Life-Long Learning
‘Life-long learning’ is a phrase widely used in education today, and is epitomised by the culture of Professional Learning at Ruyton. Great value is placed on the learning of both staff and students, with the belief that, as staff continue to further their knowledge and skills as learners and teachers, they will be able to provide optimal learning environments in which our students can achieve their potential.
Professional Learning Activities
In 2010 Ruyton staff have undertaken a myriad of professional learning activities, including a number of whole-School events. The year commenced with the annual Ruyton/Trinity Professional Learning afternoon, hosted this year by Trinity Grammar School. Ms Celia Lashlie, international best-selling author and storyteller, addressed this session. Ms Lashlie is also a researcher and social justice advocate and was the first woman prison officer to work in a male prison in New Zealand, later becoming the Manager of Christchurch Women's Prison. Celia’s stories about her life and work, both in the Correctional System and more recently as a researcher, left us in fits of laughter but also provided some poignant insights into the challenges of adolescence. Her book He'll be OK: Growing Gorgeous Boys into Good Men, based on the Good Man Project she undertook in 25 boys' schools in New Zealand, provides powerful insight not only for those of us working with boys as part of the Ruyton/Trinity Co-ordinate programme, but for anyone who works or lives with members of the opposite gender, be they male or female.
Dr Richard Eisenmajer
On the Staff Day at the beginning of Term 2 we were fortunate to participate in a presentation by Dr Richard Eisenmajer. Richard is a widely acclaimed researcher and practitioner in the diagnosis and support of children and adults with high functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome, and founder of the Melbourne-based ASD Clinic. His presentation helped us not only understand how this syndrome is diagnosed, but also provided staff with a clearer understanding of the daily challenges faced by students coping with Asperger’s at school and home. He offered suggestions as to how we can support them in their learning, and in their social and emotional development. On this day we also welcomed Mr Eric Bottomley, Sustainability Projects Team Leader and AuSSI Vic Facilitator, who worked with staff to complete the Accreditation Checklist for the Energy Module of the Resource Smart Schools AuSSI Vic Programme.
First Aid
Ensuring staff have appropriate First Aid qualifications is a priority at Ruyton, and all staff update their training every three years, or more regularly if required. An annual CPR update is undertaken as well as regular updates relating to Anaphylaxis and Asthma. In 2010 we employed the services of Patch and Dispatch to provide high quality and engaging training for our staff.
New Australian Curriculum
2011-2012 will see the implementation of Phase One of the new Australian Curriculum, with compulsory Curriculum from Prep to Year 10 in English, History, Mathematics and Science. Ruyton staff have spent considerable time in 2010 developing an understanding of the terminology, scope and requirements of the new Curriculum, and providing detailed feedback to the Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA) on the draft Curriculum documents provided earlier in the year.The release of the final Curriculum in these four learning areas is scheduled for December, and once this is published staff will spend considerable time in 2011 working in teams to develop programmes which will continue to provide our students with the best learning opportunities whilst meeting the requirements of the new Curriculum.
ICT
Most staff would comfortably describe themselves as ‘digital immigrants’, whilst our students are most certainly natives of the digital age. An ongoing professional learning priority is the need for staff to maintain and develop a range of ICT skills, and to utilise ICT applications to enhance student learning outcomes. A group of 14, including staff new to Ruyton and existing staff members, attended the ICT Summer School, held prior to the commencement of Term 1 in 2010, in order to hone their skills in the use of Tablet computer technology, ONENOTE, and a range of web applications, with ICT consultant Mr Stuart Deane. Ongoing ICT professional learning has focussed on further development of these skills as well as the introduction of DYKNOW, a classroom management and interactive education software package currently used in Years 5 and 6 classrooms to facilitate collaboration. Staff participants in the Invergowrie Exemplary Teacher Programme have also undertaken a research project into the use of Nings, a Web 2.0 application, as a learning tool, and the impact of their use on student learning.
Staff Review
The Staff Review process is a key component of the Professional Learning Programme at Ruyton, with staff encouraged to work collaboratively to enhance teaching and learning, to reflect on their development as educators and learners, and to set goals which guide their ongoing growth and development. The ability to provide constructive, effective and useful feedback to other staff is vital to the success of this process, and over 20 staff have undertaken professional learning relating to Coaching over the past two years
In addition to this diverse range of professional learning, Ruyton staff continue to develop pastoral skills and awareness, knowledge of their disciplines and a deeper understanding of the pedagogy which will enable them to support students in developing a firm foundation for their life-long learning journey.
Mrs Cathryn Furey Acting Director of Learning