Glenwood Our Learning and Teaching Approach
Glenwood High School aims to deliver high quality learning and teaching in an inclusive, nurturing and supportive environment. This is the first sentence of our school’s vision statement and highlights the importance we place on learning and teaching as a whole school community.
In 2019 following the complete review and launch of our Vision and Values built on the views of all stakeholders, pupils, parents/carers, staff and partners. The school also launched a new Glenwood standard of learning and teaching exemplifying the high standards we set for pupils and teachers alike.
The Glenwood Standard was developed through ongoing collaboration between staff, families and pupils and pupils participated in analysing the views from these groups alongside current research in learning and teaching to decide on what features a Good Learner, Good Lesson and Good teacher would need for Glenwood High School.
We endeavour to create Aspirational, motivated and engaged learners who take responsibility for their own learning. Our pupils show initiative and are able to solve problems that will allow them to meet the demands of school, further education and employment. Data guides teachers and students when planning our curriculum, especially learning intentions and success criteria for each student. Individual student growth, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy, is closely monitored.
Through smaller classes and planning for personalised learning, our pupil’s individual learning needs are well catered for.
Teaching and learning initiatives across all stages are key to helping our students achieve their best. These include the:
- Visible Learning Programme - The school continues to develop teaching and learning following the research of world-renowned education expert Professor John Hattie. All teaching staff engage in professional enquiry to improve learning and teaching.
- Literacy and Numeracy strategy – Ensuring equity, pupils identified at key stages throughout the school are supported in extracted groups.
- Structured Professional Learning programme - School improvement sessions focus on aspects of our Glenwood standard to develop skills in teachers and promote better learning.
Our Glenwood Standard
What is Visible Learning?
Visible Learning is based on the research of world-renowned education expert Professor John Hattie. Hattie conducted the world’s largest evidence-based study into the factors which improve student learning. His work forms the basis of Visible Learning, a program which accelerates student learning by focusing on what works best in teaching and learning.
“Visible”
The 'visible' aspect of Visible Learning refers first to making student learning visible to teachers by:
- ensuring clear identification of the attributes that make a visible difference to student learning, and
- all in the school visibly knowing the impact that they have on the learning in the school (of the student, teacher, and school leaders).
The 'visible' aspect also refers to making teaching visible to the student, such that students
- learn to become their own teachers(which is the core attribute of lifelong learning or self-regulation), and
- develop the love of learning that we so want students to value.
“Learning”
The 'learning' aspect refers to how we go about knowing and understanding, and then doing something about pupil learning. Learning is at the forefront of all education. In Visible Learning teaching is viewed primarily in terms of its impact on pupil learning.
Visible Teaching and Learning
When the teaching is visible, the student knows what to do and how to do it. When the learning is visible, the teacher knows if learning is occurring or not.
Evidence shows that the greatest effects on student learning come when not only the students become their own teachers (through self-monitoring and self-assessment), but the teachers become learners of their own teaching. In successful classrooms, both the teaching and learning are visible.
Students as Visible Learners
A student who is a visible learner is one who:
- Can articulate what they are learning and why,
- Can talk about how they are learning and the strategies they are using,
- Can articulate their next learning step,
- Understands assessment tools used and what the results mean,
- Asks questions and clarifies,
- Sees errors as learning opportunities,
- Actively seeks feedback, and
- Sets learning goals.
The Visible Learning program here at Glenwood High School involves the development of students as visible learners, implementing measures to closely monitor student progress, identifying and implementing the most appropriate way to provide students with effective feedback and developing collective teacher efficacy (teachers working together to improve student outcomes).
We look forward to watching all our pupils, from S1 to S6, grow as visible learners.