Context

A leader is a dealer in hope. Napoleon Bonaparte This page outlines …﻿the context of this Action Research Project that set out to determine how Teaching and Learning Coaches who work closely with a Regional Network Leader can support the Network's push to raise Numeracy standards by developing the capacity of Numeracy Coordinators in schools. The DEECD focus in 2007 on improving student outcomes resulted in the appointment of around 200 Teaching and Learning Coaches whose responsibilities (outlined in the Teaching and Learning Coaches initiative guidelines) included building teachers’ capacity to plan curriculum and make links “with other relevant DEECD initiatives, such as Building leadership Capacity”. (p 14) Teaching and Learning Coaches in the Southern Metropolitan Region were systematically allocated to schools identified as in need of extra support and to assist them to improve the student learning outcomes at their schools. As well as this, some coaches were assigned to Networks within the Region to work with Numeracy Coordinators in all schools and support them to develop their Leadership skills.
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For at least one particular Southern Metropolitan Region Network, there has been an increasingly widening gap between student performances in Literacy and Numeracy over the past 2 years when measuring a school’s SFO data against NAPLAN results. Many of the 27 Schools in the Network have consistently achieved above State means (comparable with schools with the same SFO distribution) in Writing, Spelling, Reading and Grammar and Punctuation but these same schools are performing below their expected levels in Numeracy.

Two Teaching and Learning Coaches have been working closely with the Regional Network Leader to assist schools in improving their students’ NAPLAN data results. One aspect of this partnership that has been a focus has been to develop the leadership capacity of the Numeracy Coordinators in schools within the Network. Determining the impact of different types of leadership could have on schools’ growth in Numeracy achievement is worth investigating, as is exploring how Numeracy leaders help teachers improve their teaching of Mathematics. The Network established a Numeracy Leaders Group 18 months ago with the aim of improving student learning outcomes in Numeracy. Each of the 27 schools (22 Primary and 5 Secondary settings) is represented by their Numeracy Leaders/Coordinators. These leaders meet as a group twice per term and have a broad range of experiences in the role of Numeracy leader from beginning in the role this year to others who have been in the role for ten years or more.

Two questions were asked “What aspects of leadership can coaches focus on in their support role within the Network?” and “What professional learning opportunities can coaches provide that will enable teachers and leaders to continue to build their capacity to improve numeracy outcomes?” These questions have been at the forefront of our planning for these twice a term meetings. ||