Sunata Edition 9 by St Margaret's Anglican Girls School

EDITION NINE

2019 SUNATA

Sunata

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School 11 Petrie Street Ascot QLD 4007 Australia Telephone: +61 7 3862 0777 Facsimile: +61 7 3862 0701 mail@stmargarets.qld.edu.au www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au St Margaret’s School Council Ltd ABN: 69069684019 CRICOS Code: 00511K A School of the Society of the Sacred Advent

EDITION NINE

Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING JOURNAL

Sunata Edition 9 Principal: Ros Curtis Editors: Karen Gorrie, Wendy Johnston Graphic Designer: Pam Smiles Photographer: Victoria Nikolova

EDITION NINE

Sunata

THE STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING JOURNAL

CONTENTS Empowering authors Kimberley Bachmann | Primary Teacher

Universal Design for Learning – A Framework for Inclusive Classrooms Louise Burgman | Secondary Teacher

ASSESSMENT – Is it fit for purpose? Jo Butterworth | Dean of Pedagogy

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Life is not meant to be easy Ros Curtis | Principal

Leadership in the Political Sphere: What can we learn as educators? Ysabella Dawson | Head of Year 7

IS NAPLAN setting us on the path of student improvement? Nicole Devlin | Dean of Studies

Staff Health and Wellbeing Program: a smart workplace intervention Suzy Edwards | Primary Teacher

The Art of Leadership: Harvard University Karen Gorrie | Deputy Principal

St Catherine’s Exchange Wendy Johnston | Director of Marketing and Communications

My reflections on educating girls – from East to West Emily Labinsky | International Pastoral Care Coordinator

Halt: Advance your practice and the teaching profession Tom McCormick | Head of Faculty – Sociocultural Studies

The business of philanthropy: Why do we need to fundraise? Lara Pickering | Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement

School of Life Hetal Raniga | Secondary Teacher

From Marshmallows to Metacognition… Alison Scott | Head of eLearning and Research Services

Indigenous Writes Margot Shave | Secondary Teacher

Empire State of Mind: Let’s Hear it for New York Mathew Stein | Head of Faculty – Global Studies

When East Meets West Mary Surtees | Head of Planning and Organisation – Primary

How to stay motivated Nikki Townsend | Dean of Students

We’re all in this together: supporting students’ social and emotional intelligence Nicole Walker | Head of Year 8

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Psychological safety in the 21st century workplace Kate Curran | Director of Human Resources

Kimberley Bachmann Primary Teacher

EMPOWERING AUTHORS Imagine a lone teacher sitting at a desk, hours after the last student has walked out the classroom door. This teacher meticulously circles every spelling mistake on the page and corrects the numerous run-on sentences. When the student opens their book the following day, all they see is the bright sticker and empty praise at the bottom of their page. They begin writing, showing the same disregard for the full stop and repeating the same spelling mistakes. Subsequently, the traditional feedback cycle continues.

Years ago, this lone figure at the desk was me. I knew my writers needed information about their performance, so they could move forward, but was disheartened by the lack of progress I was seeing. Feeling utterly exhausted and frustrated, I began to question… Could there be types of feedback that encouraged long-term learning and engagement? Could students be encouraged to think reflectively and ask questions about their own writing? Could students be empowered to view themselves as authors? There wasn’t an immediate or simple route to reach these end goals. After extensive research I became aware that if I was to empower my writers four interrelated qualities would need to be woven into my feedback practice.

1) Being specific, yet not directive When delivering feedback, I used to err on the side of ambiguity. I wanted my students to independently solve problems and I wanted to preserve their confidence by not being too specific about mistakes. In the majority of instances, my ambiguity led to student misunderstanding. I can think of countless times when a student either ignored or misinterpreted a comment I thought would have encouraged a particular course of action.

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To avoid misunderstandings, I experimented with more directive feedback. When feedback was completely directive, the students started relying on expert advice rather than drawing on their own knowledge and creativity (Parr & Timperley 2010). Previously enthusiastic and innovative writers started to question me before attempting to solve their problems independently. If I was aiming for empowered writers, I couldn’t position myself as the ‘font of all knowledge’.

To navigate this precarious balance, I now explicitly state the problem, but don’t direct students towards one course of action. Communication channels are two-way and dialogue about writing flows between me and my students. After delivering feedback, I roam the classroom carefully to monitor whether students have understood the feedback. Students are encouraged to question or challenge any advice I have given. These actions establish a sense of co-ownership over the revision process. I am viewed as a co-editor while the students retain autonomy and responsibility for the improvement of their writing. Rather than, You need to add an adverb to show how Tom was running. I now might say, As a reader, I’m finding it difficult to picture Tom moving in this section of the story. Why don’t you describe it to me? We can both listen for any phrases that could be added to your writing.

2) Focusing on learning goals At the core of self-regulated learning is the necessity for students to know where they are heading on their learning journey. Students require a strong understanding of the task’s criteria (Shute 2008), or, in simpler terms, what success looks like. In the primary-school writing classrooms at St Margaret’s, teachers share explicit success criteria with students and show them exactly what this looks like with WAGOLL (What a Good One Looks Like) examples. The students and teachers are ‘co-conspirators’ with shared understandings of quality writing. Success is no longer a secret. It is not as simple as just displaying a laminated poster with the learning goal and success criteria. For students to truly understand where they are heading on their writing development journey, they need to take on responsibility

during the revision and feedback stage. Both the students and I now see this as challenging but essential work. If you stepped into a St Margaret’s primary classroom after a ‘Big Write’, you’d see students acting as editors and holding highlighters. These editors would be working independently or with a ‘Breakdown Buddy’ to find examples of their writing goals. Teachers dropin during this highlighting time and engage in dialogue about specific successes and next steps. Shared interactions such as this allow students and teachers to negotiate what quality writing looks like (Boud & Molloy 2013; Hawe & Dixon 2014; Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick 2006). Rather than, You made four spelling mistakes, started all your sentences with the same word and forgot to tell the reader what your topic is. I now might say, You’ve highlighted three words in your persuasive paragraph. Which of our success criteria do they relate to?

3) Reconceptualising praise Intrinsic motivation is a key quality of self-regulated learning and over the years I questioned the role of extrinsic rewards and praise. I didn’t want to undermine a classroom environment of honesty and trust with insincere praise. I also became aware of research finding no discernible link between raised learning outcomes and praise framed as positive, general statements about the student (Hattie & Timperley 2007). On the other hand, on countless occasions I had watched the confidence and enthusiasm of a young writer visibly bloom after receiving an encouraging comment.

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Instead of questioning whether or not praise has a place in classrooms, I chose to instead question its definition. For me, praise is no longer vague or aimed at the person rather than the writing. Instead, I view praise as specific, related to our learning goals and a medium through which I can highlight what the student has achieved. Positive statements are used alongside constructive criticism to build a realistic image of the student’s strengths and needs as a writer. At St Margaret’s, primary-school writers seek both WWW (What Worked Well) and EBI (Even Better If) from teachers and peers. After listening to both types of feedback, the author understands what needs to be improved while maintaining a sense of achievement and self-efficacy. This balanced approach encourages open and honest lines of communication within a community of authors.

Putting it all together Rather than, Well done, you’re a fantastic writer! I now might say, Your WWW is the way you’ve used different length sentences to create a sense of tension. What could be some other techniques that also heighten the tension?

4) Developing deep understandings Many years ago I thought I was teaching the writing process. Each student submitted a draft for careful teacher editing. Then they would ‘publish’ a final copy by mindlessly copying the grammar and spelling corrections I had made. Externally, it looked like improvements had been made. But I worried the students didn’t understand why they had made the changes and I was certain they weren’t developing independent editing skills. So why did I do it? Plainly and simply, I did it because my teacher did it; because my teacher’s teacher did it; and because my teacher’s teacher’s teacher did it. My focus on surface editing was unknowingly communicating the message that copy-writing and revision were synonymous (Parr & Timperley 2010; Peterson & Kennedy 2006). As an experienced writer, I recognised there is much more to the revision process. I knew the content and organisation of writing changes dramatically during the planning and drafting stage. Take this article for example, which has gone through countless and considerable changes to paragraph organisation, author voice and genre before becoming a finished product. Primary students at St Margaret’s are explicitly taught spelling, grammar and proofreading skills, yet know there are other important elements to be considered. Before beginning ‘Big Writes’, students engage in rich discussions about the relationship between text purpose, audience and author choices. A lot of teacher feedback challenges students to really question why they have chosen certain ideas or structures and how effective this is for the reader. Although computers may be able to correct most spelling and grammar mistakes, it is essential that authors possess the skills to review their writing at a deeper text level. Rather than, I’ve edited your spelling and punctuation mistakes so you now need to rewrite your good copy.

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I now might say, As a reader, I found it difficult to keep track of what is happening. What could you do to help me understand whether sections of the story are set in the past or present.

Lifelong writers are empowered when teachers consider these four qualities of feedback. There needs to be a balance of positive and constructive feedback that is specific to the learning goals, but at the same time not overly directive. While surface editing skills should be taught and practised, aligned learning goals and feedback should be focused on enduring and deep understandings about texts and the writing process. I am no longer that exhausted and disheartened teacher that I initially described. The time I now spend writing and delivering feedback feels endlessly worthwhile. While my feedback journey is certainly not complete, the conversations I hear in our writing classroom have altered dramatically. I now hear students asking questions specifically focused on deep learning goals rather than just surface features: “Do you think this introduction tells my reader what they will find out?” I hear students trying to solve problems and extend themselves as writers: “Maybe I could move the complication to the beginning of my story?” I now hear my most reluctant writers celebrating things they like about their work: “Doesn’t this sentence creates an interesting picture in your head!” Most importantly, I hear students who are enthusiastic about the writing process and feel empowered to refer to themselves as authors. References Boud, D & Molloy, E 2013, ‘Rethinking models of feedback for learning: the challenge of design’, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 698-712. Hawe, E & Dixon, H 2014, ‘Building students’ evaluative and productive expertise in the writing classroom’, Assessing Writing, vol. 19, pp. 66-79. Hattie, J & Timperley, H 2007, ‘The power of feedback’, Review of Educational Research, vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 81-112. Nicol, D & MacFarlane-Dick, D 2006, ‘Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: a model and seven principles of good feedback practice’, Studies in Higher Education, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 199-218. Parr, J & Timperley, H 2010, ‘Feedback to writing: assessment for teaching and learning and student progress’, Assessing Writing, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 68-85. Peterson, S & Kennedy, K 2006, ‘Sixth-grade teachers’ written comments on student writing: genre and gender influences’, Written Communication, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 36-62. Shute, V 2008, ‘Focus on formative feedback’, Review of Educational Research, vol. 78, no. 1, pp. 153-189.

Louise Burgman Secondary Teacher

Universal Design for Learning â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A Framework for Inclusive Classrooms Introduction

Universal Design for Learning is based on the architectural philosophy of Universal Design, which promotes the consideration of the accessibility of spaces and structures in the design phase (Bringoff 2017). This idea moved

What is Universal Design for Learning? The framework for UDL contains three core principles. These are aligned with educational research and neuroscience (CAST 2018), and help educators predict and accommodate for any barriers to learning. These three principles relate to the representation of content, opportunities for expression and action, and maximising student engagement.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for teaching, learning, assessment and curriculum. Educators are encouraged to analyse

Background

into educational circles, and by the 1990s there was a belief that not only educational learning spaces, but the curriculum itself, could be made more accessible for students with disabilities (Meyer Rose & Gordon 2014). It is a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to inclusive education.

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Inclusive education practices aim to ensure all students in the mainstream classroom can access the curriculum and learn. However, many classroom teachers feel overwhelmed by the prospect of catering to the diverse needs of students (Monsen, Ewing and Kwoka 2014). The recent changes to the QCE system in Queensland mean the adjustment process, formally known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Access arrangements and reasonable adjustmentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (AARA), is much more regulated for senior students, and, as such, teachers need to consider how inclusive their coursework and assessment really is.

the curriculum and their teaching plans and identify any potential barriers to learning. By addressing these potential barriers, teachers are making the curriculum more accessible for all students, not just those with a disability or learning difficulty. Implementing this framework as a way of planning will provide teachers with the structure for delivering an inclusive curriculum that will improve the learning outcomes of all our students, with the added bonus of integrating technology into the curriculum.

The first core principle is that all teaching, learning and assessment should have multiple means of representation (CAST 2018). This addresses the ‘what’ of learning. It is looking at the recognition networks of the brain, and how to trigger these to promote learning. Content should be presented in a variety of ways, and delivery of content should be supported to ensure students can access and understand the curriculum being presented. This includes presenting information in a range of formats and supporting students in decoding and comprehending information. The second core principle is that curriculum should provide for multiple means of action and expression. This addresses the ‘how’ of learning and is associated with the strategic networks of the brain. There should be a variety of ways students can engage with a learning activity or demonstrate their learning. Where appropriate, students should be allowed opportunity for movement, have multiple ways to express themselves and communicate, have options for choice of expression or construction, and be able to plan and manage their progress. The final core principle is that students need to be provided multiple means of engagement. This is the motivation for learning and addresses the affective networks of the brain – the ‘why’ of learning. Students need to be engaged with the learning process for learning to happen, so curriculum should incorporate student interests, allow for sustained effort and persistence, and promote self-regulation. This can be done through allowing students choice in learning, ensuring topics are relevant and authentic, creating appropriate challenge, and helping students set goals and reflections.

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Why use the Universal Design for Learning framework? • Easier for the classroom teacher

Inclusive education practices mean that teachers must show evidence they are catering to the specific needs

of the verified students in their class, in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act (Australian Government 1992) and the Disability Standards in Education (Australian Government 2005). However, research indicates that pre-service teachers lack training on how to accommodate children with special educational needs in their classroom (Broomhead 2013; Moore et al. 2018) and many can feel apprehensive and overwhelmed about the prospect of teaching these students (Forlin and Chambers 2011; Monsen, Ewing and Kwoka 2014). The UDL framework provides a ‘how to’ for accommodating these students at the planning phase, so teachers feel prepared prior to any student commencing their class, rather than having to retrofit curriculum to accommodate student needs. By following a UDL framework in planning, classroom teachers will also be able to supply data about accommodations and modifications for Independent Education Plan (IEP) meetings. This can take some of the time burden off the classroom teacher, which in turn should reduce the apprehension and negativity about including students with special needs in mainstream classrooms. • Better outcomes for the students 0 Students with Special Needs Many studies have shown that planning with the UDL framework helps the learning outcomes of students with special needs. UDL principles applied in a middle school science lesson through online simulation computer games improved the learning outcomes and engagement of students with learning difficulties (Marino et al. 2014). Digital mathematics programs designed with the needs of students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder in mind helped students access content by using simple visual and textual language in short sentences, and by incorporating student interest to enhance engagement (Santos, Breda and Almeida 2017). Students with behavioural disorders were found to benefit from the environment enhancements and the flexibility and

choice of a UDL curriculum (JohnsonHarris and Mundschenk 2014). Students with mobility issues have been able to participate, and have improved learning outcomes in movement-based subjects like Physical Education and Dance through applying UDL practices (Grenier, Miller and Black 2017; Klavina 2008). Literacy outcomes of students with intellectual or learning disabilities improved after UDL principles were applied to literacy curriculum (Meo 2008; Narkon and Wells 2013; Zhou and Yafav 2017; Kennedy, Thomas and Alves 2014). The overwhelming evidence shows that UDL practice improves the learning outcomes of students with special needs and makes the school curriculum more inclusive for these students. For these reasons alone, the UDL framework certainly warrants consideration. 0 All students Regardless of the presence of students with special needs, a general mainstream classroom is a highly varied environment, with a huge range of abilities, interests, backgrounds and cultures, personalities and learning styles. Research has shown that using UDL approaches within the classroom can improve the learning outcomes of all students, whether or not they are identified as having learning difficulties (Coyne et al. 2012; Meo 2008; Zhou and Yafav 2017). Using UDL principles improved the vocabulary of all students in several studies, not just those with learning disabilities (Zhou and Yafav 2017; Kennedy, Thomas and Alves 2014). Student engagement also improves when UDL principles are followed, like when games are introduced as part of the curriculum (Buchheister, Jackson and Taylor 2017; Marino et al 2014). These studies prove that engagement and learning outcomes for all students are improved when UDL principles are applied.

0 Students for whom English is an additional language or dialect (EALD) UDL can help promote inclusivity and equity in education for a variety of groups, including those with culturally diverse backgrounds (Waitoller and King 2016). In Meo (2008), teachers applying UDL principles to the curriculum discovered that eliminating barriers improved the reading comprehension ability in a mixed ability class. Prior to using UDL, poor performance had been attributed to lack of knowledge or preparation, or limited ability; however, the teachers realised that much of the curriculum was excluding almost a third of the class that spoke English as an additional language or dialect. By anticipating and addressing language and cultural barriers in the classroom, student ability becomes more apparent (Ford, Grantham and Whiting 2008). This is particularly pertinent given that EALD students do not qualify for AARA within the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) system now adopted in Queensland from Year 11. Teachers need to consider these needs and ensure they are being catered to by making the content and assessment accessible to these students at the planning stage. 0 Gifted students

Integrating technology in classroom is not straightforward. Research indicates that classroom teacher pedagogy remains one of the biggest barriers to technology integration – as teachers who believe in a teacher-centered approach see technology as an ‘add-in’ rather than a vital tool (Tondeur et al. 2017). This has a huge implication for our students who will be required to be fluent users and creators of digital content. UDL embraces the use of technology as an assistive tool for those with learning barriers (part of the UDL second core principle of multiple means of action and expression), but also as a vehicle for the three core principles – representation, action and expression, and engagement. Technology can assist the teacher to present content in multiple modes (for example, providing auditory and visual content and customised information displays). It allows students to use technology to film movement and analyse it, to present their knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways – like through audio, video, presentation, written text, animation, graphic display, websites, apps, blogs or vlogs – any number of ways. This choice then promotes engagement – students choose to work in ways that interest them, which allows for the third core principle of engagement (Marino et al. 2014; Buchheister, Jackson and Taylor 2017). By adopting UDL, teachers will find that integrating technology is a logical step in the UDL planning process. While you can successfully use UDL without technology, it makes sense to use it (where available) to eliminate learning barriers.

Limitations

Conclusion UDL practices have been found to benefit all students. Increasing access and engagement will inevitably result in better academic performance. An industry-wide focus on planning and documentation has seen teachers review their pedagogy. Many teachers have been overwhelmed by the work required to properly document lesson planning and curriculum, let alone the adjustments they make for students with exceptional learning needs. Having a framework that did not have to be modified extensively with each new group of students would ease some of their concerns. This would also assist with differentiation for all students, as this framework would ensure the different levels of ability were catered for in the classroom, which would positively impact gifted students, special needs students and EALD students. UDL principles can help guide technology integration and would assist teachers who are unsure how to properly embed technology into their teaching and learning. Universal Design for Learning is a framework that will help proactively deliver inclusive education in the classroom. It will allow us to improve the learning outcomes of all our students. As it is just building on current practice, it would not require too much extra time on the part of teachers, and it would save time long term, as planning would be able to remain consistent year on year, although teachers would need training and support to ensure they were able to deliver a UDL curriculum effectively. The Universal Design for

Universal Design for Learning provides the framework for planning, but ultimately it is the classroom teachers who must deliver the curriculum. Research indicates that educating

teachers on UDL is not enough, and that teachers also need to be supported when implementing UDL practice in the classroom, to ensure it is implemented effectively (Courey et al. 2012; Vitelli 2015). This illustrates the need for both professional development in Universal Design for Learning, but also in ongoing support to classroom teachers to ensure they see the benefits from the framework.

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Gifted students can also benefit from using the UDL framework in planning. The most obvious beneficiaries are the students who are twice-exceptional – that is they have a difficulty or disability as well as being gifted in one or more areas. A study by Willard-Holt et al. (2013) found that twice exceptional students felt let down by curriculum. Students desired more ownership, choice and flexibility in topic, method of learning, assessment pace and collaboration – all strategies that are advocated for in the UDL framework. By eliminating curriculum barriers, these students will be able to develop their talent.

• Technology integration

Learning framework could provide a foundation for teaching and learning that ensures all our learners are catered for and can achieve to their potential.

Johnson-Harris, K & Mundschenk, N 2014, ‘Working effectively with students with BD in a general education classroom: The case for universal design for learning’, The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, vol. 87, no. 4, pp. 168-174.

Santos, M, Breda, A & Almeida, A 2017, ‘Design approach of mathematics learning activities in a digital environment for children with autism spectrum disorders’, Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 65, pp. 1305-1323.

References

Kennedy, M, Thomas, C & Alves, K 2014, ‘Using evidence- based multimedia to improve vocabulary performance of adolescents with LD: A UDL approach’, Learning Disability Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 71-86.

Tondeur, J, van Braak, J, Ertmer, P & Ottenbreit-Lefteich, A 2017, ‘Understanding the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and technology use in education: a systemic review of qualitative evidence’, Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 65, pp. 555-575.

Australian Government 2005, Disability Standards for Education. Australian Government 1992, National Disability Discrimination Act. Bringoff, J 2017, Who was Ron Mace?, Centre for Universal Design Australia, Viewed 2 April, 2018, http://universaldesignaustralia. net.au/2017/03/ who-was-ron-mace/ Broomhead, K 2013, ‘‘You cannot learn this from a book’; pre-service teachers developing empathy towards parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) via parent stories’, European Journal of Special Needs Education, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 173-86. Buchheister, K, Jackson, C & Taylor, C 2017, ‘Maths games: A universal design approach to mathematical reasoning’, Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 7-12. CAST 2018, UDL and the learning brain, Wakefield: CAST. CAST 2018, Universal design for learning guide guidelines version 2.2 (graphic organizer), Wakefield, MA. Courey, S, Tappe, P & LePage, P 2012, ‘Improved lesson planning with universal design for learning (UDL)’, Teacher Education and Special Education, vol. 36 no. 12, pp. 7-27. Coyne, P, Pisha, B, Dalton, B, Zeph, L & Smith, N 2012, ‘Literacy by design: A universal design for learning approach for students with significant intellectual disabilities’, Remedial and Special Education, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 162-72. Ford, D, Grantham, T & Whiting, G 2008, ‘Culturally and linguistically diverse students in gifted education: Recruitment and retention issues’, Exceptional Children, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 289-306. Forlin, C & Chambers, D 2011, ‘Teacher preparation for inclusive education: increasing knowledge but raising concerns’, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 17-32.

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Grenier, M, Miller, N & Black, K 2017, ‘Applying universal design for learning and the inclusion spectrum for students with severe disabilities in general physical education’, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, vol. 88, no. 6, pp. 51-56.

Klavina, A 2008, ‘Using peer-mediated instructions for students with severe and multiple disabilities in inclusive physical education: A multiple case study’, European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 7-19. Marino, M, Gotch, C, Israel, M, Vasquez III, E, Basham, J & Becht, K 2014, ‘UDL in the middle school science classroom: Can video games and alternative text heighten engagement and learning for students with learning disabilities?’, Learning Disability Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 87-89. Meo, G 2008, ‘Curriculum planning for all learners: Applying universal design for learning (UDL) to a high school reading comprehension program’, Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 21-30. Meyer, A, Rose, DH & Gordon, D 2014, Universal design for learning: Theory and Practice, CAST Professional Publishing, Wakefield, MA. Monsen, JJ, Ewing, DL, & Kwoka, M 2014, ‘Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion, perceived adequacy of support and classroom learning environment. Learning Environment Research, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 113-126. Moore, EJ, Smith, FG, Hollingshead, A & Wojcik, B 2018, ‘Voices from the field: Implementing and scaling-up universal design for learning in teacher preparation programs’, Journal of Special Education Technology, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 40-53. Narkon, D & Wells, JC 2013, ‘Improving reading comprehension for elementary students with learning disabilities: UDL enhanced story mapping’, Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 231-239. Rao, K, Ok, MW, & Bryant, BR 2014, ‘A review of research on universal design educational models’, Remedial and Special Education, vol. 35, no. 5, pp. 153-166.

Vitelli, E 2015, ‘Universal design for learning: Are we teaching it to preservice general education teachers?’, Journal of Special Education Technology, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 166-178. Waitoller, F & King, KA 2016, ‘Crosspollinating culturally sustaining pedagogy and universal design for learning: Toward an inclusive pedagogy that accounts for dis/ ability’, Harvard Educational Review, vol. 86, no. 3, pp. 366-389. Willard-Holt, C, Weber, J, Morrison, KL & Horgan, J 2013, ‘Twice- exceptional learners; perspectives on effective learning strategies’, The Gifted Child Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 247-262. Zhou, N & Yafav, A 2017, ‘Effects of multimedia story reading and questioning on preschoolers’ vocabulary learning, story comprehension and reading engagement’, Education Technology Research and Development, vol. vol. 65, pp. 1523-1545.

Jo Butterworth Dean of Pedagogy

ASSESSMENT

– Is it fit for purpose? Assessment plays an important role in education and that is to give students the best opportunity to demonstrate what they know and can do. Therefore, it is important in the assessment design process that we consider whether the task is accessible to all students and is assessing the knowledge and skills that should be assessed. The new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system has put a spotlight on assessment design by introducing a process to endorse assessment before use. This article will analyse the criteria for endorsing assessment by considering the characteristics that make an assessment valid and fit for purpose. Assessment can be used for formative and summative purposes and depending on its use the nature and impact of the assessment on students can differ. Formative types of assessment can be used on a day-to-day basis and are generally informal and used to inform teaching practises and planning (Wiliam 2011). Alternatively, summative assessment is used to provide information to parents or for more formal purposes such as certification or determining student rankings for tertiary entrance (Pitman, O’Brien and McCollow 1999). For the purpose of this analysis, I will focus on the design of summative assessment in the upper secondary school context. Due to the ‘high stakes’ nature of summative assessment in this context, there is often considerable debate about the quality and purpose of assessment. Debates constantly circulate about schools designing assessment that is too hard or assessing different things to other schools. In the new QCE system, new processes have been introduced to strengthen the comparability of internal assessment by ensuring that any debate about the quality of assessment is informed by a set of criteria and prescribed syllabus specifications. The focus of this article is the criteria which provides a means to measure the validity and accessibility of assessment and, more importantly, inform teachers’ decision-making about assessment design.

Every summative assessment opportunity in the senior years must align with a prescribed syllabus and the stated assessment objectives. Knowing this alignment is required when designing assessment ensures the necessary content and skills are being assessed and the assessment is valid (Mansell, James and ARG 2009). Breaking down our decision making about the content and skills to assess allows us to address the two aspects of validity – content validity and construct validity. When considering content validity, we are making decisions about how well our assessment represents the content prescribed in the syllabus (Darr 2005) by checking our alignment with the specified assessment objectives. Syllabuses provide an additional elaboration of these objectives in detailed specifications that provide a scope for the amount of content that needs to be accessed, used and created in order to respond to a task. The external process of endorsement will check that all schools in Queensland have aligned their tasks with these content specifications which gives us reassurance that the level of demand of our tasks is consistent with other schools.

Construct validity on the other hand is concerned about the type of thinking we are asking students to engage in (Darr 2005). If the syllabus objectives are asking for students to evaluate but the task only demands that the students describe or analyse information, then we have a construct validity issue. Similarly, if the focus of the task is evaluation and most of the allocated marks are being attributed to evaluation but there is an over representation of other thinking skills then the construct of the task will have low validity. Checks for construct validity require a strong understanding of the mental processes required to demonstrate certain ways of thinking. For example, if we ask students to compare, then we are looking for students to display recognition of similarities and differences and recognise the significance of these similarities and differences (QCAA 2019). Working with colleagues to check the validity of our assessment is a critical part of the assessment design process at St Margaret’s and allows us to continually refine our skills and abilities in quality assessment design.

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So, what is validity? Validity is defined as the extent to which an assessment accurately measures what it is intended to measure (Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith 2014). We can consider this concept in a real-world example. If you weigh yourself on a scale, the scale should give you an accurate measurement of your weight. If the scale indicates you weigh 60kg and you actually weigh 80kg, then the scale is not valid. The same can be said for assessments used in the classroom. If an assessment

intends to measure specific objectives from a particular subject syllabus but then measures cognitive skills and content that are completely unrelated, the assessment is not valid.

Even with all the boxes ticked to ensure content and construct validity measures are in place, we can inadvertently present barriers to student achievement by reducing their accessibility to an assessment. To enable all students to have access to an assessment we must look at our language, the presence of any gender, ethnic or cultural bias and even the way we layout and present assessment (ACACA 1995). Accessibility is the second aspect of the criteria that will be used to endorse Unit 3 and 4 assessment beginning this year. Accessibility can be increased by reducing language barriers to assessment through such means as keeping terminology consistent with the syllabus, checking that any use of jargon or colloquialisms do not prevent students from understanding the task and even editing any spelling errors. Additionally, layout can also pose an accessibility issue simply because it takes students too long to find out what they need to do. This has been the fundamental reason for introducing an assessment template at St Margaret’s so that students can move from one subject to another and know exactly where to find the information they need on an assessment. Through teacher collaboration during the design process, many of these barriers can be identified because what may seem fair and equitable to one person may be a significant accessibility issue for another.

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By designing a quality piece of assessment that is valid and accessible, we are providing the best opportunity for students to demonstrate what they know and can do. The endorsement process is requiring teachers to ‘front-end’ assessment design and submit assessment for endorsement prior to using it with students. Designing assessment at the beginning of a unit allows teachers to connect the teaching and learning plan to assessment and the knowledge and skills we want students to be able to demonstrate by the end of the unit (Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith 2014).

In a time of growing accountability in the senior secondary context, it is important to be aware of the factors that provide opportunity for students to succeed as well as provide a means to collect reliable assessment evidence. Assessment is an integral part of the learning process, so by creating a learning environment that encourages teacher collaboration we can ensure we are providing high-quality assessment to students. References Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA) 1995, Guidelines for Assessment Quality and Equity, viewed 10 June 2019, https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/approach2/ acaca_equity_guidelines.pdf Black P & Wiliam, D 2010, ‘Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment’, Phi Delta Kappan Magazine, vol. 92, no. 1, pp. 81–90. Darr, C 2005, Set 2: A Hitchhiker’s guide to validity, New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Klenowski, V & Wyatt-Smith, C 2014, Assessment for education: standards, judgement and moderation, Sage, California. Mansell, W, James, M & Assessment Reform Group 2009, Assessment in schools. Fit for purpose? A commentary by the Teaching and Learning Research Programme, Economics and Social Research Council: Teaching and Learning Research Programme, London. Pitman, JA, O’Brien, JE & McCollow, JE 1999, ‘High Quality Assessment: We are what we believe we do’, Paper presented at the IAEA Conference, Bled, Slovenia, viewed 5 May 2019, https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/publications/research_ qbssss_assessment_quality_99.pdf. QCAA 2019, Glossary of Cognitive Verbs. viewed 5 May 2019, https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/portal/resource/organisation/4993074c2698-4f36-bc76-e61797495701/app/resource/15/long-description Wiliam, D 2011, Embedded formative assessment, Solution Tree Press, Bloomington, Indiana.

Kate Curran Director of Human Resources

PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY in the 21st century workplace. Knowing that recent research indicates 85 per cent of employees are not engaged or are actively disengaged at work (Harter n.d.), I was intrigued to hear what wisdom would be shared at the recent ‘Attract and Retain: How to become an Employer of Choice’ HR forum. The forum was hosted by FCB Group, a workplace legal and human resources solutions provider, who have themselves been awarded an employer of choice and have their very own ‘Happiness Conductor’! One theme stood out throughout the day and it was one that surprised me – psychological safety. While important, in a professional work environment I believe it is often taken for granted. Psychological safety is defined as a ‘shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking’ (Edmondson & Lei 2014). Research has shown where psychological safety exists, it has a positive impact on individuals, teams and organisations as a whole, with the ability to impact employee engagement, productivity and business profitability. In considering the importance of psychological safety in the 21st century workplace, let’s first set the scene of today’s business world, which has been characterised by rolling innovation and rapid change, and been referred to as a ‘VUCA world’. The term VUCA stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous and was initially coined by the US military. In recent years, it has grown in popularity as a description for the business world in which we operate today. Many businesses and individuals alike are grappling with the impact of increased technology, innovation, globalisation and the redesign of work as we know it. The 2019 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends survey reported 64 per cent of respondents saw growth ahead in the use of robotics, 80 per cent predicted growth in cognitive technologies, and 81 per cent predicted growth in artificial intelligence. The survey also showed the level of ‘fear’ and ‘uncertainty’ around these technologies was growing, with only 26 per cent of organisations stating they were ‘ready or very ready’ to address the impact of these technologies. ‘The jobs of today are more machine-powered and data-driven than in the past, and they also require more human skills in problem solving, communication, interpretation and design’ (Deloitte 2019).

1) 2) 3)

analytical thinking and innovation active learning and learning strategies creativity, originality and initiative.

Significance – individuals care about the degree to which they feel they are a significant member of a group and that their contribution is valued. Certainty – an understanding of the expectation and what the future holds. Our brains crave a degree of certainty and to know what is expected. Autonomy – individuals like to feel in control, that they have choices and feel they can influence their work and life. Relatedness – connectedness, people like to feel part of a group. Equity – being treated fairly and equitably. Where this doesn’t exist, an individual’s brain may see this as a threat (Ray n.d.).

Psychological safety is not a new concept. It was first explored by organisational scholars in the 1960s and grew in popularity in the 1990s with the work of Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School Professor. Edmundson explains, ‘Psychological safety describes people’s perceptions of the consequences of taking interpersonal risks in a particular context such as a workplace’ (Edmondson & Lei 2014). She goes on to say, ‘Organisational research has identified psychological safety as a critical factor in understanding phenomena, such as voice, teamwork, team learning and organisational learning.' Dr Linda Ray, Founder and Chief Product Officer at Neurocapability, shared some of her organisation’s findings in relation to psychological safety in the workplace at the recent ‘Attract and Retain: How to become an Employer of Choice' HR forum. Dr Ray identified psychological safety as central to driving all aspects of work. When psychological safety is present, physical safety, mental health, wellbeing, engagement, creativity and customer satisfaction flow. These factors drive a positive workplace culture, and combined, influence positive business results. Dr Ray shared results of a recent study within the retail sector, which found a 71 per cent correlation between high psychological safety and revenue. Dr Ray introduced the S.C.A.R.E model which works with the underlying understanding that the brain is a social organ. The brain monitors the environment constantly and determines situations as either a ‘reward’ or ‘threat’. The S.C.A.R.E model identifies the following factors contributing to psychological safety:

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Work environments are dynamic and changing. The World Economic Forum (2018), in their report The Future of Jobs Report 2018 – Centre for the New Economy and Society, compared skill demand for 2018 to 2022. The top three trending skills categories for 2022 were:

If we consider these skills, psychological safety will be important to assist individuals to ensure they feel comfortable to innovate, learn and create.

At St Margaret’s we know that

The

St Margaret’s

Way

Spirit • Faith • Integrity • Courage • Respect • Passion Google has also identified the importance of psychological safety in the workplace. In 2012, Google embarked on the project ‘Aristotle', which aimed at defining what contributes to team success. The project’s name was a nod to Aristotle’s quote, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'. In a broad study, Google examined over one hundred groups for more than three years, exploring several avenues. They then studied the ‘group norms’; the underlying unwritten, behaviours, traditions and ‘rules’ of groups. When looking at the ‘group norms’, they observed two behaviours that effective teams tended to share – they had ‘equality in distribution of conversational turn-taking’ and, second, they had high ‘average social sensitivity’. Both these behaviours exist when a team feels psychologically safe. Google’s data indicated that psychological safety, more than anything else, was critical to team work (Duhigg 2016). Google went about educating their teams and encouraging them to foster a culture of psychological safety, communicating, ‘no one wants to put on a “work face” when they get to the office. No one wants to leave part of their personality and inner life at home. But to be fully present at work, to feel “psychologically safe”, we must know that we can be free enough, sometimes, to share the things that scare us without fear of recriminations’ (Duhigg 2016). We spend so much of our week at work, it is important we feel psychologically safe there to have job satisfaction and thrive in our work. In his book The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle (2018) supports the need for psychological safety in teams and speaks about ‘belonging cues’, which are behaviours that create safe connections in groups. Examples of belonging cues include eye contact, energy, taking turns, attention, body language, vocal pitch and whether everyone talks to everyone else in the group. Our unconscious brain looks for these signals to be reassured we are safe in this environment and are more likely to contribute to the group.

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So how does the Australian workplace stack up? In 2017, R U OK? commissioned a world-first study into psychological safety in the workplace and partnered with Amy Edmundson for her commentary on the results. With 1,176 Australians participating in this survey, the findings are interesting, to get a gauge on what is happening in Australian workplaces. The survey found only 44 per cent of survey participants either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement ‘mistakes at work are often held against me’. Interestingly, the results showed women were slightly less concerned with this, and, as employees aged, their concern for this decreased. In her commentary, Amy Edmundson acknowledges that

positivity and gratitude

have an immense impact on our emotional wellbeing, thus creating an environment where

WE ALL CAN FLOURISH

psychological safety is at the heart of innovation and that the process of innovating often includes an element of trial and error. She suggests businesses aim for a minimum response of 70 per cent that disagree or strongly disagree with this statement. Sixty-two per cent of survey respondents indicated it was difficult to ask for help from a colleague and 64 per cent agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘working with my colleagues, my unique skills and talents are utilised’. Edmundson suggests both measures are very important when measuring psychological safety and suggests companies should aim for at least 80 per cent for both measures. Psychological safety can impact employee engagement. In the article DNA of Engagement, in a 2019 HRM (Australian Human Resources Institute Magazine), the focus was on what employees want. Naomi Simson, Chief Marketing Officer and co-founder of The Big Red Group (and Shark on the television program Shark Tank) was quoted as saying in relation to employee engagement: ‘People want worthwhile, productive and challenging careers, where they learn and develop. They want to be noticed and have a voice. Then they go home feeling like a winner.’ Ridley (2019) says: ‘Another way to build engagement is to give people permission to try something new. Let them fail fast, and keep the communication going so they can share what they have learned.’ This echoes the message of the importance of psychological safety to employee engagement. We have identified many benefits of psychological safety in the workplace. It should be acknowledged that striving for a culture where there is a high level of psychological safety is not a trade-off for accountability; in fact, the ‘learning zone’ is seen to be where both a high level of psychological safety and accountability exists. When psychological safety is low in a team or organisation, the research is clear that the cost is significant. In June 2018, Safe Work Australia published a national guide on work-related psychological health and safety. In launching the guide, Dr Peta Miller, Special Adviser for Safe Work Australia, stated ‘poor psychological safety costs Australian organisation $6 billion per annum in lost productivity’, and additionally, ‘workplaces with poor psychological working conditions accrue 43 per cent more sick days per month’ (Safe Work Australia 2018).

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appreciate others and are aligned with and accountable for the St Margaret’s ethos.

Honesty, authenticity and positivity are all part of The

St Margaret’s

Way

At St Margaret’s, The St Margaret’s Way aims to define the unique culture within the school. Central to The St Margaret’s Way are two questions everyone in our school community is encouraged to ask:

Harter, J n.d., Dismal Employee Engagement is a sign of Global Mismanagement, viewed 24 May 2019, https://www.gallup. com/workplace/231668/dismal-employee-engagement-signglobal-mismanagement.aspx

How do I want to feel everyday when I come to school?

What am I doing to ensure others feel this way?

KPMG 2019, The Future of HR 2019: In the Know or in the No – The gulf between action and inertia, viewed 20 May 2019, https://advisory.kpmg.us/content/dam/advisory/en/pdfs/hrsurvey-2019-exec-summary.pdf

These two questions are excellent pillars from which to build a culture of psychological safety. According to Gallup research, companies in the top quartile of engagement have 17 per cent higher productivity and 21 per cent higher profitability (Harter n.d.). We can conclude, with some confidence, that psychological safety has a positive impact on employee engagement, productivity and business profitability. Where individuals feel they are valued, someone cares about them, they are heard, and they are free from interpersonal risk, employees are more likely to try new things, work well as a team, learn and develop, innovate and ultimately stay ahead of the competition. References Coyle, D 2018, The Culture Club, Bantam Books, New York. Deloitte 2019, Leading the Social Enterprise Reinvent with a human focus – 2019 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends, viewed 26 May 2019, https://www2.deloitte.com/ content/dam/Deloitte/au/Documents/human-capital/ deloitte-au-hc-human-capital-trends-2019 50419.pdf?utm_ source=eloqua&utm_medium=lp&utm_campaign=20190415hcp-inbound-human-capital-trends-2019&utm_content=cta

Ray, L n.d, ‘S.C.A.R.E. in the Workplace’, Neurocapability, viewed 12 May 2019, https://neurocapability.pi.bypronto. com/2/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/03/S.C.A.R.E.-inthe-workplace.pdf Ridley, S 2019, ‘The DNA of Engagement’, HRM: The Magazine of the Australian HR Institute, pp. 17-19 R U OK? 2017, The Australian Workplace Psychological Safety Survey, shared on LinkedIn, viewed 19 May 2019, https:// www.linkedin.com/pulse/world-1st-australian-workplacepsychological-safety-graeme-cowan/ Safe Work Australia 2018, Safe Work Australia Publishes National Guidance on Work-Related Psychological Health and Safety: Media Release, viewed 17 May 2019, https://www. safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/safework-australia-publishes-national-guidance-work-related World Economic Forum 2018, The Future of Jobs Report 2018 – Centre for the New Economy and Society, viewed 26 May 2019, http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_ Jobs_2018.pdf

Duhigg, C 2016, ‘What Google Learned from its Quest to Build the Perfect Team’, The New York Times Magazine, viewed 19 May 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/ magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-theperfect-team.html?smid=pl-share

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Edmondson, A & Lei Z 2014, ‘Psychological Safety: The History, Renaissance, and Future of an Interpersonal Construct’, Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behaviour, vol. 1, pp. 23-43, viewed 10 May 2019, https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/ annurev-orgpsych-031413-091305

LIFE Ros Curtis Principal

is not meant to be easy We see evidence all around us of the influence of the productivity agenda in education. It is no longer, if it ever was, to become a well-rounded liberal thinker, learned in the major disciplines, highly literate and well-read, an informed raconteur at a dinner party. Education is a political and economic issue. It is about being competitive in the global world and being able to contribute to the global economy. This then means, at school level, teachers focus on student learning, so students can achieve the highest possible OP or rank, so they can have a wider range of university options, and then – so the theory goes – have a successful life. If only it were that simple. All the evidence suggests that high achievement in a school’s education system does not always translate to future career success.

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Psychologist Shawn Achor, author of the book The Happiness Advantage (2010), tells us that only 25 per cent of job success is predicted by IQ; the other 75 per cent is predicted by one’s optimism level, social support and ability to see stress as a challenge instead of a threat. If non-cognitive skills are much more predictive of students’ longer-term success than test scores, surely it is time to redefine a school’s contribution to the productivity agenda. Instead of being driven by PISA results, NAPLAN results, ATARS and OPS, what if the league tables published in the media

focused on student wellbeing instead, given all the research that says happier people are much more productive people? This would be a much better measure of a young person’s future contribution to the nation’s productivity. The Australian Gallup Student Poll, which is a 20-question survey that measures the hope, engagement and wellbeing of students from Years 5 to 12, could well be a good measure. Gallup’s research has shown that hope, engagement and wellbeing are key factors that drive students’ grades, achievement scores, retention and future employment. The current Australian results for wellbeing are of concern with 39 per cent of 2018 students saying they are struggling, in other words, lacking positive thoughts and worrying about meeting the demands of daily life. This figure appears to impossibly high for a country like Australia. Of course, the underlying assumption of such a statement is that the external world is predictive of our happiness. Yet, the external world counts for only 10 per cent of our long-term happiness and success. Ninety per cent of happiness and success is about the way our brain processes the world (Achor 2010). It’s not reality that shapes us, but the lens in which we view the world that shapes our reality. If that lens can be changed, then we can change (Lotto 2017). In the 2018, St Margaret’s parent survey, where our results were benchmarked against similar schools across Australia, including other top schools in Brisbane, the school scored very highly on student

wellbeing. Fifty-two per cent of our parents completed the survey in 2018 and it was the perception of 88 per cent of the parents that student wellbeing was an area of great strength for St Margaret’s. Figure One, reveals our results for the whole school. We are the blue line, travelling extremely well at 88 per cent against the 79 per cent of similar Australian girls’ schools. A focus on student wellbeing as a measure of a school’s success in graduating highly productive young people not only reflects the research but also reinforces the view that Australia is not just an economy; it is a society, a community and one where we would like our young people to thrive. There is no doubt that academic test scores are the easiest way to measure student progress, but they do not capture every skill needed in adulthood. If we want to identify good schools, we need to report on those skills which are developed by effective student wellbeing programs and approaches and are key determinants of positive adult outcomes.

2018 St Margaret's Parents - Comparison Between St Margaret's Parents and MMG Female Schools Database on Key Areas (n=9,111) 100%

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Figure One

No one expects everyone to be happy every day of their life; there is inevitable sadness and disappointment. However, happiness is about being, on balance, positive and optimistic. Any research on happiness will tell you it can boost productivity by anywhere from 12 to 31 per cent depending on the study. It would be no surprise why. Positive emotions can help you feel more energised and invigorated; happy people are more co-operative and have better social relationships; and positive emotions translate into greater persistence at tasks and better cognitive functioning (Achor 2010). Currently, parents and educators work hard to keep their children positive and optimistic, much more so than in the past. We often take the line of least resistance; rather than teaching the skills, we just make it tremendously easy for them. This is a mistake.

• Sixty per cent of young people want praise at work every day. This could simply be praise for just turning up. • Young people fundamentally believe that life was not meant to be hard.

vocabulary compared to the average 14-year-old in 1952 who had 25,000 words (McQueen 2018). In fact, 50 per cent of eight to 18-year-olds would rather talk online than in real life. How are they going to communicate effectively the complexities of their feelings and emotions when things get a little tough? This is also the generation who would rather lose a pinky finger than their mobile phone (McQueen 2018). That research by Pew is the content of another article for another time. However, it is important to note that one of the drivers of young people’s great interest in social media is the need for likes and comments and their dependence on praise (Madden 2017). They also know that to maximise the highest possible likes one must post on Instagram between 5.30pm – 6.30pm or 7.30pm – 8.00pm. Young people continually look to the external for happiness, yet the secret is that it must come from within and requires certain skills and outlook.

This is very different to those of us who remember Former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser telling us that ‘life wasn’t meant to be easy’. Popular culture and advertising tell young people the opposite to Malcolm Fraser and, as the adults in their lives, we have spent a huge amount of time removing anything negative in the pathway of our young people, as we want our children to feel good about themselves. Yet, the same media only reports the negative – every headline, every news report focuses on the negative; even social media provides a very skewed view of the world. On social media other people’s lives look effortless and special because we are only seeing what Michael McQueen (2018) refers to as their ‘highlight reel’, rather than the mediocre behind-thescenes life we all have. The average 14-year-old has 10,000 words in their

2018 St Margaret's All Parents

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Reading the work of Australian social commentators Michael McQueen (2018) and Claire Madden (2017) will reveal some interesting facts about our current generation:

MMG Av Database Parents Score

Top 10 skills for future work by 2020 Complex Problem Solving Therefore, it is time that we, the adults in their lives, stopped trying to make our young people happy; rather, it is our job to show them how to learn to make themselves happy. There is a distinction. We need to equip them with the skills and outlook to choose to do that. That is key for a successful school experience and ultimately for a productive and successful life. Make no mistake, what I am advocating is hard, but adults need to stop turning themselves inside out to pave a smooth path for our young people, as we only feed their view that life was meant to be easy. If life gets hard, they think there must be something wrong with their choice, so rather than persist, they pull out when things get tough. Or worse, they think something must be wrong with them. Gen Z thinks hard equals wrong (MacQueen 2018). They don’t buckle down and get on with it. We all created this problem after 1979, the United Nations Year of the Child, when the self-esteem movement took hold. You will recall that prior to that children were meant to be seen and not heard. Now, their needs and wants run the household. Perhaps it is time to advocate for the Year of the Adult; I fear their extinction. In fact, the World Health Organisation has now extended the adolescent age group from 12 into the early 30s. In our culture there is a widening gap between biological maturity and social transitions to adulthood.

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This generation crave leadership and boundaries. They tend to dismiss most adults, letting them know ‘I’ve got this’ (MacQueen 2018). They give the impression they don’t need our guidance because we don’t really understand their social media world and all its rules and mores. There is a brash arrogance about them, but it is a façade. They need us to impart the wisdom that comes from experience and share our life lessons all the way until they are in their 30s – perhaps even beyond – and we should not be lulled into thinking otherwise. This does not mean, however, that we should do their work for them.

Critical Thinking Creativity People Management Coordinating with Others Emotional Intelligence Judgement & Decision Making Service Orientation Negotiation Cognitive Flexibility Figure Two Most parents want their child to be happy and to be a productive member of society. They want them to access a university course of their choice and secure a job and have a career in a specific field. Yet, the world of work for this generation will be vastly different from the one we have now. The signs are already there. No one wants to work for or with anyone anymore; they want to work from home, they want to be entrepreneurs, bid for jobs online – it is too hard to work with others and to go to work each day. Little wonder when current 18-year-olds display 40 per cent less empathy than 18 years old did 20 years ago (McQueen 2018). This is an issue, particularly, as having empathy is likely to be a key discriminator for future success. Familiar to many are the skills required in the workforce for the future as produced by the World Economic Forum. See Figure Two. Empathy is fundamental to these skills. A focus on these skills will prepare our students for a non-linear career progression post school. It is important to note that most of them are not and cannot be measured by national testing. Few can be developed by making life easy. The notion of career planning is well and truly dead for this generation. This is because it is impossible to plan for a non-linear career progression; parents want a clear path but for our students the future is vague and unclear.

We need to teach for empathy and find many and varied ways through both the extra-curricular and classroom programs to develop the 21st century employability skills. A successful school is one where graduating Year 12s have the ability to make themselves happy. They are prepared to look at life through a positive and optimistic lens. To ensure this, though, we need to stop the discourse about results and university courses which is focused on competition and stress. There needs to be a focus on just always doing the best one can, and much imparting of the wisdom borne of experience from teachers and parents. Malcolm Fraser actually paraphrased his quote from George Bernard Shaw’s play Back to Methuselah. It is much more helpful in its entirety, which reads:

Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful. This is the message we need to get across to our young people, and Australia’s productivity agenda will be met and perhaps exceeded. References Achor, S 2010, The happiness advantage: The seven principles of positive psychology that fuel success and performance at work, Crown Business, New York. Gallup Student Poll 2018, viewed 10 January 2019, https://www.gallupstudentpoll.com. au/home.aspx Lotto, B 2017, Deviate. The science of seeing differently, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London. Madden, C 2017, Hello Gen Z: Engaging the generation of post-millennials, Hello Clarity, Sydney. McQueen, M 2018, How to prepare now for what’s next: A guide to thriving in an age of disruption, John Wiley and Sons, Brisbane. World Health Organisation website, viewed 10 January 2019, http://apps.who.int/ adolescent/second-decade/section2/page1/ recognizing-adolescence.html

Ysabella Dawson Head of Year 7

Leadership in the Political Sphere: What can we learn as educators? In the field of educational leadership development, much of the literature addressing the theory and practice of aspirant and incumbent leaders has been anchored around certain core themes (Gronn 1999). In their respective studies, both Parker (2002) and Kelchtermans (1993) base their assertions around leadership on critical incidents, significant people and phases as ‘heuristic tools in analysing the career stories’ (Kelchtermans 1993, p. 447). By contrast, others (Coleman 2002; Day and Bakioglu 1996; Gronn 1999; Ribbins 2003) have referred to specific stages and phases of the lives of leaders in order to construct a ‘longitudinal framework’ of the leadership journey (Gronn 1999, p. 22). In his model, Peter Gronn maps this framework in reference to four sequential phases: formation, accession, incumbency, and divestiture (Gronn 1999), each of which can be unpacked and applied to the autobiographical narrative of My Story to provide insightful analysis of the Gillard Government’s political practices and key achievements. This article examines My Story (Gillard 2014), the autobiography of former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard through the lens of theoretical leadership perspectives relevant to both political and educational landscapes. In her autobiography, Gillard provides an account of her time as Australia’s first female head of state, a tenure that lasted three years and three days between 2010 and 2013. As a political leadership text, My Story provides a cogent account of the manner in which Gillard built political capital within the Australian Labor Party (ALP) executive and caucuses, as well as a defence of her challenging the former prime minister Kevin Rudd in 2010. In this critical analysis, Gillard’s leadership journey will be examined within the framework of Gronn’s (1999) four sequential phases of Leadership as a Career model. Further, an application of Blase and Anderson’s (1995) work examining micropolitical leadership theory will be employed to provide a detailed analysis of Gillard’s leadership practices and achievements in the context of Australian federal politics. Importantly, the paper will reference broader contextual factors that have impacted reciprocally between Gillard and her leadership context.

In My Story, Gillard includes a transcript of a personal statement of purpose she constructed at the suggestion of Alan Milburn, a British Labour politician who was Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 to 2010. This statement is particularly useful in unpacking the pertinent aspects of Gillard’s formation. In the statement, Gillard laments the lack of educational opportunity that limited her parents’ professional prospects, writing that ‘[they] were denied the ability to get a great education and felt that loss keenly’ (Gillard 2014, p. 135). Consequently, this denial of opportunity led to great importance being placed upon Gillard’s own education, her early reflections noting a strong familial privileging of the importance of educational attainment and aspiration that would be necessary in allowing her to fulfil her potential. This theme is echoed throughout My Story; later in the text, Gillard writes that, as a teenager, she ‘formed the view that education changes lives and the only fair thing is for every child to get great one’ (Gillard 2014, p. 409). Yet it is clear from her prose that familial expectation was not the only significant influence that shaped her attitude towards the importance of equality of opportunity in education; Gillard goes on to describe the sociocultural forces that have shaped the shared values, attitudes and beliefs of her generation, ‘The 1961 kids’ (Gillard 2014, p. 154), with particular reference to the global economy of the time and its impact on prosperity and opportunity. Thus, it is clear that Gillard’s preparatory socialisation by her parents in the realm of education and aspiration set against the backdrop of the 1960s and 1970s would imbue her with a strong sense of duty that influenced her in her role as the minister for education from 2007-2010, in her tenure as prime minister, and later in her post-ministerial position as chairwoman of the Global Partnership for Education.

In the sequential phase model, ‘Accession’ follows the leader’s formation, and is characterised by the range of roles to which they are exposed (Gronn 1999, p. 24; Ribbins 2003, p. 64). These roles, by extension, equip the developing leader with a myriad of skills that require a strong sense of personal efficacy and self-belief (Bandura 1998). Indeed, Gillard’s own phase of accession within the ALP saw her hold a number of high-level positions, having been first elected to the House of Representatives at the 1998 federal election, where she became the member for Lalor (Gillard 2014). Gillard’s assent within the party led to her election to the Shadow Cabinet, and later, when Kevin Rudd was named as the Leader of the

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The formation phase, as it is defined by Gronn (1999) and Ribbins (2003), refers to the first, formative stages of influence upon the leader during which their character is shaped as a result of socialisation agencies and reference groups. These socialisation agencies operate from a period of ‘infancy to early adulthood’ and include influences such as family, education and community, while reference groups take the form of peers, mentors and consciousness-shaping media (Gronn 1999, p. 32). Indeed, Gillard’s autobiography provides strong reference to her own formation period, the foundations of which are pivotal in understanding what would later become

the key tenets of her political career as leader of the Australian Labor Party. Strong allusions to her own schooling and the transformative potential of education appear frequently in My Story, as do references to the dignity of work as modelled by her parents during her formative childhood years.

Opposition, she was promoted to be his deputy, (Gillard 2014). It was in the time leading up to this appointment that Gillard and Rudd’s partnership was born, yet at this moment, Gillard still believed herself unlikely to ever lead the Labor party. This self-doubt is in fitting with Gronn’s model which references aspirant leader’s tendency to experience, and mask, a sense of psychological uncertainty (Gronn 1999). On her nomination as the subsequent leader to Mark Latham’s tenure as party leader, she reflects that she had entered her name solely ‘to make a point about Labor culture and values, not with any expectation of winning’, (Gillard 2014, p. 5). And yet, Gillard remained aware of her desire to fulfil a crucial role in the government, noting that she ‘wanted to be a key player’. (Gillard 2014, p. 6). The 2007 election, following the campaign that became known nation-wide as the time of ‘Kevin 07’, saw Gillard become the first woman to hold the office of deputy prime minister of Australia, and she was subsequently assigned the portfolios of education, employment and workplace relations, and social inclusion (Wright & Holland 2014). Indeed, according to the trends charted over time in the Australian Election Study (AES) surveys, the promise of the ‘visionary’ Labor government saw the public’s interest in the election, as well as satisfaction with democracy, reach record highs (Australian Electoral Study 2018). As Gillard reflects, ‘Australians did want change’ following John Howard’s eleven-year term as leader of Australia. It was, of course, this change that would see Gillard’s rise to leadership eventuate and provide fertile soil for her accession and future incumbency.

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Despite this promising public narrative, inside the party room, Gillard describes in detail the ongoing conflict that began to unravel the fabric of the Labor party, particularly in terms of the relationships between senior colleagues. Importantly, Gronn (1999) describes a key tenet of accession as the selfcomparison with existing leaders, and as Morney (1950) asserts, this path to leadership is often fraught with tension and self-conflict. This strain is glaringly evident in Gillard’s writing, particularly as she recounts the difficulty of forming her alliance with Rudd given his reported tendency for hostile behaviour: ‘When I annoyed him in a parliamentary tactics discussion one day, as the meeting broke up he had stepped into my space to spit menacing, bullying words at me.’ Despite her awareness of these characteristics, Gillard proceeded to work closely with Rudd, even noting that she ‘bear[s] the responsibility for creating his leadership’ (Gillard 2014, p. 7).

In Leadership as a Career, Gronn (1999) describes the inclination of aspirant leaders to test their own capacity during accession, often striving to demonstrate their own

suitability for leadership by placing the grander scheme ahead of their own personal ideals. This key element of accession can be identified within the text, reinforcing the significance of this phase in preparing an aspirant leader for their future role. In My Story, Gillard goes on to describe in detail the growing dysfunction that plagued the Labor party, referencing the then-prime-minister’s inability to act decisively and his continued hostility and aggression toward his team. Gillard notes that his day to day approach ‘made the exacting work of government so much harder’ (Gillard 2014, p. 9), yet this is also pertinent in understanding the way the professional context in which Gillard operated shaped her accession; she reveals the lengths to which she felt it necessary to contribute to the functioning of Rudd’s office, a rather large feat given the propensity of her own responsibilities as minister for both education and workplace relations. ‘I became the fix-it person ministers turned to,’ Gillard recalls, alluding to her responsibility to manage the fall-out and stalling efficiency resulting from Rudd’s leadership (Gillard 2014, p. 14). It is clear from Gillard’s autobiography that her decision to challenge Rudd’s leadership was one based on a myriad of complex factors, yet nonetheless, on Wednesday 23 June 2010, she asked prime minister Kevin Rudd for a leadership ballot which saw her become the first female leader of Australia. Importantly, if one is to consider Gillard’s journey in the framework of Gronn’s (1999) model, the period that followed this ballot can be placed in the context of the incumbency period, whereby the leader, in this iteration, has successfully been appointed to a leadership position having undergone formal and informal induction to their new responsibilities (Gronn 1999, p. 38). Yet, as is widely acknowledged in My Story, the nature of Gillard’s succession as leader played out in something of a political crucible. Consequently, it is necessary to understand Gillard’s subsequent practice as a leader in the context in which her accession was placed, as it was the turbulent governance under Rudd’s primeministership that saw her traverse a tenuous path as the new leader of the ALP (Gillard 2014). Once becoming prime minister, Gillard’s leadership was punctuated by a number of challenges that would test her leadership capability; she would be required to manage a hung parliament, navigate an economy recovering from the impact of the global financial crisis, implement divisive policy surrounding education and funding across Australia, all the while defending her decision to overthrow a Rudd-led Labor government (Kent 2013). Indeed, Gillard’s new-found leadership required differing leadership styles; author Judith Brett notes that ‘the leadership style of this public face of the government differs from that required to be a good cabinet chair’, with the former being associated with hierarchical and

power wielding governance, while the latter required a more consensual and power sharing approach (Brett 2013). Thus, Gillard’s practice during her tenure as a political leader can fittingly be examined with reference to Blase and Patterson’s (1993) micropolitical theory of leadership, a model rooted in transformational and transactional leadership theory, as well as open and closed leadership. Once prime minister, Julia Gillard was admonished by the media for making judgement calls too quickly, while the public were left unaware of the context surrounding these decisions (Kent 2013). This public image can be aligned with the authoritarian style of leadership in which ‘negotiation is minimal and tends to be achieved covertly, not openly’ (Blase & Patterson 1993); if her leadership persona was to be described using the language of micropolitics, she would be said to operate power ‘through’ rather than ‘with’, yet Gillard’s memoir suggests that this may not be accurate. The perception of Gillard as an authoritarian leader, one high on the scales of transactional and closed leadership measures, resulted in a conflicting representation and an ultimately damaging relationship with the public. As Judith Brett notes, ‘not only did this leave her exposed when she changed political direction, as with the carbon tax, it also sat awkwardly with her renowned skills in negotiation and the personal warmth reported by all who worked with her’ (Brett 2013, p. 17). In My Story, Gillard attributes this, in part, to the state of the nation that she had inherited following Rudd’s tenure, specifically, the lack of substantive preparation for the 2010 campaign, as well as significant policy issues regarding carbon pricing, tax and health reform, and the growth in asylum seekers (Gillard 2014). Thus, despite the perception she was indeed authoritarian in style, Gillard’s own account of the events that took place during her leadership indicate her approach was more aligned with that of a democratic, empowering leader who used her power and relationships with colleagues as a means for problem solving. Indeed, Gillard’s autobiography details numerous insights into the efforts of others, including but not limited to then governorgeneral Quentin Bryce, for her pivotal role in helping Australia secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and perhaps surprisingly, Kevin Rudd’s enterprise in response to the global financial crisis, the Kyoto Protocol, and the long-awaited apology to the people of the Stolen Generation (Gillard 2014). As such, it can be said that Gillard’s autobiography allows for an understanding of her leadership as far more transformative than transactional through the lens of micropolitical framework (Blaise 1993).

References Bandura, A 1998, ‘Personal and collective efficacy in human adaptation and change’, Advances in psychological science, vol. 1, pp. 51-71. Bean, C, Gow, D & McAllister, I 2018, Australian election study, 2007, viewed 28 May 2019, https://dataverse.ada.edu.au/dataset. xhtml?persistentId=doi:10.4225/87/ZBUOW0. Blase, J & Anderson, G 1995, The micropolitics of educational leadership: From control to empowerment, Teachers College Press, New York. Coleman, M & Briggs, AR (eds) 2002, Research methods in educational leadership and management. SAGE, London. Day, C & Bakioglu, A 1996, ‘Development and disenchantment in the professional lives of headteachers’, in I Goodson & A Hargreaves (eds.), Teachers’ professional lives, Falmer, New York, pp. 205-227. Gillard, J 2014, My Story, Random House, Australia. Gunter, H & Ribbins, P 2003, ‘The field of educational leadership: studying maps and mapping studies’, British Journal of Educational Studies, vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 254-281. Gronn, P 1999, The Making of Educational Leaders, Cassell, London. Kelchtermans, G 1993, ‘Getting the story, understanding the lives: From career stories to teachers’ professional development’, Teaching and teacher education, vol. 9, no. 5-6, pp. 443-456. Kent, J 2013, Take Your Best Shot, Penguin Books, Australia. Ribbins, P 2007, ‘Interviews in educational research: Conversations with a purpose’, Research methods in educational leadership and management, vol. 2, pp. 207-223. Sturdy, A & Grey, C 2003, ‘Beneath and beyond organizational change management: Exploring alternatives’, Organization, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 651-662. Twarog, EEL, Sherer, J, O’Farrell, B & Coney, C 2016, ‘Labor Education and Leadership Development for Union Women: Assessing the Past, Building for the Future’, Labor Studies Journal, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 9-35. Wright, KA & Holland, J 2014, ‘Leadership and the media: Gendered framings of Julia Gillard’s ‘sexism and misogyny’ speech’, Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 455-468.

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The fourth and final phase in Gronn’s (1999) model is that of the ‘divestiture’, one which is characterised by a shifting in identity and status which may result from ‘ageing, illness, lack of fulfilment or incapacity’ (Gronn 1999, p. 39). The period of time that can most logically be aligned with the divestiture phase is of course that which saw Gillard end her prime-ministership, one which is discussed at length

during My Story. Yet Gillard’s reflections on the end of her tenure as a head of state do not entirely align with Gronn’s suggestion of incapacity or a disillusioned mentality and are indeed more indicative of the fraught contextual nature of political leadership. Importantly, however, Gronn’s model notes that the departure may indeed be involuntary, as was the case for Gillard. Gronn notes that this departure ‘means experiencing an almost certain feeling of lost potency and influence, and of having to witness the possible modification or even destruction of one’s leadership heritage of legacy at the hands of a successor’ (Gronn 1999, p. 40) and this is precisely what is described in Gillard’s prose. Indeed, Gillard’s removal from office played out not unlike a Shakespearean tragedy, with Kevin Rudd returning to power three years and three days after his own ‘divestiture’. Gillard’s reflections are poignant in expressing this grief-like departure, yet she also writes extensively about her own resilience: ‘I was not going to stand before the nation and cry for myself. … I was going to be resilient one more time.’ (Gillard 1999, p. 1).

Nicole Devlin Dean of Studies

IS NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has been a prominent part of the Australian education landscape since 2008. NAPLAN was launched to help develop better schooling policies and provide teachers with information to improve student outcomes. Ten years on and a review has begun to investigate whether this test is setting us on the path of student achievement or whether NAPLAN should be dropped entirely. The real question surrounding this review is this: Is NAPLAN providing data to improve the teaching of literacy and numeracy or is NAPLAN and the data it is providing having a negative impact on the teaching of literacy and numeracy? First, NAPLAN can offer insight into schooling at a system level. NAPLAN has enabled policy makers and researchers better understand student performance to inform systemwide policies, support resource allocation and provide data to help teachers improve classroom practice. In the ten years of NAPLAN, the results have highlighted the following areas for systems improvement:

setting us on the path of student improvement?

1. The identification of achievement gaps for Indigenous students 2. The identification of progress gaps for students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds 3. Comparable students are achieving at very different levels depending on which state or territory they live in 4. The identification of high growth schools and how these schools scan share skills and programs to assist with systems change However, while NAPLAN has identified these areas for systems improvement, the improvement has only been marginal in response to the literacy and numeracy standards of Australian students. In 2017, it was reported that the NAPLAN results have only revealed marginal progress across Australia. In reading, an improvement of 3.25 per cent was recorded; in numeracy an increase of 2.55 per cent was obtained; however, a slight decline of 2.04 per cent in writing was also noted. Therefore, ten years of results tell us very little about student improvement in the areas of literacy and numeracy. This could be attributed to the research around standardised testing, which is conclusive, in that standardised testing paradoxically leads to lower standards as standardised tests are limiting in determining what a student knows (Chlopicki 2018). In the case of NAPLAN, this lowering of standards produces the following weakness of NAPLAN.

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The competitive environment has quickly become a reality between schools, students and classrooms. This environment is dominated by leagues tables and comparing schools according to their performance in these tests. When NAPLAN first began, it was linked to funding for schools for individual students who did fall below the minimum standard. However, in the last few years of NAPLAN, this has been replaced with

newspapers reporting leagues tables about how schools are performing. This has significantly changed the original purpose of NAPLAN as a tool to provide teachers with information to improve individual student outcomes. Therefore, rather than focusing on and building capacity for teaching literacy and numeracy, the focus in many cases is on test preparation and teaching to the test. This has led to pressure on schools, students and teachers to perform. The impact of this pressure has seen unprecedented levels of anxiety for teachers and students in relation to NAPLAN and the data it provides. Numeracy and literacy are at the heart of an education; however, the sometimes-frenzied approach to improving results in tests like NAPLAN and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has led to these tests seeing academic achievement as the one and only goal of education (Fullan 2019). Therefore, it is time for NAPLAN to be rethought in relation to its purpose. It can be argued that NAPLAN is an important navigation tool. Giving up NAPLAN would be like the 19th century sailors dumping sextants and

chronometers in favour of returning to use the stars for navigation. It is good to be challenged by accountability, but it should not be the purpose. Rather, it should be a way to navigate.

Chlopicki, K 2018, The case for a review of NAPLAN, Education Review, viewed 18 May 2019, https://www.educationreview.com. au/2018/02/the-case-for-a-review-of-naplan/ Fullan, M 2019, Nuance: Why some leaders succeed and others fail. Corwin, CA. Fullan, M & Quinn, J 2018, Coherence, Corwin, CA. Goss, P 2018, ‘Naplan Tests are vital: here are five reasons why’, The Guardian, 15 May, viewed 9 May 2019, https://www.theguardian. com/australia-news/2018/may/15/naplan-tests-are-vital-here-are-fivereasons-why

The challenge is not to let an assessment and accountability system steer schools away from their ‘moral purpose’. The right driver for NAPLAN is to use data as a tool to review teaching

References

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Michael Fullan, an expert in the field of education and systems change, is clear that there are right and wrong changes for school reform. Fullan (2019) notes that for a school system to be focused and coherent the reform agenda cannot be driven by external accountability. Instead, the right drivers for change include capacity building with a focus on results (accountability) coupled with collaboration and pedagogy. Fullan remarks on the importance of ensuring that academic achievement should not be the one and only goal, but it is education’s moral purpose to ensure that 21st century skills/ non-cognitive skills share the pedestal.

practices and enhance student tracking for each individual’s literacy and numeracy skills, balanced with the development of non-cognitive skills, to enable each student to thrive and navigate life and work successfully in the 21st century.

Suzy Edwards Primary Teacher

Staff Health and Wellbeing Program: a smart workplace intervention Health and wellbeing programs are interventions put in place by employers to improve the lifestyle choices and health of their workers. Health and wellbeing programs may also target organisational and environmental practices to improve the overall health and safety of the workplace (Comcare 2010). With most Australians spending about one third of their lives at work, health bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) have recognised the workplace as a priority setting for promoting health and wellbeing (ACT Work Safety Commissioner 2009). In 2005, a study conducted by Medibank Private found that: • employees with poor overall health status take up to nine times more sick leave than their healthy colleagues • healthy employees are nearly three times more productive than employees with poor health • the financial cost of poor health and wellbeing is estimated at over $7 billion per year, nationally. Therefore, the need for health and wellbeing programs in the workplace has never been higher.

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The introduction of employee health and wellbeing programs in the school environment provide multiple purposes: they are of benefit to staff members, to students and to the school.

Benefits to staff Health Like many developed nations, Australia is currently witnessing a significant increase in the burden of chronic disease. A 2010 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report found that 96 per cent of working-age Australians had at least one chronic disease risk factor and 72 per cent had multiple risk factors (ACT 2009). The modifiable risk factors causing the greatest disease burden are tobacco smoking, alcohol misuse, physical inactivity and unhealthy weight. These risk factors lead to reduced productivity and participation in the workforce and the community, and place great pressure on the Australian health system (ACT 2009). The 2005 Medibank Private study revealed that organisations which implement health promotion strategies in the workplace can reduce their workers’ health risk factors by up to 56 per cent (ACT 2009).

Adequate physical activity is at the very heart of good health – it promotes emotional wellbeing and assists in the prevention and management of over 20 medical conditions and diseases. But unfortunately, throughout Australia, workers are leading increasingly inactive lifestyles. When you add to this an ageing workforce, high employee stress levels, the disturbing growth in the consumption of unhealthy foods and a culture of alcohol misuse, the general health and wellbeing of Australia’s

working population is a concern (ACT 2009). This situation is cause for tremendous worry; particularly given the well-recognised relationship between poor health and diminished workplace attendance and performance (ACT 2009). There are gains to be made for employees who choose to take part in the various health and wellbeing initiatives offered through their workplace. ACT Work Safety Commissioner 2009 outlines the direct benefits to the employees, which include: • improved prevention of chronic disease • decreased stress and other work related illness • improved mental alertness, concentration and energy levels • increased morale, job satisfaction and motivation. Morale/ Culture Social and emotional wellbeing is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. Stressful work environments, long work hours and low morale contribute to absenteeism, presenteeism and sick leave, and can have a negative effect on these dimensions of health. Recognising and promoting social and emotional wellbeing within the workplace, through a health and wellbeing program, can have a positive impact on employees (ACT 2009).

A positive school climate and teacher job satisfaction, both of which lead to increased staff morale, are important pieces of today’s schools (Penfold 2011). Staff is an important asset for any organisation and research has shown a happy staff is key to organisational success (Cheema & Asrar-ul-Haq 2017). According to Hacker (as cited in Cheema & Asrar-ul-Haq 2017, p. 677) morale can be defined as, ‘attitudes of individuals and groups toward their work, their environment, their managers and the business’. Weakliem and Frenkel (2006) examined some Australian workplaces and found that morale had a linear and positive relationship with organisational productivity. When morale was high, individual work effort and productivity increased and ultimately improved organisational productivity and performance (Cheema & Asrar-ul-Haq 2017). Hendricks stated in 2019 that morale, whether positive or negative, can influence several areas, including: • employee attitude • productivity • daily decisions • workplace safety • relationships with co-workers and management • attendance and punctuality.

Benefits to school

Teachers are being stretched to the limit. Expectations placed on them seem to be expanding exponentially. Increasingly their role encompasses not only teaching specific content and mentoring students in the love of learning but functioning as frontline social workers (Lumsden 2001). Many people, including Miller in 1981, have been looking at the positive effect teacher morale can have on pupil attitudes and learning. Raising teacher morale level is not only making teaching more pleasant for teachers, but also learning more pleasant for students.

• reduced long-term health problems

Hollinger (2010) emphasised the importance of school management in developing and maintaining teacher morale. If teacher morale is high, the school environment will be conducive to learning, collaborative, engaging and productive. This will in turn reduce teacher attrition and turnover, and consequently improve school performance (Cheema & Asrar-ulHaq 2017).

Promoting positive employee morale and getting to know more about each employee on a personal level directly benefits your business (Craig 2017). Low morale decreases engagement with colleagues and students, diminishes productivity, reduces student learning and breeds cynicism. On the other hand, when morale is high, and the faculty culture is healthy, students excel socially and academically, teachers are productive and collaborative, and the school environment is dynamic and engaging. Given the significant role that teacher morale plays, schools must work continuously to improve teacher morale (Hollinger 2010).

Strong evidence shows that good employee health and wellbeing boosts organisational health. Put simply: healthy workers = healthy organisations = healthy business performance (Comcare 2011). Peter Fuda (2013) states that, ‘Leadership creates culture, and culture drives performance.’ There is real ongoing value which flows from creating a workplace culture where people are healthier, happier and enjoy a better work-life balance (ACT 2009). The ACT Work Safety Commissioner (2009) state the benefits to the school include: • increased productivity • better staff decision making • reduced sick leave and absenteeism • reduced staff turnover • increased ability to attract and retain new employees. Productivity Research on the relationship between health and productivity finds healthy workers are more productive at work than unhealthy workers, and rate their work performance much higher, with far fewer short-term absences (Comcare 2011).

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When employees feel good about their work environment, can achieve their goals and objectives, and are treated with respect and care, morale is high. If employees are unhappy or feel unappreciated, cannot meet their objectives or clash with management or other co-workers, morale may be low. The importance of positive morale in the workplace cannot be diminished (Hendricks 2019). A positive workplace culture has the power to boost productivity and improve employee wellbeing, while a negative workplace culture can, unsurprisingly, achieve quite the opposite (Cotton 2016).

Social capital in the context of school life is more about the quality of connections – the ways in which people relate to each other, both as individuals and as groups. When many in a community feel positively connected with each other, this can lead to a level of social capital in which trust and reciprocity predominate and there is a greater chance of defining and attaining shared goals (Pretty & Ward 2001). Rowe, Stewart and Patterson (2007) found the importance of feeling connected to school, that you feel it matters that you are there, is increasingly seen as vital for both health and academic outcomes. According to Holmes (as cited in Roffey 2012, p. 10), teachers are involved in about a thousand interpersonal contacts every day. It is the quality of these contacts that either foster a sense of wellbeing or sustain a toxic working environment.

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Performance Staff morale has a measurable effect on student performance in multiple ways. A positive school climate is beneficial for students and staff. Keiser & Schulte (as cited in Penfold 2011, p. 5) believes it increases academic performance, enhances social and emotional skills and retains teachers. In a system with low staff morale, teacher turnover is high thus impacting student performance. A school with a positive school climate increases staff morale. When teachers feel like they are contributing members of the school community, that their opinions are valuable, and that they have strong relationships at work, they are more likely to feel satisfied with their job. Principals who put effort into increasing staff morale will reap benefits that are much greater than satisfied teachers. Collegiality Coleman (1990) sees social capital as making possible the achievement of otherwise unattainable goals. In communities with high levels of social trust, individuals are more likely to openly exchange information and be caring towards each other. There is also more confidence that colleagues will be reliable and competent. Wike and Fraser (as cited in Roffey 2012, p. 10) stated that inclusive belonging promotes safety and wellbeing for all stakeholders within a school. Staff were also aware of the models their own collegial relationships were providing to students. There may be no way of getting around the fact that a teacher’s workload is heavy. Hollinger (2010) believes, though, when the faculty is pushing and pulling together, hard work is a lot more fun.

Employees who have high morale can increase productivity and reduce the intention to change jobs (Abdullah, Yiing & Ling 2016). There is a wealth of emerging evidence indicating that successful health and wellbeing programs provide an excellent return on investment. Absenteeism rates are on the rise in Australia (Comcare 2011), with the median rate rising to 10.5 days per person in 2009-2010. Workplace absences are expensive for employers. As 75 per cent of unplanned absences are for illness, the link between worker health and absenteeism costs is obvious (Comcare 2011). Health and wellbeing programs make organisations look and feel good. When management expresses concern for workers and demonstrates a willingness to invest in them, the relationship between employer and employee is likely to improve. Demonstrating a sense of corporate social responsibility can also improve the organisation’s image with the public and can help an organisation become an ‘employer of choice’ (Comcare 2011) – helping to decrease staff turnover (and hence improve student performance) and appeal to highly qualified staff in the future.

Benefits to students Promoting teacher wellbeing is a valid and appropriate activity for the profession as it enhances the capacity of schools to meet the needs of diverse populations (Roffey 2012). There is a strong body of evidence to support the notion that social capital (expectations and interactions that promote trust, respect, value and collaboration) impacts significantly on the quality of the learning environment and specifically the wellbeing of both students and staff (Roffey 2012).

A survey conducted by Wellbeing Australia (WA) in 2011 found that 98 per cent of respondents believed that a focus on student wellbeing enhanced an effective learning environment

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Penfold (2011) believes the morale in the school reflects the leadership in place. Principals understand that the time invested in improving staff morale will come back to the school many times over. Creating a strong team will help increase staff morale by connecting teachers to their peers. Working cooperatively and forming meaningful relationships within the school community increases teachers’ job satisfaction (Penfold).

Economics – decreased absenteeism and decreased staff turnover

(Roffey 2012). In 2019, St Margaret’s launched the Student Wellbeing Framework, a document that demonstrates our strong belief in this finding. Interestingly, the WA survey also found that 96.4 per cent thought a focus on teacher wellbeing also promotes student wellbeing. Teachers are the critical and pivotal force in providing an environment where students can feel safe, happy, healthy and, therefore, learn (Roffey 2012). When staff feel appreciated and empowered, they are much more likely to show patience and empathy for their students and to go the ‘extra mile’ for the students in their care. They are also more likely to share and work with others to support their students and promote wellbeing (Roffey 2012). Martin and Dowson (2009) claimed that ‘positive relationships with significant others are cornerstones of young people’s capacity to function effectively in social, affective and academic domains’. Murray-Harvey (2010) found that both academic outcomes and social and emotional wellbeing in schools were ‘unambiguously influenced’ by the quality of relationships between teachers and students. Teachers’ wellbeing is also generated in several directions by more positive relationships with students. Friendly, professional interactions with pupils can simply make teachers feel good about their job.

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It can be concluded that a school must support the wellbeing of teachers, to promote wellbeing of pupils, and that there are synergies between these strands of intervention.

employees are positive employees. Happy employees have high reserves of PsyCap – psychological capital.

Staff

Wellbeing Menu

St Margaret’s is very fortunate to have a formidable Workplace Health and Safety Committee on staff, who ensure our workplace environment is safe. St Margaret’s array of initiatives benefit the staff, their health and the overall morale, the students and the school as a by-product. Below are some of our current initiatives in place: Staff Health • Staff Fitness Challenge, conducted in Term 3. Aims for connectedness with teams comprising different faculties, steps challenge to encourage increased physical activity (inclusive of all)

St Margaret’s wellbeing menu St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School aims to cultivate a work environment that encompasses the domains of social, intellectual, spiritual, physical, emotional and occupational wellbeing.

• Wellbeing Newsletter – once a term. Distribution of insightful health advice focusing on various dimensions of health, healthy recipes, exercise tips • Support assistance plans, financial advice, free flu injection, massages at the end of semester

St Margaret’s staff wellbeing takes as its framework the following acronym:

Staff Morale

T – togetherness, relationships and connections A – accomplishments and appreciation

• Drinks at end of term, end of year breakfast, Great St Margaret’s bake off, Melbourne Cup luncheon, evening cooking class and dining experience, community choir

M – movement and meaning

• Random acts of kindness

S – social interaction and giving

Student Relationships

The range of initiatives implemented by the staff health and wellbeing group helps significantly in making St Margaret’s a positive school environment that fosters healthy and connected staff, engaged and motivated students and a community working towards the same goals, with passion.

• Student vs staff sporting games

E – emotions and engagement

They aim to intentionally create positivity boosts where the currency of wellness is connectedness. Happy

• Staff weekly morning tea

• Students and staff combined activities – for example, interhouse dance off • Camps and other extra-curricular experiences where staff and students work closely in a different environment

Conclusion Workplace health promotion is about fostering healthy workplace policies and supportive environments, enhancing positive social conditions, building personal skills and organisational resilience, and promoting healthy lifestyles (ACT 2009). Workplace health and wellbeing programs not only have real potential to positively influence the health of our school, they also make good business sense – increasing employee engagement and team cohesiveness in the short term, and leading to reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and improved school image in the longer term (ACT 2009). Staff wellbeing is, therefore, not only critically relevant for the whole school wellbeing, specifically a stable environment for students, but also for financial considerations (Roffey 2012). References Abdullah, A, Yiing, M & Ling, Y-L 2016, ‘Teachers’ Morale and School Effectiveness in Secondary Schools of Sibu, Sarawak’, International Journal of Education. Culture and Society, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 52-57. ACT Work Safety Commissioner 2009, A Guide to Promoting Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace, Canberra, viewed 7 April 2019, http://www.healthierwork.act.gov.au/ wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Guide_to_ Promoting_Health_and_Wellbeing_in_the_ Workplace_3.pdf Cheema, J & Asrar-ul-Haq, M 2017, ‘Effects of staff participation, morale, and shortage on organisational performance: An international survey’, Issues in Educational Research, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 677-696.

Coleman, J 1990, Foundations of social theory, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. Comcare 2010, Effective Health and Wellbeing Programs, PUB 82, Comcare, Canberra, viewed 7 April 2019, https://www.comcare. gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/70220/ Effective_Health_and_Wellbeing_Programs_ Pub_82_PDF,3.63_MB.pdf Comcare 2011, Benefits to Business: The Evidence for Investing in Worker Health and Wellbeing, Comcare, Canberra, viewed 7 April 2019, https://www.comcare.gov. au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/99303/ Benefits_to_business_the_evidence_for_ investing_in_worker_health_and_wellbeing_ PDF,_89.4_KB.pdf Cotton, Dr P 2016, ‘How poor workplace culture can affect wellbeing’, Psychlopaedia – Psychology to live by, Australia, viewed 7 April 2019, https://psychlopaedia.org/work-andperformance/poor-workplace-culture-canaffect-wellbeing/ Craig, W 2017, How positive employee morale benefits your business, South Africa, viewed 7 April 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ gradsoflife/2019/05/14/three-essentials-forinclusive-hiring/#4a0ada4336e8 Fuda, Dr P 2013, Leadership Transformed, Amazon Publishing, Las Vegas, NV. Hendricks, B, Staff Morale; Definition and Importance, viewed 7 April 2019, https:// study.com/academy/lesson/staff-moraledefinition-importance.html Hollinger, J D 2010, ‘Why and How to Improve Teacher Morale in a School’, Hollinger International School Consulting and Leadership Coaching, viewed 7 April, 2019, http://www.hollinger-international.com/ improve-teacher-morale/ Kelly, P & Colquhoun, D 2003, ‘Governing the Stressed Self: Teacher ‘health and wellbeing’ and ‘effective schools’’, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 191-204.

Lumsden, L 2001, ‘Staff morale’, CYC on-line, e-journal of the international child and youth care network, Issue 29 June 2001, viewed 7 April 2019, https://www.cyc-net.org/cyconline/cycol-0601-morale.html Martin, AJ & Dowson, M 2009, ‘Interpersonal relationships, motivation, engagement and achievement. Yields for theory, current issues and educational practice’, Review of Educational Research, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 327-365. Medibank Private 2005, The Health of Australia’s Workforce. Medibank Private, Australia. Miller, W 1981, ‘Staff morale, school climate, and education productivity’, Educational Leadership, vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 483-486. Murray-Harvey, R 2010, ‘Relationship influences on students’ academic achievement, psychological health and well-being at school’, Education and Child Psychology, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 104-113. Penfold, K 2011, Increasing staff morale in today’s school climate with increased teacher responsibilities, high-stakes testing, and decreased school funding, Masters thesis, Northern Michigan University, viewed 7 April, 2019, https://www.nmu.edu/sites/ DrupalEducation/files/UserFiles/Files/PreDrupal/SiteSections/Students/GradPapers/ Projects/Penfold_Kristina_MP.pdf Pretty, J & Ward, H 2001, ‘Social capital and the environment’, World Development, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 209-227. Roffey, S 2012, ‘Pupil wellbeing – Teacher wellbeing: Two sides of the same coin?’ Educational & Child Psychology, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 8-17. Rowe, F, Stewart, D & Patterson, C 2007, ‘Promoting school connectedness through whole school approaches’, Health Education, vol. 107, no. 6, pp. 524-542. Weakliem, D & Frenkel, S 2006, ‘Morale and workplace performance’, Work and Occupations, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 335-361.

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Karen Gorrie Deputy Principal

The most powerful form of learning, the most sophisticated form of staff development, comes not from listening to the works of others but from sharing what we know with others… By reflecting on what we do, by giving it coherence, and by sharing and articulating our craft knowledge, we make meaning. We learn.” Roland Barth, founder of the The Principals’ Center, Harvard University.

This was the opening vision I had that was plastered in crimson on the screen in Askwith Lecture Hall, within Longfellow Hall on the Harvard Graduate School of Education campus. The hall was filled with approximately 130 principals and assistant principals from all around the world, with the majority of participants representing most states of the United States of America. This was the Art of Leadership summer course at Harvard University. Harvard University is one of the oldest universities in America at 382 years old. It covers a vast area in Cambridge, part of the city of Boston. Each day of the seven-day leadership course had two key focus areas. Harvard lecturers spent time walking us through their research and keys readings we had perused in preparation for the day. Although held in a traditional lecture theatre, these lecturers made the experience very interactive. Staff lined the hall with microphones, including microphones as foam cubes that I had never seen before, which they were able to throw to participants sitting away from the aisles. After each lecture, participants spent time journaling, reflecting on their own contexts and experiences they were facing, and applying the content to those settings.

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Each participant was also part of a smaller focus group. Led by Charisse from New York, I joined Daniel from Brazil, Eric from Canada, Margeritte from Massachusetts, Kelly from Florida, Sarah and Isabel from Texas, Gary from Michigan and Mike from New Jersey. We were tasked with working through the processes and ideas posed to us by the lecturers and sharing our own experiences with the group. After initial introductions, the first day with our focus group was spent setting our ‘norms’ for the week. We spent some time discussing and contributing to these, with the goal to have just five norms that would serve as rules to ensure we all agreed on how we were to interact together.

The Art of Leadership:

Harvard University

Another part of the process to help us work together as a team was to take us all to Project Adventure on the second day, an outdoor education centre in Beverley, about 40 miles from campus. Here we took part in initiatives games, problemsolving activities and a high ropes course, all in a beautiful setting amongst pine trees beside a strikingly blue lake. It was refreshing being in the outdoors for the day, with the odd squirrel and chipmunk darting past. More importantly, it was a wonderful time spent connecting with our focus group, learning to trust each other and setting up a relationship to make the time we were to spend together through the week productive. The lecturers presented sessions where they walked us through various processes and ideas which we then took back to our focus groups to reflect on. We then examined scenarios in our own contexts where we could usefully apply these processes or information, helping us make decisions or become agents of change where needed. Session topics included: Inclusion, Adaptive Leadership, Process for Improvement, Racism, Using Data, Developing Writing across the Curriculum, Strategy and Impact. All these topics generated rigorous discussion and comparison of contexts and experiences. One of the tasks assigned to us for the week was for each of us to work through a group memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s challenge, and for the group to work through a consultation process. This was a very structured process, with each section timed accordingly. The person presenting their issue started with an initial presentation that was a quick overview of the issue for three minutes. No one else was allowed to talk throughout this initial presentation. The group then posed clarifying questions to the presenter for two minutes, followed by more probing style questions for another four minutes. The presenter then became quiet and listened to the group discuss the issue for six minutes, during which time the presenter took notes to formulate a response to their issue using the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discussion points. The presenter then responded to the group for three minutes, and then everyone debriefed for two minutes.

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I would have to say that undertaking the Art of Leadership course at Harvard University was one of the best experiences I have ever had. Teachers are inspired each day by the students they teach, their colleagues on staff, the families they work with and the wider community in which they connect with. My week was spent learning from a group of lecturers and people in my focus group who inspired me to grow in my leadership and challenge myself to grow and improve my leadership practices.

Wendy Johnston Director of Marketing and Communications

St Catherine’s Exchange

St Catherine’s is much like St Margaret’s in its locale – a gem you happen upon as you walk along broad leafy streets and past beautiful family homes. Quite aside from geography, there’s a familiarity borne not just from the fact it’s a K to 12 all-girls school (with early learning for both boys and girls); culturally, it is a highly collegial and professional workplace, and the students are polite, friendly and enthusiastic, belying the ‘elite’ tag with which both schools are too often branded. I felt right at home in the marketing department – a collaborative team of four, who work alongside an admissions team of two, in connecting offices in the main building. This grand house (pictured) tenants not only most administration/ support staff but also most of the faculty staff. One of the original Toorak mansions, visitors are directed to a palatial sitting room with bay windows and plush lounge chairs on their arrival. The twice weekly, morning tea time staff meeting is held in the adjoining room – the equally impressive dining hall, where all staff gather around a long banquet table for notices and catch ups. Around 50 boarders reside in another stately Toorak mansion on campus – a beautiful home away from home, where, much like St Margaret’s boarders, they can enjoy living in a leafy suburb surrounded by quiet streets, with local shops only a walk or quick bus/tram ride away. The staff in the marketing department were generous with their time, allowing me to ask questions about the office structure, role responsibilities, pain points, challenges and wins. The competition for enrolments is very similar to the Brisbane landscape. Independent boys’ schools are more difficult to gain entry into and many girls’ schools are fighting for every enrolment. St Catherine’s competes with other schools for scholarship candidates. Like St Margaret’s, it does not award full scholarships, but there appear to be plenty of Melbourne schools with the capacity to do so, which again poses a threat to enrolment numbers. I learned of a disturbing but apparently increasing practice among southern schools, which had impacted St Catherine’s. They had lost an existing enrolment because the son in the family had been awarded a scholarship to a co-ed school, but only on the condition the daughter also attend, disrupting her current schooling.

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One area I wanted to learn more about was the use of Schoolbox for parent communication and particularly as an orientation portal for incoming families. I spent a valuable hour with their generous IT Manager who explained the work they had done to make Schoolbox the ‘go to’ communication tool for current parents and how they had worked with the admissions and marketing teams to develop a comprehensive orientation page for incoming parents that could be accessed a few months prior to commencement for all the necessary information and forms they are required to complete.

Such a process has been on the radar of the marketing and admission teams at St Margaret’s for some years but without

the right tools to implement it. We hope we can achieve the same outcomes in this space as St Catherine’s, which they assured me had been a matter of time and process for them too – it didn’t happen overnight. They are a couple of years ahead of St Margaret’s in the implementation of Schoolbox, having acquired it in 2014; it filled me with confidence that with persistence and teamwork, it can become the central communication portal for all parents and streamline our complex communications environment that exists across classroom and extracurricular activities; good work is already underway at St Margaret’s in this regard in many areas. I was fortunate to also sit in on an advertising meeting with the St Catherine’s advertising agent, who was presenting the marketing team with insights into the recent campaign for an Open Morning. They hold four Open Mornings a year during school hours. This is not uncommon, especially in southern schools, but I know that, for the time being, St Margaret’s is wedded to our Saturday Open Day concept, which generates very positive feedback from our visitors, and the opportunity for families to attend out of working hours. St Catherine’s Strategic Marketing and Engagement Manager, Kerrie Mussert, is aiming for a 70/30 split between digital and other advertising. We discussed the incessant school feature / school guide annuals newspapers regularly produce, all seeking to ‘make a buck’ out of schools in what is just blanket, ‘stab in the dark’ advertising. There are some exceptions, and these generally have well executed complementary online strategies where we can identify, through google analytics,

the traffic being driven to our website. Alas though, there is a real FOMO amongst schools with regards to education features which keeps the advertising dollars rolling in for the newspapers. I am yet to be convinced we will miss out on an enrolment because we don't appear in a school feature or guide. I believe our clientele are a lot more sophisticated in reaching the very important decision of choosing a school for their child. Targeted digital advertising based on actual searches and interests can serve up better qualified leads and this is the direction St Margaret’s is increasingly pursuing, but with consideration for our rural and remote markets where press advertising of targeted publications are still part of our strategy. The other delightful activity I invited myself to on my last day of my stay was a Year 3 STEM class in the junior school, run by Alyssa Flint, who had previously been on exchange to St Margaret’s. I don’t often have the chance to observe classroom teaching, but when I do, it reminds me why I love my job – supporting the institutions and the people in them as they grow great learners. I’ll elaborate on the lesson shortly. It took place in the junior school building, which is the current jewel in the St Catherine’s crown, in terms of facilities, having been opened early in 2019.

Another feature of the building, not initially in the specifications, was the decals on the glass walls of the classrooms. They were added after the foot traffic on the other side of the clear glass proved too distracting for the little ones; they ended up being a great design feature as well as serving their purpose. The decals consisted of graphics accompanied by inspiring quotes; all designed by their graphic designer (St Margaret’s and St Catherine’s are both blessed with outstanding talent in this area – it cannot be overestimated the impact our designers have in creating and developing the school brand and aesthetics on so many levels). The designs on the decals have also been cleverly repurposed into book marks.

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Just as St Margaret’s is running a capital campaign for the new sports precinct, St Catherine’s also ran one for this building and I was impressed by the donor acknowledgement they devised. Donors over $10,000 (which were impressive in number) nominated their favourite book and the book cover was

mounted in a frame; there are many such frames on the junior library walls, also spilling out to walls of nearby staircases. The feature is certainly a talking point – you automatically look for your family favourites – and beyond donor acknowledgment, it’s another nice way to bring the joy of reading into focus.

Also in this building and along the walls of corridors in the main administration building were pictures of notable Old Girls with their biographical details hanging in frames, serving as an inspiration to the community and visitors alike. St Margaret’s could consider something like this for our 125-year celebrations. Back to the lesson in the purpose-designed junior STEM lab. A spacious, well-equipped room, signs of the experiment to come were laid out at three work stations. The excited but well-behaved Year 3 girls entered the lab in an orderly fashion with their iPads and sat in a circle to begin the lesson. Based on previous learnings the girls knew broadly what the lesson was to be about; they were asked to express this and from there a jointly constructed learning intention was written on the specially designed ‘Learning Intention’ board. They were to tell the difference between an insulator and conductor; they would do this by conducting an experiment which would ultimately show which spoon – metal, plastic or wooden – would be the best conductor, by measuring the decrease in the temperature of the initially hot water at five-minute intervals up to 15 minutes in three beakers, each holding the different types of spoons. Throughout the lesson, I found myself very impressed by Alyssa Flint’s classroom management of excited Year 3 students. Without fail they responded to her simple, fun but effective ways of bringing the students back to her attention, such as “Sitting in 5,4,3,2….1” or having the girls finish “da da da da da…” “… da da”, or even “Simon says… hands on shoulders”. One thing I really admire about educators is that it’s like they are conducting an orchestra every lesson. They are always ‘on’ – especially in instances such as these, where risks needed to be managed, reasonably complex learning and statistic taking was required at prescribed intervals with three groups, and girls in each group were tasked with different roles.

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In the five-minute intervals while the girls were waiting to take the measurements, quiz questions were asked to reinforce the subject matter. They had to answer a series of questions about conductors and insulators. Using their iPads they checked their answers for each question against QR codes taped to the desks they were working on, which revealed on their screens if they were right or wrong. Correct answers earned the girls additional toppings on an ice-cream to be consumed at the end of the school day. The girls were very invested in getting

the answer right and it was interesting to observe the group dynamics in negotiating the eventual answer and the group’s and individual’s reactions when the answer was wrong. As we so often observe even in adult settings, the quieter personality with something to say is often overlooked for the more confident personality – and people are more likely to consider that answer, even though a better one might exist but not be expressed as stridently. More than once I found myself thinking, “you should have listened to the very clever girl who had quietly offered the correct answer in the first place”! In what I came to learn was a Vivi-enabled classroom, one girl in each group recorded all the measurements on her iPad which could then be viewed by all on the central screen and discussed once the experiment had concluded. As a non-educator I was fascinated by the multiple layers of learning evident in the lesson; these girls are in the very good hands of a passionate STEM educator. On a closing note, it was a case of ‘you should have been here last week’ as the wonderful Jane Goodall visited the school on the Friday prior to my exchange. Jane had spoken about the planet, plastic waste etc which had prompted St Catherine’s staff to think about the amount of plastic coming out of the school canteen – from plastic spoons, to yoghurt tubs to muffins wrapped in plastic; judging from discussions, the seeds for more sustainable school practices have been sown. I thank all the St Catherine’s staff for their very warm welcome and thank St Margaret’s Principal Ros Curtis and St Catherine’s Principal Michelle Carroll for their generosity in facilitating this exchange. This week of observing and professional sharing was very valuable and invigorating, giving me further clarity around some of our ambitions and challenges in our admissions and marketing teams.

Emily Labinsky International Pastoral Care Coordinator

My reflections on educating girls – from East to West

food was delicious. After dinner, an early night was in store, so I would be refreshed for my first day at school. I was looking forward to experiencing another school community, observing lessons and reflecting on my own professional practice. I also wanted to find out more about what St Hilda’s was doing in terms of entrepreneurial thinking to inform our work back at St Margaret’s. The next morning, I was taken out for coffee at the water front and began to get my bearings. The location of St Hilda’s is truly spectacular. The school is on a ridge of land between the ocean and the Swan River, which made great locations for my after-school strolls and one day I even spotted some dolphins frolicking in the river.

So, what does the future hold? With the rise of artificial intelligence, 3D printing, space travel and other technological advances, it is less clear

Kathryn Paul, the Dean of Staff, and shown to the unit which I would call home for the week. I had time to settle in before heading down to the dining room with the boarders for dinner. Another warm welcome awaited from both staff and students alike and the

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I arrived in Perth on a wet and windy July day, but this didn’t come as too much of a shock to me having grown up in the UK. Having spent the weekend with family just south of Perth, I arrived at St Hilda’s on a dreary Sunday afternoon. I was greeted warmly by

I immediately felt quite at home at St Hilda’s. Despite being on different sides of the country, St Margaret’s and St Hilda’s have a similar approach to educating girls for the future. St Hilda’s aims to prepare ‘girls for the future by developing tenacity, confidence and compassion’ whereas at St Margaret’s we aim to prepare ‘confident, compassionate, capable women able to contribute in a global community’. Future readiness was at the heart of St Hilda’s and several staff members mentioned it during our conversation which got me thinking… what does the future hold?

for what jobs we are preparing our girls. At St Hilda’s they talk of helping students to be ‘future ready’, flexible and adaptable. At St Margaret’s we aim to inspire lifelong learners, give leadership experience and instil the school’s values within our girls. The Financial Times (2017) published statistics which show we will make an average of five career changes in our life time. So how do we prepare the students in a classroom for these career paths which will include jobs that may not exist yet?

The human touch People skills of empathy and compassion can’t be imitated by machines, which provides strong support for the inclusion of compassion within both our schools’ missions. Both schools also have a tradition of service learning and encouraging philanthropic pursuits. On the Friday I spent at St Hilda’s, staff and students wore their Team Colours (free dress) to raise funds for the Anglicare Street Connect Program. As well as supporting a worthy cause, it also meant the visiting Queenslander learnt a lot about AFL kits! Year 9 students held various stalls selling food to raise extra funds and learn valuable enterprise skills. At St Margaret’s our students are regularly engaged with philanthropic projects. Perhaps the schools’ Anglican traditions help to ensure this charitable approach. The willingness to consider the less fortunate members of our global community, and act to help them, is something that machines cannot replace.

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Second, a similarity between the schools was the strength of the working relationships between students and teachers. The warmth could be felt in the corridors and the classrooms and was part of the reason I felt so at home. These connections not only promote quality learning but also form the basis of good people skills which will serve our girls well in their future endeavours.

Entrepreneurial thinking is vital

Queensland’s future is ATAR

During the week I spent time in several business and technology lessons. I met a group of Year 10 students who were working to design their own enterprise. They had started by thinking of problems that people face that they could offer a solution to. One group aimed to solve the problem of buying gifts for children you do not know very well. They had designed a website that made gift hampers based on the child’s age and interests. It was great to observe this entrepreneurial thinking in action and I brought quite a few ideas back with me to share with my Economics and Entrepreneurial Studies classes. This experience reinforced my belief we should encourage entrepreneurial thinking in our students. We should expose our students to the idea of problem and solution identification and also teach the business know-how, so they are better prepared to turn an idea into a profitable enterprise.

Another area of interest to me during my visit was how students are prepared for external exams. As we move into the ATAR system, this will become more important for teachers and students in Queensland. We must teach the young women in our classrooms to be independent learners and to have keen inquisitive minds, but we now need to balance this with preparing them for the upcoming external examinations. Therefore, there must be class time dedicated to attempting past exam questions, papers and picking apart marking schemes. This approach is not dissimilar to the one we adopt to prepare students in the UK, my motherland. I’m not sure it adds to a student’s future readiness, but it plays a vital role in helping them to achieve their best and make the next step on their journey.

The future is global As a keen traveller, I believe that to prepare students for their futures, we should encourage them to travel, to open their eyes and hearts to other cultures and people. I was pleased to hear about St Hilda’s exchange program and meet some of the participants. Like St Margaret’s, the Global Exchange Program is offered to students in Year 10 and is an opportunity which makes me really quite envious. This experience contributes not only to those who are lucky enough to travel on exchange but to those left behind who help to welcome the visiting students. These global connections undoubtedly help to ‘future ready’ our girls and open their eyes to the global community to which they belong. Who knows, perhaps one or more of their five careers will lead them overseas.

The passion of the teachers in both schools is clear; they are not only content experts but well versed in pedagogy to bring the content alive. I observed a great maths lesson with Year 7s who were learning how to add and subtract negative numbers. They had been taught to think of the negative numbers as ice cubes and the positive numbers as fire cubes, both of which adjusted the temperature of the witches’ cauldron! They were engaged and having great success using the technique to tackle problems. What a wonderful week! I feel very privileged to have spent a week at St Hilda’s. I am grateful to St Margaret’s for this experience and to everyone at St Hilda’s for offering me such warm hospitality. References Barret, H 2017, ‘Plan for five careers in a lifetime’, Financial Times, 5 September.

Tom McCormick Head of Faculty – Sociocultural Studies

HALT: Advance your practice and the teaching profession

Excellence in teaching is the single most powerful influence on student achievement (Hattie 2003)

Sitting in the Darwin convention centre in May of this year surrounded by 300 other certified Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers (HALT), I was struck by the profound sentiment that seemed to permeate the auditorium. Listening to leading educators, Lyn Sharratt, Laureate Professor John Hattie and Dan Haesler speak on the importance of the HALT certification across Australia, and how expertise in teaching should be promoted like it is in other professions across the nation, provoked a sense of shared accomplishment for what we had all achieved in this very initiative. Indeed, Laureate Professor Hattie stressed the importance of looking within Australia for evidence of the wonderful expertise we hold rather than an obsession with looking to the likes of Singapore or Finland for a map to success. It is a common belief that as educators we have become obsessed with academic research to confirm what we do, yet perhaps need to focus not only on literature, but on the experience of teachers in our current context and the knowledge they bring to the table in teaching and learning. It is, I believe, the nurturing of this expertise that we have here in Australian schools that is key to strong student outcomes. Having now completed both the Highly Accomplished (Pilot) and Lead Teacher Certification programs, my experience here has only served to emphasise the imperative for programs that contribute to a culture of excellence in the profession.

So, what exactly does the HALT certification entail?

Testament to the success of these programs is the keen interest in participation. Certainly, the number of HALTS across Australia is growing; in 2012 there were 123 HALTS across Australia, and now in 2019 there are 573. It is expected that by 2020 there will be close to 1000. Yet many prospective applicants have expressed a lack of clarity around the expectations of the course. This is, however, rather straightforward. To become recognised as a HALT, you must pass an initial suitability assessment followed by two progressing stages. Pre-assessment: Initially, applicants work with their Principal to reflect on their current practice, initiatives and impact of these practices to make a judgement based on readiness for the process of HALT. It is at this point a teacher decides, based on their experience and current working environment, which level of HALT they wish to attempt to be recognised in – either Highly Accomplished or Lead. Stage 1: The applicant, under the guidance and support of an assigned mentor (from their school) and a representative from Independent Schools Queensland, builds a folio of evidence that demonstrates the teaching standards. All evidence supplied must be annotated to highlight the impact of the strategies or initiatives. Stage 2: The applicant is then observed teaching, and a selection of interviews with the applicant, mentor, principal and referees are conducted to analyse the applicant’s folio and to discuss the impact of the applicant’s practice on student learning in the school.

In consideration of this, it is important to remember why the rigour of the process in terms of meeting standards and providing evidence is key to the integrity of the qualification, and there are several reasons as to why this certification process is essential. First, awarding and recognising teachers for the important work they do is long overdue. The status of teaching as a profession in Australia combined with the media’s abundant coverage concerning teacher retention and the quality of education across the nation suggests that a focus on the academic nature of the profession deserves to be showcased.

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The acronym HALT refers to the national certification process necessary to attain a recognised Highly Accomplished or Lead Level Teacher (HALT) qualification. Introduced in 2012, certification involves a rigorous yet stimulating process that centres upon the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, culminating in the submission of a folio that is then assessed by external reviewers. While this may sound somewhat daunting, participation in this program has, for me, illuminated the thoughtful and complex work that we, as educators, undertake through virtue of our profession daily.

Looking at the purpose of the programs, it is important to remember these processes were designed to promote quality teaching and learning, and to allow educators to critically reflect on their practice, an important string to any teacher’s professional bow. Further, these programs aid in supporting teachers to improve their practice and gain recognition for the important work they do, the work we see happening in front of us so frequently.

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Second, a nationally consistent analysis of a teacher’s practice supports teachers by building collaborative expertise. This has a positive effect on lifting not only the practice of one teacher’s practice, but several teachers across the state or country. Further, it provides opportunities for teachers to reaffirm their professional expertise and highlights areas they may strengthen. The HALT certification provided me a sense of accomplishment and enhanced my confidence in my own practice, which I feel is crucial in improving student learning as both a teacher and faculty leader. In my position, the role of a middle manager brought with it specific challenges: balancing the expectations of leadership, trying to propel yourself to senior leadership, developing curriculum, managing a faculty of teachers and maintaining your own classroom environment. As such, it was an insightful process to consider my own pedagogical strengths and ability to lead curriculum through a process designed to illuminate just that. My Journey My HALT journey started in 2015 when St Margaret’s Principal, Ros Curtis, approached me to discuss a pilot program that Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) had initiated; one that aligned with the professional teaching standards and would allow me to engage in reflective practice with principals, mentors and colleagues in my discipline. Initially, the program seemed rather similar to the process of a collection of evidence already in practice in the United Kingdom, where I initially trained as a teacher, and although vocabulary surrounding judgement, assessing, feedback, and certification is rarely met with eagerness among students, coming from the OFSTED system abroad meant that I was familiar with this approach in teaching practice and assessment. Yet, as I investigated the motivations behind this initiative, and began to examine its objectives in a more thorough way, I soon learned this was an opportunity through which I would not only be able to reflect deeply on my own pedagogical practice, but understand in more nuance and depth the ways I could lead others to have profound impact upon student learning and achievement. It was more than a data collection process, and would enable me to upskill and consolidate my practice in a way that had not yet been available as a nationally recognised professional program in the educational sector.

At this stage, I had worked to understand the demands and expectations of the process, particularly in terms of how to evidence my own achievement against the standards. Further, I had determined how best to measure student outcomes in relation to this evidence, and, by extension, how to annotate this with fluency and precision. My folio involved baskets of evidence which focused on three independent areas of practice. The first of these concerned independent initiatives, and in this realm, I focused on my work concerning levels of engagement of students in Year 10. Second, I evaluated evidence from the perspective of a department, looking closely at changes to the processes of assessment I had initiated within the Sociocultural Faculty and the rethinking of schemes of work. Finally, I produced evidence that illustrated my role as a leader across a whole-school context. This involved an analysis of work across a series of committees, including the development of The St Margaret’s Way initiative and the St Margaret’s Teaching and Learning Framework. Having now been formally recognised as a Lead Teacher, I am very confident in the value of the HALT certification programs. Further, recognising this achievement at the ISQ HALT ceremony at Customs House in September 2018 gave me the opportunity to reflect on the way that initiatives such as these, ones that promote a reflective yet rigorous process of evidence collection against the standards, allow us, as educators, to better not only our own practice, but that of the profession as a whole. In fact, my involvement with the program has not ended with my own completion; my most recent experience with the HALT national certification process has seen me draw on my experience of the system to mentor three teachers undertaking certification in either Highly Accomplished or Lead programs, the participants of which are currently collecting their evidence for Stage 1 of the process. It is without hesitation that I attest to the worth of the HALT certification, and I believe it is imperative that certified teachers advocate for professional development programs that are both rigorous and rewarding both to individuals and the profession. For me, this journey began with a conversation with my principal, and the rewards that have followed have been numerous and far-reaching. As such, I would encourage prospective applicants to pursue HALT certification, and to initiate that first conversation as soon as the opportunity arises. References Hattie, JAC 2003, ‘Teachers make a difference: What is the research evidence?’, Proceedings of the ACER Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia, viewed 21 May 2019, http://research.acer.edu.au/research_ conference_2003/4/

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Key in my decision to proceed with the program was my knowledge that ISQ would be fundamentally involved in its rollout. Further, partaking in the pilot program would allow me to provide meaningful feedback to program advisors, and this was something that, as an educator, interested me greatly. Indeed, once I had completed the program, I was able to speak with clarity to its many demonstrable strengths, the processes required in collation of evidence, and also the logistics of the process, most notably the amount of time required of participants. Documenting and annotating evidence based on student impact for the Highly Accomplished certification

level was an engaging and straightforward endeavour for me, and based on the advice of my Principal and ISQ, I decided to proceed towards Lead certification in 2017.

Lara Pickering Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement

Eton Society

The business of philanthropy: Why do we need to fundraise? For independent schools, tuition fees unfortunately do not cover the full cost of educating a student. Schools depend on other income streams to bridge the discrepancy, or ‘the gap’, between the true cost of an independent or private school education compared to the cost of tuition per student. To continue to deliver an outstanding educational experience, schools need to constantly evolve and keep abreast of the rapidly changing world; renewal, rejuvenation and innovation must occur so that St Margaret’s can best prepare students for life now and into the future. While strong enrolments are the life blood of independent schools, the day to day cost of running the school is significant. Fee-derived income supports faculty and staff salaries, which in a school that values excellence in teaching accounts for a large portion of school expenses. Fee-derived income is also directed to facility maintenance and operations, daily supplies and catering related expenses for our boarding students.

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St Margaret’s, like other private and independent schools, also delivers performance-based scholarships and offsets tuition for families who are experiencing financial circumstances that prevent them from affording the full fee cost, through bursaries. This is funded by a combination of grant funding and charitable donations from the school community.

School fees and levies are also not sufficient to fund the ongoing development of the St Margaret’s campus. To meet

the challenge of providing state-of-the-art facilities that will enhance the learning experience of current and future students of St Margaret’s, philanthropic support from our community is key.

Philanthropic programs Schools often run several philanthropic programs or campaigns to achieve certain goals and bridge the gap in funding. These programs typically include Annual Giving, Capital Campaigns, Gifts in Kind and Bequests or Planned Giving programs. Annual Giving appeals focus on participation and the collective impact of philanthropy. At St Margaret’s we ask that our school community considers giving to either the Building Fund to support the refurbishment of existing and the development of new facilities, or the Scholarship Fund, which delivers bursary support to families experiencing financial need. Capital Campaigns are reserved for large scale building projects that have a specific fundraising goal, a set timeframe and require a larger sum of donated funds. St Margaret’s is currently in a Capital Campaign to raise $1M by the end of 2019. The campaign was launched in July 2018, to support the development of the new sports precinct and involve the school community in what is the most significant development in St Margaret’s almost 125-year history.

omen’s

FRIENDS OF

PROFESSIONAL

P&F Association

Gifts-in-kind relate to the donation of items, and in some cases professional services, to support the school’s operations and/or vision for teaching and learning. At St Margaret’s the donation of artwork supports our visual arts curriculum through the growth of the school’s art collection. St Margaret’s Foundation holds the Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status which allows the school to seek tax deductible donations from our community (parents, staff, past students and corporate organisations) to support capital works projects and scholarships and bursaries for students. St Margaret’s is also in the process of building an Endowment Fund, an investment fund that schools establish to have the ability to regularly draw upon the invested capital. In 2012, The St Margaret’s Foundation received a modest donation to establish an Endowment Fund - it was a symbol of faith in the future of St Margaret’s and the important role it has in educating young women. The long-term goal of this fund is to supply money in perpetuity, which can be used to support a variety of St Margaret’s projects. Typically, a school will draw around five per cent of the endowment annually and this money is often used to help schools accomplish specific projects that can’t be met by Annual Giving or general operating budget funds. St Margaret’s also has a long history of receiving bequests from members of the school community who have thoughtfully chosen to leave a donation to the school in their Will. These Planned Gifts may be cash, property, specific items or a combination of these. To steward and recognise those who have included St Margaret’s in their Will, the school created the Eton Society, which meets annually to acknowledge the generous intentions of its members and to keep them abreast of plans for the school. Across Australia, bequest programs will be key to institutional stability and future growth, in the face of government shortfalls.

Advancement: the business of philanthropy The Development and Community Office, reporting to the Principal, drives and supports St Margaret’s fundraising strategy and operations through the professional practice of Advancement.

share • support • inspire

• Secure private financial support from potential donors committed to the mission of the institution • Engage alumni in the life of the institution as volunteers, advocates and supporters • Promote or market the institution to prospective students, their parents and others • Communicate about the institution with those who have a stake in its success, including community members, business leaders, government officials and the media. The Development and Community Office sits at the heart of the Advancement operation at St Margaret’s and provides leadership and support to three key volunteer stakeholder groups: the Old Girls’ Association (alumni), Parents and Friends Association, Friends of Mayo and St Margaret’s Foundation. Central to achieving our philanthropic goals is the support of dedicated volunteers including those who generously give their time to assist the school to promote and steward a philanthropic culture and to help raise funds. St Margaret’s Foundation was established to bring together a committed group of individuals passionate about St Margaret’s, its future and its students’ futures. The Foundation Board has representation from St Margaret’s parent, past student and staff communities. Ultimately, philanthropy helps to facilitate the delivery of that layer of excellence that is a St Margaret’s education. Our purpose is to ensure young women have access to the best educational experience possible, and to create an exceptional environment for young people to achieve their goals and prepare them for the future. References: Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) 2019, viewed 20 May 2019, www.case.org ThoughtCo. 2018, Private School Donations: Why do private schools need to fundraise?, viewed 20 May 2019, www.thoughtco.com/privateschool-donations-4106603

The Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) defines Advancement as ‘a strategic, integrated method of managing relationships to increase understanding and support among an educational institution’s key constituents, including alumni, parents, staff, members of the community and philanthropic entities of all types’.

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The core disciplines of educational advancement are alumni relations, communications, marketing and fundraising. Advancement professionals work on behalf of educational institutions to:

Hetal Raniga Secondary Teacher

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi

Many times, I have been guilty of going off topic in my classrooms. It all starts with one question, which leads into another and another and before long we are going off into a whole different tangent.‘What should I wear to my interview?’ ‘Wait, what’s superannuation? I’ve heard of it.’ ‘What’s the difference between a credit card and a debit card?’ ‘What’s consumer law?’

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A thousand questions getting fired all around… not something I would have ‘planned for’ in my lesson, but I can’t help it. My students want answers. They’re curious, they’re eager, they want to know the answers to everything, but I don’t have time in my lesson to talk about anything else. I need to teach them debit and credit rules!

So, I thought, why not make time?

School of Life School of Life is an initiative taken by a group of teachers at St Margaret’s with a focus on providing students with the tools to step into the ‘outside’ world equipped with skills that go beyond the classroom. Most importantly it aims to answer the millions of questions that are brewing in our students’ minds every second of the day. St Margaret’s provides its students with a solid platform through its rich philosophies and practices in teaching and learning. To extend this practice and help our students step into this so called ‘real world’, we ask the question, is there more we can do to help enhance skills, knowledge and wisdom in order to navigate through life’s terrain and ultimately flourish? Of course, the school of actual life will throw hurdles which will, at times, require our students to fail. We, at the School of Life, teach our students how to get up again. There will be multiple times in all of our lives when we will fail, get up again, and fail again… and so life goes on. We learn our lessons from each failure. It’s the ‘getting up again’ that matters. There is no question that

our students go on to have great careers in medicine, law, education, business, the Arts… the list goes on. But let’s be honest, not every discipline teaches us life skills or prepares us for life as we step out of school on our own. A little helping hand to have students learn a little about other life skills expanding from budgeting, personal finance, investing, superannuation right through to mental health, nutrition, voting, consumer rights, and effective communication, may take them on a whole new tangent that will help in the school’s mission for the girls to become confident young women. The Macmillan English article Why are life skills important? (n.d.) argues that: In a constantly changing environment, having life skills is an essential part of being able to meet the challenges of everyday life. The dramatic changes in global economies over the past five years have been matched with the transformation in technology and these are all impacting on education, the workplace and our home life. To cope with the increasing pace and change of modern life, students need new life skills such as the ability to deal

with stress and frustration. Today’s students will have many new jobs over the course of their lives, with associated pressures and the need for flexibility.

have been decided for the rest of the year; for example, voting and elections, interview tips, superannuation, and nutrition, with many more to come next year.

The School of Life is well underway, with its first presentation held earlier in May. This presentation focused on budgeting. The eagerness of leaving high school and moving out on your own excites everyone. But are our young ones aware of what exactly lies ahead of them? In this session on budgeting, students were made aware of their potential earning power, expenses and how managing these expenses could help them save money. School of Life presentations are scheduled to be held every fortnight and each presentation will have a different focus. Already, topics of presentations

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

Don’t fix your weakness, strengthen your strength. Always seek to achieve maximum results with minimum time.

Nozer Buchia References

Macmillan Education n.d., Why are life skills important?, viewed 14 May 2019, http://www. macmillanenglish.com/life-skills/why-are-lifeskills-important Buchia, N 2011, Why Entrepreneurs Really Fail: The Road to Success… Always Under Construction, Bloomsbury, India.

Our girls are leaders. The School of Life further taps into their potential to help them be everything they can be.

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Alison Scott Head of eLearning and Research Services

From Marshmallows to Metacognition…

Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones. Rick Hanson

Hanson’s words resonated the minute I’d read them. Twitter certainly has its fair share of clickbait, but it also throws up little gems like this one right when they are needed. In a truly serendipitous twist of fate, the night I read this quote, I’d been worrying over a class of students worrying about their upcoming assessment. I knew they were well prepared, and I was confident of their abilities leading into the examination because of the formative tasks we’d completed throughout the term, and yet, they still did not believe in their own abilities or my ability to prepare them. Why did all that hard work, critical thinking and intentional learning we’d constructed together throughout the term go straight out the window when the idea of a test was mentioned? One test, or the idea my students had conjured in their subconscious about the assessment instrument, was overshadowing all the rich and rigorous learning moments we’d experienced in coming to this point. It was something I’d frustratingly come to accept as a teacher in an all girls’ context – that test anxiety came with the territory – but as I have delved further into the research on brain development, I realise that I have been wrong to accept such assumptions when I should indeed be challenging them… The human brain makes for a fascinating subject of enquiry and studying the way the brain functions and builds understanding can be a wonderfully enriching exercise for teenage girls. It is through recognising the scientific basis for some of their thought processes and approaches that students can come to realise the power of their own cognition and how to harness it for good instead of evil. In this way, metacognition equals empowerment for learners.

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Metacognition, in simple terms, is thinking about our thinking. Ormrod (cited in Young 2008) defines it thus: ‘Metacognition is… the activity of monitoring and controlling one’s cognition. It can further be defined as what we know about our cognitive processes and how we use these processes in order to learn and remember.’ Researchers have posited myriad models for metacognition, but, as Paul Pintrich (2002) notes, there is an important distinction between types of metacognitive analysis. In The Role of Metacognitive Knowledge in Learning, Teaching, and Assessing, Pintrich articulates that metacognition is broadly broken down into two categories: ‘(a) knowledge of cognition and (b) the processes involving the monitoring, control, and regulation of cognition.’ In essence, students must first recognise and understand the cognitive processes they undertake on a daily basis, and then they must develop awareness of the role they can play in disrupting or enhancing

learning outcomes. It was the ‘cognitive disruption’ that was occurring in my classes that has driven the need to explore these concepts further. When students lack awareness of the way their brains work, and hence, the way they learn, it makes it all the more difficult to maintain the resilience necessary to achieve. As Pintrich (2002) suggests, ‘…knowledge [of metacognition] can be… an important facilitator… as students who know their own strengths and weaknesses can adjust their own cognition and thinking to be more adaptive to diverse tasks and, thus, facilitate learning’. Evidently, when students know themselves as learners, they can more easily thrive in new learning contexts, and, more importantly, they can do so with a confidence that they can achieve. This was one of the key concepts that initiated my journey to get students understanding more about their brains. And then there were the marshmallows… The now infamous Marshmallow test, developed by Stanford psychologist Walter Mischel in the 1960s, appeared in yet another article from my nightly professional reading. I confess that it intrigued me, despite recent criticism and subsequent studies that have contested Mischel’s findings. The concept of ‘delayed gratification’ was the primary focus of the research where four-year-old children were asked to sit alone in a room with a marshmallow (or similar treat) on the desk and not eat it. Mischel and his colleagues then traced the achievements of these same children as they grew. Their findings indicated that delayed gratification carried significant advantages later in life, including on such measures as standardized test scores (McCrory Calarco 2018). Whilst these findings were being questioned in the article I was reading, the concept of emphasizing a student’s willpower definitely appealed. The next day, after taking a detour to the grocery store to purchase marshmallows, I conducted a similar experiment with my class. I’m pleased to report they all managed to use their willpower and delay the gratification of eating the marshmallow I’d placed on their desks until the end of the lesson. We discussed the ways in which they convinced themselves to wait, how they’d demonstrated will power, strength and resilience, and lastly, how we could apply this to other learning contexts. At once, I saw the wheels turning in my students’ brains; they were starting to see how they could turn those cognitive processes they unconsciously undertake each day into strengths for learning. It was such a small and innocuous classroom activity, but it led to some big changes in my teaching practice and set me on a path to engaging more in the research around brain development and the pedagogical potential it might bring with it. Ergo, the plethora of research around metacognition and the movement for positive psychology finding its way into classrooms around the world, also found its way into mine.

One practice that has emerged as particularly valuable in demonstrating to students the power of metacognition involves the research of American psychologist Rick Hanson on positive neuroplasticity, alongside findings from John Gottman’s pioneering work on the balance of positive to negative

When it comes to test preparation, teenage girls exhibit a predisposed tendency for ‘overestimating the threats’ on a regular basis. By talking them through the way the brain is automated to produce this response, it somehow gives them the freedom and permission to move beyond it – to deal with their concerns about an assessment as a product of their brain’s natural functioning. It doesn’t fix everything, but it certainly does help. The next part of the process involves reframing their negative thinking about tests. To begin the session, students brainstorm their thoughts about examinations. Inevitably, a long list of negatives emerges. At this point, we examine Gottman’s 1992 study (cited in Rath 2004) on positive and negative interactions, which suggests that there is a ‘magic ratio’ when it comes to cancelling out the negatives. Gottman’s research, while focused on interactions in relationships, asserts that it takes at least five positive exchanges to combat the influence that one negative experience can have on our psyche. Thus, the challenge begins for students in brainstorming as many positive or rewarding aspects of completing exams. There is trepidation initially, but as students work together and the group shares their early breakthroughs, an avalanche of positives and opportunities arises from their discussions. It is one of those moments in a classroom that all teachers relish, and one that has led to a more calm and focused approach to exam preparation in my classes.

interactions. Since the epiphany that had occurred when I encountered Hanson’s now ubiquitous phrase, ‘your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones’, getting students to find ways of understanding and dealing with their test anxiety has become a passionate purpose. In a blogpost for Psychology Today, Hanson (2010) explains further his analogy: Your brain is continually looking for bad news. As soon as it finds some, it fixates on it with tunnel vision, fast-tracks it into memory storage, and then reactivates it at the least hint of anything even vaguely similar. But good news gets a kind of neural shrug… All this makes human beings super-sensitive to apparent threats. Basically, in evolution, there are two kinds of mistakes: (1) You think there is a tiger in the bushes but there isn’t one, and (2) You think the coast is clear, no tiger in the bushes, but there really is one about to pounce.

Hanson, R 2010, 'Stephen Colbert: We Don’t Need to Keep Fear Alive', Pyschology Today, viewed 22 May 2019, https://www.psychologytoday. com/au/blog/your-wise-brain/201010/stephen-colbert-we-dont-needkeep-fear-alive McCrory Calarco, J 2018, ‘Why Rich Kids Are So Good at the Marshmallow Test’. The Atlantic, June 2018, viewed 15 May 2019, https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/06/marshmallowtest/561779/ Pintrich, P 2002, ‘The Role of Metacognitive Knowledge in Learning, Teaching and Assessing’, Theory into Practice, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 219-225. JSTOR database. Rath, T & CD 2004, ‘The Big Impact of Small Interactions’, Business Journal, viewed 22 May 2019, https://news.gallup.com/ businessjournal/12916/big-impact-small-interactions.aspx Young, A & FJ 2008, ‘Metacognitive Awareness and Academic Achievement in College Students’, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1-10.

This hard-wired tendency toward fear affects individuals, groups (from couples to multinational corporations), and nations. It makes them overestimate threats, underestimate opportunities, and underestimate resources.

References

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These mistakes have very different consequences. The first one will make you anxious, but the second one will kill you. That’s why Mother Nature wants you to make the first mistake a thousand times over to avoid making the second mistake even once.

And so, my journey into the power of metacognition continues. It has evolved from those early forays with sweet treats and has led me to much deeper, more rigorous work around how it can truly support student success. Through both the research I have encountered in my professional reading and the observations I have made in over a decade teaching adolescent girls, there is an undeniable link between metacognition and resilience as a learner. By arming our students with an arsenal of metacognitive strategies, we are ensuring they can thrive in the classroom and into their bright, hopeful, extraordinary futures.

Margot Shave Secondary Teacher

INDIGENOUS

WRITES Of the more than 1000 students at St Margaret’s, 21 are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and this year Indigenous Writes is seeking out their stories. As part of an Innovation Grant for 2019, Noel Peinke and I are inviting St Margaret’s Indigenous students to gather a collection of stories, songs, poems and artworks to represent their country to be published in a magazine next year.

The goal is that in the sharing of these stories St Margaret’s will enact its own form of Reconciliation – a coming together of stories as an expression of listening, debunking stereotypes and celebrating the unique cultures of these students. We firmly believe the entire school community will benefit by learning about these stories from our Indigenous students. The 30-page magazine, Indigenous Writes (working title), will be edited and published in-house and launched at the MAYO Arts Festival in 2020. Once the magazine is launched it will then have the potential to be used throughout the school both in and out of the classroom. Each Indigenous student, including past graduates, will be invited to contribute to this magazine. Their choice of contributions is limitless but could range from an interview with an elder, a short story, a poem, song or artwork. These can be either original pieces or an already published text from their community. The girls will also be invited to form part of the editorial team to help encourage each other and choose how their stories are represented.

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Upon publication, these representations of their cultural groups will be recognised as an original repository of stories from the St Margaret’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

To recognise the importance of the oral history to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the girls will also be encouraged to record the voices of the elders and family-members they interview with appropriate cultural and individual permissions. These interviews will be uploaded to part of the St Margaret’s intranet and be accessed by members of our school community. This digital tool has the potential to add another dimension to the project and a way for members of our school community to connect with the authors of these stories and hear these voices first-hand. To launch the project, the school hosted a dinner in late May in the Arts Centre Foyer to hear from St Margaret’s Old Girl Taneale Lawton and Dr Ruth Hegarty, a widely-recognised Indigenous author and survivor of the Stolen Generation. This dinner was also the first time the girls were informed about the project and invited to consider their contribution for the magazine. Taneale graduated in 2014 and is currently studying a Bachelor of Business at QUT. She told the students it’s an incredible time to be a Maggies girl. ‘Think about the stories you can contribute and remember where you came from and what is important to you about your upbringing,’ she urged the girls. During the evening each student was asked to locate their country on a map of Australia and write one memory they had from growing up. For Taneale, who grew up in Charleville, the memory was ‘going fishing and catching yellow belly’. For Year 8 student Charlea Smith from Dysart, her favourite memory was ‘sitting on the steps of Nana’s veranda, drinking bushels [sic] tea and watching the sunset’.

Sofia Nona in Year 7 grew up on Badu Island in the Torres Strait and writes down her favourite memory as growing up and participating in traditional dance with her grade for NAIDOC day. Throughout the evening the map was referenced as a symbol for the diverse geographical landscape where the girls are from and as a starting point for our story gathering. Guest-speaker Ruth Hegarty, who is a vibrant 90 years young, told the girls about her life growing up in Barambah Aboriginal Settlement, later called Cherbourg. At four and a half years of age she was removed from her mother and sent to school. Ruth, like many of the tens of thousands of members of the Stolen Generation, grew up not understanding why she was denied love and a chance to belong to a family.

‘When I was growing up in the dormitory I was always making up stories for the other kids. Ghost stories, sitting on the bunk, but I’d always end up getting in trouble and have to go outside until the other children fell asleep,’ she recalled. At seventy years of age Ruth began writing her stories. She is now author of two biographies, Is that you Ruthie? and Bittersweet Journey and several picture books. She is also the recipient of the David Unaipon Award for emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers.

‘We are the remnants of the First Nation’s people that lived in this country for centuries. Recognition is what we need. We need to teach it to our children to move forwards. I want you to ask, “Where did we come from? Who’s my mob? Where’s my country and what’s my story?”’ References Hegarty, R 2004, Is that you Ruthie?, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia. Hegarty, R 1999, Bittersweet Journey, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia.

During the launch the students were presented with a small book to help form their ideas and given the task to think

Tyeena Pang (Year 11) was inspired by the project, saying, ‘Indigenous Writes is a fantastic Initiative. It allows Indigenous students the opportunity to voice our opinions and share our incredible culture with the wider community.’

To end the evening and launch the project, Ruth challenged the students to use this opportunity to shed light on their unique culture.

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‘You’re all budding writers, you’re not going to wait that long,’ she told the students at the dinner.

about what they would like to represent from their community. Over the next two terms the students will be involved in workshops with Indigenous authors and artists and begin to explore the process around gathering stories from their communities. This will include cultural requirements for reproducing voices, photos and artworks from members of their communities. It will also feature writing workshops on profile pieces and short stories by Indigenous storytellers.

Mathew Stein Head of Faculty – Global Studies

Empire State of Mind: Let’s Hear it for New York We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike (Angelou, 1990)

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I think of St Margaret’s and Emma Willard as two families; both look outwardly different from each other in almost every respect. From the curriculum to the climate, the architecture to the accents, the two schools present as polar opposites. Yet anyone who has been fortunate to visit both schools will quickly tell you not to be deceived by appearance; the two families are more alike than they are unalike. Both are self-assured, proud of their boarders, diverse, outward-looking, community-oriented, historically rich and generous. The way these common values manifest in seemingly different schools sits at the heart of this reflection of my time at Emma Willard School as part of the Amanda Minotti Teaching Fellowship.

My family and I lived at Emma Willard School in Troy, New York, for three weeks. What follows is a diary entry of one school day that, on reflection, captures the essence of the school.

A day in the life of Emma 8:00am – Advanced Placement (AP) Government The United States Federal Government has been in shutdown for almost a week. As I walk into my timetabled ‘AP Gov’ class, the students are already sitting around the table debating the budget impasse, the USMexico Border Wall and the media’s role in the whole thing. Their teacher, Mr Leavy, hasn’t arrived yet and the students have effectively started the lesson. In fact, I get the distinct impression that the lesson didn’t actually stop after yesterday’s class ended and the students spilled out into the halls of Slocum, one of the school’s stunning gothic buildings, and continued their verbal thrust and parry.

The girls sit around a Harkness Table; an imposing table at the centre of the room that is used to facilitate a discursive lesson. During my visit, I will see the table used so purposefully in some lessons that I am convinced John Hattie would rethink his effect size conclusions about classroom layout. The table reminds me that a learning space in a school can be a very powerful way to achieve an objective. The students in this class wrestle with complex political material and not only comprehend the work but weave multiple perspectives into their responses. The students challenge the prevailing norms, they build on each other’s thoughts, and they start sentences with ‘I think’. And they are thinking. It’s inspirational stuff. Drew Leavy arrives in the room a moment later, launching into his thoughts on the most recent updates to the government shutdown, the media and the current political moment. He compels the girls to stick with him by keeping the intensity high, the questions flowing, and the pace fast. I see the class lurch from one big idea to the next, and I begin to understand how and why they are so well-read.

Morning reports are the school’s daily assembly. Notices are read, the vivacious head of school, Jenny Rao, addresses the students and, from time to time, there is a guest speaker. Today, it is Emma Willard alumnae (they are not so keen on the ‘old girl’ title it seems) and Yale PhD Heidi Knoblauch who addresses the school. Upon hearing her Ivy League credentials, I expect a serious, finger-wagging session on hard work, ambition and drive. What we got was entirely different: Heidi’s partner (an attorney, regarding Heidi’s impending career crisis): If I went to Emma Willard, do you know what I’d do with my life? Heidi (expecting a lecture from her partner on why it’s important to take advantage of fortune and privilege and deliver on everybody’s high expectations): I don’t know, be President of the USA, Chair of the Federal Reserve, a Supreme Court Justice? Heidi’s partner (flooring Heidi with clarity): No, open an oyster bar in Troy, New York. Heidi, who now owns and operates Plumb Oyster Bar in downtown Troy, utters a clear message to the girls; Emma is a school that encourages you pursue what you want, not what’s expected of you. 9:35am Literature of Identity Dashing out of morning reports, across the criss-cross of paths that make pleasing geometric shapes over the school’s manicured lawns, I notice a few snowflakes fall on my head. I smile. My wife and two young daughters are with me on this exchange, generously hosted by Emma Willard, and this will be the first time that either of my children has seen snow. With thoughts of an afternoon making snow angels on my mind, I head to Literature of Identity. The course is constructed around these words from Oscar Wilde: ‘Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation’ (Wilde 2010).

I leave ‘AP Gov’ impressed by the interplay between the girls’ scholarly understanding of their learning and their

9:15am Morning reports

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Before the end of the exchange, I arrange to teach this class for a special one-off session on the role of media in the modern Australian political landscape. I’m surprised by how familiar they are with our system of government (though I do lose them when I get to preference deals and senate quotas) and some of our political leaders (I’m impressed by this; most Australians can barely keep up with the political manoeuvrings). Interestingly, John Howard is a leader the students all appear to know very well, which I find intriguing given that these students would have been young children when he was our Prime Minister and living half a world away. But Howard’s face is one they know well because whenever there is a gun control conversation in America, Australia and John Howard’s firearm reforms are almost always held up as a model. The girls are very interested in this debate as many of the students attended the March for Our Lives rallies around the country earlier in the year; it is an important issue for them.

genuine interest in applying that understanding to the broader world around them.

During the lesson on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the girls are left to ponder whether we are capable of crafting individual identities or if society dictates who we are. The existential nature of the material doesn’t slow the girls down a jot. In fact, they spend much of the lesson reflecting on their own family history and debating the ways that family legacy shapes an individual. 10:35am The Senator from New York Today is an extraordinary day. Emma Willard alumnae and Democratic Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand is visiting the school. All the girls are gathered in Slocum Hall with an air of expectancy. Red, white and blue balloons line the corridor; many girls are waving a miniature star-spangled banner. I see a lot of Hilary badges, many Bernie badges and exactly zero Trump badges. The security detail is first to appear, ear-pieces affixed like Madonna, scanning the halls to ensure the school is secured. Next, I hear the cameras clicking, and then flashes. Finally, I see Senator Gillibrand breeze down the halls shaking hands, waving at the crowd, posing for selfies and pumping her fist in the air. I realise this isn’t a visit; it’s a rally. Senator Gillibrand speaks to the girls about the heroes who won women the right to vote in the USA, and she indulges in reflections of her time as an Emma Willard student. Her message to the girls centres on boldness, bravery, and daring to be different. It’s an energising and heartfelt experience because Ms Gillibrand has just finished writing a children’s book about these suffragette heroes. The session ends like an episode of Ellen, where copies of the book emerge for everyone to take home. Senator Gillibrand shakes every single hand on her way out the door to the awaiting security detail. Just a few weeks after her visit, Senator Gillibrand announced that she would be running for American President in 2020. Time will tell whether she can successfully prosecute the case to be made the Democratic presidential nominee. As I write this, 24 Democrats have already announced their intention to run, with some very formidable names and even more formidable bank balances now in the mix. I wish Senator Gillibrand the best of luck; I hope she ends up being the first American President I’ve shaken hands with. 11:25am Lunch

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It’s snowing outside. The green grass I walked over an hour ago has been completely transformed. Now, a white blanket of snow more than five centimetres thick covers everything. The school’s transformation into a winter wonderland is so complete and so unexpected that most of the girls eschew lunch in favour of snowman building or snowball fights. This playful reaction surprised me.

My brother has lived in Boston for twenty-five years, and he stopped getting excited about snow twenty-four years ago; one Boston winter, where he did not see the ground for three months, was enough to wean him off snow for life. The Emma girls reacted playfully because so many of them are not locals; the community of Emma boarders spans 36 countries and 31 states of the USA. For many of the students, snow remains a novelty. When I get there, the dining hall is bustling. The food is fresh, plentiful and the girls are spoilt for choice; chocolate milk is, literally, on tap. My wife and daughters join me for lunch. It’s common for the teaching faculty’s families to come for meals in the dining hall, as many staff live in houses that are owned by the school on their sprawling 137-acre campus. Sharing a meal with family, staff and students is an unusual, but lovely, experience and one that directly contributes to the culture of the school. 1:10pm The College Application After lunch, I meet with Kent Jones, the Director of College Admissions. I’m fascinated by the American college system, and I am devoting a large portion of my time at Emma learning about the incredibly complex college ecosystem. With over 4000 colleges in the USA to choose from, the college marketplace is crowded and confusing. Smaller colleges tend to offer a traditional liberal arts education (based, more or less, on the Harvard Classics) where students earn a bachelor’s degree in a broad field of study, before going to work or into graduate school at a university. Many Emma students matriculate to liberal arts colleges with Seven Sisters Colleges such as Vassar, Wellesley and Barnard being consistently popular. Larger universities offer both undergraduate courses and post-graduate programs where students can go to law school, earn a masters or get a PhD. The Ivy League schools like Brown, Cornell and Columbia are popular destinations for Emma girls. Schools further afield, like Northeastern, New York University, University of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon are also popular for the students. With acceptance rates for some prestigious schools as low as 5%, there is a relentless amount of pressure placed on the American students to push themselves, over-commit and secure those scarce college places. Harvard University Professor Michael Sandel recently noted in his lecture on the Politics of Hope that countless students are scarred by the expectations of their parents to win competitive places at top colleges and it is creating enormous mental health issues among young people (Sandel 2012).

Some noteworthy Signature projects I saw students working on included: • Notes on nationalism: a research project on the causes and effects of patriotic pride • Diverse thinking for refugee and immigrant children • Unheard worlds: creating an online history class about underrepresented societies • Cell stress test research • The lingering signal that may cause obsessive compulsive disorder 3:00pm Community Engagement

All scores contribute to the academic profile of a student – Scholastic Assessment Tests scores (SATs), Advanced Placement results (AP) and individual subject grades. Every. Score. Throughout. School. Student anxiety issues aside, the relentless monitoring coerces students to stay on top of their work as opposed to many St Margaret’s students, who tend to ‘save’ their learning until an assessment is due or a summative examination takes place. Kent’s experience and thoughtfulness in navigating this complex world is invaluable for the school. Despite the potential performative perils and coercive systems thinking, his outlook remains philosophical. Emma Willard’s academic focus needs to be on engagement in lessons, rich material, complex readings, intelligent questioning, classical education, independent thinking and a broad understanding of the world and the girls’ place in it. Only when one frees themselves from the end goal of college, can one adopt the day to day mindset necessary to actually reach that goal. 2:05pm Signature

6:00pm Varsity Ball My daughters appear to have taken on the unofficial role of mascot for the school’s senior (varsity) basketball team. They easily demolish the local rivals, and my children are rewarded with ice cream after the game, a tradition that seems international in its application regardless of the sub-zero temperatures.

Epilogue Weeks after the conclusion of my visit to Emma Willard, when my family and I were sightseeing in New York City, we came across the famous Fearless Girl statue (see image). To my mind, the statue elegantly captures the spirit of both an Emma girl and a St Margaret’s girl; eyes up, confidently looking out at the world, feet planted firmly on the ground, safe in the knowledge that her family are behind her. It’s not just an Emma state of mind; it’s a St Margaret’s state of mind too. References Angelou, M 1990, Human family. I Shall Not Be Moved, Random House, New York. Sandel, MJ 2012, What money can’t buy: the moral limits of markets, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York. Wilde, O 2010, De Profundis, The Modern Library, New York.

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Signature allows students to complete year-long capstone projects during their final two years at school. This opportunity is for students who have a demonstrated passion for a topic, have identified a mentor on campus to work with, and have enough time to complete the research. Some students also work with experts off campus to create their Signature. Students meet with their mentors and liaisons regularly, keeping track of their work and planning for future events, and discuss program milestones which are due each month. Signature presentations are shared with the school community once or twice a year.

After school, some of the girls walk into Troy to help a local primary school by running a reading club. The local school is painfully under-resourced, so the volunteer work is of great benefit to the school and the students. There is a striking incongruity between Emma Willard and the local community it is situated in, so there is significant benefit from the engagement.

Mary Surtees Head of Planning and Organisation – Primary

WHEN EAST MEETS WEST

One of the many innovations to be introduced to St Margaret’s over the years has been the exchange which allows a staff member to travel to either St Catherine’s in Melbourne or St Hilda’s in Perth. In 2018, I was the fortunate one to travel to St Hilda’s where I spent a week living at the school and experiencing everything the school has to offer.

There are two separate campuses – one for the primary school and one for the secondary school. The primary campus is approximately two kilometres away and is purpose built – a most unusual occurrence for a school with such a long and rich history as St Hilda’s.

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It is always interesting to speak with teachers from other schools and to do so, in situ, is such a bonus. My days were filled, and I did get to experience classes, assemblies and events that allowed me

to see a very wide cross-section of the school. They even have a bell tower … with bells! And I attended bell-ringing practice before school. I was itching to have a go but politely refrained. I could just see myself dangling from the end of a bell rope several metres into the air! I was particularly interested in their pastoral care, staff wellbeing and leadership programs and their academic program in general. At all times, despite the timing of my visit at the end of Term 2, the St Hilda’s staff members were welcoming, informative, inquisitive and professional. St Hilda’s and St Margaret’s share many similar things – history, position in the community, customer base, dedication of the staff and thirst for innovation. Whilst we do many things in a similar way, we also do many things differently. This provided food for thought as to whether

we could tweak some of our ideas to modify them slightly and, in so doing, my feedback to the teachers at St Hilda’s also gave them things to consider for their future planning. I was invited to participate in a Year 6 STEAM lesson with their STEAM specialist who works with Years 1-6. They have an added bonus with CSIRO’s Adopt a Scientist. The scientist assigned to the school just happens to be a mother at the school, so the children have two highly skilled instructors for a Friday afternoon of sheer fun and games (and serious learning, of course!). They construct their own robots and program them to perform the most amazing moves. There is even an interschool competition for Robotics. Their makerspace is purpose built and I look forward to seeing our makerspace in full use once our Sports Precinct has been completed.

There are many similarities but also many differences between our two schools. For example, there are no individual computers for use by the students. There are banks of them which can be booked for class use. There are only four houses where we have eight. I have serious hall envy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they have a 900-seat auditorium with three tiers of seating, orchestra pit and sound and lighting to rival any state theatre! They have a state-of-the-art gym, geothermally heated pool, dance studio and weights room; but come 2020, our sports precinct will be the envy of all.

How we encourage and teach leadership is different to how they do it but we both achieve the same results. Our differences and our similarities were evident and our exchange of ideas was nourishing. To the principals of both schools, Ms Ros Curtis and Mrs Kim Kiepe, congratulations on having the foresight to introduce such a worthwhile exchange. East did meet West, but I do believe, home is best!

For me, the most valuable of all my experiences was the ability to speak with a host of different teachers across both campuses. Even our incidental conversations at break time revealed a myriad of new or varied ideas and opinions. What works well for them, may not work at all for us and vice versa.

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HOW Nikki Townsend Dean of Students

to stay motivated Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star. W. Clement Stone

Success and non-successful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential. John Maxwell

Overcoming and staying motivated for teenagers is not easy. Of course, there are going to be days when they don’t feel like doing anything and having a lazy day is fine. However, if this is a regular occurrence something needs to change. High achievers do a great job of motivating themselves to take action each day. This is not just good luck but a mindset that can be learned, to become more productive. In fact, there are several techniques students can use to motivate themselves and increase the odds of their success.

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Carol Dweck (2012), Stanford University psychologist and a leading researcher in motivation states, ‘People’s self-theories about intelligence have a profound effect on their motivation to learn. Students who hold a fixed theory are often concerned with how smart they are and prefer tasks they know they can do well and avoid ones in which they make mistakes. In contrast, people who believe in a growth theory of intelligence want to challenge themselves to increase their abilities – even if they fail at first.’

Motivation has internal and external factors that stimulate people’s drive and energy to commit and make an effort to attain a goal. Conscious and unconscious factors such as desire, incentive and individual expectations are reasons why people behave in a certain way. Motivation certainly comes from a multidimensional perspective. However, put simply, there are two types of motivation – intrinsic and extrinsic. Psychosocial rehabilitation specialist Kendra Cherry (2019) says, ‘Intrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by internal rewards. In other words, the motivation to engage in a behaviour arises from within the individual because it is naturally satisfying to you. This contrasts with extrinsic motivation, which involves engaging in a behaviour in order to earn external rewards or avoid punishment.’ Vallerand (2000) suggests, ‘Intrinsic motivation produces the most positive consequences, where as certain types of extrinsic motivation produce the most negative ones.’ This indicates that one needs to be motivated in a self-determined manner. There has been growing interest in student self-motivation and regulation. Why are some students more motivated than others? Zimmerman, Bandura and Martineq-Pons (1992) suggest: ‘Students who perceived themselves as capable of regulating their own activities strategically are more confident about mastering academic subjects and attain higher academic performance.’ As might be anticipated, this comes down to the confidence the individual has in themselves. Educators and parents need to be aware of this, where they must encourage students in a supportive environment while conveying the importance of academic and personal grit.

When speaking to high achievers they often speak of persevering, aiming higher, and asking others for assistance. These students demonstrate a growth mindset, which is a belief that your talents, abilities, interests or personality can change and grow through application and development. Contrary to this is a fixed mindset – the belief that you only have a certain amount of intelligence, a certain temperament and a certain character and these cannot be altered. According to Dweck (2012), young people can be educated to ‘feed their own brains’ through understanding that brains and intelligence

Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best. St Jerome

can be grown. This mindset improves their self-confidence and in turn improves their academic performance. Students need to be intentional about their behaviours to be sure they stay on the right path. Below is a list of suggestions on how to become and stay motivated to stay on the right path (Ackerman 2018; Childs 2019):

1. Determine your goal – break this down 2. Create a daily plan 3. Start simple

4. Keep good company

5. Find a role model/mentor 6. Eliminate distractions and temptations

7. Keep learning 8. Just do it

9. Know yourself

10. Track your progress 11. Own it

12. Celebrate the wins -reward yourself

13. Create an environment that encourages you

15. Only compare you to you

You will look back on life and say ‘I wish I had or I am glad I did’ Zig Zigler References Ackerman C, 2018, Self-Motivation explained + 100 ways to motivate yourself, Positive Psychology Program, viewed 20 May 2019, https:// positivepsychologyprogram.com/self-motivation Cherry K 2019, Intrinsic Motivation -Why You Do things, verywell mind, viewed 26 May 2019, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-isintrinsic-motivation-2795385, Childs C, 2019, 8 Steps to Continuous Self-Motivation Even During the Difficult Times, viewed 31 May 2019, https://www.lifehack.org/articles/ featured/8-steps-to-continuous-self-motivation.html Dweck C 2012, Mindset – How to fulfil your potential, Little Brown Book Group, Imprint Robinson, London. Vallerand RJ 2000, ‘Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory: A View from the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation’, Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, pp, 312 – 318, viewed 26 June 2019, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1449629.pdf?ab_ segments=0%252Fdefault-2%252Fcontrol&refreqid=excelsior%3A2eaf 5a742f5f746107f10830f87a8b05 Zimmerman B, Bandura A & Martinez-Pons M 1992, ‘Self-Motivation for Academic Attainment: The Role of the Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Personal Goal Setting’, American Educational Research Journal, vol. 29, no. 3. pp. 663 – 676, viewed 26 June 2019, https://www.jstor. org/stable/pdf/1163261.pdf?ab_segments=0%252Fdefault-2%252Fcont rol&refreqid=excelsior%3A547d94122b80a8f8ada16e57eb6a6458

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14. Make mistakes

It is important for parents and educators to have regular discussions around the benefits of being motivated. Without motivation in one’s life, it is hard to strive for success and achieve internal happiness. Motivation is a life skill that can be learnt. Motivation clarifies your goals, prioritises your life, pushes you through setbacks, teaches perseverance, helps you fight against fear, builds your self-confidence, attracts your tribe and inspires others. Teenagers are often full of reasons why they have not achieved; it usually is someone else’s fault. Try using this quote by educator Stephen Covey next time you are faced with an excuse: “I are not a product of my circumstances, I am a product of my decisions.”

Nicole Walker Head of Year 8

We’re all in this together: supporting students’ social and emotional intelligence Literacy, numeracy and 21st century skills exist as the three skill sets which underpin current Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) senior syllabus documents. These skill sets frame the capabilities, knowledge and behaviours that facilitate students reaching their goals to effectively function in their futures. Teachers are implementing the Australian Curriculum and actively teaching ‘explicit thinking’ through their articulation, demonstration and utilisation of learning intentions and cognitive verbs such as ‘explain, use, analyse, apply’ (QCAA 2019). Even as these terms, goals and actions enhance and highlight focus areas within the classroom, research suggests the teaching, identification and recognition of social and emotional characteristics supports the holistic development of today’s learners.

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A whole-school approach to social and emotional learning is supported by the findings of a 2018 Australia Research Council study that indicate that students’ wellbeing is improved as they participate in school. As students have a voice, have choice and work together with their peers, their wellbeing is enhanced (Simmons et al. 2018). The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (SEL) Guide includes evidence that SEL competencies can be nurtured within a school-wide approach by: language being visible on school diaries and referred to in conversations; teachers being welcomed into each

other’s classrooms to observe lessons; positive comments being sent to parents; and, annual surveys being completed by the entire school community to reflect on the effectiveness of the SEL program (Martinsone & Vilcina 2017). Such supportive, collaborative contexts reinforce acceptance, appreciation and understanding while providing opportunities to celebrate the diversity which exists in schools today. Wang et al.’s research of handbooks and reviews found that as the students’ confidence and self-awareness of their own abilities increased, they ‘set goals, manage their stress, and organise their approach to work better’ (Greenberg et al., 2003, p. 470). SEL programs assist students to achieve ‘life success … social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decisionmaking behaviours’ (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning 2015, p.2). They prepare students for life beyond school through a focus on group work, problem solving and being independent (Martinez 2016) – 21st century skills. The teaching of ‘emotional literacy’ is achieved as school communities provide social and emotional learning experiences for students through pastoral care programs, and as vocabulary and expectations are purposefully woven into the fabric of processes and daily routines. Accountability is high, and gratitude is encouraged and modelled. The St Margaret’s Student Wellbeing Framework articulates the importance that

QUALITIES of a St Margaretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girl

Spirit

Respect

I show respect for my school by wearing my uniform with pride.

I am supportive of my peers.

I respect the environment by keeping my locker tidy and my belongings in my locker. I put rubbish in the bin and report damage to my Head of Year.

Integrity I listen actively in class by focussing on what the speaker is saying. I ask questions to clarify what was said. I use my phone at my locker. I am courteous. I politely inform my teacher if I need to leave class.

I am on time and prepared for class.

Faith I participate in community events including Chapel services and Assemblies.

I use my break times effectively (printing, bathroom, filling water bottles). I thank my teacher at the end of each lesson and greet them when I see them.

Passion I reflect on teacher feedback to create SMART goals. I accept feedback and implement strategies.

Courage I give my best in all activities. I attend tutorials and meetings with my teachers. I am persistant.

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each student holds within our community. The alignment of this framework to the school’s unique mission and values transfers words from a page to tangible, visible acts (Greenberg 2003). For example, the ‘Qualities of a St Margaret’s Girl’ visual, developed by Miss Claire Bloomer and I in 2018, seeks to connect the behaviours of emerging teens to the core values of our school. Strategies of hope and belonging are employed through positive vocabulary such as ‘The St Margaret’s Way’, positive relationships and a caring community (Reilly 2017). A combination of classroom instruction and the support of peers, family, teachers and community members increases ‘the likelihood that students will adopt positive social and health practices’ (Greenberg et al. 2003, p. 470). Meta-analysis studies reveal that social and emotional learning programs also lead to ‘better school attendance, higher motivation and higher morale’ (Yang & Bear 2018). Long-term evidence provided by Greenberg et al. confirms the benefit of ‘multi-year’ programs which focus on the individual child, the family and the school ‘domains’ (2003 p. 469). This is echoed by the research findings of psychology professor Dr K. Anders Ericsson. His study of elite athletes, including Michael Jordan and highly successful individuals such as Winston Churchill and Steve Jobs, revealed their success is founded in the ‘practice [of] specific skills again and again over many years’ (Gallo 2010, p. 182). The belief of author John Maxwell, that ‘What you are going to be tomorrow, you are becoming today’, rings true (Maxwell 1993, p. 164).

positive impact SEL programs have enables ‘children with well-developed social and emotional competence [to], later in life, experience benefits in various domains, including better physical and mental health, greater moral reasoning and achievement motivation’ (Martinsone & Vilcina 2017, p. 5). The positive connections made possible affect students’ social and emotional development and support their academic achievement (Greenberg et al. 2003; Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning 2015; Yang & Bear 2018). Students’ communication skills, self-esteem and selfconfidence are enhanced, while a ‘reduction [of] internalising and externalising problems’ is possible (Greenberg et al. 2003, p. 469). The prevalence of literature published in the past 15 years confirms that the wellbeing of students is of great interest, indeed concern, to the wider community. A holistic approach to the education and care of students invites a broad focus to be placed on their intellectual, social and emotional outcomes. Together, we have the honour of supporting students to flourish in each of these domains. References CASEL 2015, 2015 CASEL Guide: Effective Social and Emotional Learning Programs—Middle and High School Edit, viewed 1 May 2019, https://casel.org/middle-and-high-school-edition-casel-guide/ QCAA, 2018, Categories of common cognitive verbs, Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority, viewed 1 May 2019, https://www. qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/ac_categories_cognitive_verbs.pdf

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Pastoral care activities embody these ideals as students actively engage in topics including digital awareness, understanding emotions and feelings, and friendship development. Peer Power’s presentation Beyond the Mascara is designed to encourage girls to consider how they view and value authentic femininity. The Peer Power team of adolescentologists believe that ‘the journey of life is not to be walked alone’ (Knight et al. 2013, p. 148). This implies there is direction, purpose, a common cause and destination; there’s a connection with others which benefits from communication, consideration, honesty, compassion, authenticity and proximity. Student learning in this context is illustrated by the ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ reflection of a Year 8 girl (2019):

Gallo, C 2010, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs; How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience, McGraw-Hill, USA.

Maxwell, JC 1993, Developing the Leader Within You, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN.

It’s okay to want to change – be someone else But it’s not okay to change yourself and be like them Yes, you have imperfections But honestly, who doesn’t? The girls you want to be like has imperfections But she hides them Because she doesn’t want to be true There is a person out there who wants to be like you Because you are perfectly imperfect And that’s what makes you, you.

Negative behaviours which may lead to mental health issues are decreased through early prevention and the use of SEL frameworks and programs (Yang & Bear 2018, p. 45). The

Greenberg, MT et al. 2003, ‘Enhancing School-Based Prevention and Youth Development Through Coordinated Social, Emotional and Academic Learning’, American Psychologist, vol. 58, no. 6/7, pp. 466-474. Knight, M et al. 2013, Beyond the Mascara: The quintessence of healthy authentic beauty, Peer Power Publishing, The Gap. Martinez, L 2016, ‘Teachers’ Voices on Social Emotional Learning: Identifying the Conditions that Make Implementation Possible, The International Journal of Emotional Education, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 6-24. Martinsone, B & Vilcina, S 2017, ‘Teachers’ Perceptions of Sustainability of the Social Emotional Learning Program in Latvia: A Focus Group Study’, Journal of Teacher Education Sustainability, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 5-20.

Reilly, NN 2017, ‘The bonds of social-emotional learning’, Educational Leadership, Dec. 2017-Jan.2018, pp. 56-60. Simmons, C et al. 2018, ‘Student participation and wellbeing: Launch of exciting new research’, Connect: supporting student participation, no. 231-232, June-August 2018, pp. 5-7. Yang, C. & Bear, GG 2018, ‘Multilevel Associations Between SchoolWide Social-Emotional Learning Approach and Student Engagement Across Elementary, Middle, and High Schools’, School Psychology Review, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 45-61. Note – the words highlighted in bold are from The St Margaret’s Way

Sunata Edition 9 Principal: Ros Curtis Editors: Karen Gorrie, Wendy Johnston Graphic Designer: Pam Smiles Photographer: Victoria Nikolova

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2019 SUNATA

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