Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Classroom teacher
Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs
Reference: 1547056
Established in 1919 Dandenong High School is one of the oldest, largest and most culturally diverse secondary schools in the state. It is situated in the South-East Region in Dandenong, a low socio-economic community (SFO density 0.72) with a high refugee population. The school has over 1400 students and is highly multicultural with 62 nationalities and 80 different language groups represented.
Dandenong High School is renowned, both nationally and internationally, for its state-of-the-art facilities that provide extensive and highly dynamic learning opportunities for all within the school community. These spaces, designed to empower students through discovery, inquiry and collaboration, include the 7 Houses, which are purposefully designed learning spaces in which students undertake their core learning. Our facilities also include specialist spaces such as the Melaleuca Performing Arts and Sporting complex and the Senior Science Wing which incorporates purposefully designed Chemistry, Physics and Biology labs that provide opportunities for students to collaborate and investigate real world scientific questions. Our Senior Visual Arts and Media space provide students the opportunity to experience real-world industry-standard learning, thereby preparing them for careers beyond school. In 2022, additional facilities will be opened which include two industry standard Food Technology Kitchens, a large dining Cafeteria, outdoor eating terrace and the Design Centre, where students will embark on innovative and future-focused STEM learning.
The structure of the school is designed to foster students' connectedness and engagement. We have seven identically designed Houses; each containing purposefully designed learning spaces. Each House is vertically structured with students at each year level from Year 7 through to Year 12. Each House has 25 staff from all Domains and teaching areas and is led by a House Leadership Team of 4 and an Administration Officer. A consistent pedagogical approach to teaching, learning and assessment is achieved through the Design for Learning that ensures every individual student is able to achieve at least one year¿s growth in 12 months.
In Years 7-9, our collaborative model is designed to allow groups of students to learn with a team of teachers for the core subject areas. Each Teaching Team plan, teach and assess collaboratively. There is a focus on project-based learning and students are encouraged to be independent learners, self-motivated and curious about the world around them. Students in Years 7 ¿ 8 also undertake a range of Arts and Design subjects over the two years in specialised learning areas outside the House. In Year 9, students can select from an extensive elective program in addition to their core learning.
Dandenong High School offers a broad range of opportunities to senior students, including VCE, Vocational Education and Training and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning. Our Senior Studies program provides all students with a tailored individualised pathway, allowing for informed student choice. The personalisation of learning across the school is intended to ensure every individual student is provided with the most appropriate pathway so as to ensure all achieve success.
Dandenong High School has a highly rigorous and academically stimulating Accelerated and Enhanced Learning Program, providing students with an enriched and extended personalised program designed to ensure all individuals reach their full potential. Our STEM program includes a core subject in Year 7 and 8, a year-long elective in Year 9, Year 10 STEM Innovators, Robotics and IT, and a variety of pathway options in the senior years including Computing Science, IT, Systems Engineering and Software Development, proving extensive pathways opportunities into university and highly-sought after careers. In 2022 we are launching of Design Engineering Academy for selected students.
Student leadership, voice and agency is highly-valued and students have the opportunity to hold a range of formal leadership positions including School and House Captains and undertake membership on both the School Council and the Student Representative Council. Our Student Leaders have responsibility for shaping the strategic direction of the school.
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth
SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning.
Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in teaching and learning practice, to deliver improved achievement and engagement for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching at the school.
At Dandenong High School, Learning Specialists will work with leadership to ensure consistent and excellent instructions is evident in every classroom. They will support individual teachers, teaching teams and professional learning teams to build their professional capability and provide them with comprehensive skills and a range of strategies to maximise their students¿ learning.
In 2027 and to align with the school's next Annual Implementation Plan, there will be five Learning Specialists, each with one of the following focus areas:
In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.
The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department. The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
Preferably all applicants should submit a cover letter CV and Key Selection Criteria response as one attached document on Recruitment On-Line
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class:
Details of qualification requirements as updated from time to time can be found at Recruitment in Schools.