di: DI in Oz

Thu Sep 5 21:51:33 PDT 2019

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/standards-on-the-rise-as-pearsons-vi
sion-bears-fruit/news-story/14b6a59b64e6cbb7d4837ddfb924fe8c

Standards on the rise as Pearson's vision bears fruit

 <https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/c88c3a33cd6ef951b7d6213510712361> Hope
Vale primary school students on Cape York peninsula are flourishing thanks
to enthusiastic teachers using the direct instruction system. Picture: Chris
Mitchell

Hope Vale primary school students on Cape York peninsula are flourishing
thanks to enthusiastic teachers using the direct instruction system.
Picture: Chris Mitchell

By  <https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/Cathy+Rushton> CATHY RUSHTON
and  <https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/Chris+Mitchell> CHRIS MITCHELL

.         12:00AM AUGUST 31, 2019

One of Australia's most remote schools - on Cape York peninsula, 40 minutes'
drive north of Cooktown - is expecting this year to record its best Year 3
-NAPLAN results in spelling and writing, lifting its scores at a faster rate
than the national average.

Hope Vale - one of Noel Pearson's showpiece primary schools - has embraced
the -direct instruction (DI) method that the Aboriginal leader and reformer,
himself born in the Hope Vale mission, decided best suited the needs of
indigenous children.

Despite troubles with former state education minister Kate Jones and her
former department director-general a few years ago, DI is on course at Hope
Vale and at its sister campus at Coen, eight hours' drive further northwest.

DI, which depends on repetition, rote learning and strong classroom
discipline, has been controversial among education bureaucrats. The Aurukun
school left the embrace of Mr Pearson's Cape York Academy in 2016 after a
dispute with the department. Yet despite the setback, in Hope Vale DI is
working and it's plain to see.

Hope Vale principal Glenn White, 38, said: "DI is designed to accelerate the
literacy and numeracy competencies of students who struggle to comprehend
basic skills in these areas. It has been proven not only in lower
socio-economic areas but in places where attendance is high and the
socio-economics quite high."

The CYA mantra - "Get Ready, Work Hard, Be Good" - is displayed in all
classrooms. "Get ready," booms the voice of -Michael Rickard, a Year 4
teacher with a microphone around his neck. The speakers on the ceiling make
sure even students with hearing problems, endemic in -Aboriginal
communities, know exactly what's going on.

Spell built, "built, b-u-i-l-t, built". Get ready, spell grown, "g-r-o-w-n,
grown." And so it goes until there is a final check that all have mastered
the words. The students appear focused and their achievement is consistently
measured.

Next stop is a cultural lesson - the indomitable Lillian Bowen teaching the
local language, Guugu Yimithirr. This is not a class for misbehaving. It's
not surprising rugby league star Matt Bowen of North Queensland Cowboys and
Queensland State of Origin fame was so quick off the mark. Ms Bowen is his
mum.

This ancient language creates a melodic tone which pervades the room, even
though Ms B employs the same rigorous DI methods found in all classrooms.
Front and centre above the whiteboard sits the Hope Vale school crest; a
large totem of two cockatoos, one white, the other black, under the
inclusive message "Yurra Wantharra (Hi, How are you?).

Nine Hope Vale students -recently led a 700-strong primary schools massed
choir at the Sydney Opera House with their school song in traditional
language Nganhthaan Waandaar Nganhthaan Ngurarraar ("We are white cockatoo,
we are black cockatoo, different but together").

There is a growing appreciation at Hope Vale of the empowerment DI gives the
children and the professionalism of the teachers and aides, many former
students of the school.

The kids have real focus and the teachers insist, minute by minute they
maintain it, while even their little achievements are measured and
acknowledged.

Schools are collaborative -enterprises and the issues that beset Hope Vale
require united -responses. It is clear the students and teachers are
reaching for the high bar. But, as in all schools, educators need the buy-in
of parents.

This is especially so in a school where many children come from homes where
mum and dad cannot read and write.

Mr White, an inspirational leader, says attendance rates are averaging 81.8
per cent this year but the big issue is families leaving the community while
children are still enrolled but not enrolling in another school. In fact,
the numbers are good compared with -attendance pre-DI.

Simon Boyles, the school's wellbeing counsellor, spends much of his time
liaising with families and individual students about their personal issues.

His -approach is tenacious, persistent and consistent. Consequences for poor
behaviour and attendance are clear and Mr Boyles's true commitment to the
care of the Hope Vale community where he and his family live is to follow up
until the best results for the student and the school community are
achieved. Mr Boyles and Mr White both say parents have bought in -strongly
to the success of DI and mums, particularly, are allies in keeping students
-focused.

"Community engagement has significantly improved because our teachers have
the skills and confidence to have honest conversations with families
regarding attendance and behaviour," Mr White says.

"The feedback it's receiving is that parents are pleased with the direction
and the way the school handles situations."

The school day starts earlier than traditional Queensland state schools,
finishes later and focuses heavily on literacy for the first five hours of
formal lessons.

Mr White says NAPLAN test results this year for Year 3 spelling and writing
are expected to be the best yet, with acceleration -towards better results
faster than the national average.

Hope Vale primary school is a remote blip on the landscape but there is,
however, something special about coming across kids who are not
self-absorbed or -beholden to technology, and their teachers and aides have
a real investment in helping secure success in this learning community while
embracing their prodigious cultural heritage.

Cathy Rushton is a retired secondary school English teacher and Chris
Mitchell is an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation

Henk

1 HOUR AGO

Sounds similar to when I attended primary school many years ago with
emphasis on reading, writing and arithmetic and a high level of discipline.

Likethumb_up

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Laurie

1 HOUR AGO

That's the spirit. And these kids might end up running the country because
the rest of our education system is a balls up. And it is better for these
Aboriginal kids to earn their place rather than sit down money.

Likethumb_up

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Janice

3 HOURS AGO

Reading, writing and arithmetic. A dose of sound discipline. Sounds fine to
me. In fact, surprisingly similar to my own primary education before the
navel gazers took over. 

Likethumb_up2

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Julian

4 HOURS AGO

 (Edited)

This is a beautiful story. Well done Noel, teachers & kids. A reward for
persistence. 

Likethumb_up1

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John

5 HOURS AGO

It is hard to equate the successes to date with the wasted time and effort
of teaching native language, that serves no practical purpose.

Likethumb_up1

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Paul

5 HOURS AGO

Traditional teaching practices here?

Likethumb_up1

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Bradley

6 HOURS AGO

Any targeted and consistent instructional approach will deliver improvement.
A one size fits all it is not.

Likethumb_up2

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Anthony

6 HOURS AGO

Surprise surprise. Repetition and discipline. Bedfellows the elite just dont
understand.

Likethumb_up8

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Julian

4 HOURS AGO

Elite in their own lunchtime. Unions & politics have no place in education.
Leave it to objective educators. 

Likethumb_up

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Colin

6 HOURS AGO

Maybe this system should be implemented in main stream education.
CW 4810

Likethumb_up4

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Simon

6 HOURS AGO

Yes! Well done, all.

Regards,

Kerry

Kerry Hempenstall,

98 Hodges Rd.,

Chum Ck. 3777

(03) 59624283

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