We are living in age of disruption.
Incredibly rapid changes in technology, such as ChatGPT, have repositioned the acquisition and sharing of knowledge in the classroom. We continue to grapple with the consequences of Wadhurst students (typically aged 11 -13) experiencing limited social interaction during their formative years due to COVID-19.
And changes in the working environment are expected to mean that these same students can expect to be employed in industries that do not even exist today – try to imagine explaining the career of ‘mobile app developer’ 15 years ago!
In this sea of disruption, the importance of teachers sharing ideas and best practice, of networking and discussing how to support our students to become independent thinkers who can adapt to change is critical. Indeed, it is more important than ever.
This is why, in 2023, ensuring Wadhurst staff are involved in activities which both connect them with pedagogical change and provide opportunities for them to learn from others has been a focus for the Wadhurst leadership team.
A networking event for middle school leaders
Earlier this year, the leadership team at Wadhurst hosted the Middle School Leaders Network for an event focused on ‘Educating in an Age of Disruption’, which gave our staff an opportunity to network, share and learn alongside more than 100 leaders of middle schools and other education practitioners from across Victoria.
The event was intentionally teacher-led, providing participants with a platform to share innovation, and practical insights, from within their own school settings. Participants were invited to present a ‘TeachMeet’, and these ranged from the use of a mood metre to track student emotions in the classroom, to building teacher influence through indirect approaches, to ideas for induction and transition at Year 7.
These TeachMeets presentations were short, with a maximum time of 5 minutes. Time for questions from the audience followed each of them to enable participants to explore the topic more deeply in a way that met their own need.
The event concluded with a keynote address by Melbourne Grammar School’s Director of Teaching and Research, Andrew Baylis. He called for all attendees to question what it means to educate in an age of disruption, reinforcing the importance of supporting our students how to think, how to examine and how to analyse. His core premise was: If we can’t preserve thinking in our schools, how can we preserve a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualisation for our middle school students?
The event provided a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, to discuss ideas and practice, and reinforced two things; firstly, that the notion of ‘middle school’ – that is, a school section which focuses on the education and pastoral care of emerging adolescents – is as important as ever, and, secondly, that professional networking opportunities are crucial to be able to do this effectively.
Stepping out beyond the gates
In addition to participation in the Middle School Leaders Network event and building their expertise in other ways, Wadhurst staff have been visiting middle schools across Victoria throughout 2023.
They have used these opportunities to connect with professional peers, being pushed to reflect on their own practice and the structures and programs that support our students academically, pastorally and in the extra-curricular sphere, generating a better understanding of contemporary middle school philosophy and practice. The visits have been a rich source of reflection and professional learning, and it has been wonderful to see the team return to campus enthusiastically sharing their insights and ideas.
As I was memorably told by a professor when completing my Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne, ‘Everyone went to school, and so everyone has an opinion’. I believe schools to be so much wider and varied, and encompassing so much more than the viewpoint we gained from sitting in a classroom. And this is particularly the case today.
Anna-Louise Simpson
Head of Wadhurst
