Putting SSE into action

Collaboration

Evolving, linked process

New Junior Cycle

Literacy & Numeracy Strategy

School Self Evaluation

Staff Meeting

Teacher Pair Work

Brainstorm (whole staff)

Priorities for action

Literacy especially

written work

SSE Guideline

s

for Post-

Primary Schools

Page 25

SSE Guidelines

for Post-

Primary Schools

Page 84

Preparation N.B.

Core Team

Sharing resources – Google drive

Literacy Methodology resource pack

Teacher & Student journal

resources

No.1

No.2

No.4No.3

Whole School Communication

Core Group

All Teachers

All Students

1

Core Group• 8 Members

• Many Departments Represented

• Varied lengths of service

Experiment & Share

Maths & Science

English

Languages (Irish, French, Spanish & German)

History/ Geography

Practical Subjects (Art, Music & Home Economics)

Business Subjects

P.E./ C.S.P.E./ Careers & Religion

Learning Support

Facilitating Resource Sharing

Google Drive - Five Facilitators

3 were members of core team +2 other

volunteers

Staff trained by

subject departmen

t

Max:6 teachers per session

Focus: various elements of Google Drive:

set up loreto@gmail.com address for all

Upload & Share

resources

Hyperlink Plans

Teachers freed up for training (SnS used)

Initial Training:

2 class periods

Total duration: 2 weeks

2

Teacher Resource Pack

All encouraged to experiment and share experiences

Resource pack given to all staff (see Appendix 7)

Identified pros, cons & recommendations for use

Core Team experimented with various methodologies

(we selected a variety to cover all elements of literacy)

3

Teacher & Student Journal

• To help continuity of focus – reminders.

• LONG, evolving process - part of the SIP.

• Based on our focus – improvements in reading, written work and working together.

• Core team discussed with colleagues & each other to determine contents of journals – 4 page limit.

4

Literacy

Numeracy

Assessment

for Learning

TheProcess

SSE Guidelines

for Post-

Primary SchoolsPage 15

Outcomes Learning Teaching

Surveys written – inspired by:1. Staff attitudes expressed at staff

meeting on areas of focus to be discussed

2. SSE guidelines – followed evaluation criteria and quality statements

•Primary School STens & reports (learning support dept & career guidance counsellor)•Subject depts. analysed state exam results – pdst online tool•As written work was to be our focus, the core team gathered samples of student written work from across the curriculum and error analysis conducted

All first year students brought to computer room class by class – all covered in three class periods (did this twice due to errors in completion!!)

Surveys administered online using Google forms allowing instant analysis.Teachers were asked to complete by a deadline – survey sent to their gmail address.

Outcomes Learning Teaching•Primary School STens scores for reading for the cohort are slightly above the national norms.•The majority of subjects compare favourably to national norms, •Writing error analysis conducted under the following headings: spelling, punctuation and grammar, use of subject specific vocabulary, sequencing and development of answers

•79% of students read for more than 1 hr pw for enjoyment.•41% of students believe their writing is legible and 18% of students edit their work.•29% of students like making their own notes. For 27% it is their favourite way to learn.•89% of students feel most comfortable sharing their ideas in pairs/small groups. 57% of students stated they got a chance to learn this way.

•Focus of teaching is on knowledge and skills•86% of teachers stated they provided opportunities for pair or group work•82% of teachers use comprehension strategies in their teaching•36% of teachers use editing checklists or issue their own set of criteria for writing

Important to Note for analysis and drawing conclusions

Ensure questions are easy to analyse – quantitative rather than qualitative.

Google forms provides instant results. Not all information is useful. Focus on what is important to you as a

school. Remember YOUR school context.

Strengths

• Above national norms in STens & exam results in most departments

• 79% of students read for more than 1 hr pw for enjoyment.

• 82% of teachers use comprehension strategies in their teaching

Weaknesses• Writing error analysis : not satisfactory: - spelling 37%, - punctuation & grammar 52%, - vocabulary 44%, - sequencing 56%, - development 63%.

• 86% of teachers provided opportunities for pair/group work, 52% of students said it was their favorite way to learn and 57% said they got chance to learn this way.

• 36% of teachers use editing checklists

• SSER is a summary of - the school - the findings from step 1, Data Gathering step 2, Analysing.

• Follow the layout on pg 63 of the SSE guidelines for post primary schools

Targets – how to decide?

• Specific

• Measureable

• Achievable

• Realistic

• Timebound

SSE Guidelines pg 68

This is only a snapshot. See: www. http://schoolself-evaluation.ie/post-primary/index.php/school-updates/

Teachers

• Methodologies – tweak to suit (eg traffic lights, 2

stars & a wish)

• Sharing ideas

• Resource sharing

Students• Active & collaborative

learning

• Directed Focus (Writing Editing Checklist)

• Responsibility (for their learning)

Class

Dept

Overall Effects/Changes

Teaching & Learning Culture

more collaborative

Open to new initiatives

eg Health Promoting School

Improved Motivation

Responsibility Restored

Visual impact on school &

classroom –aesthetically more

pleasing

Improved discipline

Targets reached? wont know until

May!

Monitoring

Built into SIP – review dates

Same surveys at end of year –

hope for improvement!!

Review from teacher

observation at staff meeting at

end of year

Good Core Team • dynamic, experiment,• prepared to share, to fail, to try again

Communication• Useful tools eg google drive/ moodle• Regular subject meetings• Use Croke Park Hours – one hour every 6 weeks approx

Easy to administer surveys• Minimise paperwork – google drive – instant analysis• Quantitative info rather than qualitative

Don’t overstretch • Small steps, tickable tasks• Ensure progress can be seen

Not everything goes according to plan • be prepared to redo, change, start again

Give people time to adjust and adapt• Some quicker than others, some not at all!!• Plan at least 2 terms in advance (begin Jan for implementation in Sept)

Use

ful T

ips

Numeracy

• In the process of preparing this at the moment

• Numeracy link person

Next