In this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast, Brendan Lee had the opportunity of visiting Marsden Road Public School and then speaking to the Principal, Manisha Gazula. Marsden Road has recently featured in a number of reports from the Grattan Institute on role-model schools from around the country. This is the first of a two part series on the school. In the next episode, you will hear from Deputy Principal Troy Verey.
Manisha’s leadership style has been compared to Katherine Birbilsingh from Michaela Community School in the UK. However, in this conversation you will hear how Manisha’s clear vision, high expectations and relentless care have turned the schools results and culture around. Manisha also details their behaviour curriculum called The Marsden Way and their whole school curriculum – the Core Program.
Resources mentioned:
Joanne Dooner – www.training247.com.au/
Dan Willingham
Mark Seidenberg
The Grattan Institute – Jordana Hunter and Amy Haywood
How to implement a whole-school curriculum approach
Ending the lesson lottery: How to improve curriculum planning in schools
You can connect with Manisha:
Twitter: @manisha_gazula
You can connect with Brendan:
Twitter: @learnwithmrlee
Facebook: @learningwithmrlee
Website: learnwithlee.net
About Manisha Gazula
Manisha Gazula is a passionate educator with a fundamental focus on improving student outcomes. Her belief that the students should leave primary school, proficiently literate and numerate so they can successfully access future learning and opportunities, drives the decisions she makes as a leader. Under her leadership, Marsden Road PS has established systematic methods for interpreting evidence to identify effective teaching and learning pedagogy which has led to significant improvement to student outcomes. She is a strong advocate for explicit teaching of foundation literacy and numeracy skills and refrains from following fads in education. She has contributed to educational networks and has modelled instructional and collaborative leadership through coaching and mentoring of early career principals and aspiring leaders. Manisha has presented at several forums that include the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, EduTech and more recently at the Sydney Morning Herald Summit.
In 2018, Manisha received the 2018 South Regional Directorate Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Principal in Liverpool Network. In 2019, Marsden Road Public School received the Executive Directors Award for significant contributions towards advancing the strategic goals of the NSW Department of Education.
Thanks again Brendan, similar to the tension I asked about in the interview with Troy, Manisha says Hattie’s work was pivotal to her, but she says RR does not work, yet Hattie calculates a good effect size for RR = 0.53, which is over his hinge point of 0.40 – which in Hattie’s terms is more than a year’s growth.