Learning Specialist Coach

We believe that our students flourish when we create an environment of high support and high expectations. We focus on learning, wellbeing, and their interconnectedness above all else.

Our staff are united by moral purpose. We come to work each day in service of our community. We are deeply connected to our work because of, not in spite of, the challenges that young people face.

Our school serves 1400 students with a team of more than 170 staff. Each one of them are known and noticed. We see partnership with families as critical to our students¿ success. We believe that together, our community has everything that our young people need to thrive in life.

We pride ourselves on a strong staff culture that fosters psychological safety with strong relationships, agreed trademark behaviours and genuine conversations about what matters most. Our trademark is not just a statement, it is enacted. We model and reward trademark behaviours in each other and we challenge when we let them slip.

Melton Secondary College is a place of growth for our staff in both teaching and leadership. At our school, teachers learn to be excellent practitioners developed by a pipeline of leaders. We have an exceptionally strong induction program for staff joining the College that serves both experienced and beginning practitioners.

We have a whole-school approach to curriculum, where strong practitioners invest in writing strong curriculum which allows teams and individual teachers to spend less time working out `what¿ to teach and more time focussing on `how¿ to teach the content in a way that is highly effective for their specific students.

We believe that if we invest in every staff member to support them to be their best, our students will be best-placed to thrive. In 2024 we are introducing a 9-day face-to-face fortnight option for our staff. This will allow them to benefit from a non-student contact day in their fortnight, creating opportunities for flexible work and regular opportunities for recharging and for deep thinking and reflection.

We use best-practice models to ensure deep learning. Our instructional model LEARN is based on the Marzano/Pollock GANAG model and is used with fidelity in our classrooms. Our resource management systems are supported by partnerships with Office365, Compass and Apple through our Year 7-9 iPad program. A BYOD program is offered to our Year 10-12 students.

Students begin the day connecting in with themselves and each other in a 6-minute morning circle as part of our Social Emotional Learning program.

We have opportunities for staff who are passionate about being highly impactful teachers who lead learning. Currently we are deepening our work with a focus on writing and social emotional learning assessment. We are also actively supporting opportunities for new and existing staff to promote extracurricular programs in the Performing Arts, Sport and Rugby Academy, the VCE Vocational Major, and Student Leadership.

Key Selection Criteria (KSC)

KSC1      Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to lead and manage the implementation of school priorities, and the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.

KSC2      Demonstrated ability to lead the planning and implementation 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.

KSC3      Demonstrated exemplary ability to monitor and assess student learning at a class, cohort or whole-school level and use this data to lead improvement initiatives. 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.

KSC4      Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills. Demonstrated ability to lead collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community focused on student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.

KSC5      Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values and support colleagues to adopt these behaviours and attitudes. Demonstrated ability to reflect upon their own, others and whole-school practice and contribute to the provision of whole-school professional learning.

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 responsibilities of the Instructional Coaches may include but are not limited to:

• Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice
• Modelling exemplary classroom practice including 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
• Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including 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, monitor student growth and evaluate effectiveness of programs
• Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols
• 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

Other duties as determined by the College Principal in consultation with the incumbent.

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 APPLY FOR THIS ROLE

Submit your CV, cover letter and responses to the Key Selection Criteria to Christine Payne, Assistant Principal ¿ Director of Curriculum by uploading it to the Recruitment Online portal or emailing it to ***************@education.vic.gov.au

• 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.