A royal baby has just arrived and has been named. We have the freedom to celebrate as we choose. Our elected Prime Minister will soon be announced. We have the freedom to vote as we choose. If the expression of our thoughts, and the thoughts of others, were to be silenced, there would be nothing to celebrate and few, if any, choices to make. Just as importantly, where is the enthusiasm?
Leadership in Schools
Last week I presented a workshop for teachers in a regional Victorian school. The topic was Assessment and its impact on the teaching of English.
My responsibility, beyond presenting, was to initiate, and encourage robust discussion; this is key to the process of change in schools. When school leaders value staff for their input and differing views, they are searching for a logical balance between mandates and autonomy. Robust dialogue achieves this. Being the catalyst for that process brings me enormous satisfaction, particularly when my input is received with enthusiasm and a genuine commitment to professional learning.
At last week’s workshop the principal, school leaders, and the English leader sat enthusiastically among their staff – about 50 participants in all. Seated at the back of the room were delegates from the Department of Education. Their directive was to raise the standard of assessment, and teaching of English at the school. They also appeared enthusiastic and positive. As a presenter, I couldn’t ask for more – that is, until, a particular observation was made.
The Observation
During the workshop, I set the teachers the task of assessing one another’s reading behaviours, as they would their students’. This required the recording of reading errors, self-corrections, and the recording of accurate decoding with comprehension. The ultimate goal of the exercise is to use errors made while reading as the basis for teaching decisions. It can be a lot of fun for teachers, and is almost always well received.
As the participants worked through it, I roved, observed and listened. When I shared my observations, I asked the group whether it was necessary to record a tick for every word correctly decoded. Wouldn’t there be a greater benefit for assessment, teaching and learning in not recording ticks? The answer was a resounding ‘Yes’. Discussions continued, and the principal and teachers enthusiastically agreed that removing what I’ll refer to as Process B, in this particular context, made perfect sense.
‘Stop. You can’t suggest that’, stated one Departmental delegate. ‘The Department’s directive is that this procedure, including Process B, must be followed’.
Surprised, I reiterated that the removal of Process B would significantly reduce teacher workload, accelerate the assessment process, support more thorough planning and explicit teaching, and promote enthusiasm in teaching. I then added unnecessary and time-consuming data collection, destroys the enthusiasm needed in the teaching process.
‘That’s irrelevant. The inclusion of Process B is a directive from the Department of Education. We cannot change it’, said the delegate.
The Challenge
I suggested the entire school and the Department staff should raise the possibility of change with the Department of Education, and request the removal of the irrelevant Process B format. This would benefit the teaching system, and potentially every other public school in the State and, indeed, could have an impact right across the country.
‘Departmental Policy will be followed at all times, regardless of its value’, stated the delegate.
The principal and school staff were mortified by this response, as was I. Clearly, the departmental directive was promoting no robust debate, no school autonomy, and dare it be said, no enthusiasm for the learning and teaching of students in the classroom.
The Sorrow
Victorians might be free to celebrate royal births, and they might be free to vote. But, if they happen to work in a Victorian State school, they will be silenced when it comes to demanding change for the better. The Department of Education, it would seem, places no value on teachers who think. On the other hand, Departmental leaders believe they are dealing with sheep, not people – whether teachers or students.
The Victorian State Education system was one of the first, and finest in the world. It operated without cost to students and their families. There was great enthusiasm in, and for, the learning process. There was great admiration for those who chose teaching as a vocation.
Today, the value and the keen love of learning have been stolen from our children. Our once enthusiastic mentors, whom we call teachers, have become mere servants to bureaucracy, where logical changes cannot, and will not, be considered, let alone made.
It will not matter one cent who is chosen to govern our country, if the grass roots of education are dead, and enthusiasm is smothered by top-down regulation. When our school leaders, and teachers are stifled, how can Australia be a country of leadership, innovation, optimism, and productive enthusiasm?
If this isn’t a wake-up call for Victorian families, and indeed Australian families, I don’t know what is!
Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Lacey All rights reserved.
Parent, educationist and agitating advocate for change in Australian education.
By raising the bar we can challenge and overcome any global challenges facing Australia and Australians.
Click here to learn how we can work together or contact me at cheryl@cheryllacey.com.
