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    The Teaching Guarantee
    The Teaching Guarantee
    The Teaching Guarantee
    Ebook266 pages2 hours

    The Teaching Guarantee

    By Ken Darvall

    ()

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    About this ebook

    This book reflects on the author’s experiences and lessons learnt over those 50 years and 20 schools he has enjoyed leading. The types of schools and their locations have added depth to his leadership skills and decision-making, which he shares with the reader.

    The author comments on the important aspects of schooling and being a principal. These reflections and observations may result in thoughtful discussions and lead to actions in schools to improve their current practices in any way that will benefit the students under their care.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInspiring Publishers / ASPG
    Release dateAug 7, 2023
    ISBN9781922920836
    The Teaching Guarantee

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      Book preview

      The Teaching Guarantee - Ken Darvall

      Introduction

      The Teaching Guarantee

      Since serving as the Teacher-in-Charge of Five Mile Tree Public School at Crooked Corner (New South Wales, Australia) in May 1973, I have coined a few sayings about school experiences that have rung true everywhere I have been. These include:

      The teaching guarantee: every day is different.

      Everyone is unique: one size does not fit all.

      A school is a school is a school.

      (As a teacher or principal), make a difference.

      This book reflects on my experiences and lessons learnt over those 50 years and 20 schools I have enjoyed leading. The types of schools and their locations have added depth to my leadership skills and decision-making, and I have often said over the past 15-20 years, been there, done that, as well as, I am no longer surprised.

      I have attempted to comment on what I see as the important aspects of schooling and being a principal. I hope my comments or observations may result in thoughtful discussions that may lead to actions in schools to improve their current practices in any way that will benefit the students under their care.

      While there have been many happy, exciting, frustrating, disappointing, and sad days over the years, I must point out that I still enjoy coming to school each day, usually being the first to arrive. This is because of the teaching guarantee: every day is different. It reminds me of that famous line in Forrest Gump: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.

      Yet, while I believe that a school is a school is a school, each one remains unique. Yes, there are school canteens, libraries, classrooms, teachers, admin staff, technology, parent-teacher interviews, uniforms, carnivals, parent bodies, fundraising and a whole lot more of similar aspects that make a school. Yet, each one remains different with its own strengths and challenges. Thus, each principal and teacher can make a difference in their school.

      Teaching is a vocation. It’s a tough job, and teachers must be passionate about what they do to make an impact. Teachers need to recharge themselves often to ensure their own wellbeing. But the rewards, while not financially attractive, are so fulfilling that you cherish the life memories. Watching and leading students at the start of a new academic year until the last day of the year and reflecting on how much each child has grown and matured as a learner is something money can’t buy, nor many people may experience.

      My best advice to teachers and principals is to experience IB education in IB World Schools. I have only enjoyed the experience over the past 19 years, and I wish I had experienced it much earlier than in 2004. IB education is what schooling should be all about globally. Read its documentation, and you will find your head nodding in agreement.

      Life can be challenging and difficult for everyone. As a teacher, you witness daily challenges and difficulties within your class. The magnitude of these challenges increases dramatically, especially as you wear overall responsibility as the principal.

      Peace, love, and happiness.

      21 May 2023

      Ken Darvall

      SECTION 1

      EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT

      1

      Opportunities and Experiences

      While schooling is about learning, to be purposeful, learning must be based on as many opportunities and experiences as possible. And yes, to increase learning impact, ensure student choice reflects each learner’s priorities. Ideally, this occurs within the classroom and in extracurricular activities. Additionally, activities should reflect real life to be meaningful to students.

      Ten years ago, or more, specific experiences often occurred due to field trips and excursions to the capital or major regional centres to visit museums, galleries, major industrial sites, and performances. The further your school was from these major urban areas, the more restricted the experiences became. However, technological advances and COVID have enabled virtual experiences in lieu of long and expensive trips since then. Significant world sites and experiences are as close as your computer (or mobile phone.)

      Technology has now made it possible to provide unlimited opportunities for learning across the key learning areas. The key to benefitting from technology will be cohesive curriculum planning to include these resources in curriculum-learning activities.

      To fulfil the potential of each student, a school must enable as many experiences as possible for students. These experiences should include academic, cultural, sporting, and service opportunities. Larger schools should be able to provide more experiences for students due to their larger number of staff and resources. As I say to students who may be reluctant to try new experiences, you may be a talented champion badminton player, but you will never know if you never try it.

      As I mention in another chapter, Boarding Schools, these environments have a distinct advantage over day schools when offering after-school experiences because, at the end of the school day, boarding students change and then head to their nominated after-school activity for an hour, the same time day students may spend travelling home in many cases. At TIS, we have a requirement that students must engage in a minimum of three after-school activities each week. These activities will usually satisfy the Duke of Edinburgh International Award requirements if completed satisfactorily over one to three semesters, depending on the award level. For day schools, an effective after-school program is extremely difficult because of the numerous competing options in so many fields. If a school does not have teams in the local community sporting competitions, then there will be local sporting clubs that students may join.

      Students’ future success will correlate with the number of opportunities and experiences they enjoy during their school years.

      2

      Multi-Age Classrooms

      My first 12 years were spent in small schools (one- and two-teacher schools), which thrust me into the deep end of multi-age classrooms. However, I must emphasise that the small school experience, especially the one-teacher school, was what I specifically sought for my first teaching appointment.

      As I moved to larger schools, there were many issues when composite (or multi-age) classes were formed due to school numbers, as teacher placement/allocation in schools is based on student numbers. Reality dictates that class allocations never reflect enrolled numbers, except in private schools, which can dictate final numbers for each grade level.

      Yet, every class is a composite class!

      Multi-age classrooms reflect life. Families. Workplaces. Universities. Social groups.

      Younger members learn from older members (and often, vice versa).

      In the one-teacher school, I always used age rather than grade groupings. I would use diagnostic attainment tests to ascertain the age level and then group accordingly. Age groups were then assigned colour names through which students progressed. Attainment testing occurred at the end of each term (of 15 weeks). There was no grade restriction on any group. Importantly, students were working at their level and progressing.

      Composite classes provide the same opportunities.

      So, when it comes to the typical single-grade class, you have a composite class. For example, let’s say the class is Grade 3, where the students are from eight to nine years old. In reading, as in every other subject, the range of ability within Grade 3 will span about seven years. In my experience, you will have students with a reading age of:

      5.5-6.4 years

      6.5-7.4 years

      7.5- 8.4 years

      8.5-9.4 years

      9.5-10.4 years

      10.5-11.4 years

      11.4-12+ years

      You will find similar age ranges in spelling and mathematics. For those teachers who aim to teach to the middle, they are missing most of the students in their class. Teachers catering to the different ability levels or providing personalised learning plans based on student performance data for their class will witness consistently improved student learning outcomes.

      3

      The Only Question for a Teacher

      There is only one question (and one slight variation) to ask a teacher.

      Why did you become a teacher?

      That is the most important question I ask when recruiting new teachers. Further questions will be asked if I am satisfied with their response. The interview will end immediately if I am disturbed by their

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