Schooling Issues Digest No 2004/1: School Effectiveness


Effective Schools are those where:

  • There is a strong focus on teaching and learning
  • There is meaningful and positive leadership
  • The school community has a shared vision for the school
  • The classroom and school environment are conducive to learning
  • There are high expectations of students
  • Positive reinforcement is used
  • Performance is monitored regularly
  • Students have rights and responsibilities
  • The school is a place of learning for all
  • Parents are involved

Teachers:

  • Present information or skills clearly and enthusiastically
  • Keep lessons task oriented
  • Regularly teach the class as a whole
  • Have expectations for students to achieve
  • Relate comfortably to students
  • Provide positive feedback
  • Have good lesson structure through emphasising key points
  • Are constantly checking for pupil understanding to establish the appropriateness of instruction
  • Use a high quantity of high quality questioning
  • Motivate the students through probing and elaborating on their answers

Principals:

  • Provide meaningful and positive leadership, and
  • Are active, good initiators and protective of the school environment
  • Can share leadership responsibilities and involve teachers in decision making processes
  • Are not just senior administrators, but also educational and instructional leaders
  • Are neither too autocratic, nor too democratic, and can clearly make decisions when required