01 - Department of Education and Communities - NSW Government

EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNINGTeacher Retraining, 1996-1997Area 1996 1997Technology andApplied Studies 24 35Teacher Librarians 76 42Counsellors 33 33CommunityLanguages 29 21Overseas TrainedTeachers 87 132Careers Advisers 31 32Special Education 318 165ESL 58 38LOTE 472 489Total 1128 987}An excellent program. It assists headteachers to train new staff, raises awarenessof responsibility and provides a formalprocess for training and development.This training program was a great learningcurve especially for people working inscience without prior knowledge.~Participant comments onthe Job Skills for SchoolAssistants Working in theScience Area PilotProgram.} The Certificate of AdministrativeLeadership allowed me to put my learninginto practice and enabled me to understandthe roles of various members of staff andparents that make up our extremelysuccessful school community.~Participant in theCertificate course.provided an opportunity for schoolcommunity participation in theprocesses of identifying schoolneeds and planning for wholeschool change.The Certificate ofTeaching and LearningThe Certificate of Teaching andLearning (CTL) providedexperienced teachers withopportunities for professionallearning undertaken in their school.Teachers were able to choose alearning pathway supported bymaterials which focused on currentresearch, learning theories andeffective teaching practices. TheCTL is a two to three semesterprogram with a K-12 focus.Materials dealt with such topics asthe learning continuum, teachingroles and relationships, assessment,evaluation and reporting, andlanguage and learning.The CTL materials were finalisedand distributed to districts in 1997.A core of 26 graduates completedpilot programs commenting on theconfidence the materials gave themin validating their professionaljudgment.Teacher RetrainingIn order to ensure that the teachingworkforce is able to meet emergingeducational needs, the Departmentprovides for teacher retraining in avariety of areas.During 1997 a total of 987 teacherswere retrained, compared with1128 in 1996. Teacher retrainingprograms are linked directly tolabour market needs. By far thelargest number of retrainedteachers are in the area ofLanguages Other than English. Justunder half of all retrainingconcentrated on this area.Quality Teaching andLearning MaterialsQuality Teaching and LearningMaterials are practical, succinctlearning materials which supportschools to improve student learningoutcomes. Over 300 schools areparticipating in a trial of thecompleted modules Assessmentand Reporting, Teaching andLearning in Focus, Language andLearning: Making the Links.Modules to be completed anddistributed to districts for localimplementation in 1998 includeAnalysing and Responding toStudent Learning Outcomes Data,Planning for Improved LearningOutcomes, Equity and Pedagogy.Studies of the effectiveness of thesetraining and development programsshowed that teachers believe thattheir professional learning andunderstanding was enhancedthrough the focus on school-basedresearch. School-focused processesprovided a structure for schools tolook at the effects of theprofessional developmentstrategies they had implemented.School Administrativeand Support Staff(SASS)School Administrative and SupportStaff (SASS) make an importantcontribution to student learningoutcomes through their support ofmanagement, teaching practice andrelationships with parent and localcommunity groups. In 1997, 800SASS participated in theCertificate of AdministrativeLeadership (CAL) which is nowaccredited towards a Bachelor ofProfessional Studies throughSouthern Cross University.Job skills training for SASS ensurethat staff have the skills andunderstanding to undertake their38 DSE Annual Report 1997