Quality teaching is the key to improving student learning. Quality teaching is characterised by highly effective teaching practices which engage all students in their learning. In their efforts to develop a high performance and development culture, teachers adopt and develop methods which maximise student learning and identify priorities to enhance their own professional learning.
The Characteristic’s named attributes are:
- staff are provided with professional learning on effective teaching practices;
- teachers are encouraged to use the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s Professional (AITSL) Standards to provide an understanding of the markers for quality teaching;
- expectations are clear and consistently and effectively communicated through a culture of professional dialogue;
- strategies and opportunities are provided to enable qualitative feedback to be given on the effectiveness of pedagogy practised in a supportive and professional environment;
- school leaders support and encourages teachers to:
- develop challenging and engaging classrooms which promote learning;
- align learning;
- ensure ICTs are used to enhance learning;
- establish learning goals or intentions to direct and guide learning, and communicate these to students;
- depth learning by concentrating on foundational concepts or threads that are developed over time;
- establish high expectations for students’ and their own progress and performance;
- support students in their learning through the provision of quality, detailed and timely feedback clarifying steps needed to progress;
- be self-reflective in relation to the quality and effectiveness of teaching.
