Student Learning

Programs – Coaching Initiatives

Overview of the initiative

During 2009 the following coaching initiatives being continued across Victoria:

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Literacy and Koorie Literacy
  • Ultranet

200 Teaching & Learning Coaches and 50 Ultranet Coaches have been funded for 2009.

45 Literacy Coaches and15 Koorie Literacy Coaches have been funded for 2009-2011.

All Coaches will form part of the Victorian regional school improvement teams and will work with teachers in identified schools for specified periods of time.  Their focus will be on building teacher capacity in order to improve student learning outcomes. Coaching will take place in teacher’s classrooms with the goal of improving the quality of teaching in literacy, mathematics and science and supporting high quality use of the Ultranet for planning and delivery of curriculum online.  

 

Aims of the initiative

The aims of the initiatives are to improve:

  • student learning outcomes, especially in the areas of literacy, mathematics and/or science, for students in identified schools
  • teacher knowledge and skills related to effective literacy, mathematics and science teaching
  • teacher capacity in the use of ICT, particularly for online curriculum planning, assessment and delivery in preparation for the Ultranet
  • school capacity to support improved student learning outcomes.

 

 

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Support for coaches

Central office is providing induction and ongoing professional learning for all coaches during 2009. This professional learning is differentiated according to the needs of coaches and is designed to build coaches’:

  • pedagogical knowledge base in literacy, mathematics and/or science
  • expertise in coaching approaches
  • familiarity with DEECD resources in literacy, mathematics, science, and eLearning
  • understanding of culturally inclusive curriculum that recognises student diversity; and confidence in using ICT for teaching and learning.

The professional learning includes extensive training for Ultranet coaches to support them to prepare schools for the implementation of the Ultranet.

Regions also provide an induction program for all coaches and provide ongoing professional learning which meets the needs of their region and coaches.

Guidelines are available for each Initiative. These provide an overview of the Initiative and the core responsibilities of regions, principals, coaches and teachers in implementing the Initiative.

A core document in developing approaches to coaching is ‘Coaching in Context’, a paper written for the Initiative by Julie Boyd.

 

Evaluation and accountability

Monitoring and evaluation are integral to these Initiatives. All coaches and schools are participating in the system-wide evaluation, which covers the life of each Initiative.

These Initiatives will be a focus of the school’s Strategic Plan, Annual Implementation Plan and Principal’s Performance and Development Plan. The role and impact of the coaches in schools will be monitored through the School Accountability and Improvement Framework.

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