Teacher quality

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald suggests that differences between teachers play only a minor role in how well a child will learn.
Teacher quality makes little difference, July 24, 2009
The global study, led by the University of New England, monitored 500 pairs of identical twins during their first three years of school.
They were divided into two groups: twins who shared the same teacher, and siblings who were split across different classrooms.
The same genetics and home life ensured the twins had the same ability to learn. The study was designed to reveal any differences linked to their teacher alone.
Professor Brian Byrne said the finding contradicted the views of educationalists who claimed teacher quality could account for a variance of up to 40 per cent in a child's learning outcome.

An excerpt from Maralyn Parkers Daily Telegraph column on this research points out:
Professor Byrne said the study did not measure the quality of the teaching, as the researchers did not actually visit any classrooms. However he said the majority of difference in childrens’ literacy levels in their first three years of schooling, 60 to 70 per cent, was due to genetics.

Byrne’s research is being undertaken under the auspices of the Australian Twin Registry
The latest paper available online from Byrne is “Genetic and environmental influences on early literacy, 2006”

Byrne discussed findings from the above research in an article in the Armidale Times. “Twins Aid research” in 2007 saying “We’re not finding big effects of different schools - or even different teachers - on the literacy levels of children within the same school year.”

Other articles from Byrne
Byrne, B. (2004). "Guest editorial on behaviour genetics." Australian Journal of Psychology Special edition.
Byrne, B., C. Delaland, et al. (2001). "Preliminary Results from a longitudinal preschool twin study of early reading
development." Annals of Dyslexia.
Byrne, B., R. K. Olson, et al. (2006). "Genetic and environmental influences on early literacy." Journal of Research in Reading
29: 33-49.
Byrne, B., S. Wadsworth, et al. (2005). "Longitudinal twin study of early literacy development: Preschool and kindergarten
phases." Scientific Studies of Reading 9: 219-235.

Some other research in this area
U.Va. Study Finds Teaching Quality Inadequate in Most U.S. First-Grade Classrooms
Interestingly, the study found that factors traditionally thought to influence quality, such as class size and teacher credentials, had little influence on classroom quality. Instead, the study found that high classroom quality is linked more strongly to teachers who are both creating a positive social climate and offering strong instructional support.

Estimating Teacher Effectiveness From Two-Year Changes in Students’ Test Scores
Teacher fixed effects show a significant association with some, though not all, observable teacher characteristics. Experience has the strongest effect, with a large effect in the early years of a teacher’s career.

How much of the variation in literacy and numeracy can be explained by school performance?
Family background is known to have a substantial impact on students’ literacy and numeracy results. This raises questions about whether any of the remaining differences in results are due to school performance — or whether they are merely due to random noise. This article reviews research from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, based on student-level analysis. It then presents new evidence based on publicly reported school-level data from Western Australia. Combining test results with data on schools’ socioeconomic characteristics, this study estimates the degree to which some schools outperform those with similar characteristics. On a ‘like schools’ basis, school differences are shown to be persistent across subjects, grades and years.

Professional learning

Articles
Online learning for school leaders, Professional educator, Vol 7, No 4, Nov 2008, pp18-20.

Whats that sound? ‘Tweet’: new perspectives on leadership and learning, Access Vol 22, Iss 4, 2008. Pp23-25

Below are Hardcopy books available for borrowing from TLRU
Contact the TLRU via email to TLRU@parra.catholic.edu.au or on 9677 4344

Learning for leadership : building a school of professional practice
authors, Michelle Anderson ; Christine Cawsey.
Camberwell, Vic. : ACER Press, 2008.
371.10994 AND

Towards a moving school : developing a professional learning and performance culture
John Fleming & Elizabeth Kleinhenz.
Camberwell, Vic : ACER Press 2007.
371.1440994 FLE

Better schools better teachers better results: a handbook for improved performance management in your school /Vic Zbar, Graham Marshall, Paul Power.
Camberwell, Vic. :|bACER Press,|c2007.


Leadership coaching for educators : bringing out the best in school administrators
Karla Reiss.
Thousand Oaks, CA : Corwin Press, 2007.
371.2011 REI

From first-year to first-rate :|principals guiding beginning teachers
Barbara L. Brock, Marilyn L. Grady.
Publication info :Thousand Oaks, CA :|bCorwin Press,c2007.
371.201 BRO

Leading effective meetings, teams, and work groups in districts and schools
Matthew Jennings.
Alexandria, VA :|bAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development,|cc2007.
187 p. ;|c25 cm.
371.207 JEN

Learning-driven schools: a practical guide for teachers and principals
Barry Beers
Alexandria, VA, ASCD, 2006.
371.1 BEEk

The team leadership coaching guide : growing you, your team, your organisation.
[St. Ives, N.S.W.] : Australian Growth Coaching, 2006.
658.4092 TEA

The principalship : a reflective practice perspective
Thomas J. Sergiovanni.
Boston : Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2006.
371.20120973 SER

Coaching leadership : building educational leadership capacity through coaching partnerships
Jan Robertson.
Wellington, N.Z. : NZCER Press, 2005.
371.2011

Strengthening the heartbeat: leading and learning together in schools
Thomas J. Sergiovanni.
San Francisco :Jossey-Bass, 2005.
371.200973 SER

Preparing teachers for a changing world :|bwhat teachers should learn and be able to do
edited by Linda Darling-Hammond and John Bransford
San Francisco, CA :|Jossey-Bass, 2005.
371.71 DAR

Creating dynamic schools through mentoring, coaching, and collaboration
Judy F. Carr, Nancy Herman, and Douglas E. Harris.
Alexandria, Va. : Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, c2005.
371.203 CAR

Understanding by design professional development workbook / Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins.
Alexandria, Va. : Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004.
375.001 MCT

A look at transfer : seven strategies that work
Robin J. Fogarty and Brian M. Pete.
Moorabbin, Vic. : Hawker Brownlow Education, 2004.
371.3 FOG

Professional teaching standards
NSW Institute of Teachers.
Sydney : NSW Institute of Teachers, [2004?].
371.144 PRO

Leading learning : making hope practical in schools
Bob Lingard ... [et al.].
Buckingham [England] ; Philadelpha : Open University Press, 2003.
371.209943 LEA

Teaching in the knowledge society : education in the age of insecurity
Andy Hargreaves.
New York : Teachers College Press, c2003.
371.2 HAR

Results-based professional development models
St. Vrain Valley School District, professional development.
Longmont, CO : St Vrain Valley School District, 2003
370.71 RES

Stirring the tidal pool : reflective practices for school improvement
Catholic Education Office, Diocese of Parramatta: Parramatta, N.S.W., 2003
CD ROM
371.2 SYN

The leadership coaching guide for growing you and your organisation
Publication info: [St Ives, N.S.W.] : Australian Growth Coaching, 2003.
658.4092 LEA

Leading learners, leading schools
Robin Brooke-Smith.
London ;|aNew York :|bRoutledgeFalmer,|c2003.
371.2 BRO

The reflective teacher [kit] : using action learning to improve teaching.
East Perth : Dept. of Education, WA, 2002.
1 videocassette, 1 book.
371.39 REF

Leadership for learning :|bhow to help teachers succeed
Carl D. Glickman.
Publication info: Alexandria, Va. :|bAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2002.
371.102 GLI

Developing teacher leaders : how teacher leadership enhances school success
Frank Crowther ... [and others].
Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin, 2002.
371.106 CRO

Building a learning profession
Lawrence Ingvarson.
Deakin West, A.C.T. : Australian College of Educators, 2002.
371.10994 ING

From option to imperative : towards a culture of teacher development in Catholic schools
Michael Bezzina & Aengus Kavanagh.
Parramatta : Catholic Education Office, 2002.
371.146 BEZ

The heart of teaching : how we can use student work to strengthen our professional practice?
developed by Australian National Schools Network in partnership with the Coalition of Essential Schools (USA).
Lindfield, N.S.W. : Australian National Schools Network, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney, 2001.
1 ringbinder ; 31 cm + looseleaf pages; 1
videocassette; 1 DVD.
370.1 HEA

A model for mentoring our teachers : centers of pedagogy / Robin Fogarty ; [editor Dara Lee Howard].
Cheltenham, Vic. : Hawker Brownlow Education, 2001.
371.102 FOG

Teacher evaluation to enhance professional practice
Charlotte Danielson & Thomas L. McGreal.
Alexandria, Va. : Educational Testing Service, 2000.
371.144 DAN

Evaluating professional development
Thomas R. Guskey ; foreword by Dennis Sparks.
Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin Press, Inc., c2000.
370.7155 GUS

Principles in action [videorecording] : award-winning professional development.
[Aurora, Colo.] : McREL, 2000.
1 DVD (ca. 55 min.) : sd., col.
371.1460973 PRI

Personal Development Health and Physical education

Reality check: effective school-based drug education, Professional educator, Vol 7, No 4, Nov 2008, pp 24-27.

Weighing it up: thinking about the implications of school based obesity prevention initiatives. ACHPER healthy lifestyles journal, vol 55 No 1, pp 19-22.

Catholic schools

Teaching and Learning as Wayfaring, Momentum Nov/Dec 2008, pp8-11

A model for improving Catholic School System vitality, Momentum Nov/Dec 2008, pp12-16

Libraries

Banning books – the shifting ground, info@aslansw, Aug 2008, pp4-5.

School library websites virtually extending learning support, Scan, Vol 27, No 4, Nov 2008. Pp 17-27.

Collaborating in assessment: the teachers librarians role, Scan, Vol 27, No 4, Nov 2008, pp46- 48

The impact of school library services on student achievement and the implications for advocacy: a review of the literature, Access Vol 22, Iss 4, 2008. Pp15-20.

School libraries building capacity for student learning in 21C, Scan Vol 28, No 2 May 2009.pp 17-25.

School libraries and continuous improvement: a case study, Scan Vol 28, No 2 May 2009, pp26-31.

Special education

Verbal working memory and story retelling in school-age children with Autism, Language, Speech and Hearing Services in School, Vol 39, No 4, Oct 2008, pp 498-511.

Are schools meeting the needs of students with ADHD, Vol 32, No 2, Sep 2008, pp 187-198.

Behavior and communication, Down Syndrome NSW newsletter, Summer 2008-2009, pp17-19,

Dyslexia and related disorders, SPELD NSW newsletter, Nov 2008, Vol 40, No 4, pp 10-11.

Language support program website. The Language Support Program (LSP) is a substantial program comprising direct assistance to teachers in developing strong oral language competency in children and young people to maximise their learning potential.

Religious education

From the Vatican to the classroom Part2: examining intertextuality and alignment among church, local diocesan and school religious education documents.
Journal of Religious Education, Vol 56 No 4, 2008.

St Paul on the Lord’s supper, Liturgy News, Dec 2008, pp3-5.

Weaving the threads of meaning: a characteristic of children’s spirituality and its implication for religious education, British Journal of Religious Education, Vol 30, No 3, Sep 2008, pp 235-245.