Good School? Good Teacher? What really counts as good?
Regarding good schools, some people believe the benchmark is NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy), which is a national standardised test administered to students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9. You can find the annual NAPLAN rankings information for each state online, as well as the rankings of high school exam results.
Generally, a school’s ranking does not change significantly every year. If there is a large change, it is likely due to the appointment of a new principal. Just like a CEO decides a company’s direction and performance, a principal also plays a critical role in a school’s academic culture and performance.
What are the characteristics of a good school?
- They have an established and effective system in place. This includes effective communication mechanisms, student support systems, creating a good learning atmosphere, curriculum design, and unlocking the potential of their students.
- They invest in their teachers and promote ongoing development. Equipping teachers with the skills they need, including new teaching methods, student behaviour management, and computer network skills. Every year, the student-free day is also a professional development day for teachers, and how each school utilises this time depends mainly on the principal.
- Maintain stability. If a principal frequently goes on leave or is moved to other schools, an acting principal will fill in. If this position is filled by another staff member within the school, the original position will need to be filled by someone else, which may lead to a domino effect.
- Good schools tend to be more organised. This is the most basic but also the most important quality. In Australian primary schools, teachers are generally responsible for all courses and activities except for music, physical education, and technology for each class, and the workload is quite heavy. In addition, there may be temporary arrangements from the school that can disrupt the schedule. They have to be very organised to ensure that all assessments are completed on time and that all students actively participate in all activities while being flexible.
- Be capable of managing the whole class. Good teachers pay attention to establishing rules, such as not whispering, keeping quiet in the library, and not interrupting others’ speeches. If a child violates the rules, some teachers may overlook it due to progress or because they consider the severity to be mild, and the child will inevitably repeat the mistake. Good teachers tend to correct it every time until the behaviour stops, and soon the whole class will become an efficient group.
- Passion! This is more often seen in young teachers. Teachers with teaching enthusiasm will actively seek various resources, try various (and new) methods, and like to establish positive relationships with students.
- Be willing to embrace new skills and technology (including the Chat GPT). This is also easier for young teachers. Especially now, teaching cannot be separated from various apps, and primary schools have started using iPads and computers. Teachers who are willing to learn new skills can solve technical problems during class time, without having to wait for IT staff.
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