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The best aspects of the course were the videos. It makes it so much easier to see strategies in action than just read about them and then try to implement from what you read. The course has helped me implement strategies that are actually creating positive change in my classroom and slowly but surely turning around a number of those difficult students. 
Jack McMaster,
Wadalba Community School, 22.7.18

Course Overview


​A 6-12 month professional learning journey for your staff

The course is relevant to teachers globally; accredited in NSW.
Are you a school leader who understands that genuine learning can only occur when students are engaged? Are you looking to significantly improve the engagement of students at your school? If yes then know that the school-wide version of this course (Create an engaged learning environment with your students) was designed for you.

Two aspects to the school-wide program involving the 'Student-engagement' course
There are two aspects to the school-wide implementation of this online program:

Aspect One
The first aspect is the online content. The content is delivered online and is available 24/7 to all participants. It is the same content accessed by individual participants of the course. This page, addressed to individual participants, explains the value of the online content. It is recommended you read this information before proceeding to the information specific to the school-wide approach.

Aspect Two
The second aspect to the school-wide version involves the coordination of collaboration between the teachers from your school who are participating in the program. This involves one or more leaders from your school. The first step towards setting up a school-wide student engagement program is a 20-minute phone call with the creator/facilitator. This page provides information about the school-wide program and allows you to book a phone call. ​

Course Modules

​​1. Overview / Getting Started ( 30 min )
Participants are welcomed to the course and 'meet' the presenter/facilitator. The course requirements are explained. Participants introduce themselves via an introductory post.  

2. Teacher Development (1 Hour) (1 hr)
What is engaged learning? What are the common (lack of) engagement issues teachers face today? What qualities are required for a teacher to change? Participants reflect upon and respond to these and other questions regarding the task of cultivating engaged learners. 

3. Student Centred Learning (1.5 hrs)
Participants share their favourite engagement/management strategies. Participants then critically watch/read and reflect upon two videos and an article regarding the value of well-run student-centred tasks and share the aspects from these they would like to implement.

4. Praising to Manage (1.5 hrs)
This session is about more than the 'Praise is good' mantra. This is about turning around an off-task class with a strategy we refer to as 'Praising to manage'. Participants critically view 3 videos in sequence including the associated notes, reflecting on each. A summary post is required at the end regarding the applicability of the strategy to their specific needs.  

5. Student discipline meetings (1 hr)
This session is all about turning around individual poor behaviour. One of the simplest, most effective strategies to achieve this is the 'Minute after class' strategy. But it needs to be executed well. Teachers are guided through a video and two article which show the merits of using an intelligent approach which enables the student to volunteer for change and uses an "I'm on your side and am here to help you change" rather than a "You did the wrong thing and this is your punishment" approach. 
Participants reflect on the example dialogue provided as well as other useful tips to help facilitate behaviour turnarounds. 

6. Good structure, good questions, engaged learners! (1.25 hrs)
Commonly, the difference between a great lesson and a poor lesson simply comes down to Lesson Structure - starters, transitions, the level of explicitness re instructions and endings. (And no, we did not 'get' this at uni - all teachers need to revisit these ideas!) Participants explore two readings, reflect upon their findings and share their intentions for implementation. In addition to honing their lesson structure participants reflect on a video and a reading regarding the use of quality questioning techniques, again sharing their views and plans for implementation. 

7. Rapport, control and being transparent (1 hr)
The task of assuming authentic control with students is a big topic and this session explores it in depth. Participants critically view and read five readings and two videos which explore the characteristics of authentic control and tips on how to achieve it. Related to this theme are the aspects of rapport and being transparent with students. Participants share their reflections and intentions for change via four posts.

8. Spoon feeding, choice & your students' shoes (1 hr)
Three separate 'mini-topics'. 1) Becoming a 'spoon-feeder' of your students is almost inevitable in today's education world of standards and pressure for results. However, 'Spoon Feeding' is always a losing game in the long-term. 2) Offering choice to students is a proven and simple way to increase engagement in students. 3) What's it like being a student in your classes? Would you feel talked down to? Would you feel exhausted through being (physically) inactivity? In this session, participants read three articles and view two videos, reflect on these three key ideas and share their thoughts and plans for implementation.

Paired Module 9A: Turning around an off-task class (Total time for paired modules 2 hours)
As the title implies, this module is all about student management. Participants critically view 4 excellent videos, each featuring a 'turn around' example where strategies were implemented which significantly turned around a previously disruptive and challenging class. Participants share a reflective comment on each video and comment on aspects they are inspired to implement. 

Paired Module 9B: Quality teaching and engagement (Total time for paired modules 2 hours)
This session features 4 excellent video examples of quality teaching in action, with exceptional dialogue between each teacher and the observing consultant. A reflective post for each video is required. 

10. Strategy Implementations and Reports  (2 hrs)
Participants submit their three implementation reports during this session. In addition, they each submit a document outlining specific changes in their teaching practice they are looking to accomplish over the next two years.

12. Course Completion (15 min)
The course completion process including accreditation information, a short survey, staying in touch and options for continued access.

FAQs

It says '6-12 month learning journey'. But when does the course commence? 
You choose a commencement date which best suits your needs. This is done in collaboration with the facilitator.  

Is this an accredited professional learning workshop in NSW, Australia? 
It is, however, it requires an extra fee. It is a little complicated but if you send us a message via the contact form we'll explain. (Make sure you reference the course name in your message.)

What happens some team members don't finish the course within the alloctaed time?
Teachers have hectic lives, and sometimes things get in the way of completing a course in the allocated time. Be assured that if this happens to you, and you are keen to complete, we will do enable you to do so.  ​​

Will  my team have to be logged in at specific times?
The course is self-paced and accessible 24/7. There is no requirement for participants to be logged in at any specific time.

Example Implementation Reports

A requirement of the course is to create a collaborative, online unit, implement the unit with students and submit a report on the implementation experience. Below is an abbreviated implementation report.

Wow! What a great start I’ve had to the year. Strategies I have implemented are: independent learning including think-pair-share, collaborative learning, questioning, praising-to-manage. the Kagan approach, minute after class, group work and roles, colour coding and round-robin discussions. (1000 words of detail removed from the original report)
After implementing 'Praising to manage' I couldn’t believe the effect it had on the others who immediately stopped and looked at me.  Who knew it could be such an attention grabber?! The smiles I’ve been seeing on faces has been fantastic. Even my most surly/uncooperative year 10 student now says hello to me when I greet him - clearly, this has all helped build rapport between us. 
The boys have given me really positive feedback so far too.  
I can’t thank you enough, Richard, for helping me to shift my focus and understand (finally) what it means to be student-centred.  I’m feeling so much more positive and relaxed about my teaching that even my husband has commented that I’m very calm and not cranky anymore... and that’s a miracle! Anne O’Rourke, Brisbane Grammar School, Feb 2016

Download the course flyer and share with your team

Create an engaged learning environment with your students (school-wide approach) - General flyer
NSW teachers - If you are looking for NESA accredited hours send us a message via the contact form

Info for NSW, Australia

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​Completing ‘Create an engaged learning environment for your students’ (school-wide version) will contribute 15 hours of QTC Registered PD addressing 3.2.2, 4.1.2, 6.3.2 and 6.4.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW. 

A 1 min promo video for the school-wide
​student engagement program 

Testimonials

I thought this was a fantastic course and great for every teacher, from the beginner to the experienced. I liked that it considered both the teacher who needs to focus on behaviour as well as the teacher whose major concern in engagement. The best part of this course is the specific examples given. It is so easy for information to say "praise your students" but it can be difficult to know exactly how to do this and what words to use. This course does exactly that- gives phrases, words and ideas on how to implement the strategies. I also found this course to be very encouraging and it provides a safe online environment where I felt open to share my issues or concerns with classes, without judgement. I think this was also attributed to how open the course facilitator is with his own past experiences, reflections and evaluations. I am definitely inspired by this course and I feel more equipped and confident to engage and manage students in the classroom.  
Laura Drake-Brockman ‘Create an engaged learning environment’, Hunter River High School, Nov 2017
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