Learning Specialist Range 3 - Teaching & Learning

About this role

Location Profile School Profile Kalkallo is a young growing community of diverse families and backgrounds. Gilgai Plains Primary School is located in the Cloverton Estate and is a community hub that reflects the needs and aspirations of its families. Kalkallo is located along the Hume Freeway, north of Melbourne, between Donnybrook and Merrifield, and is part of the North-West Victoria Region (NWVR). Gilgai (pronounced Gihl-guy) is a Woiwurrung word of the Wurundjeri people meaning small waterhole. Our beautiful school opened in 2022 and caters to the diverse needs of all students and supports the needs of a vibrant and growing community. Our grounds provide valued room for students to be active, natural outdoor areas that reflect the surrounding environment and modern learning facilities that support our curriculum. Vision To develop confident, resilient and resourceful thinkers who strive to achieve their best and contribute to make the world a better place. Teaching and Learning Gilgai Plains Primary School has a strong and dedicated staff who strive to continually improve their practice and their impact on student learning outcomes. Our instructional practices are based on the Science of Learning (cognitive science research on how students learn) and a strong body of research supporting a systematic, explicit approach, particularly when it involves learning new concepts and operations. Our leadership team oversee staff professional learning to continue to build the knowledge and skills of our teachers. Gilgai Plains Primary implements a school wide instructional model which is Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI). Our teachers model the learning process of new concepts for students by using an 'I do, We do, You do' strategy and provide students with purposeful and understandable feedback to support achievement and success. Student interaction is very high which builds upon our student engagement. We use evidence based methods to ensure all students succeed and thrive in their learning. We have an experienced and supportive student wellbeing team, to enhance our commitment to ensure all students¿ specific learning needs are met and to assist in the development of safe and supportive learning environments for all of our students. Mission -Teaching and reinforcing how to being kind to self, others and our environment -Ensuring students feel safe, happy and well -Greeting students with a smile and a hello and helping them to love coming to school -Ensuring each student is seen -Teaching students to be literate and numerate and give them experiences to continually grow and succeed -Providing diverse learning opportunities -Supporting students to work hard and allow others to be their best -Helping students to have at least one good friend and teaching them how to make friends and keep friends -Being the person they can go to when needed -Teaching students to work and play by our values Values Our values guide our students and staff in our everyday actions and behaviours. Our school culture is built upon these 4 values and underpins how we work and play. We act with KINDNESS We behave with RESPECT We display ZEST We love LEARNING TOGETHER Our Motto Sparking joy in learning and compassion in hearts. Selection Criteria 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. Role 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. Responsibilities 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 Who May Apply 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. Diversity and Inclusion The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, 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 safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines ). Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected] 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. Child Safe Standards 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 DE Values 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 Conditions of Employment • 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 Qualification Requirements To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class: • The person must have provisional or full registration approved by the Victorian Institute of Teaching; and • if the person completed an Australian postgraduate level initial teaching program or course of study on or after 1 January 2024, they must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed a postgraduate level accredited initial teacher education program that has been accredited by an Australian State or Territory Teacher Regulatory Authority as satisfying the requirements of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 'Accreditation of initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures'; and • a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education (ITE) program after 1 July 2016 must also 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 ITE program completed by the person). Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools .