Browse case studies by region: Northern Metropolitan
There are 57 case studies from Northern Metropolitan region:
Note: all documents are in MS Word. Case studies organised alphabetically by school.
Learning
for Life - Bamboo Room (Teacher Professional Leave)
Belle Vue Park Primary School (10 April 2006)
Jenelle James established a Learning Centre where children from P-4 could
improve their speaking and listening skills by participating in a variety
of activities where language is encouraged and modelled by teachers, aids,
peers and older students. Many new forms of learning have been adopted
and adapted during this period.
Better Teaching, Better Learning (Teacher Professional Leave)
Broadmeadows Cluster (29 May 2006)
The focus is on learning - the development of curriculum practices relating
to what students learn, how teaching facilitates learning and how all
assessment tasks should contribute to learning.
The impact Habits of Mind has on student learning (Teacher Professional Leave)
Broadmeadows Primary School (16 June 2006)
Debra Hosking wanted to investigate the use of Habits of Mind to further
enhance the learning of students at Broadmeadows Primary School. Debra
wanted to find the most effective way of introducing the Habits to the
school community.
Learning Beyond Words (Promising)
Broadmeadows Special Developmental School (14 February 2007)
In regular IDEAS PD afternoons teachers were able to identify common values
through PD activities, often using visual picture cards (an IDEAS resource)
and professional dialogue. Teachers identified their personal pedagogies
and then looked for commonalitites that resulted in pedagogical statements.
Three schools on a Journey (Exemplary)
Broadmeadows West Primary School; Jacana Primary School; Westmeadows
Heights Primary School (04 March 2007)
The Team are rejuvinating and moving the schools forward towards provisioning
and amalgamation through the IDEAS process. They are developing a shared
identity in creating a new shared school community. This allows them to
present a consistent approach in their teaching and learning practices.
Students have your say: Students learn by witnessing other students learning in a non-judgemental discussion groups (Teacher Professional Leave)
Brunswick Secondary College (11 August 2006)
Working in groups and as a class Paul Newson facilitates student "philosophical
discussion" groups that encourage participation and maximises learning,
while maintaining an equitable classroom. Artworks are used to encourage
individual opinions while students gain confidence, vocabulary and engagement.
Art, War and VELS at the National Gallery of Victoria - Turning Policy into Practice (Teacher Professional Leave)
Brunswick Seocondary College (11 August 2006)
Pauline Pearson, the English KLA Coordinator, wanted to develop a model
unit that exemplified best classroom practice using the VELS. Pauline
wanted a unit on an integrated topic that could be used across KLA areas,
in SOSE for example, and one that would incorporate coaching practice
to support staff in extending their range of teaching strategies. Pauline
worked with the SOSE KLA Coordinator, Annie Tsernjavski, to develop this
unit.
'Lost in transition' Moving senior students with disabilities towards increased opportunities and independence (Teacher Professional Leave)
Brunswick Special Developmental School (17 October 2006)
Teachers from an inner city Special Developmental School used their Professional
Development Leave to look at ways of restructuring their curriculum in
line with VELS. They developed units of work that integrated the VELS
strands into a comprehensive and coordinated curriculum for the transition
group of senior students.
Changes are everywhere! (Exemplary)
Bundoora Primary School (14 February 2007)
The school's priority was to develop a coherent platform for a school
vision to be formed that would underpin student engagement and well being
throughout all programs and year levels.
Researching and applying the principles of Reggio Emilia into a Prep to 5 setting (Teacher Professional Leave)
Collingwood College (17 October 2006)
Kerri McCulloch has been working in a Reggio Emilia inspired program for
three years in a prep to grade 3 context, she is now exploring and applying
the principles to a 4/5 context as the parents and students have the expectation
that the program will continue. Kerri has researched and explored this
role as a change leader for this area of the school.
Integrating the curriculum - the Middle Years (Teacher Professional Leave)
Collingwood College (11 August 2006)
A Team of Middle Years teachers from Collingwood College have investigated
and trialled approaches to integrating the curriculum Years 6 - 8. A Professional
Learning team has been developed to research, plan, implement, reflect
on pedagogies that promote improved student engagement and a professional
learning culture.
The Island (Exemplary)
Collingwood College (11 January 2006)
Students are accepted for enrolment at The Island following an application
process which involves an initial interview with their parent or guardian,
after which they may be invited to apply for a four day tiral at The Island.
At the end of this trial, prospective students receive feedback from their
peers and staff with whom they have worked. A place at The Island is dependent
on the successful completion of the trial.
Follow-up of Primary Newly Arrived Students who had exited the Program to a mainstream school two or more years earlier (Teacher Professional Leave)
Collingwood English Language School (20 March 2006)
Anne Joiner and Juliette Haggett focused their TPL on the transition process
of Newly Arrived students who had exited from the New Arrival program
two or more years prior to the commencement of the project. The Project
aimed to gain information about learning needs and achievements; CSF levels
attained in mainstream schools; literacy needs; welfare needs; absenteeism
rates and student self esteem and confidence.
Producing Best Practice Year 7 Curriculum Materials (Teacher Professional Leave)
Distance Education Centre, Victoria (08 February 2006)
To improve their middle years numeracy teaching, three teachers at the
Distance Education Centre visited other schools and participated in a
range of learning activities. They used what they'd learnt to develop
new Year 7 maths curriculum materials which, in turn, led to engaged students
and better results.
Capturing Teacher Expertise through IDEAS (Promising)
Eltham High School (14 February 2007)
Eltham High School has a unique culture and a large number of highly experienced
teachers who are likely to retire in the next five years. The school entered
the IDEAS project to capture, articulate and transfer the culture and
the teachers' expertise before they left. The School also wanted to set
up a framework to align school processes and procedures and to improve
student learning outcomes.
An Integrated Approach to the Reporting and Assessment Process (Teacher Professional Leave)
Eltham Primary School (10 July 2006)
To implement a whole new approach to Reporting and Assessment by integrating
the use of student portfolios, student lead three way conferences and
the new student report card.
Assessment and Reporting Journey (Teacher Professional Leave)
Eltham Primary School (18 January 2007)
This intention of this project was for Lena Clark to initiate the implementation
of a new approach to reporting and assessment into the school. This was
to be done through research and professional development to inform her
of best practices.
Improving School Engagement using IDEAS (Promising)
Erinbank Secondary College (15 January 2007)
The School is attempting to improve student connectedness and engagement
to staff and the College. They are attempting to identify and implement
school-wide pedagogy that is consistent and engaging for all students
with a view to improving student learning outcomes.
Purposeful teaching and student attainment - 'We cannot work to create a future which we do not first imagine' (Teacher Professional Leave)
Fitzroy High School (17 October 2006)
Fitzroy High School aims to personalise each student's learning. This
means knowing students as learners, shaping the learning experience to
the individual and both supporting and extending student learning in all
areas.
Positive Behaviour Support implementation: A case study for a child with Angelman Syndrome (Teacher Professional Leave)
Glenroy Specialist School (16 June 2006)
This case study explores the usefulness of the Positive Behavioural Support
(PBS) approach in achieving meaningful behaviour change and to improve
the quality of life for a child with Angelman Syndrome. A functional assessment
was conducted to determine the purpose of his inappropriate behaviours
and then appropriate interventions implemented.
Community Action Teams (CAT's) - A Program where Year 5 and 6 students participated in series of six teams to improve the local and broader community (Teacher Professional Leave)
Greenhills Primary School (01 August 2006)
The Community Action Teams at Greenhills Primary School is an initiative
that focuses on providing leadership, motivation and engagement with all
Year 5 and 6 students. Six different teams were created with the core
purpose of addressing an important area of need in the local and broader
community. Each Team developed a specific action plan that took learning
out of the classroom and into an authentic, real world context.
Grimshaw Kids Leadership (GKLT) (Exemplary)
Grimshaw Innovations & Excellence Cluster (23 November 2006)
Grimshaw Cluster aimed to improve the leadership skills of students and
develop another strand to connect the nine schools in the Cluster.
Battle of the Brains (Exemplary)
Grimshaw Innovations and Excellence Cluster (23 November 2006)
The aim of the Grimshaw Cluster's Battle of the Brains Program was to
continue to encourage the Middle Years students in our Cluster to think
creatively. We also continued to strengthen the link between cluster schools
and help to make the transition from Primary to Secondary more comfortable.
FOCUS Sessions and Building Connections Sessions (Promising)
Grimshaw Innovations and Excellence Cluster (23 November 2006)
Grimshaw Cluster want to provide a forum for communication and sharing
between cluster schools. The Cluster want to encourage teachers to celebrate
their knowledge and achievements whilst also providing time to form links
and strengthen bonds with other teachers.
Creating Pathways and Branching Out (Exemplary)
Hillcrest Secondary College (14 February 2007)
The School us developing a common language to facilitate the transition
into Education Provision. This language has allowed the school to engage
in skillful discussion about teaching and learning practices within their
school.
We're on the same page (Exemplary)
La Trobe Secondary College (14 February 2007)
Teachers needed to know how to 'like' and 'trust' each other and rediscover
'who they were', 'who their students were' and 'how to engage them'. Through
this evolved their 'own real identity'. They developed an 'effective'
school wide pedagogy to suit 'their' uniqueness. Teachers developed a
meaningful 'vision' and set of 'values' that has led to school renewal.
Oral Language Development Through Play (Teacher Professional Leave)
Lalor East Primary School (10 July 2006)
Visiting other primary schools and kindergartens that operate Oral Language
Programs based on Educational Play we needed to find out how to establish
an Oral Language Centre. What are the optimal conditions that would ensure
an improvement in the Oral language of Lalor East Primary School students?
The role and impact of the primary welfare officer (Teacher Professional Leave)
Lalor North Primary School (20 March 2006)
Primary Welfare Officer Georgina Bonzos explored her role by carrying
out an investigative study and literature review. She also shadowed other
Primary Welfare Officers and was able to gain useful insights into the
way which they dealt with absenteeism, engagement and community involvement.
Getting some IDEAS (Promising)
Lalor North Secondary College (14 February 2007)
The school addressed connectedness, shared values and common pedagogical
principles. This was done by developing a new school vision, based on
the values that the school shared across the school community. This was
intended to help create a more cohesive community, develop a renewed sense
of purpose and lead towards a school wide pedagogy.
Intercultural Dialogue Project (Teacher Professional Leave)
Lalor North Secondary College (24 July 2006)
The College has taken initiatives in the area of intercultural dialogue,
and finding ways to unconceal and appreciate cultural richness in the
community.
Engaging the middle years through enquiry, digital storytelling and community involvement (Teacher Professional Leave)
Lynall Hall Community School (17 October 2006)
Community school teacher, Phil Kakulas, investigates how to make the curriculum
more engaging for 'at risk' students in Years 9 and 10 using a combination
of digital storytelling, enquiry based learning and community involvement.
Learning together to build a bright future (Exemplary)
Meadow Fair North Primary School (14 February 2007)
The School is working together to improve the effectiveness of their learning
community by aligning theirr beliefs and understandings about pedagogy.
By articulating, commiting to and reflecting on their agreed practice
the school aims to meet the learning needs of their students and staff.
Breaking the Habit of Civility - Pedagogy as an intellectual undertaking- (Teacher Professional Leave)
Melbourne Girls' College (11 August 2006)
This proposal aims to create a supportive environment for the trialling
of new pedagogies in integrated studies classrooms; creating a community
of teachers as learners, focussed on methods and strategies for deepening
their student's understandings.
Artists in Schools 2006 - Make us laugh! (Exemplary)
Melbourne Girls' College (11 January 2007)
n 2006 Melbourne Girls' College developed a project entitled 'Make Us
Laugh!' Which focused on the artistry and explored the influence of comedy.
Artist in residence, Damian Callinan worked with a diverse group of Year
9 students and their World of Ideas (WOI) teachers to create polished,
original performances for the inaugural Melbourne Girls' College Community
Comedy Festival. The project was born out of a comedy unit the shool undertook
in 2005 but felt that the expertise of a professional would steer the
project in the required direction. In late September 2005 the school applied
for Artists in Schools funding to emply comedian, Damian Callinan.
Supporting the Mini Sets Program (Teacher Professional Leave)
Mill Park Secondary College (29 May 2006)
Using the thinking curriculum, support materials were designed and adapted
in line with VELS and POLT, to be used by English classroom teachers when
using the Mini Sets with their students (Year 7-9).
We can do it better: VCAL and VET (Teacher Professional Leave)
Mill Park Secondary College (22 June 2006)
Mill Park Secondary College has recognised a need to promote the uptake
of both VET and VCAL for those students who might most benefit from "hands
on" styles of learning.
Supporting the Mini Sets Program (Teacher Professional Leave)
Mill Park Secondary College (17 October 2006)
Using the thinking curriculum, support materials were designed and adapted
in line with VELS and POLT, to be used by English classroom teachers when
using the Mini Sets with their students (Year 7-9).
VELS in the Middle Years (Teacher Professional Leave)
Mill Park Secondary College (Middle Years Campus) (18 January 2007)
The College needed to conduct an audit of the current curriculum practices
and processes in Middle School to align them with VELS.
Engagement in Grade 5/6 (Teacher Professional Leave)
Morang South Primary School (08 February 2006)
The Team at Morang South Primary School wanted to extend and support learning,
reduce student absenteeism and prepare children for their future, especially
their technological future. To do this they used eLearning in the classroom.
Schools Dialogue Project (Promising)
Northcote High School (20 October 2006)
The Team wanted to improve the way the school community acknowledges and
responds to cultural and religious diversity through the use of dialogue.
Linking Pedagogy to Space: Teaching for the Future within an Innovative Building Design (Teacher Professional Leave)
Oak Park Primary School (21 November 2006)
Working with Oak Park Primary School's new building design, as set by
the Department of Education and Training, the Team has researched and
investigated how to best use the building space to create an environment
that will sustain future directions and embrace changes in Education.
DVD - PoLT Re-View, Re-Flect Re-Energise our teaching practice (Teacher Professional Leave)
Pascoe Vale South Primary School (22 June 2006)
PoLT Coordinator and Innovations and Excellence Coordinator Dora Menz
created a 20 minute DVD about the Principles of Learning and Teaching.
The DVD documented the experiences and reflections of teachers and coordinators
as they implemented PoLT in their schools.
Effective Teaching of Mathematics in the Early Years (Teacher Professional Leave)
Pascoe Vale South Primary School (22 June 2006)
Early Years Numeracy Trainer and Prep classroom teacher Anne Bashford
undertook a Master of Education degree at Australia Catholic University.
This course offers a specialisation in Early Years Numeracy, including
an Intervention and Additional Assistance unit.
Restructuring the curriculum for VELS (Teacher Professional Leave)
Pender's Grove Primary School (29 May 2006)
The Team will audit and evaluate the current curriculum. Both will research
and attend professional development to inform them of best practices.
The Team will work with students and staff to rethink curriculum organisation
in line with VELS.
Investigating best teaching and learning practice in exemplary schools, specifically investigating best practice in the Later Years (Teacher Professional Leave)
Peter Lalor Secondary College (20 March 2006)
Adrienne Johnson investigated best practice in "Like" and exemplary schools
in the Later Years, access post-graduate studies in professional learning
to refine and develop the research and share professional learning by
means of PD in the Later Years Learning Team.
Defining a Developmental Curriculum for First Year Primary Children and the Implications for Staff (Teacher Professional Leave)
Princes Hill Primary School (10 July 2006)
The Professional Learning team set out to investigate the premise that
a child's developmental stage and their learning are intertwined and how,
the child's interests cannot be separated from the learning experiences
schools provide for them. Play and project based learning was not merely
inserted as an 'add on' to the existing Prep program, but rather became
as an integral element of Princes Hill's own innovative curriculum.
Investigating pedagogical practices to support the young deaf learner (Teacher Professional Leave)
Rosanna Golf Links Primary School, Deaf Facility (16 June 2006)
Teacher of the Deaf, Jan Wigley, explored ways in which provision is made
for deaf and hearing impaired students to learn within mainstream education.
Jan visited five other Deaf Facilities and one school in metropolitan
Melbourne to gain insights into pedagogy, curriculum and observe exemplary
practice.
Engaging and Motivating Students using an inquiry approach to VELS (Exemplary)
Roxburgh College (14 February 2007)
The need to respond to VELS saw the birth of the Inquiry Model into unit
development at As a school, teachers felt that this was the best model
to assist in the implementation of VELS. Inquiry Learning has stimulated
reform and improved classroom practice. Unit planning included John Munro's
literacy strategies, VELS, POLT and the new Assessment and Reporting advice.
Its success has been in the practical alignment of these strategies and
principles. Roxburgh College has made a firm commitment to improving learning
and teaching.
Thinking P - 6 @ Sherbourne (Teacher Professional Leave)
Sherbourne Primary School (10 July 2006)
This project will be the impetus for sustained improvements in teaching
and learning leading to improved student outcomes. Sherbourne students
will become responsible risk takers as they validate their knowledge enabling
them to create new knowledge, build ideas and make connections between
them.
Nanotechnology in the classroom - A daring innovation to revitalise the science curriculum (Teacher Professional Leave)
St Helena Secondary College (10 July 2006)
The purpose of this Program was to investigate the teaching of nanotechnology
to secondary school students. Seven teachers learnt about nano-science
and its applications of nanotechnologies and the practical and social
issues associated. A semester-long nanotechnology program for Year 10
Science was developed and activities were introduced in 7-9 science and
11 chemistry.
At the Cutting Edge - Innovations in ICT, teacher practice and student learning (Teacher Professional Leave)
Streeton Primary School (11 August 2006)
The Team initially investigated the latest Information and Communication
Technology innovations and best practice through research and school visits.
The main foci was to observe how information and communication technology
components were being used to engage students, and how teachers implemented
their use in the classroom.
Emotional Intelligence - Empowering and Educating School Communities (Teacher Professional Leave)
Sunbury/Diggers Rest Network (20 March 2006)
The Team developed an interest in the implications of Emotional Intelligence
for school communities. The aim of their TPL was to research and develop
an educational framework for Emotional Intelligence and to link with and
build on a current research initiative by Swinburne University 'Centre
for Neuropsychology' into Emotional Intelligence in a school setting.
Think Outside The Brain You Live In: Teaching and Learning For Thinking (Teacher Professional Leave)
Thomastown Meadows Primary School (10 July 2006)
Shadowing educational consultant Karen Green provided an inspirational
opportunity to develop theoretical knowledge on thinking curriculum and
to observe the practical application of theories in a variety of educational
settings.
Skill shortages - live with them or do something about them? (Teacher Professional Leave)
Thomastown Secondary College (24 July 2006)
The term "skill shortages" appears to be the flavour of the month - Frank
Gaylard wanted to find out what various groups were doing about skill
shortages and particularly what others thought that schools should be
doing about it. Can we realistically expand school-industry links in our
area so that students are aware of real job pathways?
Improving Early Years Literacy through establishing leadership in the Early Years team (Teacher Professional Leave)
Watsonia Primary School (10 July 2006)
Through training as the Early Years Co-ordinator, Shannon Wright hopes
to enrich and broaden literacy programs and practice at Watsonia Primary
School. To develop her knowledge of the role, she also shadowed the co-ordinator
from another school.
Challenge, Inspire, Succeed (Growth though knowledge) (Promising)
Whittlesea Secondary College (14 February 2007)
The College identified community perceptions of their Vision, Values and
student behaviours and pedagogy varied widely. In order to improve teaching
and learning outcomes the school needed to develop a clear vision to achieve
a unified approach to whole school improvement.
Spelling Reform @ Willmott Park (Teacher Professional Leave)
Willmott Park Primary School (02 November 2006)
Year 1/2 teacher Josie Stocchero, Year 3/4 teacher Brendan Chugg and Year
5/6 teacher Michelle Dall'Est investigated different approaches to spelling
through literature review and action research. They also visited different
schools to gain insight into their spelling programs and their effectiveness.
They were particularly looking for a program that could be used easily
and efficiently in their school.
