My Journey

The Learning Journey – a Challenging Journey

What I bring as a new member of the Village

What is important to me both professionally and personally

My Family

Our Home (2002 - 2009)

Our Home (2007, 2010-2011)

Our Home (1988 – pd)

My Teaching Journey -1 Trained with majors in Phys. Ed., Health Ed., and Outdoor Pursuits;

minors in Junior Maths and Special Needs/Student Support; Re-trained in ‘89 – Special Needs, Learning Disabilities and

Intellectually Impaired, and Behaviour Management As an Education Advisor I initiated an Alternate Education Program for

8 schools across two education districts around Ipswich for two years which included 9-day wilderness experiences for at-risk boys

Gained my Masters in Educational Studies – Effective Teaching, Effective Schools, Supportive School Environments

Ran behaviour program/withdrawal room for a Gold Coast school – helped lead the school renewal and classroom innovations (now seen as SWPBS); 55% referral reduction in 3 years

As Deputy in my previous school we made a 48% reduction in referrals during my first eight months through influence on pedagogy and school tone

My Teaching Journey - 2 Whilst currently employed to oversee the academic programs, I have

also mentored the National Deputy Principal – Student WelfareAlso, Initiated Professional Learning Communities Collaborated with the Principal in the renewal of the pastoral roles of

the Grade coordinators and Pastoral Care teachers Initiated a number of elements to improve the Supportive School

Environment, including SP2R, Reflective Thinking, “This is Me” forms Collaborated with the Principal in the renewal of the Student

Representative Council and its operations and functions Initiated base-line testing in Numeracy & Literacy Reformatted and updated all Student Curriculum Handbooks, Staff

Polices & Procedures Handbook Introduced the Senior Planner for Grade 11 & 12 students

The Paradigm Shift Just as Copernicus challenged the thinking of his day

by proving the sun was at the centre of the universe rather than the earth being at the centre (as had been believed since the days of Ptolemy); and

as Columbus challenged the conventions of his day and sailed west rather than east hoping to find a new route to the Indies; so

I have challenged the traditional ways of thinking about how we manage people.

My philosophy…the 3 R’s Relationships - Relationships - Relationships

“Children learn when they have the right relationships. Those relationships make them feel cared for; give them recognition for who they are, where they come from and what they have achieved; motivate them to learn; engage them to be participants in learning.”

(Charles Leadbeater, in What’s Next: 21 Ideas for 21st century learning)

My philosophy… Working with Power with (soft power), not power over (hard

power) Soft power: norms and values that create a climate of

respect and therefore good behaviour Hard power: exclusions, bans, tougher/inflexible rules

on attendance, behaviour and uniform

Order is far more effective when it comes from within rather than being imposed from without

Goethe

“Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is; treat a man as he should be, and he will become as he should be.”

In school terms - some of our leopards DO change their spots!

Luke

“We are trying to solve a new set of post-modern problems with old modernist tools that don’t work any more. Our schools are wonderfully tailored, efficient machines to create post-war citizens for an industrial economy and a civic society that no longer exists.”

 Luke, 1997

Perceptual Control Theory A model of how human beings and other living

systems must be internally organised to accomplish this process called controlling – a technical theory that involves neurology and physiology.

Basically, how entities control what happens or matters to them.

Explains the relationships between actions and goals, perceptions and actions, and perceptions and reality.

PosEd The life skills and mental attitude to improved well-

being for self and toward others. With the notion of leading a flourish life at its heart,

the model is built on our character strengths and the six elements that contribute to our well-being: – Positive Relationships– Positive Emotion– Positive Health– Positive Engagement– Positive Accomplishment – Positive Purpose

Without trust we will not achieve lasting

success. This is THE Fundamental Principle.

“What you are shouts so loud in my ears I cannot hear what you say.” Emmerson

There are no short cuts and while some people may get by because they learn how to “play the game”, true motives eventually surface and the relationships will fail.

Human influence strategies and tactics may succeed in getting other people to do what we want in the short term, but do not work in the long-term.

Lasting Solutions Lasting solutions to problems come from the inside

out. eg if you want to have a happy marriage, then be the

kind of person who generates positive energy and sidesteps negative energy;

If you want to have a more pleasant, cooperative teenager, then be a more understanding, empathetic, consistent, loving parent;

If you want to be trusted, then be trustworthy.

Where to start? Inside-Out not Outside-In Outside-In approaches result in unhappy people, feeling

victimised and immobilised, focussing on the weaknesses of other people and the circumstances they feel are responsible for their own stagnant situation.

Inside-out starts with the self, the most inner part: personal paradigms, character and motives. It is a continuing process of renewal, leading to progressively higher forms of responsible independence and effective interdependence. Making and keeping promises to ourselves precedes making and keeping promises to others.

How? By communicating our vision, clarifying our purposes,

ensuring our behaviour is congruent with our beliefs, and aligning our procedures with our principles, roles and goals.

People/students are often seen as limitations, even liabilities, rather than advantages and assets;

Low performance is often institutionalised in the structure and systems, procedures and processes, of the organisation.

Methods of Influence (1) There are three basic methods of influence

– model by example - so others see– build caring relationships - so others feel;– mentor by instruction - so others hear.

We are working with human beings - just like us they want meaning, a sense of doing something that matters, has purpose, is uplifting, ennobling and empowering. They want to contribute to the accomplishment of worthwhile objectives.

People will live up to the expectations of them.

Methods of Influence (2) Be influenced by them first: “I don’t care how much

you know until I know how much you care.” We only have influence with others to the degree they feel they have influence with us.

Accept the person and the situation: a feeling of acceptance and worth frees a person from the need to defend; accepting a person affirms their intrinsic worth - it is not condoning a weakness or agreeing with an opinion.

Methods of Influence (3) Recognise and take time to teach. Do not give up and do not give in: shielding people

from the consequences of their own behaviour fosters spoiled, law-unto-self behaviour. Giving up can undermine their motivation to try.

Instruction Agree on the limits, rules, expectations, and

consequences: must be clearly established, agreed upon, understood and enforced.

Train them in the law of the harvest: focus on the natural processes, align the systems and reinforce the idea that we reap what we sow.

Let natural consequences teach responsible behaviour: they may not like it but we care enough for their growth and security to suffer their displeasure.

Pedagogy – 4 dimensions Pedagogy - the craft or science of teaching 4 dimensions

1. Intellectual quality2. Connectedness3. Supportive classroom environment4. Recognition of Difference

20 elements

Pedagogy – 20 elements - 1 1. Intellectual quality

Higher-order thinking Deep knowledge Deep understanding Substantive conversation Knowledge as problematic Metalanguage

Pedagogy – 20 elements - 2 2. Connectedness

Knowledge integration Background knowledge Connectedness to the world Problem-based curriculum

Pedagogy – 20 elements - 3 3. Supportive classroom environment

Student direction Social support Academic engagement Explicit quality performance criteria Self-regulation

Pedagogy – 20 elements - 4 4. Recognition of difference

Cultural knowledge Inclusivity Narrative Group identity Active citizenship

YourToolbox What is in your toolbox – other than talk and chalk? Eg do you use Blooms or Williams Taxonomies?

Positive Psychology – Positive Education foundations? Mindset? Formative assessment? Direct instruction? 4MAT lesson planning? Quality teaching framework? VAK learning styles? Multiple intelligences? Accelerated learning? Compacted curriculum? Co-operative learning? Thinking Hats - de Bono? Metacognition? MindMaps or Memory Maps? Music to enhance learning – e.g. Pachelbal Canon?

Where does this lead us? Growth – not stagnation Professional growth is recognised as (significantly)

contributing to improved student learning outcomes Professional learning provides a larger toolbox and

makes us more employable Join/establish Professional Learning Communities Encouragement to contribute to the schools’ longer

term strategic development plans Participate in the performance management process

as it encourages a workplace culture which welcomes and values feedback on performance

Best Practice or Next Practice?

Next thinking – Next practice– * creatively rigorous and rigorously creative– * analytic and synthetic, evidence based, results based– * reflective and self-criticalFuture focussed – characterised by engagement in relevant,

authentic learning experiences which integrate learning environments with the real world of global citizenship

Driven by - neuroscience research- next generation in ICT- leading edge educational research- flexible and evolutionary methodology- constantly leads contemporary practice

Genuinely new approaches rooted in practical understanding

The 4 C’s Nothing to do with sailing!

Collegiality: supporting each other Consistency: all doing the same Certainty: of follow-through Commitment: we ARE all doing this

In conclusion

(he’s almost run out of things to say!)

My Passions My Wife – My Family Teaching – particularly the students Outdoor pursuits: cycle touring, sailing, bushwalking Photography Woodworking Listening to music Reading Coffee and new cultures A drop or two of red wine with good company and

good food at the end of a hard day

Fin