Professor Tony Loughland and Professor Mary Ryan explain why teacher collective efficacy is a vital part of their professional learning and how its use influences students’ learning and development…
Do Not Try This Alone
When Tony and Mary started their teaching careers last century there were many lone ranger teachers in the schools where they worked. These lone rangers were often very good practitioners who preferred to work their magic in their own classroom. You didn’t often see them in the staffroom but their students were happy, the parents did not complain and the school executive were generally of the view that “if it ain’t broke it don’t need fixing”.
There were also teachers and executive staff back then who were very generous in the sharing of their practical wisdom. This generosity was much appreciated by Tony who struggled to teach students with English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) backgrounds in inner city Sydney, especially given he had just completed six semesters of enthusiastic and expert teaching of the whole language model of teaching English K-6 in his pre-service education degree.
The collegiality of these colleagues extended to observing them in class, team teaching, sharing programs and resources, affirmation of our small wins as novice teachers and generally making us feel like we might succeed at this profession one day. Their collegiality gave us an enhanced sense of our efficacy as an individual teacher and promulgated a general sense of collective efficacy that we can teach these students well in our school.
There is strong support in the research literature that students thrive when teachers have a positive sense of their self-efficacy as individual teachers as well as a strong sense of their collective efficacy as a stage, faculty, team and school. We argue in this paper that the motivational sources of collective teacher efficacy provide a useful framework for the development and evaluation of professional learning programs at the school level.
The Compelling Evidence for Pursuing Collective Teacher Efficacy
Teachers’ sense of their collective efficacy is the second most important school-based influence on student outcomes. It has an effect size of 1.57 on student achievement according to Hattie’s synthesis of 1200 meta-analyses relating to influences on student achievement (Hattie, 2015). An effect size of this magnitude demands the attention of school leaders and researchers invested in teacher professional learning, “Given the link between collective efficacy and student achievement, understanding collective efficacy in and of itself is a worthy endeavour” (Berebitsky & Salloum, 2017, p.2). This study sought to develop an in-depth understanding of the antecedents of teacher collective efficacy in their professional learning.
Collective efficacy is an extension of the construct of self-efficacy from the broader theoretical framework of social cognition. Collective efficacy is defined as “the extent to which people believe they can work together effectively to accomplish their shared goals” (Maddux & Gosselin, 2012, p.214). Social cognition assumes reciprocal causality exists between a person and their environment, “people respond cognitively, emotionally, and behaviourally to environmental events. Also, through cognition people can exercise control over their own behaviour, which then influences not only the environment but also their cognitive, emotional, and biological states” (Maddux & Gosselin, 2012, p.199). This reciprocal causality has positive implications for teacher collective efficacy as it creates a virtuous cycle of improvement where enhanced collective efficacy contributes to student achievement which then further strengthens collective efficacy (Goddard et al., 2000).
The motivational sources of teacher collective efficacy are mastery and vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and affective states.1Teacher collective efficacy is also enhanced by a team’s ability to analyse the task ahead and make a judgment on their current level of competency to complete the task. All these characteristics represent what is regarded in the literature as effective teacher professional learning. However, teacher collective efficacy has not been commonly associated with a theory of action for teacher professional learning as it has been predominately employed as an outcome measure of the health of a school’s collective culture.
We contend that the measurable construct of teacher collective efficacy can be used as a design framework for professional learning programs as well as being an evaluative measure of its effectiveness. We acknowledge that the question of whether teacher collective efficacy is a necessary antecedent condition for effective professional learning, or a consequence of these programs remains open. We suspect that there might be reciprocal causation between teacher collective efficacy and effective professional learning where the presence of both enhances the other.
The Importance of a Professional Learning Collective
This last section of the paper examines the confluence between the motivational sources of teacher collective efficacy and the principles of effective teacher professional learning (see Table 1 below)
Sources of Teacher Collective Efficacy
Principles of Effective Teacher Professional Learning
Mastery experiences
Collaborative. Iterative. Focus on teachers’ work
Vicarious experiences
Collaborative. Focus on teachers’ work
Social persuasion
Collaborative
Affective states
Collaborative
Table 1 Collective efficacy, principles and design of teacher professional learning (Loughland & Ryan, 2022, p.345)
What is missing in the hypothesised model in table 1 is an explication of the processes that create the conditions for effective collaboration. One influence on effective collaboration and learning relates to time constraint and leadership support (Park & So, 2014). We have another clue to this missing piece of the puzzle in the finding that the density of networks is more important than centrality in professional learning networks (Berebitsky & Salloum, 2017). Furthermore, the density of networks is significantly related to collective efficacy in schools (Berebitsky & Salloum, 2017). This suggests that more opportunities should be provided for purposeful learning interactions between teachers as depicted in the principles of teacher professional learning in Table 1. This suggests that effective teacher professional learning needs to involve more interaction between teachers than top-down delivery approaches that may be better suited to compulsory compliance training. We know that time for professional learning in schools may be limited so school leaders must make informed decisions on what model of professional learning to adopt in their school.
The literature strongly suggests that a model of school-based, interactive teacher professional learning that focuses on teachers’ work in the classroom is the most effective (Kennedy, 2016). In this model, outside help in the form of academics and experienced practitioners in the system, is introduced if and when they are needed.
We suspect that the arguments we have presented in this paper are not earth-shattering revelations for the readers. The principles of effective teacher professional learning are now well established in the literature. The challenge that remains is one of implementation.
The challenges we identify here are very real to many teachers who are reading this article. There is the serious challenge of finding time for meaningful professional learning in the hectic schedules of schools. There is the conflation between the legislative requirements of compulsory compliance training and the real opportunities for professional growth afforded by effective teacher professional learning. There is the pervasive legacy of the cargo cult model of professional learning where the external consultant, the latest edu-guru, the international keynoter, or the social media superstar are regarded as experts and saviours. Valuable professional learning time is spent listening to them instead of engaging with your colleague next door on meaningful pedagogical discussion on how your students’ learning may be enhanced tomorrow, next week and next term.
Our own post-graduate university courses at the Masters and Higher Degree Research levels are also not exempt from our criticism. Our MEd and EdD programs need to be more adaptive and responsive so that they might produce educators with the scholarly and practical wisdom that they can use to provide the best possible conditions for student success in the schools and systems where they work.
None of these challenges are insurmountable but they require school and system leaders to build cultures of professional learning in schools that create a sense of collective teacher efficacy among their staff. Surely that is not too much to ask in an institution whose core business is learning?
End note:
1Mastery experiences are those that focus on developing instructional skills and capabilities. The important goal of improving student outcomes in wellbeing and achievement is at the forefront. Vicarious experiences are those whereby teachers and leaders learn from each other. Social persuasion involves a shared sense of purpose and vision, and a collaborative effort to achieve those goals. Affective states are the social-emotional aspects that underpin effective relationships, including trust, respect and dialogic approaches that value all voices and contributions. A positive relationship between these motivational constructs and collaborative professional learning has been found (Durksen et al. 2017).
NB- Sections of this text have been taken from Tony and Mary’s published journal article (Loughland & Ryan, 2022) that can be found here https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1711801 (available to access through an academic institution or paid download)
Berebitsky, D., & Salloum, S. J. (2017). The Relationship Between Collective Efficacy and Teachers’ Social Networks in Urban Middle Schools. AERA Open, 3(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858417743927
Durksen, T. L., Klassen, R. M., & Daniels, L. M. (2017). Motivation and collaboration: The keys to a developmental framework for teachers’ professional learning. TEACHING AND TEACHER EDUCATION, 67, 53-66. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.05.011
Goddard, R. D., Hoy, W. K., & Hoy, A. W. (2000). Collective teacher efficacy: Its meaning, measure, and impact on student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 37(2), 479-507. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312037002479
Hattie, J. (2015). The applicability of Visible Learning to higher education. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 1(1), 79-91. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000021
Kennedy, M. M. (2016). How Does Professional Development Improve Teaching? Review of Educational Research, 86(4), 945-980. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315626800
Loughland, T., & Ryan, M. (2022). Beyond the measures: the antecedents of teacher collective efficacy in professional learning. Professional Development in Education, 48(2), 343-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2020.1711801
Maddux, J. E., & Gosselin, J. T. (2012). Self-Efficacy. In M. R. Leary & J. P. Tangney (Eds.), Handbook of Self and Identity. Second Edition (Second ed., pp. 198-224). The Guildford Press.
Park, M., & So, K. (2014). Opportunities and Challenges for Teacher Professional Development: A Case of Collaborative Learning Community in South Korea. International education studies, 7(7), 96-108.
Tony Loughland is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School (Research) in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales.
Tony is an experienced educator who likes to think that theory should be the plaything of practice. He agrees with Marx’s assertion that philosophy should be used to not only interpret the world but to try to change it. Tony subscribes to Marx as he believes this orientation towards research is vital in a world threatened by anthropocentric climate change. Tony is currently leading projects on using AI for citizens’ informed participation in urban development, the provision of staffing for rural and remote areas in NSW and on Graduate Ready Schools.
Mary Ryan is Professor and Executive Dean of Education and Arts at Australian Catholic University. Her research is in the areas of writing pedagogy and assessment, teachers’ work in, and preparation for, diverse classrooms, reflexive learning and practice, and reflective writing. She was formerly a primary teacher and lecturer in literacy and English and has an extensive record of program development in universities and professional learning for teachers. Her funded research projects are in the areas of classroom writing and preparing teachers to teach for diversity to break the cycle of disadvantage.
What does assessment practice look like in your school?
Is there an agreed understanding across the school community of the meaning and purpose of evidence, assessment theory and practice, feedback, and evaluation? How does your school implement a common approach to assessment?
Professor Jim Tognolini from the University of Sydney’s Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment (CEMA) will lead an interactive and content-driven professional learning experience that will unpack the definitions and purpose of data, evidence, assessment, feedback and evaluation. We will explore the importance of teacher voice in assessment and how to lead a collaborative approach to assessment practice across the school community.
Over two days, this course will focus on the role of teachers and school leaders in supporting colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of their approach to assessment.
Participants will have an opportunity to consider how to successfully lead a shift in school-wide assessment practice through a collective approach within their own school context.
This course is NESA Accredited. Please expand the ‘Accreditation’ bar for further details.
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Online via Zoom
Day 1 – Thursday 24, October
Day 2 – Thursday 7, November
Prof Jim Tognolini
Professor Jim Tognolini is Director of The Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment (CEMA) which is situated within the University of Sydney School of Education and Social Work. The work of the Centre is focused on the broad areas of teaching, research, consulting and professional learning for teachers.
The Centre is currently providing consultancy support to a number of schools. These projects include developing a methodology for measuring creativity; measuring 21st Century Skills; developing school-wide practice in formative assessment. We have a number of experts in the field: most notably, Professor Jim Tognolini, who in addition to conducting research offers practical and school-focused support.
Lisa Edwards
Lisa Edwards is a school leader passionate about the potential of public education to change lives.
With over 20 years of experience with the NSW Department of Education, working in schools in Sydney’s south and southwest, Lisa is an English teacher by training, and at heart. Her leadership journey has included the roles of Head Teacher Wellbeing, Head Teacher English, and Deputy Principal. She has developed resources and presented on assessment, pedagogy and programming, working in collaboration with the Department’s secondary curriculum team, and has published and presented for the NSW English Teachers’ Association. Lisa received an Australian Council for Educational Leaders award and a Premier’s Award for Public Service for her work leading improvement in literacy and HSC achievement, and currently presents for the NSW Teachers’ Federation’s Centre for Professional Learning on leading lifting achievement and quality assessment practice.
Lisa is a strong advocate for public education and educational equity, dedicated to supporting teachers in public schools to maximise learning outcomes and, therefore, opportunities for our students.
Completing Leading Assessment Practice in Schools: K-12 will contribute 10 hours of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and Assessment of NSW Curriculum/EYLF addressing standard descriptors 5.1.3, 5.2.3, 5.4.3 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher or Highly Accomplished Accreditation in NSW.
K-12 teachers and school leaders who support and work with teacher colleagues to build capacity through collaboration.
$440 for 2 days
Online via Zoom (24 October and 7 November 2024).
“Amazing presenters. Knowledgeable and relevant information that applies to transformational change regarding new curriculum.”
“Really logical and practical discussion and explanation of key principles which completely resonated.”
“Great conversations had reflecting on current school practices and the change that is needed.”
“This course was a wonderful opportunity to delve and immerse in assessment.”
Abby Saleh explains why accreditation at Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher (HALT) level is something that expert teachers consider and gives some practical advice to those teachers who are seeking such accreditation.
‘I do not need a fancy bit of paper to tell me that I’m a great teacher’, is the rhetoric used by those who are disgruntled by the rigour and complexity of the higher levels accreditation process in NSW. The fact is, in essence, that’s completely true.
Great teachers are very easily identifiable: for their passion and skill exudes. Indeed, there are vast numbers of highly expert practitioners throughout the NSW education system who do not need, nor require, the official recognition of achieving the Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation status to maximise their impact. Their reputations precede them. Based on my personal experience, however, the recognition of the HALT accreditation status does further empower some to reap greater benefits for their students and colleagues. It has been my experience that the process of achieving HALT accreditation, and the benefits associated with it, far outweigh the perceived burdens of the process, and overwhelmingly helps schools, teachers and students. The process and benefits further empower teachers to continue to lead and build the capacity and efficacy of colleagues within their schools, networks, and the system in general. After all, is it not the moral purpose of teachers to impact positively on the lives of as many students as possible?
HALT accreditation is all about recognising and esteeming exceptional teachers. It is a cross-sectoral, consistent, valid and reliable appraisal of teacher expertise which is strengthened by the use of external assessors and moderation by NESA. HALT accreditation aims to ensure that there are structures in place for teachers who excel, to be identified, without needing to leave the classroom, and be renumerated for their expertise. It creates a career pathway in which teachers can reach the heights of the profession without necessarily seeking promotion. It validates teacher practice, consequently increasing self-efficacy and confidence. It raises the status of teachers. It positions teachers as lead learners – those who demonstrate that learning is never finished and is an ongoing process of discovery, evaluation and reflection and those who produce the right environment for others to grow and learn. This is evidenced by the Gonski report Through Growth to Achievement (2018) which found that “Certification of Highly Accomplished and Lead levels of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers recognises and promotes the development of collaborative learning professionals who strive to continually reflect upon and improve their practice and that of their colleagues. Such acknowledgement can play a key role in keeping excellent teachers working with students and helping to improve colleagues’ pedagogical practices”.
As an accredited HALT, I have observed and experienced first-hand how the process (and subsequent certification) empowers teachers to maximise learning outcomes for students in their immediate classroom. This is because it facilitates engagement in a personalised, self-paced and authentic process to deeply reflect on, and refine, practice. It also expands a teacher’s sphere of influence, so that the beneficiaries of their expertise extend across grades, schools and even into the wider education community. As teachers, there is no greater feeling than knowing that one’s hard work is having a positive impact on students’ learning and wellbeing outcomes beyond their immediate classroom.
The HALT accreditation process is often regarded as a powerful means of professional development (few accredited HALTs would disagree). Engaging in the process plunges one into a deep cycle of authentic self-reflection upon one’s practice against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) in an effort to evidence and align one’s practice to either the Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher stage of the APST. In doing so, candidates are also well positioned to identify areas to refine, which is why the APST make an excellent reflection tool. For instance, when collecting evidence for accreditation, a candidate may notice that they are unable to illustrate a particular standard descriptor. Accordingly, the candidate may take deliberate actions to ensure that that missing aspect is evident in their practice.
HALT accreditation is all about practice and impact. Engaging in the process refines teachers’ capacity to measure their impact. John Hattie’s Visible Learning Mindframes (2014) posits that effective teachers regularly evaluate their impact on student learning and view the extent of that impact as reflective of the power of their teaching. They see assessment as informing impact and next steps.
Once a teacher’s practice has been recognised (a recognition which is portable across sectors and states) their confidence and credibility is raised. They become sort after by their colleagues, and the wider education community, because there is little doubt about their professionalism and expertise. They are afforded opportunities to represent the profession on a multitude of platforms (as I have been fortunate to have experienced). Accreditation is not about the accolades; it is about the satisfaction that one feels when one’s work and expertise are validated and acknowledged. Accreditation expands teachers’ spheres of influence.
Thus, in order to maintain a high standard of candidature it stands to reason that the process must be rigorous, multifaceted and complex.
So how does one know if one is HALT material? The answer lies in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST or the Standards). If ‘language’ is a system of communication used by a particular country or community, then the APST is the language of teachers, for they articulate the behaviours and practice that teachers need to demonstrate across the four distinct teaching career stages (Graduate, Proficient, Highly Accomplished and Lead). They act as a guide to illustrate how teacher expertise is developed. They provide a common vernacular to better understand, and share, what makes an excellent teacher and leader. The Standards are the vehicle which ensures consistent, fair and accountable performance and accreditation processes for all teachers, no matter which stage of their career they are in. But, most importantly, the APST direct and steer the direction of teacher and educational leader professional growth and development.
It is very important to distinguish between an expert teacher (one whose practice aligns with the higher levels of the APST – HALTs) and an experienced teacher. The most important difference is impact! Expert teachers impact student learning and well-being outcomes, this is not always the case for experienced teachers. Expert teachers present content in more engaging ways applying evidence-based strategies and sharing these with colleagues. They maintain high expectations of themselves and of their students. They view student growth as a reflection of their teaching. Expert teachers are lifelong learners. They recognise that teaching is not a constrained skill. They not only model and lead best practice, but also regularly refine their own practice. They create engaging and inspiring learning environments for their students and colleagues. Overall, it is important to note that teachers may be ‘expert’ without being highly experienced, but experience does not always equate to expertise.
So, what exactly is required to become a certified Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher? Firstly, it is important to note that HALT accreditation is a voluntary process and that it is not a promotion. It is a recognition of expertise for those who seek it. In NSW, the process requires candidates to submit a series of current documentary evidence which demonstrates their practice and impact in each of the thirty-seven standard descriptors at the chosen career stage of the APST. Candidates must also identify referees to attest to their claims and be observed by colleagues and school leaders, as well as an external assessor assigned by NESA. Those seeking Lead level accreditation must also design and deliver a six month ‘Lead Project’ which is aligned to school priorities. It should also be noted that there is no hierarchy in the Higher levels of Accreditation. Both the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher levels are considered ‘Higher Levels’. The difference lies in the sphere of influence that a teacher’s practice exhibits.
Clearly, the accreditation process is thorough and multifaceted. Aspiring HALTs will encounter enablers and barriers in pursuing higher levels accreditation. The first, and most important, enabler is commitment to the process. Once a candidate starts to truly understand the benefits of accreditation and decides to pursue it, they need to commit whole heartedly to it. Setting time bound goals and milestones and celebrating small steps and achievements is an effective strategy.
Another enabler is the principal/director and/or leadership team. It would be ideal to have the support of school leaders, at least their emotional support. They can play a pivotal role in ‘clearing the path’ and reducing the impact of potential barriers. Having an accreditation mentor, or critical friend, would greatly boost chances of success. Buddying up with another person pursuing accreditation would be of immense benefit. It would be highly beneficial for candidates to attach themselves to an accreditation network (there are many around now) and to reach out to personnel (such as Department of Education [DoE] Teacher Quality Advisors or NESA teacher accreditation officers) to answer questions (and there will be many) or provide feedback/ feedforward.
One must maintain a positive mindset and remember that the submission is a persuasive piece which leaves no doubt about one’s practice at one’s chosen career stage. Candidates must regularly seek opportunities to demonstrate their skills, not just because they are pursuing accreditation, but because that is what leaders do.
Naturally, just as there are enablers to pursuing and achieving HALT accreditation, there are also potential barriers or challenges.
The most pertinent is time! Teaching is already a time-consuming career which absorbs unnatural percentages of the day. HALT accreditation requires candidates to gather, collate and annotate evidence of practice as part of a submission. This is obviously added work that teachers must complete and, in a time-poor profession such as teaching, this is indeed a barrier. In saying that, teachers working at the HALT level should find it relatively easy to gather evidence, as the standards and their descriptors should be reflected in their day-to-day practice. It then becomes just a matter of organising and annotating the evidence and complying with other aspects of the accreditation process (such as observations and referees).
Just as principals/ school leaders can be enablers, they may also be blockers, potentially unsupportive of a candidate’s aspirations due to their limited knowledge of the process or professional conflict.
Another barrier is poor knowledge of the process and what constitutes expertise. Aspiring HALTs may find it difficult to gather evidence which is linked to specific subject areas (such as the various literacy/numeracy standard descriptors). And the barrier which can be the most crippling – self-doubt!
MY TOP 10 ENABLING TIPS INCLUDE
Be immersed in the Standards. Candidates need to be very intimately familiar with each of the standard descriptors. Unpack the verbs and enact them. Use their language.
Become familiar with the accreditation policies and procedures (NESA and DoE).
Seek a buddy or support person. They will act as a critical friend, giving advice and feedback (especially if they have been accredited at the higher levels themselves). They may also support in reading and editing annotations.
Talk to colleagues about the accreditation journey, it need not, and should not, be a secret, as they will be attesting to your expertise.
Set time limits, goals and milestones.
Don’t be shy to ask questions.
Back up work. Use a cloud-based storage to ensure work is not lost and kept safe.
Use tracking and monitoring tools and documents to ensure all standard descriptors are covered and the various requirements have been met.
Regularly refer to the Evidence Guides and other support materials. And finally…
Reflect, reflect, and reflect even more!
Clearly, HALT accreditation has great benefits for teachers and the whole school community. Only time will reveal the reasons (if any) why passionate, inspired, expert teachers should not seek higher levels accreditation.
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Department of Education and Training. (2018). Through growth to achievement: Report of the review to achieve educational excellence in Australian schools. Commonwealth of Australia 2018.
Hattie, J. (2011). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.
Hattie, J., & Zierer, K. (2018). 10 mindframes for visible learning: Teaching for success. Routledge.
Abby Saleh is a NESA Accredited Highly Accomplished Teacher currently working as Deputy Principal Instructional Leader at Fairfield Public School. As a former refugee and proud product of public education, Abby has over 20 years’ experience working with low socio-economic communities and is passionate about building teacher capacity to support CALD students and their families. Her mantra is “Never Stop Learning”. To learn more about the process of accreditation at the higher levels, see Abby Saleh’s article in this edition of the Journal of Professional Learning.
Lila Mularczyk, Melinda Haskett, Emma Mansfield, Maurie Mulheron, Belinda Giudice, Abby Saleh and Karen Graham share their insights into how schools can draw on the expertise of their HALTs, along with creating connections to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, to build the capacity of their teachers and to create a standard -based teaching and learning culture. . .
Teaching is an ever-evolving profession. The skill of teaching will never be a constrained skill. This is why it is pertinent for school leaders to continuously build teacher capacity when driving improvement.
“To be a world-leading education system, Australia needs to better encourage, support, and recognise teaching expertise. Growing the pool of expert teachers in Australia is critical to creating an education system that strives to support every student’s individual learning growth through tailored teaching practices.”
(Hattie 2009. Gonski 2.0 Through Growth to Achievement, March 2018)
“High performing countries deliberately organise the sharing of expertise within and across schools so that the system becomes even more effective”. Empowered Educators, How High Performing Systems Shape Teaching Quality Around the World
(Linda Darling Hammond et al March 2017).
Leaders and teachers need to understand the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST or Standards) (NESA, 2018) in action, acknowledge the industrial frame and support and embed practice that enables the demonstration of impacting teaching practice collaboratively, within and across classrooms, school, and system.
“In recent years, Australian teachers have become increasingly concerned that the status of the profession is under constant challenge. Of course, these concerns are shared with teachers elsewhere. While teachers themselves have strong and resilient beliefs in the complexity and importance of the work they do, there are others, generally external to the profession and in positions of influence, with a deficit view.
In the absence of objective benchmarks that reflect authentic professional practice, solutions have been offered in many jurisdictions that are antagonistic towards teachers as well as being unsuccessful. These include performance pay schemes, the employment of people without teaching qualifications, the spread of the Teach for America franchise, and punitive accountability regimes that are, more often than not, based on testing data…
…But the first question that needed to be answered was: what makes teaching a profession? The answer to that question needed to reflect the authentic practice of teachers and those understandings shared across the profession. In short, a common language needed to be created that could articulate the complexities of the daily practices of a qualified, competent teacher, from those beginning their career through to those that hold educational leadership positions in schools.”
(Alegounarias, & Mulheron 2018)
THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS: BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION AT THE TEACHER, SCHOOL, AND SYSTEM LEVEL
The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) clearly describe the practices of teachers at the varying levels of expertise, from Graduate to Proficient and onto the higher levels of Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher levels. Expert teachers in the Australian context, are those teachers demonstrating practices as described in the higher levels of the APSTs.
The standards define what effective teaching looks like, how it displays in the classroom, and how it improves student learning. The standards give the teaching profession a shared language about teaching practice – what we know as teachers, what we do, what we believe in and what we value about teaching.
They are also a framework and common language to communicate with others – school leaders, teacher educators, professional associations, parents/ carers, and the public – they are a public statement attesting to the professionalism of teachers.
Considering that ‘language’ is a system of communication it is appropriate to view the standards as being the language of teachers. The standards:
Provide a common understanding and language about best- practice teaching
Describe expertise level and provide a continuum of capabilities
Articulate the skills needed by teachers to teach and lead effectively
Guide the direction of your professional growth.
The Standards are excellent tool for teacher reflection (one of the most critical traits of an effective teacher). The lexical patterns within the Standards clearly demonstrate the gradual development of teacher expertise. Verbs such as ‘support’ and ‘lead’ colleagues appear regularly at the higher levels. Whereas verbs such as ‘demonstrate’ are almost exclusive to the graduate level. This focus on the main verbs of each of the standard descriptors assists teachers in engaging in deep reflection upon their practice and also supports school leaders in identifying and supporting aspiring leaders and potential HALTs.
At the individual level, the Standards enable us, as teachers, to plan, practise, reflect on, and refine our teaching practice.
We use them to monitor our ongoing growth and development as professionals, and the associated classroom practice, capabilities, and expertise.
When teachers become accredited, or certified, the benefits extend beyond the achievement of that certification.
The greatest impact on school communities happens when school leaders work effectively with Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers (HALTs) and support them to share their expertise.
Accreditation lifts the professional status of teachers. The higher level of accreditation offers a pathway for excellent teachers to grow in their self-efficacy and in their careers.
Findings from the HALT Census and further research demonstrate that higher teacher accreditation can enrich the quality of teaching by recognising expert teachers and increasing their confidence AND allowing teachers to understand the impact of their instructional practices on learners and colleagues
By offering flexible pathways for professional development that encourage HALTs to lead from within the classroom AND creating a high-quality professional learning experience that is rigorous, self-reflective, sustained and job-embedded, accreditation acknowledges expert teachers within the wider community AND provides opportunities for teachers to network and collaborate with other expert practitioners.
In addition to benefiting the teachers themselves, having a certified HALT in a school contributes to an increased culture of learning amongst staff and enables quality teaching to impact across the school and all learners.
When a teacher reflects against the Standards and completes certification, they are validating their skills and capabilities as a teacher who positively impacts their students’ learning and their colleagues’ practice.
When HALTs collaborate with others, mentor, and coach colleagues they are lifting teaching quality across the school, network, and system.
The outcome is that all teachers are engaged in cycles of high-quality professional learning and growth for the benefit of students and their school.
HALT certification can play a key role in raising the professional status of teaching, particularly in the eyes of the community.
“National Teacher certification provides an opportunity for school leaders to develop staff and improve student outcomes through a process that is largely externally managed, and teacher led. Certified teachers are esteemed to become the next instructional leaders. By mentoring and empowering colleagues, they are well placed to improve outcomes for all.”
(AISTIL 2018)
EXPERT (HALT) TEACHERS
Are leaders, contributors and advocates for high quality teaching and learning
Contribute to an increasing professional status of the teaching profession
Have an opportunity to impact learning for students, of HALTs and their colleagues
Build opportunities for networking, sharing expertise and leading others
Facilitate leadership related to classroom practice
Facilitate leadership career pathways for colleagues
Refocus and identify teaching and learning as an acknowledged and valued priority
Contribute to the critical mass of teaching and learning leaders and to quality on-going professional learning (AITSL 2021)
Improve student outcomes.
Remember it is not a position, it is a portable recognition of expertise.
DEVELOPING TEACHING CAPACITY THROUGH THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
Teachers demonstrate their professional practice at varying levels. These demonstrable behaviours are articulated within the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (NESA, 2018) as well Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leaders Classroom Practice Continuum (AITSL 2018).
Standard Descriptor 6.1.4 of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers states that teachers working at the lead levels of accreditation ‘use comprehensive knowledge of the Australian professional Standards for Teachers to plan and lead the development of professional learning policies and programs that address the professional learning needs of colleagues and pre-service teachers’ (NESA,2018)
Standard Descriptor 6.1.1 (APST, 2018) states that teachers working at the graduate level of accreditation ‘demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.’
This same descriptor lies in the focus area of “Identify and plan professional learning” which identifies the continuum in which teachers operate and the need to differentiate the learning opportunities for our teachers.
The APSTs provide a map of a teacher’s career paths from initial teacher training, induction, and early experience through to the heights of the profession. It is important to note that the number of years of teaching does not necessarily equate to expertise in teaching. AITSL’s classroom continuum (AITSL, 2018) identifies what an expert teacher looks like in the classroom. Expert teachers in the Australian Context are those teachers demonstrating practice as described in the higher levels of accreditation within the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST, 2018). Utilising both the APST and AITSL Classroom Continuum, teachers and school leaders are able to identify their current level of expertise in the classroom as well as plan for further professional learning opportunities in continuing to develop their teaching expertise.
LEADING CHANGE THROUGH EMBEDDING APSTS AND CREATING A STANDARDS-BASED CULTURE
One of the most frequent questions that is asked about accreditation at the higher levels is how the process can be embedded within the everyday practices of a school and is not seen to be extra work for our teachers (Cole, 2022). We know that there are many teachers across the state who are consistently demonstrating the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher standards of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs) (AITSL, 2011) as part of their everyday practices. While teachers and leaders are interested in undertaking, or supporting the process, they are mindful of engaging in a process which will increase their workload (Audit Office of NSW ,2019).
To counter this, and to support teachers to gain accreditation at higher levels as part of their existing roles, school leaders can work collaboratively to develop a culture where staff are able to gather evidence and demonstrate their practice, related to the Standards, through existing initiatives, milestones and programs running throughout the school (NESA, 2018). Key practical ideas to do this can include:
Aligning the school’s Strategic Improvement Plan with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (AITSL, 2011).
Embedding relevant professional learning into everyday practices
Providing differentiated professional learning opportunities for all teachers regardless of their career stages
Creating an evidence-based school culture
This not only provides individuals with the opportunity to gather evidence as part of their existing workload but also ensures that there are greater opportunities for collaboration and sharing of expertise.
Many schools have put in structures that both support teachers aiming for accreditation at higher levels and build capacity for all teachers. As one example, Macarthur Girls High School has embedded the structure (outlined above) and, in doing so, has supported teachers to achieve, as part of their everyday role, Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher Accreditation.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCHOOL LEADERS’ ROLE IN CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Pre-assessment: recognise expert teachers in schools and encourage them to consider certification.
Stage 1: applicant to complete their portfolio of evidence and provide a referee representative.
Stage 2: be involved in a professional discussion with the external assessor during the site visit.
LEVERAGE THE EXPERTISE OF HALTS IN SCHOOL
School leaders can:
Create roles through formal and informal modes – HALTs can support beginning and pre-service teachers to use the Standards and reflect on their practice
Allocate time and resources – this can enable nationally certified teachers to lead projects, (for example on developing instructional leadership capacity in others) and present back to staff
Initiate inter-school collaboration: by establishing links with other schools, nationally certified teachers can grow networks and clusters to drive improved student outcomes. This could have a focus on a particular subject or effective pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning.
CASE STUDY
This case study is applicable to primary and high school contexts and aims to develop a mind-set shift in school improvement.
Prairiewood High School highlights collaborative processes that align faculty and whole school portfolios, structures, and organisation with the APST in order to achieve capacity growth and to enrich programs, leadership and school leadership capacity and succession planning.
CONTEXT/SITUATION
This case study highlights the significant changes at Prairiewood High School from 2018 after a complete change over in substantive senior executive staff. A new Principal was appointed mid-2018, and from October 2018 to present, four substantive Deputy Principals’ have been appointed (one Above Centrally Identified Position – ACIP). There has been a negotiated restructure in terms of school operations and portfolios at the senior executive level. The school now has two HT Teaching and Learning, and the school has appointed new Head Teacher positions (Administration, Mathematics, PDHPE and TAS).
This case study highlights the approach the school is currently undergoing in terms of empowering School Leaders and Teachers to drive practice and capacity.
THE PROCESS
Step 1 Gathering information
Collect information on the existing systems and processes that drive school improvement at your school? What currently occurring is aligned to the Standards? (Suggestion that it informs Situational Analysis planning for the SIP)
Step 2 Gaining feedback on the information gathered & communicate your vision
We established we needed:
Clarity around roles and responsibilities
Clearer vision of purpose – a movement from compliance to school improvement
A deliberate focus on embedding the Standards (Principal, APTS) and integrating the School Excellence Framework into practice
Capacity building and succession planning focus
A planned and coordinated approach to leadership and school operations
As a result, we gained feedback through asking the following questions:
What role statements need to be developed?
Name at least two school processes or structures that are working well. What makes them effective processes?
Name two, or more, aspects of school operations needing clarification, fine-tuning or enhancement.
What whole school teams should we have?
Are there any short -term project teams we could run?
What would you like to go and see in action in other schools?
School leadership teams will need to create an approach based on the information gathered and the problem(s) identified.
Step 3 Agreed upon catalyst of change
In leading this process, the senior executive’s aim was to collaborate with the executive to re-align roles and responsibilities to the Australian Professional Standard for Teachers. The NSW Department of Education (DoE) School Excellence Framework (SEF) (2017) has also underpinned this process. This has set the framework to empower school leaders and teachers to drive practice and capacity.
Step 4 Setting the scene
The Executive mapped the leadership portfolios that relate to the APST, and role descriptors have been developed that reflect the cohesion of portfolios between curriculum and non-curriculum Head Teachers. This showed how we all work effectively in a school
Step 5 Effective organisational practices supporting TAL (joining the dots)
Once we collaborated on this process, we found some disconnect between the roles of the Senior Executive and Executive and other school operations and structures. We then identified the specific structures, systems and processes that were going to drive continuous improvement in our context.
Questions that support this process included:
What are the key staffing positions that support Teaching and Learning (TAL) at your school?
What teams need to exist to support school organisation to impact on TAL?
What is the purpose/vision of the various teams? How effectively do you use the SEF and APST to embed a culture of continuous improvement?
Is there alignment of school policies and procedures?
This has enabled a strategic, deep, and purposeful alignment of systems and practices that ensure teaching and learning remain our core (and valued) priority.
Getting the best from your teachers: A principals’ guide to national teacher certification
Certification documentary evidence supplement: Lead Teachers
Teacher Self-Assessment Tool (useful as an indicator of readiness for HALT)
My Induction app (to use with beginning teachers)
NESA Website
Centre for Professional Learning course: Enabling School Leaders is currently a one-day program, with additional 5 morning sessions delving deeply into aspects of the process and work. There is opportunity for participants to nominate content. Each session builds on previous deliveries, and each operate as a stand-alone participatory presentation. Expert educators inform all sessions, underpinned by policy and practicality. Topics are tailored for School Leaders, aspiring HALT’s, for colleagues considering HALT and for aspirant leaders. Evaluations have been exceptional. The program(s) will be scheduled again in 2022. Please look on the NSW Teachers’ Federation Centre of Professional Learning (CPL) website for dates and other programs.
Cole, J. (2022, January 25). Why the push for tremendous teachers ground to a HALT. Australian Association for Research in Education. https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=11794
Darling-Hammond, L., Burns, D., Campbell, C., Lin Goodwin, A., Hammerness, K., Low, E. L., McIntyre, A., Sato, M., & Zeichner, K. (2017). Empowered educators: How high-performing systems shape teaching quality around the world. Jossey-Bass.
Department of Education and Training. (2018). Through growth to achievement: Report of the review to achieve educational excellence in Australian schools. Commonwealth of Australia 2018.
Lila Mularczyk’s commitment to education was recognised by being honoured with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM). Lila has been contributing to public education for 40 years. She currently is undertaking a portfolio of work including leading or participating on multiple National and State Education Boards and Reference Groups and projects (including, PEF, ACE, UTS, UNSW, NSWTF and CPL.) tertiary professional experience officer, coach and mentor, UNSW Gonski Institute, State and Vice Chair ACE, supporting HALT’s, tertiary lecturer, work in and for schools, research, contract work, critical friend, innovation projects etc.
Prior, Lila was the Director, Secondary Education, at the Department of Education. Immediately prior to this, Lila was President of the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council (SPC) from 2012 to 2016. As President and as a school Principal, Lila represented Public Education around Australia, and frequently globally, at conferences over many years. Lila was Principal at Merrylands High School for 15 years until 2016.
Maurie Mulheron
Maurie Mulheron was President of the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) from 2012 after 34 years as a public-school teacher and principal. He held that position until January 2020 leading the union’s many campaigns. Maurie represented the NSWTF on the Federal Executive of the Australian Education Union (AEU) for twenty years. From 2015-2020, he was Deputy Federal President of the AEU. Maurie was active in Education International’s Global Response Network which coordinated international opposition to the growing commercialisation and privatisation of education. Maurie is currently the Director of the Centre for Public Education Research (CPER).
Melinda Haskett
Melinda Haskett is a national certified Highly Accomplished teacher and has taught in Southwest Sydney high schools for almost 15 years. For the past 5 years she has been working at the system level for the NSW Department of Education providing strategic advice and executive support on a range of reforms and initiatives. Melinda is currently working with the Department’s COVID Taskforce.
Melinda is a strong advocate for national certification, is a founding member of the AITSL HALT Steering Committee and in 2018 led the first ever HALT Forum for certified Department teachers in NSW. She is a member of the NESA, Moderation and Consistency Committee and contributes to a range of reports, panels and professional learning events around the role of certification in building the status of the teaching profession.
Emma Mansfield
Emma Mansfield is Deputy Principal at Macarthur Girls High School and relieved as Principal for a substantial amount of time. She is currently working as Leader, School Excellence in the NSW Department of Education. Throughout her career, Emma has worked in a range of different teaching and leadership roles both within schools and across the national and state education systems. Since gaining Lead accreditation in 2017, Emma has been a passionate advocate for the certification process. She has extensive experience in supporting teachers to undertake the process of accreditation and in promoting how school leaders can use this process to improve teacher quality and enhance school improvement. She has been heavily involved in a range of system wide initiatives as well as formal and informal mentoring programs at a school, network and system level. Emma regularly contributes to the wider dialogue surrounding accreditation at numerous events including the International Forum for Teacher Regulatory Authorities, and ACEL National Conference.
Belinda Giudice
Belinda Giudice displays a deep commitment to public education. She began her career at Merrylands High School and was Co-Principal there from 2012-2015. She has been the Principal of Canterbury Boys High School and is the current Principal of Prairiewood High School. Belinda has presented at state and national levels in the areas of: Quality Teaching, Leadership, and Student Wellbeing. Belinda displays a passion not to accept the status quo and to make structural improvements that lead to real and required change. She has received numerous education awards including: an NSW Australian College of Educational Leadership Award, an NSW Quality Teaching Award, a Public Education Foundation Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service, a New South Wales Secondary Deputy Principals Association (NSWSDPA) Fellowship and is a NSWSDPA Life Member. Belinda is a visionary leader who is passionate about contributing to the education community.
Karen Graham
Karen Graham has been teaching and leading in south west Sydney for the past 19 years. For the past 3 years, she has been a relieving Deputy Principal and Instructional Leader at Blairmount Public School. Karen was accredited as a Highly Accomplished Teacher in 2017 and believes that accreditation at Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher is a great way to recognise and promote the expertise of our teaching profession.
Abby Saleh
Abby Saleh is a NESA Accredited Highly Accomplished Teacher currently working as Deputy Principal Instructional Leader at Fairfield Public School. As a former refugee and proud product of public education, Abby has over 20 years’ experience working with low socio-economic communities and is passionate about building teacher capacity to support CALD students and their families. Her mantra is “Never Stop Learning”. To learn more about the process of accreditation at the higher levels, see Abby Saleh’s article in this edition of the Journal of Professional Learning.
