Appraisal through Te Ariki lens Principal A: The BoT have just signed off on my annual appraisal Principal B: Are you now a better principal? Principal A: Well . . . This paper is in three parts: a redefinition of teacher and principal appraisal; the question of ‘what does a good1 teacher actually do?’ and how can a school nurture those processes that inculcate the energy and commitment of participants to engage in exciting, appropriate, timely and continuous learning for students and teachers. Redefinition of teacher and principal appraisal In spite of the tangle of mandated processes stretched across their path, many schools already create a culture of excellence often based around such values as: reflective enquiry and discourse; evidence informed professional practice; obligations to their colleagues; and professional discretion. This paper takes the view that the historical appraisal methodology, mandated since 1997, can be part of the mesh diverting schools from getting on with what really matters. Teaching is an activity which occurs predominately through interactions. Both the instigator and the receiver process what they hear, see and do, in a teaching interaction, through the filter of what they already understand. Hidden within their heads, both parties create new idiosyncratic meaning. Before we can decide what changes or improvements would be desirable, or even what next to do, we need to know something about this ‘inside head’ material. For teachers that will require group collaboration amongst trusted peers, and for students that will require further interactions with teachers. So called reflection done alone, often at night by teachers is usually called worry! The Ariki process begins with the teacher recording a sample of her observation and thoughts of an interaction in the Web Diary. What follows below is a small section of one of these entries. An extract from a teacher’s Web Diary entry to be used at a Quality Learning Session2 Reflection/Goals Reflecting on my programme and using the questions as a guide, I believe that my writing programme has come a reasonable way. I feel that my writing programme allows the students to be empowered by giving them ownership of their learning. I have decided that I would like to implement more reflection into my writing programme through self and peer reflection tools. I feel I need to ensure that the fastfinishers have activities that are related to their writing. This could be such as the students using iMovie. Use of ICT into my writing programme is something else I would like to improve also.
I would like to have more activities available to extend my higher students, but also begin to use peer-tutoring in the writing programme to assist the students who need more teacher direction. At the Quality Learning Circle meeting the group are able to apply critical reflective critique to the various presentations that have been shared. A summary of this discussion is recorded on a pre-prepared template which is then posted to the web diary of each of the participants. What follows below is an excerpt from one of these meetings exploring issues of validation. An excerpt from a Quality Learning Circle Discussion Summary The group explored aspects of Validation by talking about: Getting enthusiastic about setting up something new, but changes in routine interrupt the progress e.g. trips. Keep the timeline going and stick to the plan. This supports the belief that reflection and discussion are important, especially with integrated programmes. It’s good for students to sit, talk and debate their ideas so verbal reflections are important as well. The self-reflection was to take on board the information found out. The students who didn’t know what they were doing need more support from the teacher. Appraisal, therefore, should be redefined as increasing under standing or deepening meaning about one’s own professional interactions, leading to decisions about what next. Some might characterise this activity as higher order thinking. A school deciding to work in this way can quite easily check off the required mandated material as somewhat lower order activity, and then concentrate on developing skilled reflective practice which impacts directly on learning and teaching. What does a good teacher do? In our commitment to put ‘the student’ at the centre of the work of the school we must not forget that there are two parties to these interactions. Teachers are not just bundles of skills plucked from the community and charged with processing young lives into productive economic units, but rather are qualified, thoughtful people who live large portions of their lives within the school and clearly operate most effectively when respected, supported and challenged within a predominately positive milieu. Every day they make countless thoughtful choices, which could be variously defined as prudent, moral, or just systematic. It is in this area where they make choices, which are then exposed to critical reflective discussion, that separates the good teachers from
others. Teaching is predominately an intellectual endeavour. Teacher behaviour changes as they expand what they think about what they do. Principal behaviour changes through the same dynamic, using the some processes. Some further web diary entries
The principal then decided to take this issue to the Leader’s Group which he attended. His diary entry looked like this3:
For educators at every level appraisal should be about the judgement of what is worthwhile4 to do. Many years ago RS Peters proposed that regularly participation in worthwhile professional activities changed what educators thought about what they were doing in classrooms, and in so doing modified their practice to better reflect these increased understandings. Te Ariki protocols for Quality Learning Circles and their focus on instances of interactive practice provide a setting and an agreed process for engaging in worthwhile activities. Furthermore, these evidence of practice collections supported by the summary of the consequent QLC discussion, enable school leaders to correlate their intentions, and their goals, with classroom practice and student outcomes.
In addition other connections can be made. We have just completed some new programming of the Web Diary which enables sorting of entries under the Teacher Registration Criteria for example. The example below links to Principal Professional Standards. Conclusion Te Ariki offers contiguously, a practice of accountability and a network for school development and improvement. The Appraisal Option is one way into this development. It begins with the teacher gathering interaction instances which are significant and broadens into peer group reflective critique, observations, and personal interviews.
Links between Principal intents, Teacher actions and Professional Standards5 Te Ariki Model Outcomes
Links to Principal Professional Standards
For the first time teachers are participating in cross team groups. This has Principal motivates and supports staff to improve the enabled teachers to understand the practice of other year groups and to quality of teaching and learning build a picture of the learning progressions across the school. Principal fosters relationships within the school community QLC group presentations have essentially reprivatised practice and Principal provides professional direction to the work of encouraged an open door practice and collaborative culture to emerge. others by encouraging vision and innovation in classroom Teachers reflect on multiple ways of teaching the same concept/skill, practice and school organisation which will ultimately benefit the aim of differentiating instruction to suit all Principal demonstrates an understanding of, and is learners’ needs. responsive to, the diverse concerns and needs of staff, As teachers share their practice and critically reflect in front of their peers a culture has developed built on respect, empowerment and trust. Principal establishes procedures and practices to maintain Teachers receive feedback and praise in a meaningful authentic context as and improve staff effectiveness through appropriate recruitment, supervision, performance management, opposed to a pre-arranged formulaic procedure. provision of professional development and encouragement Experts within the school have been identified and utilised. All teachers are of self-development now regarded as an expert. Te Ariki provides powerful, in-school professional development focused on the school’s annual goals and target/s. “The above table allows clear links to be made between principal intent, teacher intent and, in conjunction with the web diary reflections and presentations, links to improved outcomes for students.” (Dr Lyn Bird BOT Report September 2012)
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Te Ariki in a Nutshell
Values
Professional Discretion: there are multiple ways of thinking and many ways of achieving the same aim. Collegial Obligations: the belief that teachers are professionals and that schools function as teams. Reflective Inquiry and Discourse: is the core of professional interaction and development; and that, Evidenced-based Professional practice can be spread across all school activity.
Process Te Ariki provides protocols for QLC meetings, visits, sharing, etc.
Interactions The prime foci for reflective critique are interactions.
Quality Learning Circles Heterogeneous across the school groups meeting at least twice a term.
Leader’s Groups Principal groups using the QLC protocols, meeting to reflect and critique principal web diary entries.
Correlation of intents and outcomes Part of the evidence of practice material regularly supplied to Boards as part of the Principal Report. Includes samples of teacher web diaries and QLC summaries.
Principal B: Are you now a better principal? Principal A: Well . . . I can correlate my intentions and the
schools goals with what teachers and students actually do; I can present this evidence of practice to my Board; and, as Dr Lyn Bird from Queenstown says; “Te Ariki has provided the practices and protocols that have created an effective learning environment for teachers that is supportive and stimulating. It naturally creates a culture of inquiry based on shared practice, critical reflection and identifying next steps. This practice will increase principal/teacher efficacy and result in improvement to leadership/teaching practice and student achievement. Principals/teachers with strong efficacy beliefs are more likely to engage in professional learning”.
Principal B: That’s worthwhile! Endnotes 1 Good teacher, or quality teacher, or effective teacher or any other synonym seen in this space. 2 With thanks, these two excerpts are taken from Lyn Bird’s report to BoT September 2012. See full report by following Visual Tours @ www.arikiproject.ac.nz. Dr Lyn Bird is principal Queenstown Primary School and a Regional Director of Te Ariki
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3 These two examples are taken from our Seminar Web space http://ariki.knowledge.net.nz 4 worthwhile: sufficiently important, rewarding, or valuable to justify time or effort spent. Collins English Dictionary. 1984
worthwhile also implies the notion of being ‘transformed’ by what you know. – not just knowledgeable. See R.S.Peters. ‘What is an educational process’ in The concept of education, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, London, 1967. 5 With thanks, a further excerpt from Dr Lyn Bird’s report to the Board of Trustees September 2012. About the Author Dr David Stewart is a life member of NZPF and has been facilitating, examining, researching and writing about reflective practice in groups for over 30 years. The particular set of circumstances that gave rise to Te Ariki began with the group mentor networks established in Wellington in the early 90s. Talking with hundreds of principals, experimenting with new concepts, reading widely about similar practices in other jurisdictions, and thinking laterally, have given rise to this latest iteration. Truly, it demonstrates reflective critique in action. The Ariki project group are often heard to say, “We can do this ourselves.” Te Ariki arose from New Zealand educational practice and is beyond doubt a genuine NZ innovation.