Learning Specialist 3

Pakenham Lakeside Primary School (PLPS) has a current enrolment of 740 students.

As an authentic professional learning community, which is reflected in our purpose statement:

¿The teachers and leaders in our school continuously seek and share learning, and act on this learning. The goal of their actions is to enhance their effectiveness as professionals for the students¿ benefit through the pursuit of continuous inquiry and improvement,¿

all staff focus on their practice and how they can most effectively support our students¿ growth, development and learning.

An integral component of our school¿s culture are our five core values:

• Respect
• Responsibility
• Tolerance
• Integrity
• Co-operation.

From a staff perspective, these values underpin our workplace norms and create a framework around which our Staff Code of Conduct has been developed.

For our students, our values reflect the expected behaviours and attitudes which are exhibited by our children, both within our school environment and in the wider community.

Our staff and leadership continue to work to develop a culture that nurtures teaching and learning as our core purpose. Staff who wish to be considered for employment at PLPS must possess three attributes that have helped build and sustain this supportive and energetic learning environment:

• an active participation in the leading of learning
• a preparedness to work within a culture of sharing and collaboration
• a desire to strive for continual improvement in professional effectiveness

Staff at PLPS must be able to:

• create positive relationships with students through respect, understanding, knowledge and trust
• maintain a clear focus on learning and the provision of constructive feedback that provides accurate information about progress, attainment and achievement
• implement fair and consistent classroom management practices that are underpinned by clear expectations
• undertake formative evaluation of teaching and learning programs through teacher inquiry
• participate in our collective responsibility model of teaching and ensure there is collective efficacy in our teaching teams across the school
• be receptive to the active involvement of students in decisions and choices about their own learning.

Teaching staff at PLPS embrace the above factors in their daily interactions with all students.

The design of the facilities promotes contemporary pedagogical approaches through the provision of open and flexible learning areas capable of catering for a variety of teaching approaches and student groupings. Our learning spaces emphasise how individual, small group, home group, team and area activities can be catered for through the combination of flexible spaces and the purposeful configuration of furniture.

All teachers must be prepared to share and collaborate. This includes a commitment to contribute to all teams in which they are participants. They collaborate to implement innovative curriculum programs and to share best practice. The alignment of curriculum, teaching and learning strategies and assessment underpins planning and preparation for all teachers. Influencing learning comes about in a collegial and supportive environment that encourages risk and innovation and which places learning at the centre of all activities.

Teachers at PLPS expect that every student has the capacity to learn ¿ they endeavour to ensure that every pupil is successful. To maximize opportunities for all students to succeed, teachers adapt their methods to the individual needs of the students, including high potential and under-achieving students.

For any queries about this position please contact Kerrie Kingston-Gains, Principal. Ph:59409532.

The Learning Specialist position is tenured for three years, until the end of 2027.

SC1      Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.

SC2      Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth

SC3      Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

SC4      Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.

SC5      Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.

SC6   Through your understanding of current educational approaches, outline how you will maximize the opportunities to actively participate and engage in our ¿collective responsibility¿ model of teaching, using the facilities and resources that exist within the open and flexible spaces in the learning clusters at PLPS.

Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning.  Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.

The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.

In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:

• Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice
• Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons
• Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice
• Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery
• Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including through developing processes and protocols for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration
• Modelling effective learning practice and supporting teachers to seek, analyse and act on feedback and on their practice
• Providing evidence-based feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development
• Providing expert advice about the context, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
• Supervising and training one or more student teachers and mentoring and/or coaching teachers
• Modelling exemplary use of student data to inform teaching approaches
• Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols through Professional Learning Communities
• Modelling exemplary professional learning practice included through seeking feedback from other teachers and leaders on their own classroom practice as part of critical reflection and inquiry to improve practice

Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******@education.vic.gov.au

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

 https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.