Oils ain’t Oils “Raising the bar on teachers and schools” Vic Zbar

Oils ain’t oils Teachers ain’t teachers Schools ain’t schools

We know………….. From the experience and a growing array of data that the teacher a student has, and the school he or she attends, has a marked impact on the outcomes s/he achieves… That is why so many parents seek to influence the selection of their children’s teachers…..and express a desire for greater choice in their schools.

Elmore (2002) notes…… One of the strongest social norms among (teachers) is that everyone is expected to pretend that they are equally effective at what they do….however teachers themselves, under the right circumstances, will talk candidly about who the strong and weak teachers are reputed to be……

Elmore continues……....the entire process of school improvement depends on schools making public and authoritative distinctions among teachers and administrators based on quality, competence, expertise and performance. If everyone is equally good at what they do, then no one has anything to teach anyone else how to do it better…pretence of absolute equality is a major impediment to improvement.

Hill’s research (1997)…… Class %School % English387 Mathematics558 Percentage variance in value-added measures of English and Mathematics by class and school effects in primary schools.

Hill notes…………. ‘…that a major improvement in student learning would result if all classes were brought up to the level of the most effective class’. Zbar comments: ‘We should seek to have all teachers in the school behaving like the best teachers, so a quantum improvement is achieved’.

More research – Hattie (2003)…. Variance in student outcomes: % within students themselves over which school has little control 5-10% from school variances, but critically determine the effectiveness of teachers and teaching quality 5-10% from peer effects when students get to school 30-40% from teachers and what they know, do and care about

Why this variance……..? People of all professions want to do a good and better job….but don’t necessarily know how to….. Teachers, en mass, are therefore not deliberately stifling changes to practice… Much teacher learning has a focus on attitudinal change, expecting that amended practice will follow. In fact, they change in concert…(Elmore 2002)

Practice changes values…. Zbar cites Elmore (2002) who draws on Guskey’s research (1989) ‘..teachers who were able to use certain practices successfully “expressed more positive attitudes towards teaching and (they) increased responsibility for their students’ learning”….he concludes that changes in attitudes and beliefs generally follow, rather than precede, changes in behaviour.’

Barber (2003) supports this view… Barber’s view is to change behaviours through a mix of ‘challenge and support’, in the knowledge that beliefs will follow…. Zbar adds ‘ arguably we know more than ever before about what does and what doesn’t work in classes and schools…but there’s a mystifying reluctance to urge (teachers) to adopt it for themselves…perhaps a hangover from the now outdated view that one’s classroom is one’s own…

What about teams……? Opening individual practice to scrutiny and sharing almost always have a positive effect…. however Teams can just pool their existing knowledge instead of examining what really works. Teams must act on the basis of evidence rather than particular preferences they may hold. Where can we find the evidence?

There is research …. Hattie (2007) Analyses of the effect of different classroom interventions (100 available) The typical effect is 0.4, so we should aspire to those with higher effects An effect of 1.0 provides a 50% increase in achievement or one year of learning.

Rank these 10 (from 1 = highest effect to 10 = lowest effect) - Feedback - Questioning - Classroom behaviour - Cooperative learning - Diet - Class size - Competitive learning - Retention (retain a year) - Testing - Early intervention

The Ranking 1 Feedback.81 2 Classroom behaviour.71 3 Cooperative learning.59 4 Early intervention.49 5 Competitive learning.41 6 Testing.31 7 Questioning.20 8 Diet.12 9 Class size Retention (retain a year)-.17

The disasters … 71Programmed instruction.14 72Finances.14 73Problem based learning.12 74Diet.12 75Gender (female-male).09 76Inductive teaching.06 77Team teaching.06 78Ability grouping - streaming.05 79Class size.05 80Open vs. traditional Summer vacation Retention Transfer of school Disruptive students-.78

The also rans … 56Metacognitive interventions.29 57Math programs.27 58Audio-visual.26 59Gifted programs.25 60Coaching.24 61Behavior objectives.24 62Calculators.24 63Mainstreaming.21 64Questioning.20 65Learning hierarchies.19 66Attitude to maths.19 67Desegregation.18 68Play.16 69Television.15

Almost there … 42Tutoring.35 43Activity-based programs.35 44Remedial programs.35 45Classroom climate.35 46Social skills training.35 47Time.34 48CAI.32 49Inquiry based teaching.32 50Preschool.32 51Whole language.31 52Within class grouping.31 53Testing.31 54Problem solving.30 55Background.30

In the middle … 29Parent involvement.46 30Bilingual programs.46 31Adjunct aids.45 32Concept mapping.45 33Advance organizers.44 34Hypermedia instruction.44 35Socio economic status.44 36Perceptual-motor skills.42 37Individualised instruction.42 38Homework.41 39Competitive learning.41 40Simulations.37 41Expectations.36

Worth having … 14Self-assessment.54 15Mastery learning.53 16Creativity programs.52 17Interactive video.52 18Psycho-linguistics.51 19Goals.51 20Peer influence.50 21Early intervention.49 22Outdoor education.49 23Science.49 24Professional Development.48 25Acceleration.47 26Motivation.47

The MAJOR Influences … 1 Explicit instruction.93 2 Reciprocal teaching.86 3 Feedback.81 4 Strategy training.80 5Classroom behaviour.71 6Prior achievement.71 7Phonological awareness.70 8Home environment.69 9Piagetian programs.63 10Co-operative learning.59 11Reading.58 12Quality of teaching.55 13Study skills.54

What about teacher difference? Our personality, energy, organisational abilities, sense of humour etc will always overlay a particular pedagogy and effect the outcome We can only justify using ‘preferred’ pedagogies if a significant effect is proven

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Governance: High quality councillors are attracted to contribute so that Council is active. Meetings are well attended and vacancies are easily filled. Sub-committees can be formed to meet and report regularly. The council develops a clear strategy for the school each year. The council monitors the performance of the school, including analysis of school performance data and student outcomes. The council communicates and consults with parents and other members of the school community on the development, implementation and outcomes of the school’s Strategic Plan.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Leadership : Leadership in the school promotes the success of the school and of all its students by: setting the overall direction of the school and facilitating the development of a shared vision of learning; building and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth; creating a safe, effective learning environment; building and sustaining the organisational effectiveness of the school through the management structures and processes, including decision making processes; mobilising and collaborating with families and community members;

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Leadership – cont’d: acting ethically with integrity and fairness; and understanding and interpreting the larger political and cultural context and making it coherent to the school and its wider community. This range of leadership tasks cannot ‘be done successfully’ by the Principal alone. It requires ‘distributed leadership’, where the leadership and management of the school are shared among a mutually supportive and collaborative team, guided by the Principal.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Learning environment: The school has a clear discipline policy that is known by all students and parents and consistently implemented by staff. The discipline policy is based on logical consequences for misdemeanours that occur. Good behaviour is recognised and poor behaviour not tolerated. Such policies and processes are effectively, uniformly and appropriately adopted and followed through by school staff. Associated policies such as the uniform policy ane also regularly and consistently enforced. The discipline policy is regularly reviewed, with the involvement of students and parents, and discussed by teachers in class.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Teaching: Each team has a common understanding of teaching goals and objectives, and a shared philosophy for instruction that reflects current research. The teams’ teaching and learning program is consistent and co-ordinated across year levels. There is a whole of team approach to the teaching of subject matter. Practice in classrooms supports this instructional focus. Flexible groupings are used in classes to maximise engaged learning time and meet differing student needs.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Teaching – cont’d: There is a coherent teaching and learning schedule with minimal interruptions to student learning. Student achievement is assessed in consistent ways, using a range of assessment tools aligned to relevant standards. There is a systematic approach to the use of assessment data to diagnose student needs. Records of assessment are kept for each student with both strengths and needs identified and shared and passed between teachers and from year to year. The school has a written Homework policy that is applied consistently. The school and its teachers link parents closely into its approaches to student learning and assessment.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Professional learning: There are effective teams of teachers engaged together in professional learning to improve teaching practice. Professional learning includes internal support such as mentoring and modelling as well as access to external opportunities. Teachers generate and review data to review their performance and improve engagement and outcomes. The professional culture is valued and is stimulating and motivating.

Zbar’s capacity for improvement benchmarks Networks/partnerships: The school works actively to involve parents in matters of substance relating to the school, its direction and priorities. Links are sought and made with potential partners who can contribute positively to the school (local government, business etc.) The involvement of outside educational bodies (eg. Tertiary institutions) is sought to contribute to improved teaching and learning capacity in the school. School personnel participate in networks and the school works collaboratively with other schools on issues of mutual concern.