Be a “big picture” expert teacher

There needs to be greater commitment to recognising excellence and teacher expertise. However, as Professor John Hattie says in lectures on his book Visible Learning, there are few goal posts in professional learning and we allow others to define what ne

PROFESSOR John Hattie is reported as saying that teachers waste time looking for the “magic bullet” and debating things that don’t matter.

I found much of the formal professional learning for Level 3 Classroom Teachers to fall woefully short of engaging teachers in deep and active learning.

I will use some of Hattie’s research in Building Teacher Quality and Visible Learning to guide Level 3 Classroom Teachers in WA applying for Stage 1 in May 2017 in a two-part “master teacher” selection process and for others seeking Lead Teacher status.

Data obtained from the WA Department of Education shows that overall 44 per cent of teachers achieve Level 3 Classroom Teacher status, a process that began in 1997.

My principle for anyone aspiring to Level 3 is to obtain the best guidance you can from an expert individual coach that is able to address your needs.

Formal professional development has limited value when delivered to large groups. I advocate that good professional learning involves planning and an active approach to learning.

I encourage aspirant Lead Teachers to engage in self-evaluation and seek feedback; Hattie’s research shows is one of the best strategies for improvement. You need to ask: Where am I going? How am I going there? What do I do next?

Bill Gates says: “I think its very important to have a feedback loop, where you constantly think about what you’ve done and how you could be doing better”.

Analysing the WA Department of Education’s Level 3 Classroom Teacher Guide, attending formal workshops that analyse the indicators, and reading colleagues’ portfolios are activities providing surface-level information, which by themselves, play a small role in securing Level 3 Classroom Teacher or Lead Teacher status.

I suggest that you become an active learner, applying a cyclical process using the feedback loop and Visible Learning. You should use continuous self-evaluation, seek the best expert evaluation and individual help, set goals, plan, implement planning, manage time and continually self-monitor progress.

Your mind frame is what sets you apart as a Level 3 or Lead Teacher and research shows that you need to focus on your learning and the impact it is having on colleagues and students. Positive school leaders talk about learning rather than teaching and engage in the challenge of learning.

Your self-evaluation will lead you to analyse the indicators in each Competency for Level 3 Classroom Teachers and select examples that are complex, challenging, reflect a big picture vision and demonstrate each aspect of every indicator.

Your examples should reflect policy, planning, research, curriculum and pedagogy.

The big picture secret is to ensure that you have examples and evidence that impact on the whole school, involve networking with other schools, and show you on whole-school, system or regional committees.

Take a big picture approach using the BEHAVE process to engage colleagues. Identify the target behaviour you want to address, explain your expectations to the team, have a clear process, act it out consistently, value the skills that your new project provides and expand its influence by sharing it across the school or other schools.

Collect evidence for your portfolio and ensure that you present your findings to groups continually seeking feedback.

You will be recognised as a big picture champion of change.

Lionel Cranenburgh is the 2015 Positive Behaviours Winner (WA) and Director of Lionel Cranenburgh and Associates, Career Company.

lionel@lionelcranenburgh.com.au