Learning outcomes
By the end of this learning block – setting objectives, reviewers should
· Understand each of the PRSD criteria and how they relate to the work of a teacher
· Understand and be able to write performance objectives that are challenging, SMART and related to the school development plan
· Can write performance objectives for reviewees that include success criteria, support and monitoring arrangements
The PRSD Scheme (4.4) states “At the start of the review cycle, the reviewer and reviewee shall meet to plan and prepare for the review and shall seek to agree three personal/shared objectives, covering the areas of professional practice, pupil curriculum development and the personal and professional development of the teacher and relate to the school development plan.”
The PRSD Criteria explained
The PRSD scheme identifies a range of three criteria for teachers and principals against which a total of three objectives should be agreed and reviewed annually. The criteria are similar for teachers and principals with the exception of leadership and management for principals which replaces professional practice for teachers.
TEACHER / PRINCIPALProfessional practice / Leadership and management
Pupil and Curriculum development
Personal and Professional Development
The PRSD scheme, PRSD guidance material and Model School Policy do not elaborate on the interpretation of these as they apply to teachers and principals.
There are several perspectives that can be included within each of these categories, however a reasonable position that schools can adopt for understanding and then applying this understanding in a particular school setting is to relate them to existing practice within schools already, namely
§ Threshold Standards
§ Teachers Pay and Conditions of Service (Jordanstown Agreement) - Circular No 1987/26
§ National Standards for Headteachers (Northern Ireland)
§ Scheme of Management
Teacher PRSD criteria
The Threshold Standards would be familiar to all teachers who have submitted a Threshold Application and who will have already reviewed their performance as part of the application process. All principals who have assessed threshold applications and processed UPS2 assessment forms will also be very familiar with these standards.
The four standards have a direct relationship with the three PRSD criteria
CRITERION 1 - Professional Practice
would relate to the 2nd threshold standard – teaching and assessment of learning
This standard requires evidence that teachers consistently and effectively plan to meet pupils' individual learning needs using a range of appropriate learning and teaching strategies with effective monitoring and evaluation of pupils' learning
This PRSD criteria would also relate to the professional duties of teachers contained within the Pay and conditions of Service (Circular 1987/26) which include
Planning and preparing courses and lessons.Teaching, according to their educational needs, - the pupils assigned to her/him, including the setting and marking of work to be carried out the pupil in school and elsewhere.
Assessing, recording and reporting on the development, progress and attainment of pupils.
Some schools may have adopted additional standards which inform the professional practice of teachers, these may include internally agreed arrangements. They may also include national standard frameworks for SENCO, etc. These are all valid within this particular PRSD criterion.
CRITERION 2 - Pupil and Curriculum Development
Pupil and Curriculum Development would relate to Threshold standards 1 & 3 (‘core values – understanding of the curriculum and professional knowledge’ as well as ‘contributions to standards through raising pupil achievement’
§ that they care for children and seek the development of the whole child;
§ that they are committed to the rights of the child and the promotion of equal opportunities; that they are adaptable to changing circumstances and new ideas and have vision, energy and perseverance- 7
§ relevant, up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the teaching of their subject(s) within the framework of the Northern Ireland Curriculum or the Curricular Guidance for Pre-School Education;
§ an understanding of the range of factors which affect learning - social, emotional, psychological, cultural - e.g. differentiated learning strategies, individual education plans; knowledge of their subject(s) or specialism(s) in sufficient depth to teach effectively;
§ a working knowledge of Northern Ireland strategies and current educational initiatives, eg ICT, literacy and numeracy;
§ the inclusion of a cross-curricular dimension to their work.
The PRSD criterion also includes Threshold standard 3 - Contribution to Raising Standards through pupil Achievement
This standard requires evidence that, as a result of the teacher's work, pupils continue to achieve in a manner consistent with the targets set by the school in . the light of relevant information.
A pupil's achievement can be related to his/her personal social and academic development and must be demonstrated by evidence.
The principal is asked to make a professional judgement as to whether the progress made by the teacher's pupils is at least within the range expected in the light of the local and regional context of the school.
Where available evidence would be drawn from a wide variety of external and internal pupil data, including:
§ external examination results; key stage assessment results;
§ comparative information on pupil performance provided by the Department; school-based assessment/tests;
§ Class-based assessment/tests;
§ course-work marks/grades;
§ records- of achievement;
§ improved attendance rates;
§ merit awards record.
Where external data is not available teachers should use internal data and in these cases they should, where possible, quantify achievements in terms of the levels used within the Northern Ireland Curriculum. Valuable sources of information illustrating achievement will be available from:
§ Examples of pupils' work.
§ individual Education Plans.
§ Tiered/enlarged/modified assessment criteria.
§ Progress towards targets set by the teacher eg as indicated in the Curricular Guidance for PreSchool Education.
The working time directive refers also to teachers
Taking such part as may be required of her/him in the review, development and management of activities relating to the curriculum, organisation and pastoral functions of the school. Section x(b)
As with the PRSD professional duties criterion, schools may have created their own protocols regarding pupil and curriculum development and these would be appropraite to plan and agree objectives.
CRITERION 3 - Personal and Professional Development
would relate to the fourth Threshold Standard, ‘effective professional development.’ This includes –
This standard requires evidence that teachers take responsibility for their professional development and use the outcomes to improve their teaching, pupils' learning and to make an active contribution to the policies and aspirations of the school.
§ engage in ongoing self-review and are aware of the importance of critical reflection in evaluating their professional practice;
§ have identified areas in which they need to develop to meet their school and personal development needs and have taken appropriate action to enhance their professional knowledge, expertise and skills sharing outcomes with others in their working teams;
§ have participated in the formulation and implementation of the school development plan and other whole school policies;
§ can function as members of professional teams and promote the ethos of the school.
Many schools may have well established arrangements supporting the personal and professional development of all teachers, perhaps through Investors in People, EFQM and other in-school systems. PRSD can be aligned to complement these arrangements and schools can create the links to satisfy the requirements of PRSD
The touchstone for all three objectives is that they should be related to the school development plan, i.e. each teacher has a contribution to make to the overall achievements and progress of the school.
In the objective setting phase of the Initial Review Meeting, reviewer and reviewee need to work together to:
· identify contributions which the reviewee will make to the SDP,
· write objectives which will help in making those contributions,
· identify success criteria which recognise pupil progress related to the objectives set.
Writing a performance objective
The scheme states
Before or at the start of the review cycle, the reviewer and reviewee shall meet to plan and preare for the review and seek to agree three personal/shared objectives covering the areas of professional practice, pupil and curriculum development and the personal and professional development of the teacher and relate to the school development plan. Objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound” PRSD scheme 4.4b
Before starting to write an objective it is important to consider the focus of objectives. Objectives can be set at a variety of levels of challenge. It is important that reviewers and reviews begin to structure the objectives so that they are considered to be challenging. Many teachers are already setting challenging objectives for pupils on a daily basis and are continually creating classroom situations that provide high and demanding standards of pupils through challenging learning activities. A similar principle can be incorporated here.
The focus of objectives
The emphasis on creating challenging objectives for teachers through the review process will inform the focus of PRSD objectives. The objectives should begin to focus on regenerating or improving the day-to-day workings and effectiveness of the classroom and pupil achievement.
Effective objective setting is key to making PRSD a success in schools and the role of the reviewer in writing effective objectives is vitally important.
The scheme requires that objectives relate to the school development plan and that they should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timebound).
The focus of the objectives can be considered at four levels and may contribute to identifying if an objective contributes to improving and regeneration
Reviewers and reviewees should be establishing objectives that are considered high level. Objectives that are clearly improving or regenerating practice.
· Improving is about taking an aspect of the teachers day-to-day work and moving it into the high level objective zone.
· Regeneration is about taking one, two or all of the PRSD criteria and totally rethinking the process. E.g. some schools are regenerating the marking of books by asking teachers to not use grades and to use comments only, which will help students learn better in the future.
Differentiating Objectives
Higher Order Objectives – Challenging and SMART and related to SDP
Middle Order Objectives – SMART and related to SDP
Lower Order Objectives – Vague and imprecise
Examples of Higher Order Objectives for teachers
PUPIL and CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CRITERION
PRIMARY
To ensure that all pupils (except those on the SEN register) improve their average score in AT1 literacy assessment tasks by the end of the year.
· Links to areas for development within the SDP
· Objective is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound
· Objective is in the improving zone and therefore challenging
· Success criteria can be developed
· Monitoring processes can be established
POST PRIMARY
All subjects
To integrate ICT into the learning and teaching strategies for all classes throughout the next academic year with a particular emphasis on utilising the C2K and LNI developments happening concurrently in the school.
· Links to areas for development within the SDP
· Objective is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound
· Objective is in the regenerating zone and therefore challenging
· Success criteria can be developed
· Monitoring processes can be established including classroom observation