Learning Specialist

**Overview**:
**Work type**:Full time

**Salary**:Salary not specified

**Grade**:Leading Teacher Range 3

**Occupation**: Education and Training

**Location**: Warragul

**Reference**: 1463916

**Location Profile**:
Rubicon Outdoor School is a Department of Education Outdoor School working with Government secondary school students. We aim to empower people to develop life long positive growth by developing students understanding of self and others, and the skills required to contribute to a positive community and a sustainable environment.

Our values of _sustainable futures, shaped by challenge, building community _and_ meaningful experiences_ are aligned to support the realisation of our vision whilst also establishing shared expectations, community norms and remaining focused on what what matters most for our school community.

The school exists across two campuses, the Thornton Campus, located in the Rubicon Valley on the lands of the Taungurung People in the Murrindindi Shire and our Nayook Campus, located between the borders of the Bunurong, Wurundjeri and Gunaikurnai People in the Baw Baw Shire.

Annually approximatley 3000 state school students attend the school, with the majority of visits being five days. Classes are distributed across the two campuses based on cohort sizes, student level learning requirements and the geographical settings of the campuses. Students live at the school predominantly within a residential setting with both day and overnight lessons occurring in natural environments sometimes further afield. All learning is drawn from the Victorian Curriculum with curriculum foci being co-designed with schools as part of a collaborative process with content descriptors for every program shaping the instructional content.

The school undertakes formalised community of practice arrangements with other schools, that see longer term work between stakeholders focussing on improving the integration of students learning at Rubicon into their home school curriculum and measuring the associated outcomes. The School Council is active in policy making and supports the priorities and resource allocation planning across the school. Membership of the school council has representation from the DE, staff members, nominees of key stakeholder groups and community members.

The school values alongside the Department's are key to the work the school engages in and supports decision making and expectations in our community.

**Selection Criteria**:
**SC1** Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum and ability to model exemplary teaching practice in the context of the outdoors and adventure activities, and implementing school priorities.

**SC2** Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs and evaluating their growth.

**SC3** Demonstrated ability to model and support others in using data to inform teaching practice, providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.

**SC4** Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.

**SC5** Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning and uphold the values of the Department of Education.

**Role**:
Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.

The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.

**Responsibilities**:
In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:

- Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice
- Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons
- Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice
- Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to curriculum planning and delivery
- Playing a key role in the pro