Supporting effective teaching
Evidence tells us that students learn best when teachers:
- create a supportive learning environment
- encourage reflective thought and action
- enhance the relevance of new learning
- facilitate shared learning
- make connections to prior learning and experience
- provide sufficient opportunities to learn
- inquire into the teaching–learning relationship.
What does effective pedagogy look like in your department?
Overview | What the research says | Discussion tools | Examples from practice
Overview
The New Zealand Curriculum provides guidance on effective pedagogy. Secondary middle leaders identify elements of effective pedagogy, review existing practices, and encourage new classroom approaches.
What the research says
NZC Update 7 - Te Kotahitanga (Published April 2011)
This Update focuses on findings from Te Kotahitanga and highlights how this programme is producing positive gains for Māori students by influencing leadership, teaching, and learning in participating schools.
Quality Teaching for Diverse Students in Schooling (published 6/03)
Quality teaching is identified as a key influence on high quality outcomes for diverse students. The evidence reveals that up to 59% of variance in student performance is attributable to differences between teachers and classes, while up to almost 21%, but generally less, is attributable to school level variables.
Effective pedagogy in social sciences tikanga a Iwi (published 11/08)
This report is one of a series of best evidence synthesis iterations (BESs) commissioned by the Ministry of Education. The Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis Programme seeks to support collaborative knowledge building and use across policy, research, and practice in education.
Effective pedagogy in mathematics/pangarau (published 2/07)
This best evidence synthesis in pāngarau/mathematics plays a key role in knowledge building for New Zealand education. As a capability tool, it identifies, evaluates, analyses, and synthesises what the New Zealand evidence and international research tell us about quality mathematics teaching.
Discussion tools
Creating a supportive learning environment
Encouraging reflective thought and action: Feedback to promote student learning
Making connections to prior learning and experience
PPTA professional learning and development toolkit
Examples from practice
Teachers creating supportive learning environments
Watch 'Te Kotahitanga'. Duration 4:47
Watch 'Maths and the NZC'. Duration: 4:48
Te Kotahitanga
Te Kotahitanga includes a large number of videos from schools that have participated in this programme.
Encouraging reflective thought and action
Raising Achievement: Using Google Docs for collaborative learning (Word, 29 KB)
In this article, Elizabeth O’Hagan, HOD social science from Aorere College in Auckland, explains how she has used Google Docs to raise student achievement in her senior classes.
Connections to prior learning and experience
NZC Update 9: Onslow College case study – Using evidence of prior learning
Wellington’s Onslow College collects data on its incoming students, covering: literacy and numeracy achievement; social, emotional, and family issues that may require intervention; cultural practices; and special learning needs (p.3).
How do you support effective teaching in your department?
Overview | What the research says | Discussion tools | Examples from practice
Overview
Teaching is a complex and demanding profession. Teachers require high quality support and training throughout their careers to ensure they have the strategies and skills to meet the needs of learners. Professional learning and development (PLD) is central to maintaining and improving teacher quality.
(Source: Managing Professional Learning and Development in Secondary Schools)
What the research says
Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (2007) identifies that the most powerful professional development for teachers involves them in an inquiry and knowledge-building cycle, that:
- identifies students’ needs
- develops the skills and knowledge teachers require to meet those needs
- determines if changes in teaching practice have achieved the desired outcomes and therefore been effective.
Discussion tools
How do you support teaching as inquiry in your department?
How do you share strategies that work within your department or with others?
Examples from practice
Supporting teaching as inquiry in your department
Watch 'Professional learning groups'. Duration 5:13
Claire Amos, Director of e-learning, talks here about the professional learning groups at Epsom Girls Grammar, which have been set up to support school wide e-learning.
Albany Senior High School - Curriculum structure and eportfolios
Miranda Makin, Deputy Principal of Albany Senior High School, discusses the school's curriculum structure and how this fits with the use of eportfolios.
Sharing strategies that work within your department or with others
Watch 'Supporting teachers to change practice'. Duration 4:11
Te Mana Kōrero - Greymouth High School
In this video from Te Mana Kōrero - Strengthening Professional Practice, Greymouth High School shares how they went about developing their understanding of improving the learning outcomes for Māori students.