Teaching & Learning Framework
The Teaching and Learning Framework is designed to support teachers in the delivery of high quality teaching and learning practices which ultimately aim to improve the students’ ability to learn and understand the material that they are being taught.
In 2006, the principal class of the College started to think about how we could develop a very clear and concise understanding amongst staff, students and parents about what we ‘stand for’ as a College; What are our strong beliefs as an educational institution and what academic culture do we wish to produce for our students in the future.
It is the answers to these questions that defines the school that we wish to create for our students. The Teaching and Learning Framework enables all teachers, students and parents of our College, to develop a very clear understanding about these questions. The content that fills the sections of the Teaching and Learning Framework are testament to what all teachers at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College aspire to.
Henry Ford once said of his success that it:
“was merely a function of solving one simple, manageable problem at a time – and that anyone could do this.”
The challenge however is to stay with it and to do so in pursuit of a vision no less important to anything Ford ever accomplished – to actually live up to our vision statements that boldly claim that:
“We aim to achieve the extra-ordinary”
“Our students thrive within this vibrant program.”
One of the key features of the Teaching and Learning Framework is that it is based on the personal, cultural and professional beliefs of 120 teaching staff. The Teaching and Learning Framework successfully integrates all these necessary and important ingredients in order to help shape the academic culture of the College and provide evidence of how we think, feel and act.
The Teaching and Learning Framework is not about identifying one method or technique, rather, it is more about developing a wider and broader understanding about what is required for Hoppers Crossing Secondary College to continue to provide a learning environment that demonstrates high quality teacher practice, innovation, engagement and continued improvement.
A lot was learnt in developing the Teaching and Learning Framework over the course of 2012. Specifically it was truly rewarding to regularly collaborate, debate, research and analyse educational theory with a dedicated group of teachers.
First Teaching and Learning Framework – Working Party: Mr Wayne Terrill, Ms Rachel Barney, Ms Josie Borg, Ms Anna Bury, Ms Leah Christou, Mr Andrew Cordell, Ms Shona Cowell, Ms Jo Dodds, Mr Colin Donald, Ms Emily Hawes, Ms Leisha Lowe, Mrs Zoe Kendall, Mr Brad Ross and Mrs Christine Tipping.
The Teaching and Learning Framework was most recently revised in 2017.
The current version of the Teaching and Learning Framework can be downloaded here:
Keith Halge
(Principal)
What is the Teaching & Learning Framework
At Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, we want all teachers to deliver their specific curriculum knowledge in such a way that all students will routinely recognise the style of delivery, based on ‘best practice’ research relating to the most effective ways that students learn.
The Teaching and Learning Framework is designed to support teachers in the delivery of high quality teaching and learning practices which ultimately aim to improve the students’ ability to learn and understand the material that they are being taught.
The Teaching and Learning Framework is a powerful set of guidelines relating to quality teacher practice and represents the ‘way we teach’ at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, in order for each student to reach their full potential. Our Academic Culture “We can talk or dream about the glorious schools of the future or we can create them.” – Marilyn Ferguson A school’s academic culture is built on a complex pattern of norms, attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, values and traditions that are deeply ingrained in the everyday operation of the school. We also believe that our school academic culture is developed via the student ethnic diversity that exists within the college; Co-curricula programs which focus on student leadership and contribution to the community; 1:1 Netbook program for all students and our vast array of after hours student support programs. Our school culture influences and shapes the way teachers, students, and parents think, feel, and act.
At a deeper level, we aim to achieve the ‘extra-ordinary’ by fostering a shared system of norms, values, and traditions. These aim to ignite a passion, purpose, and a sense of spirit within the school, as without them the school will struggle to achieve individual and collective success.
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College generates a strong academic culture by:
- Focusing on improved student and teacher learning
- High quality teacher practice
- Developing a rich sense of history and purpose
- Every teacher, student and parent, living the core values of Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation and a Strong Work Ethic
- Maintaining a positive belief that ALL students can learn and implementing proven instructional teaching strategies that work
- Developing a strong professional community that uses knowledge, experience, and research to improve practice
- Creating strong leadership that continuously looks for improvement in the achievements of students and staff
- Implementing reward and recognition processes that reinforce core cultural values
- Engaging the stories of successful people in order to celebrate successes and recognize heroines and heroes
- Maintaining a physical environment that symbolizes success, joy and pride
- Developing and maintaining a widely shared sense of respect and care for each other and the school physical environment
What is an Effective Teacher?
Teachers at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College believe an ‘Effective Teacher’ is able to demonstrate:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Enthusiasm and passion for their subject
- Self motivation and the ability to motivate students
- Excellent pedagogical and curriculum knowledge
- Excellent classroom management skills
- Outstanding organisational skills
- A willingness to be innovative and creative
- An outstanding ability to collaborate with others and work cooperatively as part of a team.
What is an Effective School?
The Effective Schools Model, is being used at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College as a guide to school effectiveness and school improvement. The eight characteristics of a highly effective school are being explored by the college and defined through a range of initiatives to build a greater collective understanding of the strategies that impact on school performance.
What is an Effective Learner?
An effective learner is one who embodies the school values of Respect, Responsibility, Strong Work Ethic and Cooperation. An effective learner also actively seeks positive change and personal growth to the best of his/her ability. According to Marzano, Pollock and Pickering (Classroom Instruction that Works), those students who learn to use the 9 Effective Teaching Strategies (listed below) on a regular basis whilst in class, will achieve significant gains in their learning.
Teachers at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College have developed a major focus on the ‘Top Four’ teaching strategies, however all strategies form the essential parts of high quality teacher curriculum delivery, via the Common Instructional Model (GANAG).
- Identify Similarities and Differences can increase student achievement by 45%
- Summarise and Take Notes increases student achievement by 34%
- Use Reinforcement and Recognition to improve effort increases student achievement by 29%
- Undertake Homework and Practice increases student achievement by 28%
- Nonlinguistic Representations increases student achievement by 27%
- Using Cooperative Learning increases student achievement by 27%
- Setting Objectives and providing regular feedback increases student learning by 23%
- Generating and Testing Hypotheses increases student learning by 23%
- Questions, Cues and Advance Organizers increase student learning by 22%