Bacchus+Marsh

__2009 23rd June - Kelli's update__ This year the school has set up a Learning & Teaching team consisting of L & T co-ord, Literacy and Numeracy and ICT co-ord. The team are meeting fortnightly on Monday's 11.00 till 1.00.

The team have embraced the inquiry learning model for the staff's professional learning. Term 2's PLT meetings were based on staff inquiring. all areass of exploration are based on the school's school improvemnet focus " engagement". John ( classroom teacher ) states " I'm looking forward to sharing my inquiry with my colleagues and hearing what others have discovered." the areas of exploration include reflection, science, myclasses etc

In areas of Curriculum planning the team noted in the baseline data that planning proforma lacked :
 * understandings
 * questions were shallow and not revised / updated
 * planners were inconsistent

the team have set up whole school planning for integrated inquiry, this has shown to deepen the conversations and allows for common undertstanding of the concept. Whole staff brainstorm on diversity visible on chart - shows the strength of collective conversations the staff are tracking the concept through Vels and linking undertsandings for year levels to this.

Paula & Larissa have drafted a proforma for inquiry planning - will share with staff and discuss the givens and areas for adaptations. will share at PLT for feedbcak. PLT areas covered - shring of concepts, tuning in - rotate to identify area of interest.

the staff are planning unit weekly based on students insights and needs - this is the first time discussing the unit together and the value is evident in the langauge growth from the sharing.

I showed them some websites for making thinking visible ( harvard ) & melb declaration site ( 21st century learning needs gave the team the indigenous units from deb V

next PLT outcomes are
 * to cretae shared undertsanding of the concept of cultural Undertstanding
 * explore key elemnets for successful inquiries
 * continue rich dialogue to enhance professional learning

moderation was done across levels in term 2 week 8