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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional Study Programs

Prideshill provides an all-inclusive service for professional study programs. From concept and program development to provision of interpreters, accommodation, meals and excursions, Prideshill has successfully implemented and led study tours for teachers, administrators and policy makers. Using its practice of contracting specialist expertise as appropriate, Prideshill can organise professional programs for staff at all levels and in all service industries.

 

Programs for Teachers
During the year Prideshill will conduct a number of programs designed to suit the professional needs of teachers. A calendar of Open programs will be made available to all interested schools and teachers who can then choose to enrol according to their needs. At the same time schools or groups of schools can contact the Prideshill office and request a program to be specially designed for their group.

All Prideshill programs are offered with both theoretical and practical Learning Objectives in mind. After completing a Prideshill program, teacher participants should not only understand the principles behind the pedagogy, but also to be able to apply the techniques in their classrooms. In most cases our programs are “hands-on” with participants expected to be Active Learners.

 

Workshops

Prideshill has a selection of Workshops available for teachers and schools. Workshops can be customised to be anywhere from 2 hours to 20 hours depending on the need. Group sizes are also flexible and are generally between 10 and 50.

  • COOPERATIVE LEARNING – provides teachers with structures to generate active engagement of all students as part of every lesson. These structures promote self-directed learning and the creation of a student-centred learning environment.
  • ACTIVE LEARNING – provides multiple approaches to lesson design to create learning experiences that are interactive and action-oriented. Active Learning is an effective teaching technique providing opportunities for students to boost their achievement through practical, class-proven strategies. 
  • CRITICAL THINKING AND DESIGN THINKING – prepares teachers to promote the ability to think and reason with their students. Critical thinking is a skill which is crucial in the Information Age as a critical mind is needed to make good choices.
  • RESPONSIBLE STUDENT BEHAVIOUR – presents essential skills for a teacher to provide safe, supportive and disciplined learning environments, which promote high standards of achievement and responsible behaviour in all students. Enables teachers to focus more on teaching and less on managing student behaviour. 
  • TOOLS FOR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT – provides by demonstration a range of strategies that will assist teachers in the smooth operation of their classrooms. Tips are included for such topics as lesson introductions, questioning techniques and classroom environment.
  • EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION – provides a “hands-on” experience for teachers of young children to enable them to appreciate the value of activity learning in developing young minds and personalities. 
  • ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF PERFORMANCE – provides a view of different methods of assessing and monitoring student performance, both from the perspectives of academic results learning enhancement. While considering the need for and methods of formal testing, it will go beyond the exclusive use of tests to tools that use techniques as a support process for teaching.

 

English Training

  • STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES – The weakest aspect of English for most non-native students is their capacity to Speak English. This program will examine the reasons for this situation and explore strategies to overcome the limited opportunities for students to speak in English classes. 
  • ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS – Questioning is an art form often not seriously recognised by teachers. Questions need to be designed and articulated well to extract the information the teacher wants to elicit. The features of questions will be discussed to unmask the process of asking the right question for the right answer. 
  • ACTIVITIES FOR ENJOYMENT– For many non-native students of English, study of the language is a burdensome chore for which they see little purpose. This program is designed to enhance the enjoyment that teachers can provide for their students of English in most, if not all, aspects of the subject.

 

School Teams

Prideshill has enjoyed particular success in projects involving teams of educators from a single school. Professional assistance has been provided in analysing issues, problem solving and implementation of change. The concept of working together as a team is a particularly effective method of professional development and school improvement.

  • ENGLISH STUDY TOURS – Groups of teachers of English, whether they come from a single school or a cluster of schools, may be interested in conducting a study tour to an English-speaking country to learn about the different culture or examine different teaching strategies and curriculum. Prideshill is ideally positioned to organise and conduct such tours. 

  In the past some teacher groups have attempted such tours through travel agents. As a result of the agent’s lack of knowledge of the educational environment many of these tours have not achieved   optimum success. Prideshill-organised tours promise success because our primary focus is always on educational outcomes.

  Our experience enables us to take tour groups anywhere in Australia, to Canada or to Singapore. We can undertake tours at any time of the year and can assist in advising groups about appropriate timing.

  • PEER OBSERVATION – Prideshill’s consultants are experienced in planning and conducting Peer Observation programs in schools. Programs can be focused on whatever outcome the school wants, with most being part of a teaching performance evaluation process or part of a teaching support process. In either case there are techniques that will maximise the outcomes and protect the collegial nature of school staff groups. Prideshill consultants are willing to model and demonstrate the practices and provide independent observations if requested. This program can commence at any time of the year, for whatever duration is needed. 
  • CURRICULUM PLANNING – With a broad range of consultants to choose from, Prideshill can assist schools with Curriculum planning processes varying from school-wide curriculum to individual units of curriculum. Prideshill will not generally develop a curriculum for a school or teacher, but will provide the school with the framework for development. It will also be involved in monitoring the progress that a school team makes in producing their own curriculum. Prideshill is also able and willing to provide suggestions and recommendations for resources, teaching techniques and assessment practices appropriate to the school’s objectives. 

 

Action Research and Design Thinking
     
Prideshill is well-equipped to support groups of teachers who may be interested in developing and conducting Action Research or Design Thinking projects for school improvement. Our staff have been involved in presenting the concepts of Action Research, in assisting with research planning and practice, and with supporting the implementation of relevant follow-up programs. The most sustainable professional development program is one where teachers are involved in follow-up activities with colleagues.

Schools or groups of teachers interested in an Action Research program in any of the topics mentioned in this information document are invited to contact Prideshill to explore the possibilities of engaging in a program.

 

Consultancy

  • Schools – Prideshill provides consultancy services to schools in Australia and internationally. Specialty areas include:
    1. School-Based Management,
    2. Design Thinking,
    3. Development Planning,
    4. Staff Recruitment,
    5. Curriculum Development and
    6. Change Management
  • Establishing Links – As a result of its independent nature, Prideshill is able to assist clients to establish professional links with a variety of educational and training providers. With widespread connections, Prideshill can assist clients to develop short-term or on-going partnerships for mutual benefits. Fees for this service can be as low as nothing depending on the nature of the need and the type of relationship Prideshill has with the client.
  • Educational Resources – Prideshill’s extensive multi-national experience has exposed it to a wide range of up-to-date educational resources. As a result, it is in a position to assist schools to find learning materials appropriate to their needs.