Our Learning Culture
“Our Learning Culture” is the name we have given to our collective aspiration to become as good a learning organisation as we can possibly be. We have an immense amount of real talent in Argyll and Bute, and the real challenge for us is to learn how to make more effective use of our collective talents. As we get more effective at working together we should be able to reflect on improvements in:
• Team working and resolving conflict
• Using staff talent in a more planned and deliberate way
• Creativity and innovation across our schools
Our Learning Culture - strategies, policies and guidelines
Over a number of years the teaching for effective learning group produced a range of key polices for all education establishments in Argyll and Bute. Within the development of Our Learning Culture key policies will be reviewed and updated on a cyclical basis.These policies are available to download below.
Matthew Boyle
Matthew Boyle, Quality Improvement Officer, is responsible for Continuing Professional Development in Argyll & Bute. Matthew is based at Colgrain Education Office, Helensburgh and can be contacted on 01436 678635.
The current edition of “Our Learning Culture” is effectively a plan to help us map the terrain we need to travel across to achieve this goal. It is broken into 5 key areas which are listed here:
• Knowledge Networks
“How can we share what we are learning with each other more quickly and more effectively?”
• The Learning Agenda
“What is the current exciting and relevant knowledge that we might engage with?”
• Leadership
“Intelligent organisations don’t happen by accident, good leadership across all of our schools at all levels is needed.”
• Organisational Intelligence
“How will we make sure that working together is fun and that we help each other to be more effective?”
• Shared Reflection
“If we could see ourselves as others see us; we must learn to talk together about how to develop and grow; we must be open and self-evaluative to enjoy new challenges.”
The document is both a manifesto for our growth, and a “yardstick” against which to check our progress. It sets out areas for learning and growth for all of us as individuals planning our own professional development, and for the organisation as a whole.
Download the current edition of “Our Learning Culture” here.
About the baseline study:
We know that starting the journey to grow Our Learning Culture was going to be a huge challenge. We therefore need to have quality insights into what we do well and into what still needs to grow and improve. The baseline study which was collated in May 2006 has provided us with a very simple snapshot of the perceptions of all staff about our performance as a learning organisation. The results of this baseline study are available here and any thoughts or analysis on them would be entirely welcome. We will repeat the exercise in Summer term, 2008/2009, to check whether we have achieved the significant cultural growth that we intend.
Baseline Study - questionnaire
Baseline Study Analysis
Coaching Skills
Argyll and Bute’s development of “Our Learning Culture” as a framework for CPD, has identified the need for coaching skills among our teachers at all levels. Our service has received £35000 grant from SEED to run a coaching initiative. Schools have been approached to identify people who would benefit from coaching training, and who would be willing to put some of their own time into the training programme. Thirty staff from four primary and four secondary schools and six from peripatetic and centre staff are currently involved in coach training with colleagues from West Dumbarton.
With so many of our staff due to retire in the near future, the ability to support each others’ development as teachers as well as supporting each others’ career development will be ever more important; coaching skills can help us to do in a sophisticated and effective manner.
If you are interested in developing your coaching skills contact Roddy McDowell, Education Projects Manager via Clare Lewis at Argyll House on 01369 708 558 or direct on 077652 416 86.
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