Week 32 Key Change in my Professional Practice

Step 1 (What): Identify one key change in your professional practice

The one key change that I will continue to focus on is ‘Collaboration’.   Why?  I don't have a choice.   In 18 months time we will be moving into our new learning spaces that are designed to promote collaborative practices.  As a primary trained teacher who has worked collaboratively with another teacher for 4 years, you might think that this would be an easy challenge.  But my context has significantly changed.  I no longer work in a primary school and I am assistant principal of a high school Year 7-13.  This in itself adds multiple levels of complication.

Step 2 (Now what): Evaluate the identified change

I will use the Cycle of Experiential Learning, is recommended by Osterman and Kottkamp, to evaluate the change.

Stage 1: Problem identification
We are moving into new learning spaces designed for significant changes to how we deliver the curriculum in Yr 7-10.   Teacher will not be able to work in silos or use single cell philosophies as the spaces are not designed for this.  The teachers who are currently working in Year 7 & 8 area lot more comfortable about this than there secondary school colleagues.

Stage 2: Observation and analysis
Since starting this new position in October 2018 I have collected data in the form of student voice through surveys and interviews about how effective the current delivery of the curriculum is going, and the well being of the students.  I have also gathered how effective relationships have been developed amongst teachers and students.  All data indicates that we need to improve engagement and the way that we deliver the curriculum.  Teachers also need to develop stronger relationships with their students with a focus on learning.

I have have also collected a significant amount of data around reading achievement.  This has identified a need to change how we teach literacy also.
We need to desilotise teaching in the secondary school.  The curriculum needs a complete shake up and we need to focus on contextual learning across the curriculum.   To do this using a secondary school timetable will be difficult, but it can be done if teachers a working collaboratively.

Stage 3: Abstract re conceptualisation
Change must start from where the thinking of each individual teacher not from where we want to get to.  For us it is important to make small strategic changes that will help and support us to direction we need to head. 
Last week I took 6 Head of Departments to Gisbon to visit Campion College.  Amongst those 6 were some ‘black hat’ teachers resistant or reluctant to change.  This was an opportunity to see with their own eyes what effective collaboration and context curriculum looks like.  This was a great experience for all of us and challenged all of our thoughts and ideas of the direction we are taking.  Most importantly our black hat teacher were on board with where we were heading.

Step 3 (What next) Share your next plan(s) regarding your future professional development or your future practice.
I am in a situation where we have to continue to move forward with unpacking collaborative teaching and curriculum development.   This is extremely exciting.  My next steps is to consult with our curriculum review team about strategic changes we need to make this year and next year to bridge the gap to where we want to get to.

I want to explore more schools that are using similar models and I also want to expose more staff to what we have already seen at Camion College.  Empower the early adopters to change and put supports in place for those who are reluctant to change