Curiosity and Powerful Learning

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
2-Year Program

All schools, including high performing schools, must engage in ongoing improvement to ensure students achieve their potential. We must raise standards into the medium and long term and at the same time enhance the learning skills, the spirit of enquiry or curiosity of our students.

Successful school improvement must involve the whole school from the principal to the students and the school community. This program will provide an identified team with the knowledge and tools to embed an ongoing structure of school improvement.

ACEL, in partnership with McRel, have developed a 2-year program providing school improvement teams with theoretical knowledge, tools and frameworks to implement processes to develop the pedagogical skills of teachers.

“The executive team now have a common language to and drive for school reform. There has been a high standard set for Professional Learning, which is already reflected in plans for next year.”

At the 2017 NSW Government Premier’s Awards: Recognising Excellence in Public Service, the Curiosity and Powerful Learning Program at St Johns Park Public School, was recognised  as a program, initiative, innovation or improvement that increase the number of NSW students in the top two NAPLAN bands (supporting the Premier’s Priority to increase the proportion of NSW students in the top two NAPLAN bands by 8% by 2019).

Curiosity and Powerful Learning
St Johns Park Public School
Education

PARTICIPANTS

School leadership teams (4 to 6 staff)

Schools in the Curiosity and Powerful Learning Program will develop:

• A clear and practical focus on school improvement
• A practical understanding of the structures to improve practice by working collaboratively within the school
• Collaborative networks between schools
• Processes and content for professional learning within and between schools

Teachers in the Curiosity and Powerful Learning program will:

• Improve pedagogical practice through focusing on targeted areas
• Implement supportive and collaborative structures
• Engage with clear methods and tools for improvement
• Network and work collaboratively to develop professionally

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

2 year program – 7 days face-to-face + 4 twilight networking sessions

• Workshop 1 – 2 days face-to-face
• Network Session 1 – twilight session
• Workshop 2 – 2 days face-to-face (Instructional Rounds + Workshop)
• Network Session 2 – twilight session
• Workshop 3 – 1 day face-to-face
• Network Session 3 – twilight session
• Workshop 4 – 1 day
• Network Session 4 – twilight session
• Workshop 5 – 1 day

CONTENT OVERVIEW

• Curiosity and Powerful Learning – the theory and frameworks underpinning the program
• Theories of Action – the 10 research-based actions identified in excellent teaching and learning
• Models of Practice – 6 learning models for student learning
• Building a sustainable culture of school excellence

PROGRAM CONTENT

Workshop 1
Participants will:

• Examine the principles underpinning the Curiosity and Powerful Learning approach to school improvement and explore how school structures and systems can be developed to support the learning of students
• Be introduced to the concepts of Powerful Learning, Curiosity and Life
• Develop awareness of the big ideas involved in Curiosity and Powerful Learning
• Gain an awareness of the outline of the 2+ year program
• Understand the theory, practice and components of the Curiosity and Powerful Learning process – in particular:
  • ‘In-side out’ working,
  • the school improvement process and pathway,
  • the theories of action for teaching and learning,
  • leadership and professional development
• Understand how the theories, values and principles underpinning the program improve student learning
• Begin developing, or add Curiosity and Powerful Learning content and processes to the school’s improvement plan, including:
  • Identification of Theories of Action being implemented, and
  • How current structures can be supported and developed
• Begin developing a school narrative focused on enhancing the learning of students

Workshop 2
Instructional Rounds

Participants will be involved in a non-judgmental observation of practice in a network school that:

• Focuses on the understanding of teaching rather than evaluating it
• Generates a series of theories of action that link teaching to learning, based on the observations
• Involves learning how observation can lead to the improvement of practice
• Creates a common language for teaching and learning within their school and across the network
• Identifies how to get the best from Instructional Rounds at their school

Workshop
Participants will:

• Develop a deep understanding of Theories of Action
• Learn how to facilitate staff development using triads to expand the repertoires of practice of teachers (and others)
• Plan and/or apply Theories of Action to Instructional Rounds at their school
• Review School Improvement Plan and develop structures e.g. a calendar or processes for implementing whole school or classroom implementation

Workshop 3
Participants will:

• Develop a deep understanding of the 6 Models of Practice and how they can be implemented at their school
• Engage with Leadership principles and practices and how they apply to Curiosity and Powerful Learning
• Apply any new developments to NSW Department of Education to school improvement structures
• Review school plan and update with Models of Practice

Workshop 4
Participants will:

• Engage in new developments in the Curiosity and Powerful Learning Process
• Apply any new developments in NSW Department of Education to school improvement structures
• Identify any issues that impact positively and negatively on the ongoing implementation of Curiosity and Powerful Learning and school improvement
• Develop a school plan for sustainable school improvement based on these explored issues

Workshop 5
Participants will:

• Engage in new developments in the Curiosity and Powerful Learning Process
• Apply any new developments in NSW Department of Education to school improvement structures
• Identify any issues that impact positively and negatively on the ongoing implementation of Curiosity and Powerful Learning and school improvement
• Review the Curiosity and Powerful Learning Process – Identify school and system suggestions for ongoing rigorous school improvement learned over the 2 years
• Plan for the future – develop a long-term school plan for C&PL sustainability

Network Sessions
Participants will:

• Develop a network-based focus for each meeting
• Share and review the school C&PL journey similarities, good ideas and mechanisms to work smarter
• Reflect on developments and resources shared with schools
• Develop a sustainable professional learning structure and culture for school improvement at a school/network/system level
• Feedback to ACEL for program support and development through the online community

“[Curiosity and Powerful Learning provides] a great opportunity for a team of staff (executive and classroom teachers) to work together to improve teaching across the school, with a focus on our core business. Improving student outcomes through great teaching.”

• Download Flyer

For further information, or to register, contact [email protected]