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Implementing the Great Teaching Tool Kit
  • COBIS Training Schools

Written by Richard Hallam, Deputy Head of Junior School, Jerudong International School, Brunei   

As part of our commitment to enhancing professional growth opportunities for all staff, we are excited to integrate the Great Teaching Toolkit (GTT) into our offerings for 2024-25. We believe the GTT will provide the much-needed structure and shared language across our school community, complementing our existing programmes, such as the internal coaching course and Walkthru sessions. Together, these initiatives aim to address our overarching question: "How can I engage my students actively in their learning?"

To ensure the GTT's success, we have carefully considered several key factors. Recognizing that effective professional development relies heavily on realistic scheduling, careful research and the allocation of time, we dedicated significant effort over the past year to explore the platform. This included online and face to face discussions with representatives from schools within COBIS and FOBISIA. Engaging with colleagues in our network helped us identify potential challenges and distil best practices. The necessity to provide time to engage with the learning was one of the key takeaways from meetings with other partner schools using the programme.

A pilot programme involving twenty staff members over a full academic year allowed us to collaborate on various courses, reinforcing our conviction that the GTT is the right path forward. Conversations with Matt McGinley and others from the Great Teaching Toolkit further refined our implementation strategy. We have also allocated substantial time in our professional growth schedule for collaborative meetings, deepening and enhancing learning through using our facilitative coaching skills. This investment of time, sixteen afternoon sessions over the year, signals to all staff that GTT is a key focus for our school and is highly valued.

Our initial goals for the first year are modest yet impactful: we aim for all teaching staff, from Nursery to Year 13, to engage in at least one course throughout the year. This structured programme will guide participants through a professional growth cycle - identifying an element, exploring evidence, preparing and practising a strategy, integrating it into regular practice, and reviewing the impact.

With the professional growth cycle through the Great Teaching Toolkit at the heart of our efforts, we have revamped our professional growth portfolios to align with the GTT stages. This record of meetings and learning from related Walkthru workshops and courses will serve as the basis for contract renewal discussions and will be phased in throughout the year. Crucially, everyone, from Learning Support Tutors to the principal, will be involved in this journey, all striving to become even better practitioners in the coming year.

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