At Hillsmeade, we implement evidence-based best practice that personalises and engages students in active learning alongside explicit and formalised instruction. Teaching and learning are data-informed and aligned to the Victorian Curriculum. We implement our Hillsmeade Instructional Model, utilising high-impact teaching strategies in classroom practice.
Hillsmeade prioritises high levels of student engagement in their learning and connectedness to school through positive relationships. We recognise the need for children to be active participants in their learning through goal setting, investigation, collaborating, thinking, questioning, problem-solving, creativity and reflection. We explicitly teach and develop literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional learning skills to become successful learners, self-managers, and global citizens.
Professional Learning Teams
At Hillsmeade Primary School, Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) are year level or specialist teams that work collaboratively to improve student outcomes. PLTs are focused on continuous improvement, are data-driven to meet students’ needs, involve ongoing professional learning, and develop teachers’ practice.
This Professional Learning Team approach draws on research focusing on the importance of collaborative expertise, including:
- Student learning focus: Having a shared moral purpose for improving their learning and achievement.
- Collective responsibility: For every child to achieve, every adult must take responsibility for their learning. Expectations that all children can learn, regardless of background.
- Collective efficacy: A focus on collaboration. Teachers make better instructional decisions together.
- Instructional leadership: Effective school leaders focus on teaching and learning.
- Professional learning: Teachers learn best with others, on the job.
- Privileged time: Effective schools provide time and forums for teacher conversations about student learning.
- Continuous improvement: Effective teams improve through recurring cycles of diagnosing student learning needs, and planning, implementing and evaluating teaching responses.
- Evidence driven: Effective professional learning and practice is evidence based and data driven.
- System focus: The most effective school leaders contribute to the success of other schools.
