St Ignatius, Bourke Truth, Co-operation and Understanding

1. St Ignatius, BourkeTruth, Co-operation and Understanding LTLL Mid-point Meeting Cobar Thursday 17th March, 2011

2. What is needed to make a confident reader?

3. Staff Evaluation from Initial LTLL Meeting Focus 1: The Transformed Learner Focus 2: Teacher as Leader Focus 3: Values – Transformation Focus 4: Ethics – Authenticity Focus 5: Educative Leadership Focus 6: Authentic Learning

4. What did we set out to do? • Goal: To assist students in becoming more independent learners by developing their comprehension skills through the focused teaching of reading.

5. Why was reading comprehension our focus? • Data from NAPLAN results and school assessment have indicated that there is a need for focused teaching in this area • Our students read well but display problems comprehending the texts they are reading and connecting these to the wider community/environment • We needed to establish a set structure for support and documentation to challenge and teach reading comprehension in new and exciting ways • Needed all staff working towards the same goals for reading. i.e. Agreed Practice for Reading

6. We want our students to be able to comprehend what they are reading and use this knowledge to become more independent and interested learners. Teachers observations: • Reliance on support from aides/AEWs • Reluctance to attempt anything on their own • Children not showing improvement from 1:1 withdrawal • Due to cultural/economic practices in the local community academic achievement is not always valued • Children are unwilling to take risks

7. What have we actually done? • Developed our Action Plan • National Partnerships Low SES - focus is on reading • Reviewed Smart data and had tutorials in e-learning • Reviewed current teaching practices for reading • Created a draft Agreed Practice for Reading • Professional Development in First Steps Reading Processes and Strategies • Identified available resources and purchased new resources to assist with the teaching of comprehension • Time management for Stage Meetings • PLP process • PD in the teaching of comprehension • Explore Professional Learning Cycle Therese & Jenny • Kinder trial and evaluation of target students

8. National Partnerships • Under the National Partnerships Initiative we are classified as a Low SES School • Developed a situation analysis • Developed and began implementing our Implementation Plan • The focus is on reforms 1, 4 and 6 • 1: Incentives to attract high performing teachers and principals • 4: Providing innovative and tailored learning opportunities • 6: External partnerships with parents, other schools, business and communities for the provision and access to extended services

9. PLP Process (Closing the Gap) • Through the Government’s ‘Closing the Gap’ program, St Ignatius has began implementing Personalised Learning Plans for all Aboriginal Students • Developed an outline for AEW’s to use when on home visits to discuss initial meeting • Held a Parent Meeting to explain the initiative to parents • Began PLP’s and parent meetings for Infant students in Term 4, 2010 • Had follow up meetings with some parents • Began PLP’s throughout the school in Term 1 2011

10. LST • Professional development for staff • Supporting teachers with planning and programming in literacy • Working individually with students to support literacy needs • Develop procedures for assessment and tracking information • Develop annual literacy and numeracy plans in cooperation with staff and principal • Work with staff to analyse Naplan data and school assessment information

11. School Initiatives • Professional Development in First Steps Reading Processes and Strategies • Identified available resources and purchased new resources to assist with our teaching of comprehension • Time management for Stage Meetings • Kinder trial and evaluation of target setting for students in reading • Community involvement – Safe Families Reading Initiatives

12. What successes have we seen? • Children are enjoying reading groups/literacy session • Agreed Practice for Reading • PLP fridge reminder, home visits outline, meeting with parents, PLP outline/goals being achieved • Kindergarten 2010 students achieved improved results in Marie Clay Observation Survey • Children discussing their learning outside the classroom, developing a common language across the school • Using the reading strategies across KLA’s, transferring knowledge

13. Success in pictures:

14. Success in pictures:

15. Evidence • Benchmarking • Evidence of teaching and learning practices in programs • Agreed Practice for Reading • Class environment • Work Samples

16. Three Challenges: • Understanding and implementing all the different initiatives whilst continuing to be a good practitioner. • Time management and coping with the demands of paperwork • BER Project – no access to library resources and IT resources for the majority of 2010

17. Three Learnings: • The importance of self reflection and self evaluation • The need to revise current resources such as First Steps strategies/teaching of reading • How an Agreed Practice for Reading leads to a common language/goal throughout the school

18. Three Questions: • How can you measure independence in the ‘transformed learner’? • What can we do to improve our professional development in the teaching of reading/comprehension? • How can we consolidate partnerships with the local community and parents?

19. St Ignatius Parish SchoolLeaders Transforming Learning and Learners