In this webinar series, Professor David Hopkins examines The Right Direction for Reform by describing the characteristics of high performing schools and their stages of development. Then how schools improve from the ‘inside out’ by emphasising moral purpose, identifying the non-negotiables and generating narrative. The focus is on describing in practical detail the Theories of Action that teachers can use to create great teaching, how leaders can generate intrinsic motivation and how teachers teach each other through peer coaching.

Programme Overview

Each Session will be of 90-minutes duration and include two cycles of presentation that include three key issues followed by an activity using a specified action framework and opportunity for questions and discussion. Suggestions for In-school activities between each part of the programme will be provided.

Materials

Key readings will be provided for each session as pdfs and the three Curiosity and Powerful Learning manuals available from Amazon are provided for each participant. The manuals are:

• The System and Powerful Learning

• Curiosity and Powerful Learning

• Leadership for Powerful Learning

Course Content – By Professor David Hopkins

Introduction: Tuesday 11th April 2021 - The “Unleashing Greatness” School Improvement Strategy

• The necessity for ‘Inside – Out’ Working

• The Eight Steps to ‘Unleashing Greatness’

• The ‘Unleashing Greatness’ Diagnostic

• Overview of the Webinar Series

Session 1: Tuesday 18th May 2021 - The School Improvement Imperative

Part 1 - The Right Direction for Reform

• Characteristics of High Performing Systems and Schools

• Building Capacity and Stages of Development

• Coherent Whole School Designs

• Activity – Where are you on the School Improvement Pathway?

Part 2 - School Improvement from the Inside Out

• Development and Maintenance

• Moral purpose and the non-negotiables

• Narrative and Planning

• Activity –Constructing the School Improvement Narrative

Session 2: Tuesday 25th May 2021 - Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Part 1 – It is only Teachers who can create good Teaching

• Teaching as Art or Science?

• Instructional Rounds

• Theories of Action

• Activity – Sequencing the Theories of Action

Part 2 – Intrinsic Motivation and Peer Coaching

• Generating Intrinsic Motivation

• Joyce’s Coaching Model

• Establishing Triads

• Activity – The Workshop / Workplace Sequence

Session 3: Tuesday 8th June 2021 - Building Professional Capital

Part 1 – Leadership for Powerful Learning

• The Leadership for Powerful Learning Framework

• Seven Bold Claims

• Instructional Leadership

• Activity – Are we Instructional Leaders yet?

Part 2 – System Leadership and Networking

• System Leadership

• Middle Tier Working

• Network Structures

• Activity – Sustaining School Improvement