EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In Australia, the postcode that you’re born in can radically impact your whole future. Students from regional, rural or remote communities tend to show poorer educational outcomes than those from metropolitan communities. Teach For Australia is a non-profit organisation working to help break the cycle of educational disadvantage through two critical levers that research shows have a marked impact on student outcomes: teacher quality and leadership. We do this by: §
recruiting and training some of Australia’s most talented graduates, young professionals and careerchangers to teach in schools serving low socioeconomic communities for a minimum of two years, delivering improvements in student and school outcomes; and
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creating a pipeline of exceptional leaders to drive change and innovation in education over the longterm, within schools – as classroom teachers, lead teachers and principals – and beyond – as social entrepreneurs, local community leaders and government and political leaders who drive systemic change.
This submission seeks to outline Teach For Australia’s contribution in regional communities and to highlight components of our model that could be beneficial if implemented across the system. To date, we have placed 549 Associate teachers in schools across the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, with almost 40 per cent of Associates placed in regional, rural and remote schools, including 146 in regional Victoria. Of those placed regionally, 40 per cent of Associates have qualifications in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM), filling hard-to-staff positions. The recently released independent evaluation of Teach For Australia found that principals report Associates outperform other teachers against all the ‘proficient’ and ‘highly accomplished’ Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, comparing each after two years in the classroom (dandolopartners, 2017). Many of our Alumni are now school leaders in regional communities. Teach For Australia’s model has a number of elements that would benefit regional schools if adopted more broadly. 1.
Proactive recruitment and rigorous selection so only those most suited to the profession enter initial teacher education, and support them to teach regionally.
2.
Training with plenty of practicum and linking theory and practice, with support from experienced teachers providing classroom observation and feedback.
3.
Identifying prospective leaders early and developing them to be school leaders.
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CONTENTS Introduction................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Attracting and selecting top talent to regional communities .......................................................................................... 5 Training high quality teachers and leaders for regional communities .............................................................................. 6 Improving student and school outcomes in regional communities .................................................................................. 8 Building a pipeline of leaders within regional schools ................................................................................................. 11 Driving change and innovation in the education system ............................................................................................... 13 References ............................................................................................................................................................... 14
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INTRODUCTION Students from regional, rural and remote communities face educational disadvantage. Where students live is linked to their outcomes at all stages of education. Students from regional, rural or remote communities tend to show poorer educational outcomes than those from metropolitan communities. They attend school less regularly, are less likely to go to university and, if they do enrol, are more likely to drop out (Mitchell Institute, 2015). Students from remote communities self-report lower levels of belonging, self-confidence and perseverance (Mitchell Institute, 2015). These mindsets are enabling factors for students to be given the strongest chance of school success. In addition to the diverse challenges that these students face, schools in regional communities are not always able to offer the learning environment students need to reach their full potential, based on difficulties involving: ยง ยง ยง
attracting and retaining qualified teaching and leadership staff, including specialist staff such as a numeracy specialist; the expense of running a school due to fewer economies of scale, such as a principal being more expensive per student at a small school versus a large school; and the breadth of available subject options, particularly for students in their senior levels of schooling (Lamb et al., 2014).
Many regional schools also have large numbers of Indigenous Australian students, who face unique challenges. Many Indigenous Australian students begin school with little or no English. Accessing the national curriculum can be extremely difficult for these students, which widens the education gap between Indigenous and nonIndigenous Australian students over time. Despite some gains for Indigenous Australian students in NAPLAN testing since 2008, across all year levels they are on average six times more likely to be below the national minimum standard for literacy and numeracy than non-Indigenous Australian students (ACARA, 2016).
Teach For Australia is partnering with schools in these communities to help break this cycle of disadvantage through quality teaching and leadership.
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ATTRACTING AND SELECTING TOP TALENT TO REGIONAL COMMUNITIES Teach For Australia recruits talented future leaders (university graduates, young professionals and careerchangers with non-education degrees) to teach in schools and communities of greatest need for a minimum of two years. By changing graduate preferences so that high-achievers choose to teach, and do so in low socioeconomic communities, Teach For Australia is unlocking a critical untapped source of talent for the teaching profession. The model attracts Australia’s top talent through intensive recruitment on university campuses across the country and an innovative marketing campaign. Young Australians are attracted to Teach For Australia because of: § § § §
the mission to address educational disadvantage; the opportunity to make an immediate impact; the selective, high-quality nature of the program; the ability to develop strong leadership skills; and the ability to earn a wage as they contribute in the classroom while concurrently earning a Master of Teaching degree.
Through a rigorous multi-stage selection process, applicants are assessed against eight competencies that evidence shows are critical to effective teaching. Since 2010, Teach For Australia has received around 8,000 applications. Applications are growing rapidly every year, reaching 1,535 in 2016. Among Associates, the average Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is 95. Only around seven per cent of applicants are selected and enter the classroom, reflecting the highly selective nature of the program. In 2017, 50 per cent had Advanced degrees, 82 per cent had professional work experience and 100 per cent have significant leadership capability. Teach For Australia is committed to supporting regional, rural and remote schools, actively encouraging potential Associates to relocate to these communities. Associates are attracted to regional areas to experience a different way of life, get involved with the community, and have an immediate impact. We try where possible to place multiple Associates in the same school or schools within an hour drive of one another, which means many Associates are able to live and study together. This has created buzzing Associate and Alumni communities in regional areas across Australia, including Horsham, Shepparton, Gippsland and along the South West Coast in Victoria, Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory, Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and throughout Tasmania.
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TRAINING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND LEADERS FOR REGIONAL COMMUNITIES Having selected Australia’s top talent, Teach For Australia develops Associates through a rigorous Leadership Development Program over two years that includes a 13-week initial intensive, then an 80 per cent teaching load while studying to achieve a Master of Teaching over two years. Further intensives occur in holiday breaks. Experienced coaches (Teaching and Leadership Advisers) provide frequent classroom observation and feedback. Teach For Australia delivers accelerated learning – Associates reach ‘proficient’ standard of the Australian Professional Standard for Teachers, while traditional pathway graduates reach ‘graduate’ standard. The recently released independent evaluation of Teach For Australia found that principals report Associates outperform other teachers against the all the ‘proficient’ and ‘highly accomplished’ teacher standards, comparing each after two years in the classroom (dandolopartners, 2017).
One hundred per cent of principals surveyed indicated they have benefited from Teach For Australia and believe the employment-based pathway is an effective way to train teachers. To prepare Associates for working in regional communities, the local Teaching and Leadership Advisers run regional intensives and regular professional development sessions, bringing in local education experts and school principals and building a community focused on collective impact. We also provide experienced teachers in partner schools with formal and informal training in pedagogical coaching, pastoral care and leadership development to provide mentoring for Associates. In Victoria, Teach For Australia partners with the Country Education Project to expose Associates to the challenges faced by regional students and the research on what works to support them. The recent independent evaluation of Teach For Australia released in 2017 found that:
“Associates highly value the support they receive from Teaching and Leadership Advisers (TLAs) who are experienced teachers that visit them on site, observe classes and provide coaching. TLA support is valued because it is frequent, tailored to specific coaching needs and because Associates can also reach out to TLAs for health and wellbeing support throughout the program. Associates also highly value their networks with other Associates and access them for resources and support.” The evaluation also found that:
“The Teach For Australia program represents innovative practice supporting high-performing candidates in disadvantaged schools, in particular through support from Teaching and Leadership Advisers.”
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WHY TEACH IN REGIONAL, RURAL OR REMOTE COMMUNITIES? Associates and Alumni encourage potential new Associates to teach regionally through attraction events on university campuses, professional societies and online.
“Our students in the Northern Territory have some of the highest rates of disadvantage in health, social well-being, community and education. Creating a classroom culture that students want to be a part of opens up the door to improve their future in all of these areas. My goal for this year is to broaden my students’ conception of what their future could look like.” – Stefanie Farr | Cohort 2017 | Placed at Centralian Middle School in Alice Springs “One of the best things about Kalgoorlie is the scope you have for impact. As with many regional locations, educational inequity is a systemic issue, however the great sense of community in Kalgoorlie provides a great foundation for impact by current and future Associates.” – Cameron Halvorson | Cohort 2016 | Placed at John Paul College in Kalgoorlie “I love teaching in Kalgoorlie because everything I do is part of the school: the school and the community are so intertwined. I don’t think I would ever move back to a city after my experience here because in a community like this, everything I do is contributing to the community.” – Patrick Elliot | Cohort 2016 | Placed at Eastern Goldfields College in Kalgoorlie “There’s always plenty of opportunities for passionate people to join our schools and have direct input into how they operate. A lot of the schools are quite small, so you will play a bigger role than in a sprawling metropolitan school.” – Charlie Williams | Teach For Australia Alumnus and Teaching and Leadership Advisor in Tasmania
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IMPROVING STUDENT AND SCHOOL OUTCOMES IN REGIONAL COMMUNITIES Teach For Australia Associates teach students from Years 7 to 12 across all subject areas, set high expectations for all classes and analyse growth data to target their teaching. Together with our partner schools, we seek to ensure improved student outcomes across the “four As”: § § § §
achieve significant academic growth in student outcomes; experience increased access to opportunities; develop positive attitudes and beliefs about themselves and learning; and develop aspirations, interests and excitement that propels them forward.
The latest (2015) Teach For Australia data shows 89 per cent of principals believe Associates have a greater or significantly greater impact on student achievement than other teachers, comparing each after two years in the classroom, while 11 per cent indicated the impact was about the same.
HORSHAM COLLEGE, NORTHWEST VICTORIA 300 kilometres from Melbourne and with approximately 900 students, 300 of whom travel at length and almost half of whom come from households in the lowest income quartile, Horsham College is the only government secondary school servicing the town and surrounding communities. Officially designated as a difficult to staff school, Horsham College has partnered with Teach For Australia for eight years. Twenty-one Associates have been placed at the College, with current 16 Associates and Alumni currently teaching there. Alumnus Adam Ross is an Acting Assistant Principal and Alumnus Michael Briggs-Miller was also an Acting Assistant Principal until his appointment as Principal of nearby Warracknabeal Secondary College, another Teach For Australia partner school.
INCREASING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Principal Rob Pyers received his first-ever email from a student asking if their teacher would be the same next year – Associate Daniel Garner who teaches humanities and legal studies. To ensure that a student with hearing difficulties could learn with their peers, Daniel rewrote and adapted all Year 8 humanities resources.
CONTRIBUTING TO LEADERSHIP CULTURAL CHANGE Teach For Australia partnered with Horsham College nearing a time of leadership renewal. Associates and Alumni arrived at the College with skills that helped shift teaching practices across the College. Alumnus Daniel Marget took on the challenge presented to him by the College’s leaders and led the development of a school vision and positive behaviours framework.
“Teach For Australia Associates have been a catalyst for change at Horsham College. The energy, aspirations and commitment of Associates have been harnessed to create a better school environment and ultimately impact on student outcomes.” – Rob Pyers, Principal
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DRIVING WELLBEING AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS As Acting Assistant Principal, Alumnus Michael Briggs-Miller managed 12 staff to deliver four programs for approximately 170 disengaged students, designed to improve engagement and transition students to further education or work. Alumnus Adam Ross, then Lead Teacher now Acting Assistant Principal, developed individual education and career action plans for each student, focused on building resilience and relationships. Attendance and engagement is high, improvements are being made in literacy and numeracy and career pathways have developed.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN DRAMA AND LANGUAGES Associate Christopher Summers, a National Institute of Dramatic Arts graduate and recipient of a Patrick White Playwrights’ Award, has expanded the College’s drama program. Disused squash courts have been converted into a performing arts complex and the College now includes drama in both its Victorian Certificate of Education and Vocational Education and Training offerings. The College has made the vocational drama program available to schools across the region, including remote and non-government schools. Another Associate, Kate Alliot, managed the introduction of Spanish as a new subject, developing materials and implementing a program for Years 7 and 8.
TENNANT CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, REMOTE NORTHERN TERRITORY “It’s about helping students believe they can do something, that they can be something. We’re not here to determine what that is, but to help students believe that they can do something if they choose to. The biggest issue is that some students don’t know they have choices.” – Maisie Floyd, Principal at Tennant Creek High School. Tennant Creek High School aims to provide inclusive education for students from very diverse backgrounds by focusing on attendance, participation, literacy and numeracy. A remote school located 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Tennant Creek High School has been a Teach For Australia partner school since 2012, hosting eight Associates to date.
SUPPORTING NEW TEACHERS TO MOVE REMOTELY For teachers who move to work in remote communities like Tennant Creek, a personal and professional adjustment is required. “Coming here is a whole new experience. Each job generally has a personal and professional element, but here it’s a complete change and a potentially overwhelming experience. That’s why having supportive staff and being accessible is important,” says Maisie. Associate Kaija Keski-Nummi has found that “Tennant Creek High School is a safe, welcoming and a supportive environment for all. For me, this was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m becoming a part of the community, building relationships with students and seeing these young people grow into young adults. I’ve lent on my Teach For Australia colleagues for emotional support, and on my leadership team for practice support and development. We are supported but not coddled, and hand in hand with the whole school, progress is being made.”
REALISING STUDENTS’ POTENTIAL Along with many other schools in the Top End, student absenteeism is a significant barrier to learning at Tennant Creek High School. Maisie recognises that of all the different approaches to improving student attendance rates, the most effective – yet most complicated – solution comes from how students see their own potential. “It’s the challenge of how you get people to believe in themselves.”
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Associates have focused on building the literacy and numeracy skills and wellbeing of their students. Over the past three years, Associates at Tennant Creek have used Running Records to assess their students’ reading levels. §
During 2015, Associates Amelia Green and Will Lutwyche assessed their students over a six-month period, showing an average growth of 1.5 years in the reading levels of students who attended school at least 70 per cent of the time.
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In the first six months of 2017, first year Associates Tanith Margetson and Dennis Venning helped their Year 7 classes grow an average of 1.1 years in reading.
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Associate Fiona McRobie has developed a diagnostic tool for teachers to accurately assess the numeracy levels of students, to then help students learn within their zone of proximal development.
Above all, Maisie envisages that her school will enable students to exercise choice over the path that their life will take. To set up a school environment that truly empowers students’ to have choice over the trajectory of their life, Maisie reflects, “Without wellbeing, you’ve got nothing. We need to have academic opportunity, but it has to be around wellbeing.”
“There has been a significant difference to student learning due to the determination and passion that the Associates bring to the classroom and the school.”
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BUILDING A PIPELINE OF LEADERS WITHIN REGIONAL SCHOOLS A major component of Teach For Australia’s mission is to create a pipeline of exceptional school and system leaders to drive innovation in education. This is emerging strongly. Now in just its eighth year, Teach For Australia has produced three principals and five assistant principals. Many Alumni have committed to regional communities, taking on senior leadership roles, including leading teachers, assistant principals and principals. Two of these Alumni, Adam Ross and Celia Fairley, are now leaders at Horsham College and are supporting the local development of teachers in the Wimmera area through establishing the Teach Towards Excellence program. The program has provided 11 teachers across three schools to date with initial training targeting the development of coaching skills and an evidence-based instructional framework, and ongoing classroom observations, debriefing and professional development through a community of practice.
TEACH TO LEAD Teach for Australia is committed to the development of not only Associates and Alumni, but also other great education leaders in the education system from other pathways. Supported jointly by the Sidney Myer Fund and Gandel Philanthropy, Teach To Lead was launched in 2016, and delivers:
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS Teach To Lead helps break the cycle of disadvantage, by focusing exclusively on developing a pipeline of exceptional leaders in disadvantaged schools. Teach To Lead builds the skills that matter most in disadvantaged schools – such as leading change, engaging with communities, lifting teaching performance, and operating with big demands, but tight budgets.
A TRANSFORMATIONAL LIFT IN LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY Short leadership courses only deliver modest change. By contrast, Teach To Lead seeks to radically lift the leadership capacity of great young teachers through a comprehensive twelve-month program, focused on evidence-based curriculum and delivery modes. The program involves: § § § § §
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12 days of high-quality face-to-face learning sessions and access to leadership experts. Focus on four domains: leading self, leading learning, leading others, leading change. At least 10 individual coaching sessions with an experienced coach. Comprehensive 360 feedback, at least twice during the program, with individual debriefs on results. An impact initiative, focused on achieving practical, lasting change in their schools. This strong connection between program content and each participant’s current school based leadership responsibilities means learning is applied immediately. Participants form an ongoing network of like-minded individuals, and continue to support each other’s learning and career acceleration. This includes small peer networks. Rigorous evaluation of program objectives, which informs continuous improvement.
MAXIMUM IMPACT BY TARGETING OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST Through competitive selection, Teach to Lead focuses leadership training on people with exceptional talent, commitment to address educational disadvantage, and potential to lead and drive reform and innovation in education over the long term – whether Teach For Australia alumni or outstanding teachers from the broader system. 11 | TEACH FOR AUSTRALIA Submission to the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education
ATTRACTION AND RETENTION OF TOP TALENT IN EDUCATION By providing a pathway to leadership, Teach To Lead aims to attract and retain our top talent in the teaching profession, and maximise their long-term impact in schools.
SUPPORT FOR SYSTEM-WIDE CHANGE By providing an outstanding cohort experience for our best and brightest school leaders, Teach To Lead builds a powerful network of engaged leaders, committed to system-wide collaboration and innovation in education.
PROVEN IMPACT Two cohorts of the program have commenced to date – 16 in 2016 and 31 in January 2017. Two-thirds of the second cohort are from Victoria, owing to state government funding for the program, and the remainder were selected from New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia. Fortyfive per cent of participants are leaders in regional or rural schools.
100 per cent of participants in the first cohort agree or strongly agree that Teach To Lead has improved their leadership performance more than any other professional activity. 100 per cent of participants agree or strongly agree that they would recommend the program’s workshops to others in their role. Both self-evaluation and feedback from colleagues indicates participants are achieving significant growth across a broad sweep of leadership domains.
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DRIVING CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM Teach For Australia’s Associates and Alumni are driving innovation in education. For instance: §
Partner schools are adopting many Teach For Australia practices – such as mentoring and classroom observation practices – which help to lift teacher quality and student outcomes.
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Two Alumni created Maths Pathway – an eLearning curriculum and pedagogy for Years 5 to 10 which is changing the way maths is taught in partner schools. The e-learning curriculum generates individualised Maths lessons based on a student’s skill level, allowing each student to learn at a pace suited to their ability. The result is a rapid enhancement of student learning. The most gifted students can progress through the curriculum rapidly, while students needing more help no longer have to be left behind. Having only commenced in July 2013, there are already over 170 partner schools across Australia. Maths Pathway report they are more than doubling the rate of student learning in their classrooms.
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An Alumna created Boundless, which provides work experience placement matches for students from disadvantaged outer suburbs and regional schools.
Teach For Australia is passionate about regional, rural and remote schools having quality teachers and leaders, as we know this is the most powerful way to ensure all Australian children, regardless of background, attain an excellent education. Teach For Australia’s model has a number of elements that would benefit regional schools if adopted more broadly. 1.
Proactive recruitment and rigorous selection so only those most suited to the profession enter initial teacher education, and support them to teach regionally.
2.
Training with plenty of practicum and linking theory and practice, with support from experienced teachers providing classroom observation and feedback.
3.
Identifying prospective leaders early and developing them to be school leaders.
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REFERENCES Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2016). National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) national report for 2016. Sydney, Australia: ACARA. dandolopartners (2017). Teach for Australia Program Evaluation Report. Retrieved from https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/final_tfa_public_report.pdf Lamb, S., Glover, S., & Walstab, A. (2014). Session K: educational disadvantage and regional and rural schools. Paper presented at Australian Council for Educational Research Conference on Quality and Equality: what does research tell us? Mitchell Institute (authors Lamb, S., Jackson, J., Walstab, A. & Huo, S.). (2015a). Educational opportunity in Australia 2015: who succeeds and who misses out. Centre for International Research on Education Systems, Victoria University, for the Mitchell Institute. Melbourne, Australia: Mitchell Institute.
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