Raising Student Achievement

Raising Student Achievement Through Targeted Actions

ERO produced a report at the end of 2015 which outlined for teachers (and school leaders) insights into effectively creating targets to accelerate students learning.  

This document represents a substantive analysis into what specific actions school leaders are taking to review the impact initiatives are having upon student progress.  The material specifically challenges management to justify their choices around measurable gains.  

I found this report to be extremely useful as it works through multiple aspects of education from BOT (governance level), through leadership, teacher and students/parents.  Many of the findings of the reports used case examples to juxtaposition success variations of strategies on less successful attempts.  

The importance of data is evident throughout this report.  The authors emphasising that schools are most likely to have the correct initiative/ideas in mind when planning change.  But often the success of these initiatives/ideas is inhibited by some simple failings.  The use of quality data (and by default reports) is a primary focus.  ERO challenges schools to strive to build up the capacity within staff for making improvements.  "The most significant difference between schools that succeeded and less successful schools was the explicit commitment to both equity and excellence." (p.36) 

This post is related to RTC #6. "Conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme - i. articulate clearly the aims of their teaching, give sound professional reasons for adopting these aims, and implement them in their practice."  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 2 Leadership of conditions for equity and excellence - "Leadership build capability and collective capacity in evaluation and inquiry for sustained improvement and innovation." 

Passionate and Inspired Teachers

Inspired Teaching and Passionate Teachers
As a part of our work with Cognition Education and their Visible Learning Plus programme we looked today at the notion of 'inspired and passionate teaching'.  I have a theory that because teaching is not the best paid profession that is out there the overwhelming majority of teachers have signed up to a life of education because of a great deal of personal inspiration and passion for learning.  

It is also a fact that teaching is a very hard profession as Guy Claxton and Bill Lucas put in their Educating Ruby book; “Teachers know that controlling crowds of bored teenagers, or squeezing a few extra children across an arbitrary assessment borderline, is not what lights their fire.  It is not why they wanted to become teachers in the first place.” (2015, p. 31)  Modern teaching is a process of continually fronting up in the classroom and doing your best.  For most teachers levels of passion and inspiration will ebb and flow.  It is a conscious effort for each individual teacher to monitor themselves.  

Specific emphasis on 'passion and inspiration' is placed upon the quality of the relationships between the teacher and his/her students.  That's something that is axiomatic for most teachers... yet strained teacher student relationship would be one of the most pressing issues in modern schooling.  

Here is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation that we worked through last Monday.   

Inspired and passionate teaching 12th october from WaihiCollege

This post relates to RTC #1. "Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of ākonga".  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 4 "Responsive Curriculum, Effective Teaching and Opportunity to Learn - students develop learning to learn capabilities."

Year 10 Conference

Conference Flyer

Owning Your Future

Today our year ten students spent the day out of school at the Waihi Academy on conference.  This inaugural annual event is the brain child of Learning Leaders Jo Howell and Vicki Speirs.  The purpose here is to take a break from the regular routines of school life and present a days worth of workshops and keynote addresses from former Waihi College students.  

Introduction of Keynote

Year 10 was chosen as this represents a key age in adolescence where students have been through the institution of school but now viewing the world with increased maturity.  We have timed this conference to be just ahead of subject selection for the first year of NCEA Level One.    
Seven ex student leaders from previous years at Waihi College made the presentations and keynote address (which was given by Adrian Holmes).  

Those students included...

1. Adrian Holmes (class of 2003)
2. Anna O'Hagen (class or 2008)
3. Samanatha Sanderson (class of 2011)
4. Tina Youngman (class of 2001)
5. Natasha Staheli-Lowe (class of 2012)
6. Jack Kingsford (class of 2011)
7. Ariana Te Wake (class of 2005)

Our hope is that from today many future dreams would have been formed and that our students will see the next three years (plus) at Waihi College as being an avenue to launch their futures.  

It is vital that I acknowledge the excellent efforts of Jo Howell and Vicki Speirs who's collective efforts and initiative brought together a brilliant day.  Tremendous thanks also goes to Tony Kang and the staff at Waihi Academy for providing a fantastic venue and delicious meals.  

This post relates to RTC #2. "Demonstrate commitment to promoting the well-being of all ākonga."  And RTC #7. "Promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment".  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 6 Knowledge Building for Improvement and Innovation "Participation in evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building activities contributes to changes in thinking and behaviour and builds inquiry 'habits of mind' ".

Classroom Expectations

Evolution of Education

When I first began teaching I was *taught* a very traditional way of managing a classroom.  The basic presumptions were...

1. That getting students to work was the key to learning.
2. Work looked like silence, lots of writing, solo participation.
3. That students would actively look to doing minimal work.
4. Teachers were to pressure students into doing the work.  

The following PowerPoint presentation begins with some photographs which sum up that philosophy on education.  The dog with a biscuit on his nose - this can be done by training that the dog (aka the student) would want to eat straight away (not work in class) and the owner (aka teacher) would have to be in control.  


The other image of an alpha wolf represents the way teachers were modeled to control.  That you would rigidly police the students into obedience.  This was often done through faking aggression - don't smile until Easter on steroids.  

Classroom Expectations from WaihiCollege

The video which I showed echo'd this management style...

Looking at this video what messages were represented?

• Discipline?  Humiliation?  Inhumanity?
• Education centered on facts?
• Education centered on the teacher?
• Misogyny? 

One of the things that you may have missed in this clip.  This is about the older teacher showing the new teacher 'how it is done'.  

The evidence now is very clear - the best teaching is done in an environment where mutual respect is paramount.  Todd Whitaker puts it very well in his book (click here) What great teachers do differently; “The teacher who sets a positive tone can influence the interactions of everyone in the school” (p. 55)

This post relates to RTC #2. demonstrate commitment to promoting the well-being of all ākonga.  And RTC #7. promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment.  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 4 Effective Teaching "Students experience an environment in which it is safe to take risks and errors provide opportunities to learn".  

Achieving Educational Success as Maori

The Prerogative of Maori Education

In keeping with the theme of the Maori Language Week here is a post on education of Maori.  The following power point was presented at staff meeting on Monday.

Maori achieving as maori from WaihiCollege

Many of our schools 2015 priority learners recognise themselves as Maori.  Part of our responsibility (duty of care) for the students in our classroom is effectively providing for their (and their whanua's) needs.

Questions that we need to ask...

1. How am I going as a teacher (am I positively impacting the learning)?
2. What informs me on my answer to Q.1.?
3. What is my sense of urgency around this?

[These questions need to be asked of the students as well].  

This post is related to RTC #1. "Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of ākonga." And RTC #7. "Promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment part ii. foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among ākonga.  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 3 "Educationally Powerful Connections and Relationships".

Educating Boys'

Males and NCEA

I began my teaching career in a traditional single sex boys high school.  My initial years were grounded in School Certificate, Six Form Certificate and Bursary - these were systems that I was familiar with (I was a product of them myself).  

Peter Lyons - Otago Daily Times

An opinion piece by Peter Lyons (an economics teacher from St Peter's in Auckland) in the New Zealand Herald (click here) raises the issue of gender inequality in education - specifically in NCEA qualifications.  Whilst acknowledging the pitfalls of making generalised statements Lyon's points out that "NCEA is a standards-based assessment system. Many boys seem to adopt the attitude that meeting the minimum standard will suffice."

I wanted to know how reflective this statement would be for us here at Waihi College.  Do we in fact have results that reflect boys struggling in NCEA compared with the girls (and if so what does that mean for us as an educational institution)?

Here are some of our NCEA results from last year...  Level One 2014 had Girls endorsed with Excellence 6.3% (boys were at 3.3%) Girls endorsed with Merit 46.9% (boys were at 23.3%).  Similar results existed for Level Two. Level Three was more even.  So it would not be out of place to say that girls have twice the rate of excelling in NCEA than the boys last year in NCEA.  

Some of the specific issues Lyon has with NCEA include the lack of competitiveness and that instructional nature of assessments; "Boys are also generally less inclined to read instructions carefully. NCEA assessments are laden with instructions, assessment criteria and much additional reading material that camouflages the actual questions that need to be answered."  This are observations which I tend to agree with.  

So what is it that can be done by teachers here at Waihi College to counter these?  I would strongly suggest that regular review of the progress of students through NCEA (one of the core roles of the senior Pouako) would add to the competitive nature among boys.  We have annual goals around endorsement (L1 3 x Exc + 21 x Mer : L2 5 x Exc + 20 x Mer : L3 3 x Exc + 6 x Mer) - we will need boys to be better represented to gain these rates.  

Opportunities and expectations around internal assessments are key.  Are boys not taking the opportunities for 'sign posting' or re-submissions or resits?  Teachers having real conversations about the high expectations for our boys is key.  Are we pushing our boys and creating that environment of excellence?  In ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 4 : Responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunity to learn "teachers and students co-construct realistic and challenging learning goals..." 

This post is related to RTC #1. "Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of ākonga." And RTC #7. "Promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment part ii. foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among ākonga.  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 4.