The Elements of Learning and Achievement were designed to enable positive communication and has become the basis for positive relationships within the school community, and between a range of school communities.
How you implement the Elements of Learning and Achievement will depend on the academic and social needs of your school community.
It is recommended you create a school-specific induction manual for staff and students detailing explicitly how the Elements of Learning and Achievement will be implemented at your school.
Some suggested general strategies for implementing the Elements are:
- building the Elements Framework as a school community, including all stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, guardians)
- professional development linked to the Elements
- explicit teaching of the Elements pillars to students
- Elements frameworks displayed in classrooms
- incorporating the Elements of Learning and Achievement in required documentation, such as developing Personalised Learning and Support Plans and Teaching and Learning Programs
- symbols for the Elements Pillars used across the school community
- discuss the Elements at school assemblies
- Elements section within the newsletter
- posters of the Elements framework across the school community
- student awards linked to the Elements pillars
- invite guest speakers who will reinforce critical areas of the Elements
- special days aimed at promoting the pillars within the Elements
- linking any resource orders directly to the pillars of the Elements to consolidate the skill set required by students to achieve outcomes.
School community
The common language of the Elements pillars needs to be reinforced across all levels of the school community. This will allow all members to have a clear awareness of the skills required by, taught and reinforced to guide towards becoming successful life-long learners in a global society.
A Model for Implementing Change
Moving your school towards the Elements of Learning and Achievement is a journey. Change is part of this process, and staff need to support each other and not lose focus on the goal.
While there are some models that are suitable for implementing change, this model (adapted from Knoster, 1991) provides an evidence-based model to help identify and report progress when implementing the Elements of Learning and Achievement on a whole staff level.
It demonstrates six key aspects needed for effective change, and can to ensure that each of the six aspects is implemented initially, as well as identify which areas staff need support in to ensure the Elements continue to be implemented effectively and efficiently across the school.
Another example is the Model of Behaviour Change, developed by AITSL (2014).
It describes the 5 steps in implementing changes:
- gaining awareness of the benefits associated with making a change
- strengthening attitudes positively towards change
- building knowledge about understanding and preparing for change
- taking action by performing and maintaining the change
- achieving the desired outcomes of the change.
References
AITSL, Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (2014) Australian Professional Standard for Principals and the Leadership Profiles.
Knoster, T. (1991) Factors in managing complex change. Material presentation at TASH Conference, Washington DC.
