Developing & Improving

Professional Practice 2009

‘TEACHERS MATTER’

As a teacher you make a significant contribution to the

performance of your students. You and your colleagues are the most
powerful influence in the life of students who enter your classrooms
on a day to day basis. DIPP teams in 2009 will focus on your role as
a teacher, providing you with an environment to plan, act, observe
and reflect on your professional practice and that of a group of your
peers.

The Strategic Plan for VSC (2009-2012) defines the direction of the
school for the next four years. Within our Strategic Plan, three areas
exist that we will focus on;

1- Student Learning
2- Student Engagement & Well-being
3- Student Transition and Pathways

Our Student Learning Goal states our intention to “improve VCE,

and literacy and numeracy performance across the college”. In
order to achieve this, the college has embraced two Key
Improvement Strategies (K.I.S)

 K.I.S (1) ‘To develop a vision and an action plan for a

stimulating
learning and teaching environment.’

 K.I.S (2) ‘Build teacher capacity to effect this through a

systematic, coordinated, well resourced, collaborative
mentoring partnership framework and structure’ (Learning
Partners)
WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN IN 2009?

In short, we are endeavouring to achieve our goals through

improving our teaching practice (providing stimulating classrooms)
and this will be facilitated through the development and
implementation of our Learning Partnerships within the context of
our DIPP teams.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

In August of 2008, VSC teaching staff developed a list in response to

the key question, ‘What is a stimulating classroom?’

This information has been compiled under three key questions-

 What does a stimulating classroom sound like?

 What does a stimulating classroom look like?
 What does a stimulating classroom feel like?

These simple questions capture and address the whole notion of a

stimulating learning and teaching environment, they also give us an
effective framework from which to work. Our guiding questions will
assist us throughout the whole DIPP/Learning Partners process.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

TERM 1 2009

 WEEK 4 Learning Partners chosen (All staff will be notified

by email and a list of LP’s and DIPP teams will be posted in the
Staffroom)

 WEEK 6 DIPP Team Launch 2009 Theatre : March 5th 2009

 WEEK 7 First meeting of DIPP Teams. March 9th-14th

As in 2008 all teaching staff and ESO’s will be required to set 3

goals.

At the first DIPP team meeting Learning Partners will meet to

explore and discuss two (2) goals that will enhance the level of
stimulation in their classrooms. These initiatives may be the same
for both members (that are pursued collectively) or maybe
completely different. One of these goals will need to focus on the
provision and use of ICT within the classroom.

As part of the review process you will also be required to develop a

Personal /Professional Goal that relates to one of the following three
areas (as per Annual Implementation Plan 2009) Student Wellbeing
& Engagement, Student Pathways & Transition, Leadership or
another goal related to Student Learning.
Learning Partners will plan and develop their goals together. They
are required to submit their goals within a week of the first meeting
into their DIPP team folder (RF’s office).

TERM 2

 Learning Partners will plan lessons that incorporate their

goals and will organise an opportunity to observe their
partners class. The observation phase would need to be
followed by an analysis/discussion session. To assist in the
observation of classes, Learning Pairs will be required to
use the Vermont Secondary College Stimulating Classroom
Checklist. (This checklist was created by staff in 2008)

 In Semester 1 staff are encouraged to use either POLT

survey (see JO/ TL/ RF) or a self generated questionnaire to
gather student feedback.
  In Semester 2 staff are required to use either POLT
survey or a self generated questionnaire to gather student
feedback.

 LP’s present a report on their progress at the Term 2 DIPP

team meeting- WEEK 8 June 9th-12th

TERM 3

 Early in Term 3, learning partners will repeat the process

outlined for Term 2. New lesson plans would be developed
around the same goals and learning partners would again
observe each other’s classes and complete another
analysis/discussion session. An interim report would be
needed to be completed for the DIPP team meeting – WEEK
7 August 24th-28th.
TERM 4

 DIPP teams meet in WEEK 8 November 23rd - 27th

November LP’s present their latest observations/findings
with their DIPP team. All appropriate forms are completed
and submitted by the DIPP team.

 DIPP teams would be encouraged to participate in a

‘Supermarket’ activity that show cases the work of various
LP’s and provides a forum for teachers from different DIPP
teams to interact and share their findings. This will occur in
the ‘Alternative Meeting Week’.

THE YEAR IN A NUTSHELL
DIPP Team Meeting 3
Learning Partners plan a
second initiative.
TERM 3- August 24th-28th
Cycle 2
Term 4
Action
Cycle 1
Term 2
Alternative Program: Week
11 Term 4
‘Supermarket Activity’
Show casing effective
initiatives.
Action
DIPP Team Meeting 4
Learning Partners share
and complete Review
Process Nov 23rd-27th
DIPP Team Meeting 2
Learning Partners share
their findings.
TERM 2- June 9th-12th
DIPP Team Meeting 1
Learning Partners discuss and
plan goals for 2009
TERM 1- March 10th-13th
 DIPP Teams/ Learning
Partners in 30
seconds

MEETING ONE:

 What do I have to do?

1- Begin to consider goals that relate to the three areas: ICT,

Stimulating Classroom & Personal Professional

2- Meet with your DIPP Team/ Learning Partner March 10th-13th

3- Develop three goals- I.C.T goal/ Stimulating Classroom goal/

Personal Professional goal. Your goals
will be recorded in your DIPP team
meeting.

 Where to from here?

You need to meet with your Learning Partner to plan and

implement your Classroom initiative goal.

The observation phase (classroom visit) needs to occur prior

to your 2nd DIPP meeting – June 9th- 12th.

 What do I need to bring to the 2nd DIPP team meeting

in Term 2?
 1- Your observation/ feedback and reflection sheets

2- Ideas and thoughts relating to a new initiative or refined plan

that you and your LP will implement in Term 3/4

Developing & Improving Professional Practice 2009

Name:

Learning Partner:

DIPP Team Number:

Goals for 2009:

Goal 1- I.C.T

Goal 2- Stimulating Classroom

Goal 3- Personal/ Professional Goal (Student Wellbeing & Engagement,

Student Pathways & Transition, Leadership or another goal related to Student
Learning)

Cycle 1 Terms 1 & 2:

Planning / Action Phase

1-Describe which particular elements of the Stimulating Classroom

Checklist (see attachment) your goals are targeting. (You can choose
a number of items from the checklist)
2-Outline the steps you intend to follow to fulfil your goals in the
Term 2 /Action Phase (What strategies are you employing to fulfil
your goals?)

Observation / Reflection Phase: Classroom observation by

Learning Partner Staff encouraged in Semester 1 to use POLT/ Self-
Generated Questionnaire, Semester 2 all staff are required to
collect student data- POLT/ Self Generated Questionnaire.

 Learning Partners to attach Observation Sheet

 Student Data attached (Semester 1 optional)

2: Record major reflections/ observations/ knowledge gained etc;

Cycle 2: Terms 3 & 4 (DIPP Meeting 3)

Planning / Action Phase

1- Describe which particular elements of the Stimulating Classroom

Checklist (see attachment) your goals are targeting. (You can choose
a number of items from the checklist)

2-Outline the steps you intend to follow to fulfil your goals in the
Term 2 /Action Phase (describe what is happening in your
classrooms)
Observation / Reflection Phase: Classroom observation by
Learning Partner Staff encouraged in Semester 1 to use POLT/ Self-
Generated Questionnaire, Semester 2 all staff are required to
collect student data- Stimulating Classroom Questionnaire.

 Learning Partners to attach Observation Sheet

 Student Data attached (Semester 2)

2: Record major reflections/ observations/ knowledge gained etc;

The Concluding Phase:

1- What have you gained through this process?

2- What would you do differently?

3- How has it impacted and informed your classroom practice?

 Vermont Secondary College
Stimulating Classroom Checklist

In 2008, Vermont Secondary College staff and students were

surveyed to determine specific elements they believed were
important factors within a stimulating classroom. The factors have
been listed under three headings; ‘What does a stimulating
classroom sound like, feel like and look like?’
Stimulating Classroom Checklist: Specific elements:

 An industrious ‘hum’, a mixture of

productivity and humour
 The teacher is knowledgeable about
the material and prepared
 Positive feedback is given regularly
Sounds like:  An environment of respect where
people’s ideas are valued, yet can be
challenged
 Deep thinking and deep
understanding are being developed
 Students are respecting each other
 Students are asking questions and
are engaged with the content
 Students are involved in significant
discussion
 Students have a clear understanding
of classroom expectations
 A variety of teaching styles are used
to convey information
 Students are given choices in the
way they present work
 A wide range of resources are used to
convey the information (media,
Looks like: group work, digital technology, art,
music, discussion)
 Visual prompts, visual aids are
displayed throughout the classroom
 The design of the room allows for
group work and teacher
movement/interaction
 Students are ‘teaching’ each
other/peer instruction
 A variety of learning styles are
catered for in the presentation of
work and in the assessment of work
 Students are encouraged to actively
reflect and question their learning
 Students are involved in problem-
solving and ‘real’ life learning
 Learning is connected beyond the
classroom to the wider community
and world around
 Students are taking responsibility for
their own learning.

 There exists a sense of adventure,

managed positive risk taking
behaviour
 The teacher demonstrates empathy,
they are approachable,
understanding and nurturing
 The teacher is fair, consistent and
Feels like: honest
 The teacher has high expectations of
all students
 The teacher is enthusiastic and
Vermont Secondary College
Classroom Observation Pro-forma
Teacher:

Learning Partner:

Lesson Observed:

Focus areas for the observation:

(Outline of any agreed areas on which the observation will focus- for example, teaching strategies
used, ICT, responding to different learning needs, etc- linked to your Stimulating Classroom goal (s)
)
Successful aspects of the lesson:

Things that could be done more effectively:

Suggested Actions: (that could be used to inform your Second Action Cycle)

Vermont Secondary College

Classroom Observation Guidelines
 AGREED PRACTICALITIES

 Which lessons, when and where?

 What will the focus be?
 What will students be told?
 Will you get involved in the lesson?
 What happens if a student
seriously misbehaves?
Before the lesson
VIEW THE LESSON IN CONTEXT

 Where does the lesson fit in the

broader teaching program?
 What preceded the lesson and
what comes next?
 What is the nature and context of
the lesson?
 What are the intended learning
outcomes?

AGREE ON FEEDBACK
 To be given as soon as possible
after the lesson
 If that is not possible, then a brief
verbal summary followed by a
more formal feedback session
 Written feedback to be provided

Arrive before the start of the

lesson
 Talk to students, but only when
this can be done without
interrupting the lesson
 If something unexpected happens,
and the lesson is proving a disaster
that is beyond the teacher’s
During the lesson control, leave and arrange another
time to observe
 Use shorthand of some sort to
record specific examples of what
happened in the lesson, with a
focus on what was successful/
could have been done more
effectively

NOTE: it is recommended that the

Teacher operates as if the observer is
a silent, invisible guest.
  Ask your Learning Partner to
describe the elements of the
lesson they felt went particularly
well, and to give some examples.
 Ask your Learning Partner to
describe how, if they were to teach
After the lesson the lesson again, they would do
things differently, and why?
 List suggestions if appropriate,
how the lesson could be improved
if it was to be taught again
 Summarise your feedback and
complete the Action Cycle 1 pro-
forma.
 Vermont Secondary College
DIPP Team Meeting 1 Checklist/Feedback

DIPP TEAM NUMBER:

PRESENT:

ABSENT:

FEEDBACK:

1-Do you have any issues or questions that need further clarification? (if so
what are they)

2-Are there any suggested improvements to the process so far?

3-Can you think of particular resources or specific requests Learning and

Teaching can attempt to provide for your team during this process?