general+teacher+skill+improvement

end of term 2 and start of term 3 it has been noted how the independence of the staff has increased.
 * Problem solving between staff instead of always asking the lead teacher
 * Looking for new ways to use ICT instead of just those given with several teachers and sharing these ideas with others.
 * The booking forms for the middle and senior laptop pods is now full each week with people trying to book early and juggling wiht each other so they to can use the laptops. At first it was the same classes using the laptops and lots of gaps on the time table
 * Problems talked about are real problems not things like my internets not working and it ends up being that the wire is not in the router. Staff have upskilled themselves in simple tech maintenance.
 * Ict is talked about in syndicate planning- ideas are shared and noted in termly plans on how ICT might benifit learning during a particular lesson or topic.
 * More teachers have a buzz about how their children are motivated by the ict being used.
 * Planning of a cluster sharing meeting. I approached each staff memeber to share something and it wasnt a problem even though its next week. They all have something they are willing to share with out thinking about it.

To increase collaboration across the school. To create opportunities for teachers to get togehter to share ideas/expertise.
 * __Teacher Observations:__**
 * From Term 3 this year classroom teachers have selected a focus group of students who are at risk of poor achievement in reading. Classroom teachers have then developed specific strategies to improve the target group's reading achievement and performance. All teachers have been observed by either the junior or senior literacy leader and have received detailed feedback around strategies trialed and suggestions for further development.
 * The junior syndicate teachers have been observed on a weekly basis working with their focus groups and have received intensive feedback. This ongoing observational cycle has led to a greater emphasis on teachers focus groups and increased sharing of ideas and expertise within syndicate meetings in regards how to raise student achievement.
 * Alongside observations of the senior syndicate focus groups classroom teachers have been given the opportunity to observe each other based on specific needs within programmes. For example the Room 13 teacher, who needed to develop her ability to integrate comprehension strategies, observed the Room 10 teacher for whom this was a particular strength. By utilising the strengths of teachers within West Gore School we have increased the level of collaboration and created opportunities for teachers to share expertise.