EXCELLENT LEADERSHIP IN TEACHING AND LEARNING
Christine Beckmann of All Hallows’ School has just been made Assistant Principal of Student Learning and Data, but she’s always been a leader.
As the Head of Department – English for eleven years, Christine exceeded performance standards through her initiative, vision and setting of high standards for planning, teacher skill development and internal procedures. Through her leadership, the English Department has been transformed.
For example, Christine has drawn from research and best practice to drive a new approach to Year 7 English by taking the revolutionary step of removing formative assessment from Term One, thereby allowing teachers to focus on core language skills and build a fair and solid foundation for students to set them up for high school.
Christine’s leadership in implementing the 2010 Senior English Syllabus and more recently the 2019 English, Literature, Essential English and short Literacy program demonstrates her strengths as a strategic leader of curriculum. Her deep knowledge of the subjects and awareness of the learning needs of students at All Hallows’ School is evident in this work.
Her focus has always been developing a curriculum that supports a safe learning environment for all students and encourages exemplary planning, teaching and feedback practice from her teaching staff. Christine led the department through the final work program decisions, contributing to exceptional quality assurance and accountability.
As Christine’s Principal, Mrs Catherine O’Kane explains, “Christine is an outstanding educator whose visionary leadership over many years…has resulted in outstanding learning outcomes for our students”.
Outside the classroom, Christine is a leader of her colleagues. She has both empowered and actively encouraged experienced members of her department to progress their own careers.
As well as helping experienced teachers, Christine has also given generous support to beginning teachers and those new to All Hallows’. She has facilitated weekly one-hour meetings with these teachers and has also produced many ‘how-to’ videos to guide them through the rigours of life as a teacher in an English Department. Her readiness to give her time to her colleagues at all stages of their careers shows the value Christine places on the individuals she leads.
In addition to supporting individual members of the English Department, Christine has established the English Department as one that leads the whole school in innovation and development. She has taken a keen interest in best-practice feedback for student wellbeing and has engaged in her own action research, resulting in a full English Department trial of new feedback practices.
She has been a mentor to beginning Heads of Department in other subject areas, supporting them through administrative, curriculum, student and parent challenges. Her leadership of numerous pedagogical trials and delivery of professional development in these areas has greatly benefitted all her colleagues.
Christine is universally respected by teaching, administrative and support staff across all areas of the school and her appointment this year as Assistant Principal Learning and Data was met with genuine joy by all her colleagues.
Congratulations Christine on being shortlisted for the TEACHX Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award.
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