Mindframes of Visible Learning

The Visible Learning mindframes aim to have teachers make the greatest impact on teaching and learning. They underpin every action and decision in a school; it is a belief that we are evaluators, change agents, adaptive learning experts, seekers of feedback about our impact, engaged in dialogue and challenge, developers of trust with all and that we see opportunity in error and are keen to spread the message about the power, fun and impact we have on learning. (Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning p159) The four key focus areas of Visible Learner, Know Thy Impact, Visible Teaching & Learning and Effective Feedback encompass the mindframes of effective teachers and successful learners:

• Assessment for teaching • Awareness of growth • Challenge vs do your best • Dialogue not monologue • Errors are welcome • Fixed vs growth (change agent) • Focus on learning • High expectations for all • Know thy impact • Student voice

In December 2020, all teaching staff undertook the Time 1 Mindframes Survey. While it was evident that our staff agreed with many of the mindframes listed above, there were four beliefs where we diverged from a common alignment with many other schools. The contrasting mindframes reveal that our staff at that time believed:

• student voice not prominent in our classrooms • our students do not need to make errors to learn • there is a fixed mindset towards student ability and progress in learning • student data is not regularly accessed and used

This year, it is hoped that these beliefs will become more positive. In addition to the Mindframes Time 1 Survey, PK-12 teaching staff collaborated to define and develop a common language around the practice of Assessments – Formative Assessments, Summative Assessments, Rubrics, Feedback, Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. The following includes the actual wording, as well as the summarised agreed sentiments, that resulted from this teamwork.