Making Schools More Effective

Almost a third of all schools surveyed in Australia responded to an invitation to express views about how schools might be made more effective. Responses came from teachers, students, parents and individuals. The results indicate that schools should have a full blown view of what Australia wants for its children and youth, that they should be concerned with personal and social as well as intellectual development, that they should set high but realistic demands for students and find ways to compare students with their own past performance in pursuit of 'personal bests', and that the curriculum should have personal relevance for the students, and be broad and balanced. The key to an effective school is seen to be the characteristics of its staff. They should be focused on learning, concerned with individual students' needs, and engaged in their own professional development. Local schools should have more say in decisions about staffing.