INTRODUCTION QUALITY INDICATORS CHILD FRIENDLY BARAABARU SCHOOLS MALDIVES

INTRODUCTION QUALITY INDICATORS CHILD FRIENDLY BARAABARU SCHOOLS MALDIVES

Copyright Ministry of Education, Republic of Maldives The United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF), Maldives March 2010 Cover design & layout by: BUGLETONE Photography cradits: Page 9 UNICEF Maldives/2008/Fauziyya ISBN: 99915-95-67-8 First print 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Ministry of Education and UNICEF.

Foreword Schooling is a right of every child and the main aim of education in Maldives is to provide quality education for all children. Every child needs to be assured of a quality, childfriendly learning experience that enables the child to grow to his/her full potential and be a successful citizen. To ensure this, an urgent need to establish a strong monitoring system where different stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities and expectations was identified. These Quality Indicators for Child-friendly Baraabaru Schools is the result of this. It is expected that this document would facilitate the evaluation of the education provided in the schools, by the schools, at province level and nationally. The main feature of the document is that it outlines the standards and indicators to measure the standard in a Quality Child-friendly Baraabaru School in the Maldives. Hence, anyone who has a stake in the school can open the document and ask the relevant person/authority why a certain standard has not been achieved. The standards and indicators have been categorized into five dimensions. These five dimensions look at the child holistically and encourages fairness, equality and inclusivity. The five dimensions in this document will facilitate every child the right to acquire a relevant, varied and interesting education, and the schools to address the total needs of the child as a leaner, inclusive of children with special educational needs and children at risk. Our children are the future of our nation; therefore every child who completes his/her education in a Child-friendly Baraabaru School will develop as an independent responsible and productive citizen of the nation and the world. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to UNICEF for assisting us in providing expertise and financial support to complete the task of producing this document, that will equip the educators and administrators to self evaluate and transform their own schools to a Quality Child-friendly Baraabaru School. I sincerely thank Dr. Shannan McNair, Associate Professor of Education, Oakland University, for contributing her professional expertise in developing the quality indicators for Child-friendly Baraabaru Schools in the Maldives. My sincere thanks also go to all the staff of Educational Supervision and Quality Improvement Division, Ministry of Education, who undertook this task and have successfully completed the task. Dr. Mustafa Lutfi Minister of Education Male, Maldives 3

Maldives CFS Standards and Indicators Framework for Use in Monitoring and Evaluation of Schools The CFS Standards and Indicators support positive changes for students in a number of areas. All members of the community play a part in fostering learning and in CFS, in supporting every child s right to a quality education. Children, parents, teachers, leading teachers, school heads, members of the Ministry of Education, the province administration, local businesses and agencies, and employers all have a responsibility toward making educational experiences high quality in their community and share in making decisions. The process invites a closer look at resources, educational research, teacher training, the rights of children and their families, and the role of the school in the community. Taking responsibility is not enough; stakeholders should be able to identify key elements of a high quality educational experience and how school monitoring and support can improve school quality. The CFS Standards and Indicators can serve different purposes: To promote awareness of the child-friendly school concept to student, parent, teacher and principal and other stakeholders. Self Assessment of schools (SSA), to guide ongoing, continuous improvement. For professional development: for teachers, leading teachers, principals and school board members to reflect on their current performance. For monitoring at the national and provincial levels, as part of Educational Supervision and Quality Improvement Division (ESQID) s current monitoring system of schools. For ESQID, Faculty of Education, EDC, CCE/PDS to use for national level coordination, programme enhancement and implementation. Directions and tools for each of these purposes are provided here. This is the beginning of a long-term process, so it is assumed that these materials will be modified and adapted as they are used in schools and communities throughout the Country. CFS Dimensions and Standards The primary tool for supervision is the Standards and Indicators list. For each of the 4 5 dimensions (or categories of educational quality) there are standards of quality. For each standard there are indicators, which serve as criteria for a certain level of rating for that standard. There are 4 levels of rating (Emerging, Progressing, Achieving, Achieved). One level of rating will be attributed to each of the standards. For the lowest level rating, the criteria under that rating would need to be met in full. If not met in full, the school does not yet have a rating for that category. The criteria are cumulative, in that to achieve a rating of progressing one would need to meet all of the criteria in emerging and all of the criteria in progressing also. Moving from one category to the next assumes meeting all of the prior criteria and all of the current rating. When in doubt, or when clear evidence is not available, the lower rating should be chosen. Standard Inclusivity Policy on Inclusivity Annual Enrollment and Projection Inclusion Plan Children at Risk Leadership and Mentorship Child-Centered Teaching and Learning Curriculum Syllabus Lesson Planning Teaching and Learning Strategies Teaching and Learning Resources Learning Environment Learner-Centered Assessment Co-curricular, Curricular and Career Guidance Health and Safety Health Personnel and Facilities School Health Policies Health and Nutrition Services Health education Healthy physical environment Healthy social environment Fitness and Activities Family and Community Partnerships Family participation Communication Parent al Role Community Involvement Community Resources Leadership and Management Planning Professional Development Personnel Qualifications and Skills Human Resources Management Infrastructure and Finance Management Leadership and Community Community Collaboration Student Leadership

The Basics of Observing CFS Indicators The format for the CFS Standards and Indicators may be modified in the future based on what is learned in the first year or two of its use. Since it will be used in various ways, primarily for School Self Assessment and for MoE ESQID monitoring, scores may be somewhat different due to variability in rater interpretation. Schools will provide evidence and self-scores for each area that may or may not match the scores determined at province and national levels. Schools are to provide evidence for each standard and attach to the self-study report. The same will be done at the province and national levels. With use, discussion and clarification of criteria, rater agreement should improve. Observation at several grade levels through an entire lesson is necessary to gather enough evidence to determine a rating for each CFS Standard. Verifying available learning resources and teacher/staff practice can be accomplished through observation and interviews with representatives of all members of the school community. This does not differ substantially from what is currently the monitoring practice, but the questions asked and the focus of observation will shift and include a greater number of items. The original format is for a more traditional teacher-directed classroom, as are some of the observer s lenses from which they observe. Each standard for each dimension will receive a rating. For example, in Dimension 4, there will be six ratings, as there are five standards. Unless there is clear evidence that all indicators (criteria) within a rating are evident, the lower score (or in some cases no score) will be selected. For example, much of what was seen in the pilot testing was either Emerging or not at the beginning level at all. That is the rating that should be given. It cannot be stressed enough to resist the tendency to give a higher score, as that will not help the improvement process. A realistic score will likely be low, leaving room for improvement over a multi-year period. The M0E will remind school staff that the reason for ratings the degree to which the school meets CFS Standards and Indicators is not for competitive or punitive reasons, but for each school to work toward a higher level of quality. Most schools will be Emerging in some areas, not scored in others, and on a few standards Progressing with a rare rating in Achieving. In order to meet criteria, the evidence must be throughout classes, throughout grade levels not just one or two or a few instances. As rating is done, more clarity with examples will be achieved. After all schools have had one cycle where this scoring is done, the previous year s scores can be included in the report but may not necessarily inform the score at that time, unless it is a rating dependent on a several year track record of quality. Indicators of quality can change with changes in school staff, community interest and resources provided to schools. Reporting School Improvement Another role for ESQID in supporting school quality through the use of the CFS Standards is to create opportunities for school improvement to be included in annual or biannual monitoring reports and to highlight progress in documents or to reward progress in some way. It may be that when schools reach the achieved in some areas they are only required to address those areas every 5 years in self-study and monitoring versus every 1 or 2 years. When annual student test scores are reported, ESQID can conduct some analyses using measures of CFS standards ratings to perhaps explain or relate high scores to higher quality of school experiences, resources, or staff qualifications. Maldives CFS Standards and Indicators for Provincial Monitoring The use of the CFS Standards and Indicators for monitoring at the provincial level is critical as they are new to the process, and are at the most critical level to impact educational change. It is important that they have sufficient training to effectively monitor and support learner-centered practices and safe, healthy settings. CFS updates to their training at regular meetings, written materials and possibly online training and support will be helpful. The school conducts a self-study according to directions given, attaches all documents providing evidence, and sends the information to the province superintendent. Once the superintendent reviews the documents, a monitoring visit is scheduled. The monitoring process should mirror that of ESQID and compliment the self-study for a unified approach. The following principles apply to all supervision work carried out on behalf of ESQID 5

and the Ministry of Education; Supervision of schools is carried out in the interests of children and where relevant, their parents, to encourage high-quality provision that meets diverse needs and promote equality. Supervision is carried out for evaluative and diagnostic purposes, assessing quality and compliance, and providing a clear basis for improvement. The purpose of supervision and the procedures to be used are communicated clearly to those involved. Supervision carried out by ESQID and the provinces, invites and takes account of self-evaluation carried out by the schools. Supervision is carried out by those who have sufficient and relevant professional expertise and training. Evidence is recorded and is of sufficient range and quality to secure and justify judgements Judgements are based on systematic evaluation requirements and criteria and reflect a common understanding in ESQIS about quality. Supervision carried out includes clear and helpful oral feedback and leads to written reporting that evaluates performance and quality and identifies strengths and areas for improvement. Quality assurance is built into all supervision activities to ensure that certain standards are met and the supervision carried out is improved. CFS model has been adopted because it embraces a concept of quality that goes well beyond pedagogic excellence and performance outcomes. The focus is on the holistic development of the child and covers dimensions that address the following questions and many more; 1. 2. 3. 4. How well both boys and girls are received by schools and teachers prepared to meet their needs and uphold their rights How far the children s general health and well-being are addressed as an integral part of promoting learning How safe the schools are as places for learning and how completely they provide a gender sensitive environment that is conducive to learning The extent to which child-centered teaching methods are embraced as good practice and standard methodology by teachers and the school 5. 6. 7. How far child participation is encouraged as standard practice in the classroom interaction as well as in the broader operation and management of the school The availability of adequate facilities, services and supplies that supports the needs of the whole child and also of all children. How well the leadership plans and implements programmes, taking into account staff needs and development programmes Using the CFS Standards and Indicators with Students Asking students to reflect on their experiences and to give an opinion is evaluation, a higher-level thinking skill. We can promote higher-level thinking in children at every grade level from preschool through secondary school. As with learning experiences, the level of reflection will vary from the very young to the upper grades. The CFS Standards and Indicators can be multipurpose in that they provide students with an opportunity to reflect on their learning environment and experiences, a chance to give their opinions and ideas, the ability to support initiative taking and self-efficacy, and give adults some really useful information about quality from the perspective of the key beneficiary. Two helpful hints are to: Keep it short and simple Make it clear and relate it to something the student knows or experiences daily When a school begins using the CFS Standards and Indicators for school self-assessment and improvement, there are some steps each teacher can take. He/she can: Begin with conversations and activities around the 5 dimensions to help students to understand what they mean and to learn to better communicate their ideas to one another and to adults. It is important in these discussions to be accepting of the ideas students generate. Have students create visuals to post in the classroom and around the school to illustrate the 5 dimensions of CFS. Select a standard for each dimension as the focus for the school year. Engage the students in lessons about that standard that involve thought, action, and discussion. 6

Conduct an in-class evaluation of those standards at the end of the school year through activities that engage the students like student developed and enacted surveys, a class suggestion box, a class developed quality checklist, and/or wall charts to display progress toward group goal. As students grow older and become more used to the process, activities can involve multiple classes or students can be involved in some school-wide improvement projects. Have Conversation, Not Lecture Teachers should begin conversations with students about the process. Discussion is best in smaller (classroom) groups versus larger (assembly) groups to ensure clearer understanding and to allow time for each student to ask questions. The conversation can go something like this: All of the schools in Maldives are trying to do a better job of making sure students learn what they need to know and to see learning as interesting and fun. We have a guide for doing this that tells us what good schools look like. They give us a picture of what classrooms look like and what materials students should have, ways that all students learn to be leaders, ways that teachers and principals can teach to make learning interesting and fun, how to make schools safe and healthy places, and ways that parents and other members of the community can help. During this school year we are going to learn how to use the CFS Standards and Indicators to make sure that you think about how you feel about the classroom and your learning opportunities. You will have a chance to talk about your ideas for how the school is now, and how it can be a better place for students like you to learn. We will learn the 5 dimensions of Child Friendly Schools and choose one standard from each dimension to work on this year. We will begin with talking about the 5 dimensions and what they mean. We want all of the children in school to feel safe, happy and smart in our school. We will be asking you about what makes you feel safe, happy and smart and we want your ideas about ways to make our classroom even better. Don t expect all children to understand the CFS Dimensions or the Standards and Indicators process right away or as a whole. Do have repeated conversations and activities to work toward understanding over time. Use Visual Reminders A graphic organizer that is prominent and on the child s eye level in the classroom will help to remind children of the 5 dimensions and encourage reflection. The best graphic is one developed by the students because it will give teachers the best idea of what the dimension or standard represents to the children. For example, the children can work in groups of 3-5 to draw or paint a picture to go on signs for each of the 5 dimensions. Another option is for students to take digital photos of examples of a dimension in the classroom and/or school, and post the photos on the signs for each dimension. Before doing so, the teacher will lead some discussion about what each dimension means. For example: Let s think about what this means. Standard 2.5 says, The school provides a friendly, stimulating, and safe environment that promotes social, physical, and intellectual learning needs of all students. (Paraphrase for younger children) Let s use a web to think about what that means. Child Friendly Friendly & Fun Safe & Healthy People say nice things we have books and toys No one is bullied Its okay to make mistakes and learn from them For very young children, perhaps 3, 4 and 5 year olds, a much simpler explanation is given: Interesting There is clean water to drink Doing projects ES 7

The above figure is an example of what Grade 1 or 2 students might say as the teacher gets their ideas about what is friendly, safe and interesting. The teacher can probe further, or put key words from the standard into the web and ask student to think further about, for example, what it looks like to promote social, physical and intellectual learning, or what it means by all children. The web can be posted on the classroom wall to remind and be revisited by students and the teacher when the conversation or activities on the topic resume. Engage Students in Thought, Action and Discussion of a Standard Teachers will work with students to select a standard for each dimension as the classroom focus for the school year. This is likely to be a long process at the beginning because of the lack of knowledge and experience with the CFS Standards and Indicators. At the beginning, the focus standards might be selected by a committee school wide. This is fine, but it is important that activities within the classroom be generated out of the interests of the children to sustain their engagement. Planning activities that engage students in learning more about the standards will also help them to be better thinkers and communicators, so it is time well spent. Suggestions for possible activities are: Brainstorm ideas and creating a graphic organizer, like a web, Venn diagram or matrix. Draw pictures related to the standards, discuss them in small groups, and post them. Create a brochure or PowerPoint for a parent awareness session on CFS Standards and Indicators. Create a checklist to evaluate that standard in the classroom/school. Create a survey and administer to students, teachers or parents. Analyse results. Take photos or short video clips in the classroom or school to illustrate aspects of a standard, discuss and post. Create a webpage describing the standard(s) from a student perspective. Create a long-term project to improve the classroom/school on a particular standard. Exchange letters or emails with same age students in another school discussing how that standard is in their school to compare and contrast, working together to discover solutions. Create a classroom improvement committee for each of the dimensions each school year. Each committee has a standard to evaluate and suggest improvements, presenting their work at the end of the school year. Projects initiated and carried out by students should be practical and at their learning levels, like preschool children making beanbags from sand and cloth or plastic bags, or Grade 4 students sewing puppets for the Grade 1 classroom. Grade 8 or 9 may create a fund-raising or awareness-building project in the community. With students, maintain the effort throughout the school year, devoting time each week to support the long-term CFS goals. Using the Maldives CFS Standards and Indicators with Parents Parents can be involved in constructive use of the CFS Standards and Indicators in a number of ways. Awareness sessions can be held with parents, workshop style, where they learn about the Standards and Indicators through an active learning approach, where a learner-centered approach is modeled. In that way, they can feel the difference between a traditional model of teaching and learning and a CF approach. Parents should be involved on the school board, and represented on committees involved in school improvement. Members of the PTA can assist with some of the work of the school self assessment, learning to conduct observation, review materials and help a committee to rate the school on each dimension. The PTA can be instrumental in conducting discussion sessions on each of the dimensions, and in providing input for ways to support high quality education. The school board and school staff can ask the PTA to engage in projects to help in reaching improvement goals identified in the self-assessment or monitoring visits. Parents can help with tasks that relate to reaching out to other parents or other members of the community. For example, they can help to develop parent surveys that provide evidence of some aspects of the CFS Standards and Indicators. They may go door-to-door in the community to assess the interest in the community in working with the school on some CFS goals. Parents may examine ways in which school goals can be supported by changes in 8

what happens at home, like helping their children to be more independent in the early grades, or asking to look over homework assignments with older students. When teachers need classroom help to gather materials, help students pursue projects or research, or plan an event, parents can volunteer their time. Working toward identified goals will motivate parents to work collaboratively with school staff. In addition, their knowledge of CFS Standards and Indicators can reinforce the involvement of their children in school, as they can discuss the meaning of the Standards with their children and seek their input and opinions. Using the Maldives CFS Standards and Indicators with Principals and Leading Teachers and Teachers The key task of school staff is to engage in School Self Assessment (SSA) with the CFS Standards and Indicators (see School Self Assessment document). School self assessment can inspire, empower, enable and mobilize schools and their communities to create a common vision and to actively participate in an ongoing process of child friendly school improvement and can help schools to take responsibility and be accountable for improving quality of education A key feature of child-friendly schools is the active and meaningful participation of students and community members, along with teachers, school administrators and principals in the monitoring process. This principle of democratic participation should also be applied in the SSA process. As right holders, children and those who facilitate their rights (parents, teachers, leading teachers, school staff, principals and school board members) should participate in the SSA and work as a team and share in making decisions about the education of children. Their participation can enable the strengthening and empowerment of school governing bodies, as well as enhance the participants ownership over the CF concept and over their school. It can also enhance local ownership and sustainability and increase the schools accountability to communities. The school improvement team will collect school documentation that will serve as evidence. The school improvement team can use the listed evidences at the end of each standard to get a sense of the kind of documents to be collected, but the list of evidence provided at the end of each standard is not exhaustive, and different types of evidence might be available for different schools. Next, the school improvement team can organize an orientation session with parents/community members/students. This effort to build the knowledge and understanding of the parents/community members will enable their equal participation in the process. All school staff can take part in sessions to gain first an overview of the Standards, and then to learn each Dimension in depth, examining each of the Standards and Indicators. In addition, each school staff person can identify the Standards that closely relate to their job responsibilities and reflect on their own ratings, examining strengths and identifying goals for improvement. School staff can seek out training, written and online resources for learning more about CFS and learner-centered teaching and learning. Discussion can be promoted and teachers can pair up or work in grade level groups to collaborate on strategies for improvement. Teachers may conduct action research on their classrooms related to CFS Standards and collect data to contribute to School Self Assessment and their own documentation of classroom improvement. The role of the principal is to demonstrate leadership in School Self Assessment and to be a model of continually improving her/his own practice and seeking out new information. The principal can work with others to identify the strengths of members of the school community to lead sessions, plan curricula and/or develop materials or other self-improvement efforts. The principal can suggest learning opportunities, i.e. visits to a local preschool with high ratings for a CF environment or another school with a very active parent group. To prepare for School Self Assessment, first a School Improvement Team (SIT) is formed. This is an ad hoc subcommittee of the school board, which will be responsible for facilitating the process of the SSA. The team should consist of the principal, the leading teacher, teachers, parents and students. The size of the team is a minimum of six members. An external resource person, for instance, a Teacher Resource Center Coordinator, can also participate. 9

10 UNICEF Maldives/2008/Fauziyya

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Ministry of Education Republic of Maldives unicef