NAPLAN STATE SCHOOL STAFF COVENANT

If there is one thing that the National Testing regime has flagged, it is the revelation that the revered LEARNING ESSENTIALS or so-called CURRICULUM BASICS which once were so highly valued and touted as being the hallmarks of a sound education, would now appear to have taken "a back seat" in many of our school classrooms throughout Australia.

The current curriculum is increasingly being developed as an entanglement of "wishy-washy" ideas, theories and concepts in response to the "beck and call" and "whims and fancies" of groups of non-school-based fanatical change agents almost totally lacking in any real understanding as to what constitutes a sound school education or how best students learn.

Through their change agendas, we are learning from them that you can always be assured of just one simple thing:

"THE BABY WILL ALWAYS BE THROWN OUT WITH THE BATH WATER!"

This does not need to happen! A study of the following presentation which I have retrieved from my files recently contains SOME COMMON SENSE SUGGESTIONS, TIPS and STRATEGIES which school personnel may well consider in order to ensure that "the baby" does not suffer such a fate at the hands of any of our "confused curriculum development zealots or their misguided political or bureaucratic masters!"

I present it here for your sharing. Please do so:

1. NAPLAN STATE SCHOOL

STAFF COVENANT

Principal/Head Teacher: B.A.Leader.

Qualifications: M.Ed.L. (Master of Educational Leadership)

B.C.L. (Bachelor of Curriculum Leadership)

B. I. L. (Bachelor of Instructional Leadership)

2. OUR PLEDGE:

"We, the Principal and staff of the "Naplan" State School hereby solemnly pledge to do whatever it takes to improve student performance standards at this school.

To this end, in accepting accountability for student performance, we undertake to re-focus our efforts on the teaching of Literacy and Numeracy and in so doing will devise and implement a range of new initiatives designed to improve our pedagogical practices."

Signed by: B. A. Leader. (Principal/Head Teacher)

Ima Caring (Teacher)

U.R.A. Supporter (Teacher Aide)

Dizzy Dollar ( Administration Officer)

Digger Gardener ( Grounds-man)

Sweaty Sweeper ( School Cleaner)

"UNITED WE STAND & TOGETHER WE'LL SUCCEED!"

3. IN OUR QUEST TO IMPROVE STUDENT LITERACY AND NUMERACY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND "RAISE THE BAR" WE COMMIT TO:

• Ensuring a WHOLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM PROGRAM that clearly designates the WHAT and WHEN is to be taught, is developed, meticulously implemented and monitored.

(We remain conscious of the need to guarantee "continuity of learning" for all our students. We realise that without this specifically defined curriculum framework to guide our teaching, "the essentials" may be left to chance!)

• Structuring each school day to ensure BLOCKS OF NON-NEGOTIABLE LITERACY & NUMERACY TIME are mandated and protected.

(We will devote at least (5) hours per week to focused numeracy teaching and learning and no fewer than (8) hours weekly to focused literacy-related teaching and learning!)

• Placing a moratorium on so-called "BUSY WORK".

(We accept that teaching and learning time is far too precious and should not be wasted by allowing students to overly engage in activities simply designed to "fill in " time - colouring in/ duplicated work-sheets/activity booklets etc! WE ARE ADAMANT IN OUR BELIEF THAT WE ARE HERE TO TEACH AND FACILITATE LEARNING NOT HERE TO SIMPLY SUPERVISE KIDS. WE BELIEVE EVERY MINUTE OF THE TEACHING DAY COUNTS!)

• Making the most of each and every "TEACHABLE MOMENT".

( Throughout the course of each school day, we accept that situations which may well serve as a "trigger" for an "instant lesson", will arise. We commit to making the most of these occasions. For example, should we hear a student say in conversation: "I bought my doll to school today"...this should provide us with the leverage to TEACH AN INSTANT LESSON TO THE WHOLE CLASS about the correct usage of "bought" and "brought")

• Ensuring we remain ROLE MODELS in every sense.

(We realise how imperative it is to "practise what we teach/preach." We therefore will remain vigilant in terms of our own SPELLING, our WRITING, SPEAKING and GRAMMATICAL understandings and their applications. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that we are well and truly equipped with the knowledge and skills so necessary for us to be role models for those whom we teach!)

• Cultivating PARTNERSHIPS between HOME and SCHOOL.

(We know, without the support of parents, our efforts to improve student learning outcomes, will be hampered. We therefore will do all that we possibly can to encourage parents to become more highly involved in our school and more specifically in supporting their children's educational growth and development. We remain aware of the high correlation between student under-achievement and their home backgrounds/environments. We are committed to lending more proactive support to these families with special attention being devoted to those of indigenous origin. To this end we are committed to:

1. Regular three-way face-to face meetings (Parent/Student/Teacher) throughout the year (NOT LIMITED TO SEMESTERS ALONE). These meetings will always be complemented by a sharing of the individual student's clinical and highly comprehensive personal data file.
2. Telephone communications.... "Dial a Parent Daily" to share a good news story or just simply have a chat!
3. Regular written reporting of basic Literacy & Numeracy Testing results (AT LEAST FORTNIGHTLY)
4. Conducting regular Parental In-Service sessions/programs focusing upon strategies to support "Homework" agendas.

We also like the ideas Les Treichel shares in his publication "Strengthening the Partnership" and we will be employing them as well!)

• Placing a much greater emphasis upon the ORAL COMPONENT OF MATHEMATICS TEACHING embodying mental calculations and interactive student/teacher problem solving conversations as opposed to such a heavy reliance upon WRITTEN MATHEMATICS alone.

(To this end we will commit at least 30 minutes of each and every Numeracy Block to

"4T CONVERSATIONAL MATHEMATICS-MENTAL ARITHMETIC"

Talking the language of Mathematics

Thinking through the processes

Teaching the concepts

Testing the knowledge and understandings.)

• Embedding "quick fire" responses to basic number facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) by re-introducing "daily drills" and reinforcing proficiency by testing number facts through the application of a "PRE-LUNCHEON EXIT STRATEGY"

( This strategy will involve students lining up to exit the classroom for their daily luncheon break. The teacher or teacher-aide will act as "gate-keeper" asking each student, in turn, a basic number fact. If correct, the student proceeds to lunch. If incorrect, the student retreats to the end of the line and so the process is continued until all students leave the classroom.)

• Tailoring numeracy challenges to REAL LIFE MATHEMATICAL SITUATIONS/EXPERIENCES as much as possible.

(By so doing, we believe that our students will be more likely then to see and appreciate the relevance of the learning to which they are being exposed.)

• Identifying "STUDENTS AT RISK" early and the subsequent development and implementation of INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS to expressly cater for their needs.

(We will negotiate these Support Programs directly with Parents and available Learning Support Personnel clearly enunciating the roles of all partners. These programs will not simply be "words on paper"-they will be continually and meticulously monitored by us on a weekly basis and will be adapted and modified in instances where progress is no longer evident and set goals are not being achieved.)

• Challenging the MORE ABLE AND GIFTED STUDENTS to ensure their full potential is harnessed and realised.

( Again we commit to the development and implementation of specific ENRICHMENT and EXTENSION PROGRAMS designed to meet the needs of these students. We remain aware of the risk of these students disengaging from learning as a result of boredom and being denied challenging learning experiences linked to their interests. An element of "STUDENT CHOICE" will apply in the design and structure of these programs. Failing our intervention, these students may well succumb to mediocrity with only a limited number registering performances within the top 20% of the State or Nation.

• Providing each and every student each and every day with a READING AUDIENCE.

(All signatories to this Covenant including the Principal as well as trained Support-A-Reader Volunteers recruited from the wider school community will be engaged in this undertaking. Furthermore, students will also be required to undertake structured HOME READING PROGRAMS under the supervision of their Parents or other family members.)

• Mandating DAILY PROOF READING as an adjunct to the development of language competencies especially in the domains of Spelling, Word Usage, Punctuation and Grammar.

(This strategy will involve us in posting daily on the blackboard, whiteboard, chart or duplicated work sheet a PROOF READING PARAGRAPH. ) SEE EXAMPLE BELOW:

DAILY PROOF READING PARAGRAPH - ERROR COUNT: (10)

Rewrite the following paragraph, correcting where necessary, all spelling, punctuation, word usage and grammatical errors during your spare time today.

"Black threatning clouds gathered on the distant horizon as the thunder rumbled streeks of lightening lit up the western sky. Soon we was seeking shelter from the gusting winds and torential rain. The storm was upon us"

• Modelling quality WRITING on a daily basis.

(Each day we are committed to sharing a well-constructed sentence with our classes in order to explore and analyse its structure and engage our students in discussion and in a variety of language development exercises stemming from it. YES, A DAILY SENTENCE CAN BE A TRIGGER FOR AT LEAST A 10-15 MINUTE TEACHING/LEARNING CONVERSATION!)

SEE BELOW FOR AN EXAMPLE:

SENTENCE FOR THE DAY

" Fanned by the wind, the flames, licking their way like angry tongues, quickly spread from clump to clump of drooping leaves."

SOME SUGGESTED STUDENT ACTIVITIES DRAWN FROM THE SENTENCE:

1. Write a sentence to a similar pattern
2. Name the two describing words (adjectives)
3. Replace these adjectives with two of your own
4. What is the simile? What is another simile that could have been used?
5. What is the doing/telling word (verb)? Can you think of a better verb?
6. How many phrases can you find? List them.
7. What noun is repeated?
8. How many other nouns can you find?
9. Which word tells you how the flames spread?
10. What do we call words that tell us "how" about verbs?

The "SENTENCE FOR THE DAY" will be left displayed throughout the day. At approximately 5 minutes before the close of the school day it will be removed and the students will be asked, as a final activity, to rewrite it as the teacher DICTATES it. This exercise will further reinforce spelling, punctuation and assist in enriching our students' vocabulary. Errors made will be corrected as part of the night's Homework Assignment.

"OH, WHAT A DIFFERENCE ONE SENTENCE CAN MAKE!"

• Improving THE QUALITY of our students' CREATIVE and EXPRESSIVE WRITING as opposed to merely correcting their spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.

(In the past, like many other teachers, we have been guilty of simply accepting what our students present rather than TEACHING THEM BETTER WAYS OF EXPRESSING THEMSELVES IN WRITTEN FORM.

For example, in the first draft of a student's written assignment we may read, "The peak had snow on it and the sun shone brightly." After TEACHER INTERVENTION, this same sentence, in its final publication phase, may read, "Blanked by snow, the craggy peak glistened and shimmered in the warm glow of the morning sun." Obviously, without teacher intervention during the writing process NOTHING WOULD HAVE CHANGED!

So now all teachers at this school commit to the TEACHING OF WRITING rather than to the CORRECTION OF WRITING. We all agree that QUALITY WRITING is more than simply knowing where to place a full stop or capital letter!)

• Embedding a sound knowledge and understanding of PHONICS as the foundation platform for learning to recognise words and support our students' over-all language development.
• (We believe that the "Experiental Approach" to the teaching of reading has under-played the significance and importance of the role of PHONICS as a "skills imperative" and this has resulted in an increasing number of our students performing poorly in all Literacy domains. At this school we are now fully committed to a "PHONICS REVIVAL" - an intensive, skills-focused foray throughout the EARLY YEARS OF SCHOOLING.)
• Providing opportunities for our students to WRITE on a DAILY basis.

( We believe students learn to write through writing ..... a dying art in this rapidly changing world of technological advancement. USSR (Uninterrupted Silent Sustained Reading) time recognises the need to provide opportunities for our students to read. We believe, it is equally as important to provide our students with USSW ( Uninterrupted Silent Sustained Writing) time as well. To this end therefore we will introduce DAILY JOURNAL WRITING for 10 minutes at the close of each school day. During this time our students will reflect upon the highs and lows of their school day and share their joys and frustrations. From our teachers' point of view this approach will be doubly-rewarding as they themselves, need to know, what their students think!)

• Developing and adopting a WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH to the TEACHING OF SPELLING.

(A WHOLE SCHOOL SPELLING PROGRAM featuring the following elements will be developed and implemented:

1. A listing of the 200 MOST FREQUENTLY USED WORDS which every student is expected to be able to spell.
2. GRADED LISTINGS OF COMMONLY USED WORDS
3. Words of special difficulty - often referred to as the "SPELLING DEMONS"
4. Words drawn from KEY LEARNING AREAS (eg. Mathematics-related words- "angle", "perimeter", " circle" etc. )
5. Words drawn from STUDENTS' OWN WRITINGS
6. Words drawn from THEMATIC STUDIES undertaken by students
7. A HEAVY EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED UPON THE TEACHING OF SPELLING RULES AND CONVENTIONS.
8. WORD DERIVATIVES will receive special attention.)
9. DICTIONARY USAGE & ASSOCIATED SKILLS WILL ALSO BE ACTIVELY PROMOTED

Middle Phase of Learning students (Years 4-9) will be required to maintain "PERSONAL ALPHABETICALLY-ARRANGED SPELLING DICTIONARIES" to record the correct spelling of incorrectly-spelt words sourced from THEIR OWN WRITINGS. These dictionaries will be subject to unannounced "spot-checking" by staff members at any time. Students will be penalised for incorrectly-spelt entries and for failing to correctly spell any of the words randomly tested. It will be the student's responsibility to ensure that ALL INCORRECTLY-SPELT WORDS identified by the teacher in the process of reviewing his/her writings are entered in their dictionaries. Parents will be encouraged to "spot-check" at home as well.

• Ensuring our PREPARATORY CLASSES are value-adding in terms of embedding the firm foundations which will guarantee future student success.

( We are hopeful that the introduction of the Preparatory Year of Schooling in Queensland will be beneficial in closing the gap between this State's National Testing results and those achieved by schools elsewhere in Australia. WE ARE COUNTING ON "PREP" TO BETTER "PREPARE" OUR STUDENTS FOR "LIFE-LONG LEARNING" and to this end we commit to ensuring that our Preparatory Classes attract the necessary resources to deliver the "TARGETED STRUCTURED LEARNING" so vital in making the transition to higher levels of learning.)

PRINCIPAL'S ADDENDUM TO STAFF COVENANT:

As Principal/Head Teacher I acknowledge my roles as an educational, curriculum and instructional leader and further commit to the following undertakings:

• REGULAR VISITATIONS TO ALL CLASS GROUPS IN ORDER TO:

1. Lend support to teachers through mentoring, coaching and modelling "best practice teaching"
2. Gauge the effectiveness of classroom teaching strategies being employed in terms of improving student learning outcomes through observation and periodic testing of individual students and class groups.
3. Ensure that the progress being made by each and every individual student is being CLINICALLY MONITORED and REGULARLY REVIEWED.
4. Maintain the momentum of our renewed Literacy and Numeracy thrusts.

• Leading/Facilitating school-based in-service and ensuring that the agenda of all staff meetings includes a curriculum/pedagogical focus that relates to the teaching of Literacy and Numeracy
• Engaging in "case study consultations" in collaboration with teachers and other specialist staff to determine how best to meet the needs of an under-performing student or group of students.
• Conducting regular "STAFF REVIEW MEETINGS" to celebrate success, to share "best practices" and address concerns.

I BELIEVE ALL OUR SCHOOLS SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE FRAMING OF A "STAFF COVENANT" JUST AS THIS SCHOOL HAS DONE!

FOR AFTER ALL IT IS:

1. SCHOOL LEADERSHIP THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
2. TEACHERS WHO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
3. PARENTS WHO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

IN FACT, BY WORKING TOGETHER WITHIN "COVENANTAL BOUNDS "

WE CAN ALL MAKE EVEN A GREATER DIFFERENCE!