It is expected that every classroom positively impacts on the growth and achievement of all students by providing a dependable and consistent atmosphere of support and quality instruction. Classrooms must be places where students feel safe, valued and supported, benefit from positive interactions, and can capably undertake significant learning activities that result in their ongoing progress.
At Ashfield Public School, teachers consistently use evidence-based teaching practices and strategies to create successful classrooms. These include:
Adhering to routines - this is about maintaining a predictable daily and weekly structure so that students can be prepared and become increasingly independent. It involves keeping to a regular timetable and having ordered transitions between lessons and breaks.
Upholding standards of behaviour - this is about maintaining fairness and equity with clear expectations and accountability, and an emphasis on positive behaviour. It involves having various methods for de-escalating confrontations, solving conflicts, redirecting and responding to inappropriate behaviour and celebrating on task and productive behaviour, in a fair, productive and proportionate manner.
Enabling active and interactive learning - this is about enabling students to work collaboratively as they apply critical and creative thinking. It involves minimising spoken explanations with an emphasis on students generating and sharing ideas, possibilities, and actions as they explore information and develop knowledge, skills and understanding.
Delivering differentiated and interesting lessons that challenge and engage - this is about having a deep understanding of the curriculum and outstanding subject knowledge. It involves making content meaningful and fascinating, and modifying curriculum content and adapting a variety of teaching strategies to meet individual student ability.
Using explicit teaching - this is about clearly explaining to students why they are learning something, how it connects to what they already know. It involves telling the student what they are expected to do, how to do it, and what it looks like when they have succeeded.
Providing feedback - this is about giving students information about their performance on specific tasks. It involves clearly identifying for students when they have succeeded or exceeded task requirements, where and why mistakes were made, and emphasising opportunities to learn and improve.
At Ashfield Public School, we have a shared belief that all students can thrive and learn in classrooms where they feel valued and safe, where they have a sense of autonomy and the confidence to interact with teachers and peers, and where they can make academic progress by engaging and being supported in challenging, interesting, and worthwhile lessons.
At Ashfield Public School we certainly know the importance of effective classrooms and the significant role that teachers play in creating the conditions for student success. A well-run classroom that meets needs and provides clear expectations for progress, is a classroom that enables students to enjoy school, sustain focus and achieve.
education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/education-data-and-research/cese/publications/research-reports/what-works-best-2020-update
edresearch.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-11/Discussion%20 Paper_AA_Final%20v1.pdf
