Professional Learning and Growth Framework

At the beginning of the 2023 school year, the Data and Growth Team launched the College's Professional Learning and Growth Framework (PLGF). After much staff consultation and feedback last year, the team worked to construct a framework that both brought together and streamlined the professional learning that staff, particularly teachers, engage in. The aims of the PLGF are:

1. To create effective and engaging opportunities to build knowledge and skills around good teacher practice that leads to improved student learning outcomes.
2. To embed the principles from the Ave Maria College Charter for Education
3. To create a contemporary learning culture that facilitates growth and development of staff, and independent and confident learners in our students.

As Semester One draws to a close, it is timely to share some feedback on what has been achieved under the new framework, and how staff have responded to this new structure. Over 10 Professional Learning sessions we have covered topics such as:

• Knowing our students by triangulating standardised testing data, assessment and observational data
• Differentiation strategies for classroom practice
• Purposeful teaching strategies
• Visible Wellbeing and knowing your students’ strengths and challenges
• Different forms of data and evidence to measure effective pedagogy.

In seeking staff feedback about the sessions:

• 96% indicated positively that the sessions were accessible and engaging.
• 93% agreed that the sessions were challenging them to improve their practice.
• 98% agreed that the focus of the Semester One PLGF program was sequential and aligned with the College Strategic and 2023 Annual Action Plan.
• 96% agreed that the resources and tools provided were relevant and of a good standard.
• 96% agreed that they have embedded some of the tools and resources into their practice.
• 93% agreed that the PLGF program has developed their knowledge, skills and understanding of the Ave Charter for Education principles of Purposeful Teaching and Engaging Learning, which are the focus principles for 2023.

International Coalition of Girls' Schools conference

At the beginning of the term holidays, both myself and Sharon Walsh, Digital Learning Leader, will be presenting at the International Coalition of Girls' Schools conference In Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Our presentation "from and idea to a dashboard" will cover the work that teaching staff in particular have been involved in over the past 6 years. We will be sharing the various stages of working with standardised testing data, data literacy strategies, and most recently, the establishment of our own data dashboard which was developed in conjunction with the University of Technology Sydney and Acer computers. Sharon and I are very excited to have this opportunity of sharing a bit of Ave on the international stage.

In addition to this presentation, I will also be presenting my action research project that I have been working on for the past 18 months. As a fellow of the Global Alliance Research Collaborative (GARC) '23 cohort I have been exploring academic resilience and learning confidence through the year 10 CHAOS Lab elective. I am very grateful for the support of our Principal and the College in being a part of this global focus on girls' education. My research and findings, based on VARK learning preference modalities and communication strategies will be shared with Ave teachers following the conference.