Formative evaluation (i.e. when teachers receive feedback on where they are going, how they are going and where to next, in terms of their impact on student learning) is one the most powerful influences on student achievement. As the leader it is important that you fully believe that your fundamental task is to support your teachers to evaluate the effects of their teaching on their students’ achievement. Once teachers become evaluators of the effects of their own teaching, then they are better placed to know what to do next to enhance student learning. These decisions will always be evidence-based. You will be setting up systems and processes to support teachers to mine their student data regularly to evaluate what has been learnt and what needs to be learnt next.
In your leadership role, the teachers are like your own class and your role is to constantly monitor and evaluate the effects of your leadership and the professional development opportunities you give and adjust your support accordingly. You may need to differentiate the learning opportunities for teachers, as they will have a wide range of strengths and needs, just as students do. There will be teachers who have strengths that they can model and share with other teachers, and as the literacy leader you will be identifying these teachers and setting up opportunities for them to share best practice.
‘It is a way of thinking that makes the difference’ (Hattie, 2012)
Published on: 02 Mar 2016
