2.+School+Context

My name is Stewart Clyde and I am currently teaching Prep at Glenferrie Primary School.

Glenferrie Primary School is situated in the Boroondara Network with stable enrolments of around 350 students.

The Boroondara Network is the smallest network area with the highest amount of students in it and it is serious about bringing change to its area. One argument that the network has put forward is that since our students are performing so well why are we still generally teaching them at their VELs year level? Why are we not asking more higher-order questions? Do we have special programmes in place for our gifted children? Why don’t we raise the bar a lot more, expect more from our students. The network argued that every school that is capable of being classified as a ‘high performing school’ is classified as a ‘high performing school’. This challenged me a lot and when I reflected on this using a learning journal I had to be honest and say that our students are polite, getting high grades and being taught well but on a whole are not being pushed enough. I see student led interviews, goal settting and student evaluative portfolio's as a way to help us personalise teaching and raise the bar in terms of childrens thinking skills.

I saw the need for more reflective thinking at Glenferrie and have since attented a few Professional Development sessions around student led interviews, goal setting and student portfolios. The school has attempted digital portfolios in the past however nothing has been followed through and the school lacked a vision and consistency amoungst staff. As a collection the staff felt quite strongly that the parent interviews didn't achieve what they needed. As the interviews were held straight after the parents received paper reports it was felt that we were doubling up and as a whole the parent interviews were not necessary.