning [PBL] program across the school and has partnered with Social Futures to implement the Kids in Mind program. All staff have received training in working with children in trauma.

All students are part of our Visible Learning program and receive explicit teaching about

the learning dispositions required to be an effective learner and feedback to take their learning to the next step.”

Another respondent spoke about the leadership role their school has assumed in this area. “We have developed a wellbeing program over the past two years, Invictus Wellbeing Program, which has also been purchased and implemented in more than 10 other schools in Australia and New Zealand. For 2018, we have appointed a director of wellbeing to further consolidate our efforts.”

Another respondent mentioned the role of their school’s parent community in helping to foster students’ wellbeing. “[We are] running more parenting workshops … so [parents] increasingly see the need to pastorally care for their own children, rather than feel it is the school’s duty.”

FEBRUARY 2015 | 29 www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 29

2/03/2018 3:04:33 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018

A MINISTER’S MANIFESTO STAND BACK, Simon Birmingham! Respondents to the 2018 Education Report told The Educator what they would do if they were Federal Education Minister for one week. Here’s a selection of the ideas participants had to share.

AND THE WINNER IS …

“Build an education campaign focusing on the positives and the great work our public schools do. All too often, the media grabs hold of any negative and broadcasts this to the nation. People’s perceptions become their reality, so let’s focus on lifting perceptions through positives.”

The Educator offered a bottle of champagne as an incentive for some thoughtful suggestions for the Minister for Education. The winning comment:

“Increase respect for teachers, raise pay, attract great people to the profession, [and] provide wonderful support and training and development opportunities for teachers.”

“[I would be] making it my business to talk up the importance of the education sector to our country [and] make sure that the community stops seeing education spending as a cost and starts seeing it as an investment, ensuring the thousands of teachers, support staff, volunteers and students in schools feel valued and appreciated!”

“Improve the general public’s … perception of Australia’s teachers by raising awareness of the successes and true nature of the role.”

As the survey is anonymous, we are unable to publish the name of the respondent. However, The Educator team would like to thank all of our survey respondents for their comments.

TAKING CARE OF WELLBEING “Ensure that every principal has access to the Flourish Program by providing funding not only to attend sessions, but also so they could be replaced for the day. I think principal mental health should be a major priority.” “[Focus on] the wellbeing of students and reducing the current rate of mental health [issues] amongst teens. One in four teens [is] struggling with depression and anxiety, which highlights that we need to make some radical changes in education to support our youth.”

“Create a task force of professionals within education, health, parents, students [and] universities to tackle a case-management approach to the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians.”

30

PROMOTING THE SECTOR

LISTENING TO THOSE ON THE GROUND “Visit as many schools in a variety of locations with differing demographics and talk to the principals in each about the challenges faced … I would use that experience to relate all policy decisions to real-world situations with a better understanding of the impacts in each system, state, area [and] demographic.”

“Develop a program that had me talking to school leaders and teachers to see what the reality of teaching is like for them and how much can be achieved with the students.”

“Listen to the staff at our schools [to] understand the complexities of the teaching role and the stresses it is putting staff under. The paperwork is consuming their lives, and it is taking away from teaching and learning preparation time.”

“Talk to leadership teams about the skills that students will need for 21st-century jobs.”

“I would prioritise visiting as many schools as I could to find out how best to support the teachers in our nation. I would consult with them on how best to address the ‘overcrowded’ curriculum issue, along with supporting student and staff wellbeing.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 30

2/03/2018 3:04:40 PM

INFORMING THE CONTENT “I would gather students from a variety of ages and schools in a variety of communities and ask one question: ‘How would you like to learn about the world you live in?’ I would listen and then set a policy agenda.”

“Look at data on student engagement across all schools and harvest the best and most successful programs from schools across the nation, then showcase these through media outlets and all school leaders.”

“Get the focus back on the true purpose of education, taking the emphasis off a narrow testing regime.”

“My focus would be on ‘dreaming the dream’. That is to say, I would want to include as many people as possible to put together a vision of what we want for our country, without the boundaries of politics or funding, to then

map out the vital role that education needs to play to make this vision a reality.”

“Look at improving educational opportunity for all students in all schools, not just the bright going to university.”

“Stop the emphasis on external exams and focus on pedagogy.”

“I would revamp the curriculum to de-clutter it. There is way too much content, and teachers feel swamped.

Bring in two-year cycles and more optional structuring so the work gets covered, but at a slower pace. [I would] rather do less [but do it] well than do lots scantily – quality above quantity.”

“Pursue a vision for the future which encompasses social and environmental realities, as well as economic ones, and recognises the limits to growth of a

finite planet, how taxation and participation might be redistributed in the real world of the future, and how people can live meaningful and sustainable lives, challenging the unlimited economic growth paradigm and building communities of the future.” “[Introduce] a single, national higher school certificate, based on a blend of the VCE and NSW HSC.” “Reduce the overcrowded curriculum for K-6 to focus on the basics to improve student performance and retention of information, building a strong foundation for future learning.”

“Review NAPLAN and similar standardised testing instruments to ascertain the quality of these instruments as a measure of student achievement, and the extent to which they aid or hinder pedagogy in the classroom.”

ASSISTING THE PROFESSION “I would allow teachers to teach. More admin staff would be employed to complete the administrative tasks that teachers are now required to complete.”

“Secure current teaching staff and address the issue of workload.”

“Break down the silos between state, Catholic and independent sectors – we should all be working together to make our education system the best it can be by sharing great practice and ideas.”

“Focus on school leadership and teacher leadership to support improved teacher capacity to focus on student learning.”

“Ensure that all staff, especially support/non-teaching staff, are treated fairly, equally and, where possible, given full-time positions.”

“Quality teacher training to attract better graduate-level entry [and] a better pay structure that retains quality applicants and attracts high-calibre academic staff, particularly in maths and science.”

FEBRUARY 2015 | 31 www.educatoronline.com.au 31

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 31

2/03/2018 3:04:45 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SPECIAL REPORT

EDUCATION REPORT 2018 FUNDING “Implement the full, original Gonski model and ensure all private schools are fully subject to anti-discrimination laws if they are to receive taxpayer funds.”

“Increase budgets to further reduce class sizes and invest in school buildings/facilities.”

“Fund Big Picture Education … to be able to replicate this model nationwide. So many students need it, and the results are mind-blowing.” “[Provide] funding and additional support, including specialist

32

settings, for students who have been expelled to break the expulsion-to-jail pipeline.”

“Review the funding allocation to public schools and moderate this against the funding for private schools to promote equity of opportunity for all Australian children.”

“Equitable distribution of government grants to achieve high-quality outcomes for all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, to produce a holistic system that ensures Australian students are the best prepared and innovative for the challenges of the future.”

“Look at the funding models and support structures for government, independent and Catholic schools to deal with increasing demands of students with social and educational deficiencies.” “[Provide] funding for schools in low socioeconomic areas and supporting staff to face the high expectations of policy and systems.” “[Provide] funding for special education and challenging behaviour ... with clear agreements as to upskilling educators in differentiation and trauma understanding.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

20-32_Education Report 2018-SUBBED.indd 32

2/03/2018 3:04:50 PM

ADVERTORIAL

POSITIVE EDUCATION

Celebrating 10 Years of Whole School Positive Education A decade ago, Geelong Grammar School’s positive education program began taking shape. Since then, its impact has reached well beyond its own school gates

“I CONCLUDE that wellbeing should be taught and that it can be taught in individual classrooms. In fact, is it possible that an entire school can be imbued with Positive Psychology?”

So wrote Martin Seligman – one of the founders of the Positive Psychology movement – in his 2011 book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being.

Three years earlier, Professor Seligman, Dr Karen Reivich and other wellbeing experts had led a nine-day training course in Positive Psychology and resilience at our Corio campus, attended by 100 Geelong Grammar School (GGS) staff and 20 representatives from other local schools.

This was the beginnings of GGS’ Positive Education program: a proactive, evidencebased, whole school approach to nurturing individual and community wellbeing. Over the years, with the input of local and international experts, educators, parents and students, the program has become a way of living, teaching and building a school community at GGS, as well as in numerous schools around the world.

In 2014, the Institute of Positive Education was established at GGS with the aim of fostering this growth of Positive Education through training and research. In the years since, the Institute has worked with educators from hundreds of government, independent and Catholic schools, from across Australia, as well as from Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand and beyond. The Institute is also proud to support the work of peak bodies such as PESA (Positive Education Schools Association) and IPEN (International Positive Education Network).

Our experiences, as well as academic research conducted over the past decade, have shown time and again that it is possible to imbue an entire school with the science of wellbeing – and that doing so promotes tangible benefits for both students and staff. However, as then Director of Northern Connections Lea Stevens wrote in 2015, “developing and implementing wellbeing and resilience – or Positive Education – in a school setting is a journey, not a race. In each school, or each part of our community, there is emerging a familiar cycle of building understanding, learning the concepts and skills of positive psychology, embedding these in your own life, and then teaching this to others.”

This is echoed in GGS’ ‘Learn It, Live It, Teach It, Embed It’ model, which is further explained in our 2015 book, Positive Education: The Geelong Grammar School Journey.

In 2018, we are proud to welcome a number of old friends back to our Corio campus for a series of special events. In March, Martin Seligman returns to the School to present a keynote at the fourth PESA conference, alongside a host of academics, educators and thought leaders in wellbeing science. Later in the year, Dr Karen Reivich will be presenting a two-day workshop on resilience, and Dr Tony Fernando will give an evening lecture on compassion. These events are open to all educators and can be booked via instituteof positiveeducation.com.

It is such an exciting time for Positive Education. Over the past decade, we have seen first-hand the impact of focusing on wellbeing at the whole school level. Like Professor Seligman, we believe wellbeing can be – and should be – taught, and we look forward to the next 10 years of Positive Education with hope, purpose and excitement.

Justin Robinson Director, Institute of Positive Education Geelong Grammar School www.educatoronline.com.au

33_ADVERT_Institute of positive education-SUBBED.indd 33

33

2/03/2018 1:06:17 PM

FEATURES

BE

TIMETABLING

Taking time back Technology has turned the arduous task of creating a timetable into a straightforward, automated exercise.

One leader shares how his school has benefited

THE INTRODUCTION of software to take on the intricate timetabling requirements of increasingly sophisticated schools has spared many staff members from having to undertake this complex and time-consuming manual task. Queensland’s Coomera Anglican College is one such school that has used timetabling software for several years.

The college has a primary and secondary school, as well as an early learning centre. In its early days, the school used timetabling software that deputy principal and timetabler Mark Heaney describes as “a simple, entrylevel program”. Then the student population grew significantly. With that growth emerged concerns as to whether the software was up to the task of dealing with an increasingly complex timetable.

“When I arrived at the college, secondary was only a couple of hundred students – that was 15 years ago,” Heaney says. “We’re now 1,400 in total, [including] 700 in secondary, so we’ve added 500-plus students. We needed a lot more capacity in the timetabling software to be able to deal with clashes and come up with solutions than we were getting from the previous software.”

Heaney was inspired to switch software

34

providers after attending a conference at which Edval presented its technology.

“Some of the things that they suggested were possible were very attractive,” he says.

“The algorithms seemed to be far more powerful in terms of their capacity to

of the timetable.”

After meeting with the company and attending a few of its training days for schools in the area, Coomera Anglican College made the switch to Edval in 2014.

The benefits Heaney says the Edval Daily program has made the process of handling covers due to staff absences completely seamless. “That was a real attraction, since I spend most of my time doing daily relief covers, as well as doing the timetable,” he says.

Edval’s software includes algorithms for curriculum structuring, staffing, rooming, elective line generation, subject selections, playground duty rosters and class list management. Heaney notes that since implementing Edval’s software, the school has been able to offer more Year 10 students their top subject preferences for Year 11 and 12 studies.

“You can actually see on an individual basis or diagrammatically, or whatever

“You can actually see on an individual basis or diagrammatically ... the percentage of students who are obtaining their first [subject] preferences, and it seems that in most cases, students are able to achieve those” Mark Heaney, Coomera Anglican College manage a range of student preferences, and it was very logical in the way in which you go about constructing the timetable. But it also offered an interface with its daily program that enabled us to also use it to set daily covers, which up until then, we were doing as a separate exercise using paper copies

interface you choose, the percentage of students who are obtaining their first preferences, and it seems that in most cases, students are able to achieve those,” he says.

“We hold interviews with [Year 10] students and their parents … when they do their selection for senior study. That information

www.educatoronline.com.au

34-37_Sponsored feature EDVAL-SUBBED.indd 34

2/03/2018 12:43:42 PM

Brought to you by

ABOUT EDVAL Edval Education is a leader in school timetabling and daily management systems. We are an Australianowned company that has been working with schools for more than 20 years in Australia, Asia, Ireland, the US and the UK. Our timetabling software easily integrates with more than 35 school information systems and learning management software programs.

For more information, visit edval.education

is … entered immediately [into the system], and we get real-time data telling us how classes are going, which ones are going to be sustainable, which ones maybe won’t run, or where we need to split and create another class … As fast as the data is entered, we can see the picture emerging.”

Younger students in the secondary school are also benefiting from Edval’s capabilities on this front.

“We can do the same process at lower year levels where there may not be an interview involved,” Heaney says. “It’s just parents and students sitting down with a subject selection handbook, having already attended an infor-

mation session or two, and then making selections at home.

“It’s really efficient and quite seamless in terms of coming up with solutions to many combinations of subjects to give most students most of their preferences. It does that very quickly. It allows us to explore different options and then play with scenarios, like if we got a new teacher and added a separate teacher, what that would do to the mix. You’ve got all that capability, but it does that very quickly, and I guess that’s where the strength of the algorithms comes in.”

The college has also observed some inci-

www.educatoronline.com.au

34-37_Sponsored feature EDVAL-SUBBED.indd 35

35

2/03/2018 12:43:50 PM

FEATURES

TIMETABLING Brought to you by

COOMERA ANGLICAN COLLEGE AT A GLANCE

Located at Upper Coomera in South East Queensland

Founded in 1997 by former Queensland Minister Ivan Gibbs

Currently has 1,420 students and 200 staff

classes have been allocated, all the rooms have been done for year … There’s really no great stress at that time, there’s no lost time, the timetable’s already operational, [and] you know what you need for the whole year from day one, which is great.”

The school also has seen some financial benefits in the area of supply teaching.

“It allows you to identify where you can

“It allows you to identify where you can merge classes, so we actually save on supply teaching expenses when you can see that you’ve got a couple of small senior classes that can merge” Mark Heaney, Coomera Anglican College merge classes, so we actually save on supply teaching expenses when you can see that you’ve got a couple of small senior classes that can merge,” Heaney says. “It gives you that data on the screen that says you may not need to assign anyone here … so there have been some financial benefits in that.

They were things we weren’t looking for at the time.”

Looking to the future

Educates students from kindergarten through to Year 12

dental benefits since implementing the Edval software.

“Because you put all the data in for the year when people make their selections, when it comes to second semester – we run a two-semester program – switching over to the new semester is pretty much automatic,” Heaney says. “All that data is in, all the

36

timely manner, Heaney adds.

“It’s great to have that support that’s, generally speaking, within a day [and] often much quicker than that … you’ll get their solution to your problem,” he says. “That’s always helpful.”

Heaney says Coomera Anglican College is already planning to expand its use of the Edval software.

On top of the benefits of the software, Heaney has been impressed with Edval’s ongoing support to the college.

“One of the things you worry about when you go to a new software package that is central to your core business, such as a timetable package, is what kind of support you are going to get,” he says. “Edval is set up so that if you have an issue that’s occurring on your screen, you can just hit a button, send an email immediately, [and] it sends the entire timetable, as it is right at the moment, to the support [team].”

And that support team responds in a

“Our primary school runs a completely separate timetable [and] different times, so the breaks don’t line up,” he says. “That’s always been problematic when we share staff.

What we’re going to do now is roll Edval out to the primary section of the college. The program can run two completely separate timetables; it doesn’t have any problems with that. “[The primary school timetable] is not as complex, obviously, but there are lots of specialist teachers,” he continues. “The real benefit is it’s going to allow for timetabling of team meetings [and] year level meetings in the primary campus, as well as allowing the person who does the daily covers down there … to be able to allocate those supply teachers and covers in a much more efficient way.”

It’s a move that will bring about significant time-saving benefits, as daily covers in Coomera’s primary school are currently determined manually, using a paper timetable.

“We can see some real benefits in getting primary onto that program,” Heaney says.

www.educatoronline.com.au

34-37_Sponsored feature EDVAL-SUBBED.indd 36

2/03/2018 12:43:53 PM

34-37_Sponsored feature EDVAL-SUBBED.indd 37

2/03/2018 12:43:58 PM

FEATURES

RECRUITMENT

Finding the right leaders How can principals ensure they fill senior leadership roles with the best candidates – and retain them once they’re in the job?

ACCORDING TO Tyson Wood, company manager for Smart Teachers Australia and Tes Australia, recruiting the right senior leadership team makes all the difference.

“No single person can lead the complex environment that is a school,” Wood says.

38

“That collective skill and ability, along with the integrity of the leadership team, is essential.”

Discussing mistakes principals sometimes make when recruiting senior leadership staff, Wood mentions placing too great an emphasis on the skill or knowledge of the role

while failing to consider values and personalities that will fit the leadership team.

Another, he says, is hiring leaders who have a similar personality to the principal.

“I think it’s important that you allow for differences within the leadership team,” Wood says, “and those differences should not just be in scope and responsibility. Having different personalities, as long as they align with those values, is beneficial.”

Wood also points out the error of hiring candidates on the basis that they have already occupied the same role in another school.

“You need to take into account the differences in what was required of a leadership candidate in their last school,” he says.

“Consider the difference in context. Just because a leadership candidate did well in their last school doesn’t mean they will work well in yours. Cultures [and] expectations are all different.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

38-41_Sponsored feature Smart-SUBBED.indd 38

2/03/2018 12:44:56 PM

Brought to you by

student wellbeing and see strong qualities that would make them a fit for your school, and a level of confluence that will show you they can transition well.”

Finally, Wood says a candidate search shouldn’t be restricted to a school’s local area.

“With shortages in leadership supply pools, it’s necessary that schools run recruitment and advertising campaigns with wider reach,” he says. “Schools doing their own recruitment need to choose advertising sources that reach principals, deputies and senior leaders near and far.”

Today, schools can opt for advertising that reaches all corners of Australia – and even international schools and UK-based candidates.

“If you’re looking for maximum reach, selecting an experienced recruiter will have advantages,” he says. “You can choose a

ABOUT SMART TEACHERS Smart Teachers is Australia’s leading education-specific recruitment agency, working in partnership with the world’s largest community of educators, Tes. Since Smart’s founding in 2004, thousands of educators have advanced their careers with the help of our expert team. Your school needs talent to excel; together, we’ll help you find the best Australia – and the world – have to offer. Start recruiting smarter today.

For more information, visit smartteachers.co.uk

Wood also advises against disregarding candidates who have previously had a different leadership focus.

“Take, for example, if we’re looking for a deputy principal for teaching and learning,” he says. “You may interview a deputy of

advertisements,” he says.

“From your advertising to how you engage candidates who enquire, ask questions, decide to apply and then follow up, the school needs to impress, as well as be impressed. In so doing, if you find that balance, you’re going to attract more people, you’re going to be able to hook them in, and you’re also going to be able to deliver a level of self-selection that people who are enquiring will know if they’re suitable to apply.”

Part of impressing candidates lies in the professional development the school can offer.

“Make that a feature of your offering to candidates,” Wood says. “People aspire to be a deputy; they aspire to be a principal. Some of the best schools I’ve served develop their senior leadership team to be a principal.

That means giving the opportunity to lead across other projects. If you do that, make

“Just because a leadership candidate did well in their last school doesn’t mean they will work well in yours” Tyson Wood, Smart Teachers Australia and Tes Australia recruiter that has a well established network of Australian school leaders with enhanced profiles and applications already in place, and you can select them for a full outsource, or you can simply have them run a targeted search alongside your own advertising.”

Impress and be impressed In efforts to attract top talent to their vacancies, principals should take a few important steps to distinguish themselves from other schools offering similar leadership roles.

Wood advises beginning with an engaging recruitment campaign built on a clear profile of the ideal candidate. “With that understanding of the school needs and the position, you’ll be able to create more intelligent

that transparent.”

Wood says there are substantial benefits for principals who begin to give thought to a candidate’s professional development during the recruitment phase.

“If you build an enhanced understanding and profile of the person you’ve selected along with it,” he says, “you’ll be able to identify areas that they need to develop, you can really start that new senior leader off on a professional development strategy, and you can work to that strategy or plan, making sure you’re giving them that bespoke support and development, which will develop them to be outstanding leaders at your school. It will also reflect a high level of commitment to that person.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

38-41_Sponsored feature Smart-SUBBED.indd 39

39

2/03/2018 3:13:17 PM

FEATURES

RECRUITMENT Brought to you by

THE SIGNS OF STRONG SENIOR LEADERS What are some essential traits or skills that tend to indicate strong senior leaders for schools? In addition to advanced holistic education knowledge, integrity and valuing young people, Smart Teachers’ Tyson Wood recommends looking out for the following attributes:

Analytical abilities “The ability to use data to secure accountabilities, inform strategies and make improvements.”

Change management skills “Schools are constantly changing and evolving.”

Passion for education “The best principals [and] deputies all still have a high level of passion for education.”

Superior communication skills “If you cannot communicate to high levels, both written and verbal, you’re probably not going to succeed as a senior leader in a school.”

40

Recruiting from within Of course, in addition to being externally sourced, leadership candidates will often already be on staff. Wood also has advice to offer on identifying and nurturing leadership talent among people who already fit a school’s culture and ascribe to its values. He emphasises the importance of developing the skill and ability of potential senior leaders to

date, and you’re also probably going to stretch out other members of the senior leadership team or the principal, as they will need to do more support for that person than usual.”

He advises principals to, in tandem with succession planning, “go to market or select a recruiter with an established databank of leaders so they can quickly identify their potential matching candidates available, so

“Schools doing their own recruitment need to choose advertising sources that reach principals, deputies and senior leaders near and far” Tyson Wood, Smart Teachers Australia and Tes Australia ensure they will ultimately fit these roles.

“Just because they were good as, say, a middle leader or a subject coordinator [doesn’t mean] they have the personality, temperament and maturity to step into senior leadership,” Wood says. “Senior leadership is far more complex than middle leadership.”

Wood encourages principals to identify teachers with senior leadership potential early on, and to begin giving those teachers leadership development opportunities.

“A lot of teachers don’t look for leadership just to get a pay bump; a lot of people value getting that leadership contribution in some capacity. The more opportunities you have, the more the schools will be able to identify teachers with leadership ability and start to develop them prior to stepping into a middle role, and that will help enhance your succession planning.”

But Wood also stresses that care must be taken not to move aspiring leaders into senior leadership positions too early.

“It can’t be rushed because you’re going to do damage to the development of the candi-

you can weigh up your succession person and see what the market also has available, and then make the best decision for your school.”

While recruiting right is essential, retention is another integral part of the story. So how can principals ensure leaders remain engaged and equipped to continue making optimal contributions to the leadership team? Wood thinks it’s important for principals to be visible in supporting their staff.

“What I’ve learned is that if there’s a collaborative leadership team with a high level of integrity, that will always retain and develop your leaders better,” he says. “If you have a strong values framework in place to guide that leadership team, that does a lot to engage.”

Wood’s final advice is to take full advantage of what’s out there in terms of resources.

“We live in a day and age where there’s so much more available in terms of support and training,” he says. “Accessing all of this as part of your development really can go a long way to making sure you’re developing your senior leadership team and supporting them not just within the school, but outside, too.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

38-41_Sponsored feature Smart-SUBBED.indd 40

2/03/2018 3:13:00 PM

38-41_Sponsored feature Smart-SUBBED.indd 41

2/03/2018 12:45:13 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

ST MICHAEL’S GRAMMAR

Rising to the challenge Brett Henebery speaks to Terrie Jones, the new principal of St Michael’s Grammar, about her educational journey and the kind of leadership she will bring to the school

AT THE start of 2018, Terrie Jones took up her new role as head of the prestigious St Michael’s Grammar School, located in St Kilda, Victoria. Jones replaced Simon Gipson, who spent more than 18 years as head of the school.

Jones has been at the forefront of education for more than 20 years and has spent the last six years at Ravenswood School for Girls in Gordon, NSW, most recently as the deputy principal and head of learning innovation.

The Educator spoke to Jones about her educational background and her plans for St Michael’s.

TE: Why did you feel that St Michael’s Grammar School was the right fit for you?

Terrie Jones: When you visit St Michael’s Grammar School, it becomes apparent that the school’s four values of dignity, respect, care and compassion are not just words – they are lived and experienced by the students, staff and parents of the school.

Embodied in the daily interactions in the classroom, staffroom and playground, these core values strongly align with my personal value set.

Patrick Duignan’s work on educational leadership invites us to consider a leadership

42

journey as the manifestation of our ability to be present and invoke presence. When I first encountered this idea in 2012 as a participant in the Association of Independent Schools Leadership Centre’s Flagship Program, it was a new way of thinking about leadership for me. As an educator, it is necessary to be present to students, colleagues, parents and alumni, as well as to our families, friends and to one’s self. It can be tough and

authentic presence in both students and staff.

I saw it in the manner in which two students greeted me and asked if I needed directions; I saw it in the way that Terry, the school’s crossing supervisor, interacted with the students and the way they thanked him sincerely; and in the Year 3 learning exhibition on Africa, where I delighted in speaking with students about their demonstrations of learning and marvelled at their joyful engage-

“Recent cultural shifts have underscored that instead of being at risk of irrelevance, schools have an urgent and increasingly important role to play in the creation, maintenance and growth of civil society” exacting, and is impossible to achieve alone.

It’s important that we develop and nurture a culture of presence in all facets of our community and that we see being ‘present’ to others as a reciprocally beneficial gift – given and received simultaneously.

When I walked around St Michael’s last year with the current head of the school, Mr Simon Gipson, I witnessed many moments of

ment and depth of understanding.

Similarly, I glimpsed this manifestation of presence as students and staff warmly greeted Mr Gipson, a familiar and welcome sight, but also politely acknowledged me – a stranger in their midst. I returned to the hotel after this two-hour visit in the car of a member of staff who, oblivious to who I was or the reason for my visit, had generously offered to drop me at

www.educatoronline.com.au

42-45_School Spotlight-SUBBED.indd 42

2/03/2018 4:36:15 AM

ST MICHAEL’S GRAMMAR AT A GLANCE

An Australian co-educational independent day school located in St Kilda, Victoria

Founded in 1895 by the Community of the Sisters of the Church

my hotel when a taxi failed to arrive. She chatted so naturally and sincerely about how much she enjoyed working at St Michael’s that I knew this was a place I could also belong, be fully present and make a contribution.

It must be said that leading a coeducational school will be a wonderful new challenge for me. Recent cultural shifts have underscored that instead of being at risk of irrelevance, schools have an urgent and increasingly important role to play in the creation, maintenance and growth of civil society. Effective co-education provides vital opportunities for students of all genders to learn to live and work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect that is conducive to

an enhanced understanding of the value of a diversity of perspectives.

TE: You’ve said that your educational philosophy has been developed through teaching in different states in Australia and the UK, as well as working with academics in the US. What were some of the most significant takeaways from these experiences for you as a principal?

TJ: The key takeaway has been that there is always something to learn and that in a globalised world, there is no place for insularity. Checking our biases and our ingrained habits is a daily requirement when striving

Provides a comprehensive education from kindergarten to the Victorian Certificate of Education [VCE]

All Year 12 students study for the VCE, as the VCAL and IB Diploma Programme are not offered

The previous principal, Simon Gipson, stepped down at the end of 2017; Terrie Jones took up the role of principal on 1 January 2018

FEBRUARY 2015 | 43 www.educatoronline.com.au

42-45_School Spotlight-SUBBED.indd 43

2/03/2018 4:36:26 AM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

ST MICHAEL’S GRAMMAR

ST MICHAEL’S STRATEGIC VISION 2020 Retain the school’s place as an Anglican K-12, non-selective, co-educational school with 1,350 to 1,400 students Achieve quality and excellence in teaching, learning and caring programs Support the development of a highly skilled, professional team of staff Expand the concept of contributing citizenship throughout the school community Adopt a proactive approach to sustainability Develop high-quality infrastructure and business practices to support innovative learning

44

for improvement. No country in the world has the educational enterprise exactly right because it is a human enterprise. There is no one best way to teach, to learn, to care or to organise ourselves, but there are a lot of wonderful and research-informed ways to do all of these things, and looking beyond our most immediate experience is a rigorous way to test our thinking and ideas.

Having said that, importing good ideas without attending to context can be foolhardy. I have been very fortunate to experience the curriculum, pedagogical and wellbeing approaches of many different jurisdictions, and while this has given me an expansive outlook, it has been both humbling and empowering. We are doing a lot of things right in Australian schools for students and staff, but we can always do better. We need to look outwards and engage with rigorous research, but also retain a commitment to

considering the findings in light of the appropriateness to our own school’s context, respecting that many of the solutions lie within the collective expertise in our schools.

As a leader, it is my role to enable the staff of St Michael’s to work in ways that best serve our students.

TE: You recently spent time overseas on sabbatical, learning from members of the founding order of St Michael’s, the Sisters of the Church. Can you tell us more about this experience?

TJ: The founders of St Michael’s, the Community of the Sisters of the Church, were Anglo-Catholic nuns who arrived in Australia in 1892, charged with no positional authority, yet asserting a powerful kind of leadership, borne of a commitment to justice and a sense of responsibility to do

www.educatoronline.com.au

42-45_School Spotlight-SUBBED.indd 44

2/03/2018 4:36:36 AM

God’s work. All of the six remaining schools founded by the Sisters in Australia and New Zealand share a wonderful opportunity to enrich our students’ lives through engaging with this shared history. The order’s founder, Mother Emily Ayckbowm, was a progressive educator with a vision to instil a love of learning and a sense of social responsibility.

Educators at St Michael’s take seriously their role in the continuation of this important and noble endeavour.

Today at St Michael’s, we are fortunate to maintain close contact with the order. My recent sabbatical period provided an opportunity to meet with Sister Linda Mary, the Mother Provincial of Australia, and to share in the narrative that has shaped the school since its founding in 1895. I was also afforded the opportunity to visit the Solomon Islands, the youngest and largest province in the Community of the Sisters of the Church.

During my stay in Honiara, I visited Sister Veronica, who has recently opened a free school for the children of plantation workers at the order’s novitiate at Tetete ni Kolivuti. I was also privileged to meet Sister Phyllis and witness the important work of the Sisters of the Church and the Melanesian Sisters at the Christian Care Centre, the only domestic violence shelter in the Solomon Islands. The order continues to be a part of the fabric of St Michael’s, and we will look for new ways to engage with and support their ongoing work in the Solomon Islands.

this way that the critical educative theories of teacher leadership (Crowther et al, 2002), adaptive learning (Heifetz et al, 2009) and the tools of Bryk et al (2016) challenge us to seek the questions that will transform schools and communities as places of rigorous, relevant and engaging learning.

I feel fortunate to be leading a school whose

“In a globalised world, there is no place for insularity … No country in the world has the educational enterprise exactly right because it is a human enterprise”

practices already align with the principles supported by research into effective professional learning. Teachers at St Michael’s are engaged in action research projects and lesson study initiatives aimed at ‘seeing learning’ and improving teaching and learning for all students.

A recently released comparative study of high-performing education systems around the world by Linda Darling-Hammond et al found that Finland, Australia, Canada, Singapore and Shanghai share a focus on collaborative teacher inquiry to develop capacity in effective clinical teaching practice.

This approach to continuous improvement, and the school’s emphasis on the importance of trust and belonging, are at the core of our strategic intent. We will work together to provide our students with the teaching, learning and caring experiences they need to face the complex issues of the present and the future with a commitment to the common good and a sense of hope.

TE: How would you describe the culture of leadership you intend to bring to St Michael’s?

TJ: St Michael’s has a strong and inclusive culture, and I intend to create the optimum conditions for the learning and growth of students, staff and our community by attending to this solid foundation of trust and collaborative endeavour.

As I envisage it, educational leadership is replete with valuable opportunities to promote and foster active learning partnerships between students and teachers in the pursuit of shared goals. The skill of posing questions to oneself, colleagues and society is paramount for community learning. It is in

FEBRUARY 2015 | 45 www.educatoronline.com.au

42-45_School Spotlight-SUBBED.indd 45

2/03/2018 4:36:39 AM

FEATURES

LITERACY SKILLS

Learning literacy

ment. If learners don’t know the meaning of a word, it will cause confusion for comprehension, and subsequently they will not use it in their everyday oral or written language.”

Phonic building blocks

THRASS’ Denyse Ritchie talks to The Educator about working to optimise students’ literacy skills and how principals can drive change in this area

WHILE IT’S essential for educators in Australia to ensure that today’s students are properly equipped with 21st-century skills that will prepare them to enter tomorrow’s workforce, it’s also crucial that students are given a comprehensive education in spelling and literacy.

For many years, Denyse Ritchie has been invested in working to enrich students’ education in this respect. Ritchie is the co-author of THRASS, a specific pedagogical practice [SPP] for the teaching of literacy.

(THRASS is an acronym for Teaching Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills.)

She outlined for The Educator the key concerns she has with respect to the teaching of literacy skills in Australian schools today.

“The first is how phonics is taught,” Ritchie says. “In many cases, phonics is taught using a contrived linear continuum that relies heavily on a large ‘sight word’ vocabulary – the name created for words that don’t fit the linear phonic teaching process.

This guarantees that only learners who employ a visual strategy to overthrow this ‘synthetic phonics’ teaching will succeed.

“For example, if a child can read ‘was’ or ‘all’ or ‘are’, while the teacher is teaching the letter

46

‘a’ as the sound at the beginning of ‘apple’, then clearly the learner is not employing the synthetic phonics knowledge. This huge reliance on a ‘sight’ vocabulary does nothing to support explicit spelling instruction.”

Ritchie’s second area of concern is the lack

THRASS is based on research evidence that shows that systematic phonics teaching is essential for the foundational learning of reading and writing – the most basic literacy skills.

“Understanding our phonics system in English is central and critical to the correct teaching of written English,” Ritchie says.

“The starting point for THRASS is phonemic awareness – an undisputed predictor of early literacy success. English is a language that is spoken using 44 individual speech sounds.

However, despite this widely known fact, many early phonics programs that are used and recommended in Australia only teach 23 speech sounds. In these programs, each of these 23 speech sounds are linked to the letters of the alphabet, leaving 21 spoken

“Meaning is critical to vocabulary development. If learners don’t know the meaning of a word, it will cause confusion for comprehension, and subsequently they will not use it in their everyday oral or written language” Denyse Ritchie, THRASS of emphasis placed on building vocabulary.

“The meaning of words should be the most important part of any reading or spelling activity,” she says, “but too often phonic decoding dominates the learning-toread process, and meaning is overlooked.

Meaning is critical to vocabulary develop-

sounds that are not taught or practised for phonemic awareness.”

According to Ritchie, this deficit causes confusion in the early years because learners acquire an incorrect understanding of English alphabetic principle.

“The English alphabet contains 26 letters

www.educatoronline.com.au

46-49_Sponsored feature THRASS-SUBBED.indd 46

2/03/2018 12:46:58 PM

Brought to you by

ABOUT THRASS The THRASS Institute provides teachers with the tools, strategies and subject knowledge to explicitly teach the phono­ graphic code of English as required by ACARA. It provides a cost-effective whole school literacy model that is sustainable from foundation onwards and supported by a comprehensive suite of print and digital resources. THRASS training empowers teachers to confidently cater for multi-level classrooms and support ESL learners and students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties.

For more information, visit thrass.com.au.

to write 44 sounds, and English orthography does not have a one-to-one correspondence between letters and sounds,” she says. “Many English spelling patterns, referred to as ‘phonic patterns’, are two-, three- and fourletter patterns. If early learners are not made aware of these patterns, simple everyday words will cause confusion.

“Systematic teaching requires that a system be put in place that will be sustainable and support future learning,” Ritchie adds.

“The system must provide understanding of how integrated elements build and work symbiotically.”

She says the systematic process required

for teaching written English must ensure that learners are able to hear, identify and articulate 44 individual speech sounds of English.

“They need to know all 26 alphabetic symbols by name and understand that a letter can represent more than one sound and that sounds can be represented using patterns of one, two, three or four letters.”

Training teachers In order to be able to teach literacy skills, Ritchie says educators need to undergo a paradigm shift in their literacy teaching. “At a minimum, teachers need to undertake two-day foundational training to correctly

use THRASS,” she says.

Ritchie adds that many people criticise THRASS without having undertaken training.

“They do not understand the system; they assume it is too complex for their learners. In truth, the THRASS analogous learning model makes reading and spelling acquisition much simpler, faster and more sustainable than conventional ‘synthetic phonics’ approaches, and as a classroom strategy, it is fun, systematic, explicit and linguistically correct.”

Ritchie emphasises that when it comes to literacy teaching, there are no silver bullets, and the critical element of change necessary to improve literacy results in Australia is to

www.educatoronline.com.au

46-49_Sponsored feature THRASS-SUBBED.indd 47

47

2/03/2018 12:47:06 PM

FEATURES

LITERACY SKILLS Brought to you by

THE BROADER CONTEXT The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study [PIRLS] is an international comparative study that aims to provide the best policyrelevant information about how to improve teaching and learning, and to assist young students to become accomplished, selfsufficient readers. More than 580,000 Year 4 students in 50 countries took part in PIRLS’ most recent study. Key Australia-specific findings from the study included the following: On average, Australian Year 4 students performed significantly higher than students in 24 countries, including three other countries (New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Malta) that tested in English On average, Australian Year 4 students were outperformed by students in 13 countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, Northern Ireland and England (all of which tested in English), as well as the Russian Federation, Finland and Poland Just 16% of Australian students reached the advanced international benchmark, compared to 29% of students in Singapore, 26% in the Russian Federation and 22% in Northern Ireland Eighty-one per cent of Australian students reached the intermediate international benchmark, which is the proficient standard for Australia On average, female students perform at a higher level in reading literacy than their male peers Source: Australian Council for Educational Research, 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study

48

enhance teachers’ subject knowledge and professional understanding.

“Employing direct instructional programs that simply require the teacher to be the facilitator of learning will not change our literacy results,” she says. “Building teacher capacity through teacher training will ensure that teachers are able to correctly and explicitly deliver curriculum, assess and analyse their

teachers who are THRASS trained – their principals, support staff and parents also have opportunities to engage in professional development so they are able to provide continuity and support classroom learning at home.

“Every THRASS course begins with asking participants to engage as critical thinkers, to question their current teaching beliefs and practices, and to question what the trainer is

“Building teacher capacity through teacher training will ensure that teachers are able to correctly and explicitly deliver curriculum, assess and analyse their learners’ work, and, where appropriate, employ effective intervention and remediation” Denyse Ritchie, THRASS learners’ work, and, where appropriate, employ effective intervention and remediation.”

THRASS’ training is continuously evolving to meet the needs of schools and teachers, as well as to incorporate new ideas, curriculum content and activities. But, Ritchie says, the underlying messages and course outline remain essentially the same.

“These days a lot of professional development takes place online, whereas our courses have remained physical, face-to-face experiences where teachers can put themselves in the shoes of their learners.”

Leading change from the top For best results, Ritchie recommends that THRASS be employed as a whole school literacy model.

“This ensures sustainable foundational teaching that supports future learning across KLAs,” she says. “In schools where THRASS is most effective, it is not just the classroom

telling them. Each individual teacher needs to make their own paradigm shift, and some teachers will take longer than others to do so.

Principals who remain mindful of this and are able to gently lead by example using their own THRASS knowledge tend to be the most effective at getting and keeping their staff on board.”

Ritchie says principals contemplating employing THRASS in their schools need to understand that it’s not a tool or program, and that it relies on the subject knowledge and professional understanding of those tasked with delivering it. Thus, she says, “there needs to be adequate provision for revision and upskilling of staff at least once per year”.

Principals interested in learning more about THRASS can attend a 90-minute introductory session either face-to-face or via Skype.

The organisation also has a Facebook page where principals can see what’s happening in other THRASS schools and connect with others who are using THRASS.

www.educatoronline.com.au

46-49_Sponsored feature THRASS-SUBBED.indd 48

2/03/2018 12:47:09 PM

46-49_Sponsored feature THRASS-SUBBED.indd 49

2/03/2018 12:47:15 PM

FEATURES

WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS

Investigations beyond reproach Luis Izzo provides five tips for improving your workplace investigations AS A DIRECTOR of Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors, I am regularly called to advise on disciplinary action arising from workplace investigations. As the disciplinary process unfolds, what often becomes apparent is that flaws arising during the investigation process often undermine the employer’s decision-making process and tend to increase exposure to unfair dismissal or breach-ofcontract claims.

you don’t set a scope or framework for the investigation at all, the following consequences are likely to arise.

First, you might find that the investigation lacks direction and unnecessarily traverses matters that are irrelevant to the allegations being investigated.

Alternatively, certain parties may become aggrieved if their particular issues are not addressed. A defined scope helps to provide

A common (and justifiable) complaint by many respondents to investigations is that they are not provided with sufficient detail of the allegations against them Here are five tips for ensuring your workplace investigation stays on track and beyond reproach.

Set the scope Regardless of whether you are investigating a matter internally or engaging an external investigator, it is important to set the scope of what is being investigated at the outset. Sure, developments might arise during the investigation process that require the scope to be expanded or narrowed. However, if

50

boundaries on the behaviour subject to scrutiny and helps ensure that other unrelated issues (including, for example, legitimate performance management and operational differences of opinion) do not become entangled in the investigation.

Don’t run away from the ‘he said, she said’ scenario Investigations will often involve situations in which two witnesses have opposite recollections of the same incident. In these cases, many

employers will automatically conclude that they cannot reach any finding regarding what took place, given the conflicting evidence from the only available witnesses.

Employers need to remember that the standard of proof that needs to be applied in these cases is ‘the balance of probabilities’.

That is, is it more likely than not that the alleged conduct took place?

While the existence of a factual disagreement between the two direct witnesses often muddies the waters, there could be a myriad of other circumstantial evidence that might assist an employer in determining what actually took place. For instance, a contemporaneous complaint or file note, contemporaneous email correspondence, or a regular pattern of behaviour by a particular employee are all types of evidence that will form part of the overall framework of facts that are relevant to determining whether certain conduct has taken place.

It could well be the case that, having considered all of this evidence, it is still

www.educatoronline.com.au

50-51_BIZSTRAT-SUBBED.indd 50

2/03/2018 4:38:32 AM

the allegations against them. The more thorough your questioning, the more specific the allegation and findings, and the more defensible the investigation process becomes.

Clarify who can see witness statements and how much information will be provided

impossible to make a finding either way.

That is inevitable in some cases. However, don’t simply give up at the first hurdle without trying to explore whether a finding can be made.

Don’t declare war on the support person It is now well understood by most HR practitioners that support persons are there to emotionally support the person involved in the investigation and do not have the right to act as an employee’s advocate.

However, we find that some HR practitioners tend to take an unnecessarily hostile approach to support persons, fervently reminding them of their limited role at any opportunity and refusing any requests for breaks or to clarify questions.

In our experience, taking an amicable approach to the investigation process is more likely to achieve a constructive outcome.

Unless the support person starts misbehaving or disrupting the investigation process, an

accommodation for a five-minute break or to clarify the meaning of a question is unlikely to prejudice the employer’s position and will lead to a more harmonious investigation process.

Of course, when asking questions of employees, it is important that you do obtain the employee’s answer directly from them, as opposed to the support person.

This is particularly important in dishonesty cases to ensure that the employee can be accountable for what is said in the investigation meeting.

Get specific You can never ask enough questions in an investigation. Try to ask as many questions as possible. When did the events occur?

Where? Why? Who witnessed the events?

How does the witness know about the matters they are describing?

A common (and justifiable) complaint by many respondents to investigations is that they are not provided with sufficient detail of

Witnesses often request that their evidence be kept confidential when disclosing information about fellow employees. On the other hand, respondents often complain when they can’t see the witness statements made against them, alleging that they do not have a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.

How does the employer balance these competing issues? The short answer is that a respondent needs to be provided with sufficient detail of the allegations against them in order to be given a fair opportunity to respond. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they need to see witness statements. Rather, the respondent will often only require specific detail about what it is alleged they have done.

In rare cases, though – particularly where witness motivations for giving evidence could be called into question – the only way to give the respondent a fair opportunity to respond could be to disclose the effect of evidence from relevant witnesses.

Workplace investigations can be complex matters, and only a few key points have been covered in this article. ABLA runs regular webinars and training courses on this subject and can tailor the training for your organisation. Call 1300 565 846 or visit ablawyers. com.au to book in a comprehensive training program for your staff.

Luis Izzo is a director at Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors, a legal and advisory firm trusted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the leading voice for industry in the Fair Work Commission. Contact him on 1300 565 846 or luis.izzo@ ablawyers.com.au with any questions about workplace investigations.

www.educatoronline.com.au

50-51_BIZSTRAT-SUBBED.indd 51

51

2/03/2018 4:38:45 AM

PEOPLE

CAUGHT ON CAMERA STUDENTS WOW SPACE INDUSTRY LEADERS AT SHOWCASE In November, students from eight selected schools, along with the pioneers of 10 innovative space experiments, took part in the 2017 Space Showcase Event at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.

Students showcased their work and pitched their ideas to industry members from across Australia.

The night included a keynote address by Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science Craig Laundy, as well as a talk from Cuberider CEO Solange Cunin.

“Students have made cosmetics for astronauts, VR simulations, music, discovered patterns of the International Space Station’s movement and delved into the variations of the earth’s magnetic field,” Cunin told The Educator. “This is exciting on its own, but students have actually coded the experiments themselves to do this.”

AUSTRALIAN PROJECT

z WINS GLOBAL AWARD

In October, an Australian project beat out competition from across the world to take home the Association for Learning Environments’ James D MacConnell Award, the top international prize for education design. Design practice Hayball, in collaboration with Melbourne’s Caulfield Grammar School, won the award for The Learning Project, a prefabricated building that serves as a testing ground for new learning and classroom models.

The Learning Project was borne out of discussions in 2013, when Caulfield Grammar began master planning its three metropolitan campuses and the question arose as to what learning would look like and how spaces would evolve in years to come.

52

www.educatoronline.com.au

52-53_Caught on Camera-SUBBED.indd 52

2/03/2018 10:27:03 AM

OPERA AUSTRALIA BEGINS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SCHOOLS TOUR In February, New South Wales Minister for the Arts Don Harwin launched Opera Australia’s 2018 NSW Schools Tour at Sydney’s South Coogee Public School. This year marks the program’s 20th anniversary; during that time, it has showcased opera to over 1.4 million students through more than 7,500 performances at both government and independent schools in regional and metropolitan areas across the nation. In 2018, OA is touring the state with a custom production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. The 50-minute version of the opera was created specifically for OA and is supported by curriculum-based teachers’ resource material.

Opera Australia photos by Keith Saunders

www.educatoronline.com.au

52-53_Caught on Camera-SUBBED.indd 53

53

2/03/2018 10:27:06 AM

NOMINATIONS CLOSE 23 MARCH www.educatorawards.com

FRIDAY 17 AUGUST • DOCKSIDE SYDNEY

54-55_ADVERT_PAI.indd Education awards FP ad.indd541

2/03/2018 9:29:59 9:05:58 AM 1/03/2018

9:59 AM

ADVERTORIAL

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Leadership Coaching Principals Australia Institute’s Paul Geyer talks about how leadership coaching can bring out benefits for principals, staff and their students WE ALL know athletes and sports players need a coach to perform at their best. Those climbing the corporate ladder may have sought a business coach. And it’s not unheard of these days to seek the advice of a life coach when faced with major changes on the personal front.

But as a principal, have you thought about working with a leadership coach?

Principals Australia Institute (PAI) recognises the value in school leaders undertaking leadership coaching – for the benefit of the leaders themselves, as well as their staff teams and schools.

“We’re encouraging principals to reflect on their roles as educational leaders and consider whether their effectiveness and stressors could be supported by an experienced coach, and if they are also effective coaches for their teams,” says Paul Geyer, Chief Executive Officer of Principals Australia Institute. “School leader-

ship roles are multi-faceted and pivotal to a school’s success, so it’s vital that principals can coach their teams to achieve.”

To help school leaders develop their coaching skills, PAI is offering Leadership Coaching, a professional development offering for school leaders. Leadership Coaching is being delivered in partnership with Coach Studio, a South Australia-based professional coaching business with a global reach.

PAI’s Leadership Coaching enables principals to access coaches with corporate executive coaching experience.

Coach Studio understands that leaders are at the heart of any high-performing education system, and has developed an ‘Education Leader as Coach’ program to support principals. Actively using the Growth model and ‘Leader as Coach’ approach enables principals to have their personal and professional visions

realised, while building strong and innovative school communities.

PAI’s Leadership Coaching has been designed with busy school leaders and principals in mind.. Professional leadership coaches create a learning environment for leaders which allows them to be their best, whilst learning powerful communication and collaboration tools using only real-work scenarios.

School leaders will benefit from this opportunity to learn from coaches who have a broad business and corporate background.

There is a pre-work component to prime participants for the workshop, which takes just 45 minutes and involves a coach competency self-assessment, and identifying real-life leadership challenges to work through, followed up with a 1 hour webinar post workshop.

Coach Studio’s workshop is content-rich in crucial coaching skills, founded on International Coach Federation core competencies. Its Head Coaches are Inta Sellick and Megan Fraser, who are both certified with the International Coach Federation, hold active roles in this professional industry body, and bring a wealth of experience from their roles as coaches, facilitators and leaders. Committed to their own professional development as coaches, they will bring the latest research and methodologies from a global perspective to Leadership Coaching for PAI. “Coaching is the art of empowering people to improve their effectiveness, in a way in which they feel helped and inspired,” says Paul Geyer. “We hope that school leaders across the country take up this opportunity to learn how to shape a culture of challenge and support in their schools, enabling effective student learning. Creating a performancefocussed environment, which is solutionoriented and considers possibilities, improves workplace relationships and develops the skills and confidence of teachers and school leaders, can only be a good thing for a school and its outcomes.”

You can check the Events Calendar at pai. edu.au to find the scheduled date for your location. For more information or to register for Leadership Coaching, please contact Principals Australia Institute on 08 8394 2100, or email contact@pai.edu.au.

www.educatoronline.com.au

54-55_ADVERT_PAI.indd 55

55

2/03/2018 12:35:38 PM

FEATURE / BROKER EDUCATION PEOPLE

OTHER LIFE

TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER LIFE Email brett.henebery@keymedia.com.au

22

Years Pickwell has spent competing as a bodybuilder

18

Weeks Pickwell spent dieting prior to the WFF World Championships

10

Weeks Pickwell spent juggling competition prep with teaching prior to the championships

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF

For physical education teacher Andrew Pickwell, years of hard work have culminated in a coveted world title in bodybuilding FOR MOST of his life, primary physical education teacher Andrew Pickwell has followed a simple philosophy: Success presents itself in varying degrees and at different stages; failures are also a necessary part of the journey, and achieving your personal goals requires resilience, persistence and patience.

56

Pickwell, who has been the PE specialist at Hatton Vale State School in the Lockyer Valley for the last 15 years, has long balanced his own training with teaching and coaching different sporting teams.

He competed in his first bodybuilding competition in the novice division in 1996, but didn’t place. However, his persistence

paid off last year when he won the world title in the performance division at the World Fitness Federation World Championships in Cyprus.

“After 22 years of competing with both success and failure,” Pickwell says, “it’s an incredible feeling achieving that ultimate goal.”

www.educatoronline.com.au

56-IBC_Other Life-SUBBED.indd 56

2/03/2018 4:39:13 AM

56-IBC_Other Life-SUBBED.indd 57

2/03/2018 4:39:22 AM

00_OFC_OBC_SPINE-SUBBED.indd 3

2/03/2018 1:18:27 PM