National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference

Teacher and Student Engagement

Melbourne August 31st 2011

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Conference Melbourne August 31st 2011

Teacher and Student EngagementListening to the Voices

Brian Giles-Browne

Acknowledgement of Country

• We Acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

• We Acknowledge that this land is, was and always will be traditional Aboriginal land.

Keynote Outline

• Dare to Lead – What do we do ?• What is “Engagement” ?• What does research tell us ?• What are the elements of “Engagement”• Student voices

Lets Engage

• Paper, Rock, Scissors

• What’s your story? (Name, Birthplace, Workplace, Heritage, Why are you here?)

LeadershipIdentityFamily

Community

Relationships

Leadership forPositive

ClassroomRelationships

Leadership ofA

StrongProfession

Leadership for

CommunityPartnership

Leadership for

CulturalIntelligence

Through

Quality Planning

Through

Health andWell Being

Through

Planned Transitions

Through

AppropriateCurriculum

Improved

TimeTrust

Learning OutcomesSchool Leadership

Quick Quiz

• What do Hilary Swank, Sidney Portier and Richard Dreyfus have in Common ?

• What was the name of the movies ?• What was the common theme?

“ENGAGEMENT” So what is it ?

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1wWCR7Z1VA&feature=related

• In your table groups come up with a definition that you are all happy with. What does “Engagement” mean to you ?

PISA (OECD) Engagement Definition

• The term student engagement is used to refer to students attitudes towards themselves, their schooling and their participation in school activities.

• Knowing who you are; the level of strength of attachment to, or belonging in, the school environment and the level of participation in varied aspects of school life.

• What does “good” engagement look like, feel like and sound like ?

What does research tell us about Engagement ?

• PISA, OECD Report 2003• Finn and Voelkl 1993• Skinner and Belmont 1993• Maiers 2002• Mulford• Purdie, Milgate and Bell 2011• What Works 2010• MindMatters / Community Matters

ENGAGEMENT

Student

Teacher

Expe

ctati

ons

Rela

tions

hips

What does research tell us about “engagement” ?

ENGAGEMENT

Student

TeacherEx

pect

ation

s

Rela

tions

hips

BelongingAccepted, Valued, Motivated, Enthusiastic, Optimistic, Respected, Curious, Interested, Challenged, Identify with the school

ParticipatingAttendance, Friendship Group, Social Success, Sporting Involvement, Recreational Involvement, Learning Involvement, Relevance, Purpose, Punctuality, Meeting deadlines.

BeingIdentity, Emotional strength and well being, Values , Resilience , Confidence, Sense of place and purpose.

Being

• What is happening in your school to understand, recognise and acknowledge the many contexts that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students bring to the school ?

Belonging

• What does your school do to understand, enrich, nurture and enhance the feeling of “Belonging” for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ?

Participation

• What does your school do to enhance the participation level of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across all activities and environments?

ENGAGEMENT

Student

Teacher

Expe

ctati

ons

Rela

tions

hips

BelongingAccepted, Valued, Motivated, Enthusiastic, Optimistic, Respected, Curious, Interested, Valued, Challenged, Identify with the school

ParticipatingAttendance, Friendship Group, Social Success, Sporting Success, Recreational Success, Learning Success, Relevance, Purpose, Punctuality, Meeting deadlines.

PersonalRespectful, trustworthy, fun, fair, personable, consistent, predictable, caring

ProfessionalKnowledge, Culturally Intelligent, Learning is relevant, Explicit, Learning is valuable and significant

BeingIdentity, Emotionally strong, Values , Resilience , Confidence, Sense of place and purpose.

Teacher Personal Traits

• What are the personal qualities of a good teacher for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ?

Teacher Professional Traits

• What are the professional traits a teacher needs to work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ?

ENGAGEMENT

Student

Teacher

Expe

ctati

ons

Rela

tions

hips

Family Support Community Support

Cultural Affirmation

Appropriate Curriculum

Health and Wellbeing

Individualised Learning

Other Contributing Factors

Cultural Support/ Education Staff

Contributing factors

• What cultural affirmation do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students receive in your school ?

• How does family support assist the engagement of students in your school ?

• What does Appropriate Curriculum mean in your school context ?

• What role do Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander support staff play in the engagement of students in your school ?

Contributing Factors

• What Health and Wellbeing approaches are used in your school to support the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ?

• What impact does Community Support have in your school ?

• Has your school managed the Individualisation of learning plans and strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students ?

Student Voices

• Dare to Lead has conducted over 425 Collegial School Snapshots across the country, during that time we have spoken to nearly 3000 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students. Yr 3 to Yr 12.

• What have they told us about “Engagement”, Belonging, Participating, Schools, Teachers, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Support Staff, Curriculum,

“Student Quotes”• Our school has made sure that Aboriginal kids are

allowed to feel strong in themselves and their culture. I am allowed to be proud of who I am.

• Good teachers know who we are, where we are from and what we are good at. They teach us in a fun way, they let us know the rules and they respect the way I want to learn.

• I couldn’t do this (achieve at school) without my community supporting me.

Conference Challenge

• In each workshop you attend :

• Listen/Discuss/Clarify the “Being” domain• Listen/Discuss/Clarify for the “Belonging”

domain• Listen/Discuss/Clarify for the “Participating”

domain• And finally…………….• Listen to the “Voices” of our students.