Achieving explicit learning goals

The teacher structures his lessons around learning intention and success criteria, and utilises engaging and clearly defined tasks. The students investigate the various ways fractions can be described and expressed. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asks students to consider how their learnings can be applied to their everyday lives.

Melton Primary School is located 44km west of Melbourne’s central business district. Melton Primary has developed a Professional Learning Community that is now deeply embedded into the culture of the school. Staff focus on learning rather than teaching, work collaboratively on matters related to learning, and hold themselves, and each other, accountable for the results that fuel continual improvement. Their shared mission, vision, and values are aligned to three big ideas: ensuring that students learn, building and maintaining a culture of collaboration, and focusing on results. Melton Primary School staff meet for an hour each week to engage in collaborative interactions around topics identified by the group, reflect on teaching and learning as part of case study investigations, collaboratively prepare lesson plans, and develop a deeper understanding of how students learn specific subject matter. They then integrate this knowledge into their teaching programs.