Who or what is NEVILLE?

Musgrave Hill State School on the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia has a history of working with professional development programs such as Teachers, Learners and Behaviours and Cooperative Learning, both instigated by two previous deputy principals. 

Most schools share a name of the suburb where they are located.  Musgrave Hill is not a suburb.  Often people did not know where the school is.  In marketing the school it was important to define a point of difference. 

Musgrave Hill has students that draw from outside the area as it is known as a school where children with special needs are successfully integrated and nurtured. This is what the school does really well. 

 It was as a result of a whole school commitment to developing the best possible learning experience for students and the implementation of ideas from the professional learning gained through professional development activities that led to a number of practices in the school.

 The notion of creating a class mission statement began initially with stage groups (multi-age class groupings) creating stage mission statements and a motto.  This in turn led to the individual classes creating their own mission statements and mottos.

 To embed this at the whole school level, the 2006 Triennial School Review led to the further development of the school mission statement.  This statement was in the strategic plan but was not something that readily came to mind for staff at the school.

 It became important that the school mission statement had value and that it became a permanent reference point for agreement about the direction of the school.  In 2011 this mission statement became part of a lengthy process of refinement. The final statement was the following.

  To nurture, engage and value individual differences for life long  learning,

empowering students

The acromyn NEVILLE that linked all the main words of the Mission Statement was born.  The next step was to try and decide what or who was NEVILLE.  Was he a mascot, a person, a doll, a caricature?  It proved hard to decide but through lengthy discussion of ideas a wordle using the mission statement was designed.

Peita Lack, Murray Gleadhill  and Candiece Ledwidge alongside the Mission Statement for the school.

 This re branding with the Wordle as the mission statement is now a highly visible and  an attractive descriptive statement for everyone entering the school to see. 

 Further work is planned to embed this mission statement as the basis for the qualities found in every classroom.  NEVILLE is not a person or a mascot or a caricature.  It needs to be embodied in everyone, in each classroom and play area of the school.  This is the next challenge.

 The fear that this will be just a one shot wonder will be dissipated when it does become part of the common language and the common understandings of everyone in the school – students and staff alike.

Study supports use of coaching

A 1989 research project was aimed at the following questions about a school which had undertaken a whole school Excellence in Teaching program two years previously.

What evidence is there to support an argument that most components of ETAC (Excellence in Teaching and Coaching) are still being used in the school?


What are these components?


Which components can be shown to have been instrumental in supporting and maintaining the program to a level at which it currently operates?


To what extent does the literature support these claims as critical in sustaining an inservice program in  the school?

The summary of the project states...

In response to the initial questions which form the focus of this study, the evidence gathered validates the claim that ETAC components are still being used in the school.  The components of the original content of the program, the peer coaching and the induction sessions have led to a residual effect and continue to influence classroom practice.  Each component is identified in the literature as a contributing factor that has sustained the effects of ETAC at this school.

Lecturing doesn't get results

This link takes you to an article that gives research about the value of lecturing.  We know that only a percentage of people learn best by auditory methods.  Even adding in visuals does not add much to the qualitative responses on tests.  Lecturing works for lower levels of knowledge and comprehension but not for higher levels.

Feedback after Collegial Coaching Program

This feedback was received from a participant in workshops on Collegial Coaching in a Western Queensland school

"I have learnt to not so much accept, but tolerate the things I cannot change.

I have seen what to do and what not to do within classrooms and whole school management.

I have become more resilient.

I have maintained high expectations for both myself and others.

I am more aware and responsive to the needs of adult learners."

Sandcastles Symphonies, Synergy

Broadbeach State School in Queensland, Australia is built on a prime piece of land across the road from the popular Gold Coast beach of the same name.
  
The following image represents the vision for the school  The sand castle represents the beach frontage; the concept of building something; the notion that no structure is ever without movement and change - and children build sand castles

 Children enter at the base because they are the foundation of the building.


Every teacher takes responsibly for the seven capabilities of the Australian Curriculum but every teacher is takes part in a capability team. The capabilities - the components of a 21st century curriculum - are the 2nd tier of the sand castle.


The 3rd tier shows what we value--building social and moral capital at the top; followed by intellectual capital; followed by leadership capital in both our teachers and students. Underpinning the values is financial capital because without this the whole school falls down.


Leadership capital means that each teacher leads a capability and many also have other roles as well. Every Year 7 student is a leader of something. We also have a student council


The vision- Broadbeach State School- Building Futures - for all - staff and students.


This school recently undertook a workshop entitled No-one can Whistle a Symphony.  As part of a team building exercise the staff completed an indicator to learn about their need strengths.  This led to forming groups of similar needs profiles and creating a 'perfect' staff room. This resulted in great hilarity as people found others who had similar need strengths.

EDUCATOR OBSERVATION DAY

An Educator Observation Day is where teachers and leadership teams are invited to observe the coaching process in action.  Mudgeeraba Special School is holding such a day on June 1st from 9.00 - 2.00 pm

Participants in this day will be involved in a workshop that provides information and a compelling rationale for coaching as a way to increase teacher morale and impact on learning outcomes.  Visitors then will be able to observe the coaching process in action in a number of settings.

One setting will be a coach negotiating observation criteria for a meeting to be conducted by Colleen Hope the principal of Mudgeeraba Special School.  This will be followed by a post conference session to provide the opportunity for Colleen to self evaluate and receive feedback at the end of the meeting.

Fifteen coaches were trained in October 2010 and a number of these coaches will demonstrate live the coaching process using video tapes of recent lessons in the school.

Yvana Jones (Assistant Director General Teaching& Learning) Mudgeeraba Special School “Principal for the Day” will open the day.

If you are interested in attending please contact me by email

An Excellent Teacher

 A teacher recently received an email from a student he had taught in Year Four and Year Six some 21 years ago.  It demonstrates the real power and influence of excellent teaching.

I think of my time in your class often, and I'm always amazed by the clarity of some of those memories. I remember how easy it was to retain so much of the content, and also how much I enjoyed so many of the topics we covered. Year 4 and 6 were definite highlights for me.  You sound as though you have done some remarkable work in recent years - though I must say your work in the classroom was remarkable enough.

It might amuse you to know I'm teaching now. And I think it is because of that I became absolutely compelled to contact you at this point. I was beginning my second day ever of teaching in March this year - relief teaching as it were - prepping for my day with a Year 4 class, when I was overcome.  After teaching Year 4 at the same school the previous day and thinking of what I was about to face with a diverse group of 30 students that day, I finally understood the magnitude of the world you had helped create during those years you taught me.  I always knew it was special, and that you were a special teacher, but WOW, I could actually see a glimpse of what it took to create the experiences you did. It humbled me. Thank you.  I want to have the chance to say it to you in person one day, but it really can't wait to be said. Thank you. :)   Klaire