In a March 2024 blog post, we shared news about our initial mahi as a research-invested school, a school that values and makes a strategic commitment to research.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” - Will Durant (American Historian and Philosopher)

Carlyon and Fisher were right in their argument that part of the role of school leaders in growing leadership from within is to provide teachers with various opportunities to experience leadership.

In January 2017, the influential Welsh educationalist Dylan Wiliam posted this comment on Twitter: “I’ve come to the conclusion that Sweller's Cognitive Load Theory is the single most important thing for teachers to know.”

‘The main goal of action research is to address local-level problems in practice with the anticipation of finding immediate answers to questions or solutions to those problems.’ (Mertler, 2018).

Effective study strategies are not instinctive. In order to learn effectively, we have to be deliberate about the strategies we use, and put ourselves in uncomfortable situations where our brain is experiencing some level of stress.

In a recent blog post, we shared our experiences with the Professional Refresh initiative that was piloted in Term Four last year. A second iteration has now been launched. The response of teachers has been incredible, and we now have over 40 teachers who have opted in to read and reflect. We look forward to sharing their learning later in the year when we publish a second collection of reflections. The Professional Refresh is part of our drive to foster a research culture at Wellington College and sits under the wider umbrella of the newly established WC Research Centre.

‘Becoming an “expert” in any field requires not only acquiring a body of knowledge about the field, but also developing dispositions that drive the search for new answers in light of problematic situations. New information is constantly emerging…the importance of teachers’ engagement in professional reading cannot be underestimated.’ (Broemmel et al, 2019)

The launch of ChatGPT in December 2022, has led to a divisive debate about its impact in the education context. This will continue to be a topic of hot debate as the technology rapidly evolves and throws up both new challenges and opportunities. In this blog post, we discuss how we have approached the emergence of generative AI in the classroom at Wellington College.

Earlier this year, the Education Hub noted that just 35% of Year 8s are achieving at or above their expected curriculum level for writing. In this new blog piece, Assistant Principal Serena Lawrence outlines our journey with our new Wellington College literacy strategy in response to this concerning national trend.

“I appreciate how teaching hacks provide a window into other curriculum areas. It helps me to reflect on my own practice, and provides me with tools I can implement in my classes to increase student achievement...”

"Karakia is karakia. You've got ka - it ignites - ra - connectivity, and kia is the essence of your voice, the tone of your voice, your sincerity, the words you are saying."

For the past year at Wellington College, we have focused on rituals, routines and procedures in the classroom, specifically the start of the lesson. As we emerged from the disruption of COVID in 2022 and a first term in which we were required to roster home year groups, we felt that a reset was needed to centre students and instil consistency and clarity in what to expect in the classroom. In line with Bob Sullo’s work, this was a ‘basic need’ that we needed to recalibrate.

Welcome to The COLLface! WC is an exciting place to be, as we strengthen classroom practices that are centred on consistency, high expectations and cultural responsiveness. This is our new blog, in which we share and showcase the Wellington College approach to teaching and learning.