Good to Great Schools Australia Reviews

The part I found interesting about the professional learning was that it validated a lot of the teaching that I do when I’m in the classroom. It was good because it gave me the theory behind what I do intuitively, I suppose, after many years of teaching. So, I really like that about it.   

Principal, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory

I like the fact that when I was doing the professional learning, it questioned my knowledge and my understanding, but I didn’t feel threatened by it. It gave me information about what I do and validated what I believe.   

Principal, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory 

I like that we are now able to offer each child a level that is at their learning ability. I like walking past the groups during the maths lessons and seeing students engaged. I also love how some teaching assistants have stepped up and are showing great leadership qualities.   

Terena, Instruction Coach, South Australia

The best part of Connecting Math Concepts is the placement, placing students at their learning ability.   

Middle School Coordinator, Crossways Lutheran College, South Australia 

One of my favourite features of Connecting Math Concepts is the pace of the delivery. The pace that you’re repeating things over and over again, so it becomes embedded. If there are fifteen times in a lesson that I say the same thing again, the students build their knowledge through that.    

Principal, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory 

One of my favourite features of Connecting Math Concepts is the hand signals, so students understand when it is their turn. There’s no chaos in the lesson; it’s controlled. Behaviour is controlled through the pace of the lesson, the signal to the lesson and the engagement through that. 

Principal, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory  

I’m tremendously excited about the support this gives my teachers and I can’t thank you enough for this access.   

Principal, New South Wales

We are truly loving your resources, especially the Professional Learning modules. Our entire staff are working through these and improving their pedagogy daily as a result. 

Deputy Principal, New South Wales Catholic School 

Direct Instruction has allowed me to teach my students a quality program without having to spend hours and hours producing resources. I actually get to have a weekend off every once in a while without feeling like I was going to be unprepared the following week. 

Good to Great Schools Australia customer

Direct Instruction was a win for my students and a win for me.

Good to Great Schools Australia customer

The majority of our children come from homes without structure in their lives. The structure and discipline that DI gave to classes has really been a big improvement. Our family members say that they could see big changes in the children. 

Wik Women’s Group, Aurukun, Queensland 

Our teachers initially found the teaching strategies a challenge, but with the support from our in-school coach and the GGSA coach, we started to see the benefits not only for our students’ progress but also for the explicit delivery of the curriculum by the teachers. By implementing the EDI strategies in the classroom, our teachers are becoming extremely effective teachers. 

Principal, Mount Magnet District High School, Western Australia  

Nothing beats Direct Instruction for structure and supporting those older students who need to catch up. Direct Instruction has allowed me to teach my students a quality program without having to spend hours producing resources. I get to have a weekend off occasionally, without feeling like I’m going to be unprepared the following week. Direct Instruction was a win for my students and a win for me. 

Anonymous

Since we first commenced DI our students have made remarkable progress. The program is very suited to our context and the needs of our students. Our appreciation of the design and content of the program has grown as we learn more about it and see the impact it is having on our students. Both the experienced teachers and early career teachers fully support the implementation of the program and value the ongoing support and training. 

Principal, Western Australia

My favourite feature of the Oz-e-writing curriculum is the way that it is structured, so that you build on the previous lesson’s knowledge. It’s that structure and the continuity. 

Instruction Coach, Northern Territory  

At no point did it feel too long for the audience or kids in the show – there was no bored shuffling in the seats that usually gives this away. The students really liked all the songs – both those in the show and those in the audience. 

Music Teacher, Haberfield Primary School  

Oz-e-writing has got a good variety of topics linking into our syllabus such as Australia and Asia and the Indigenous connection. There’s a good variety of topics that are very interesting, the students are very interested in the topics that come up.

Instruction Coach/Assistant Principal, Balranald Central School, New South Wales   

The students really enjoy the topics in Oz-e-writing, and I don’t think it’s too hardcore for them. If I were to do dependent clauses and independent clauses in a lesson, they might find that a bit tricky, but I think Oz-e-writing addresses it quite well.

Instruction Coach/Assistant Principal, Balranald Central School, New South Wales

I like it that you can do the professional learning at your own pace. You can sit at home on the weekend and do it, or you can sit at school and do it, during the holidays you can do it.

Instruction Coach, Oz-e-English Writing (Language) Years F–6, Curriculum

When I was doing the professional learning, it questioned my knowledge and my understanding, but I didn’t feel threatened by it.

Principal, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory, Oz-e-English Writing (Language) Years F–6, Curriculum

One of my favourite features of Oz-e-English Writing is that it addresses a lot of techniques that we probably overlook, and it addresses them a lot better than I would normally.

Kate, Instruction Coach, New South Wales

Direct Instruction has allowed me to teach my student a quality program without having to spend hours and hours producing resources. I actually get to have a weekend off every once in a while without feeling like I was going to be unprepared the following week.

Instruction Coach Pathway, Curriculum

As leaders of our school, it’s nice to not feel that we are being judged, we’re being supported. I think that’s the strength of what Good to Great Schools Australia does. I don’t feel that I am being bombarded with orders, I feel that we have a dialogue, we get good feedback and its truthful feedback of where we need to be heading, and what we can do to achieve things. I feel like we work together rather than being told what to do.

Principal, Northern Territory

Participating in the Good to Great Schools Australia program, our team’s practice has become more concise – it has tightened things up a bit more, from what I’ve seen and heard from staff.

Lauren, Instruction Coach, Northern Territory