The Program Unlocking Meaningful Learning Experiences for Teachers: Could Open Learning Circles Help Overcome the Teacher Retention Crisis?

As we continue to look at ways to increase teacher retention, one program has unlocked success at an independent school for girls, Loreto Normanhurst . The school’s Open Learning Circle (OLC) Program is a unique, fortnightly forum which is having a positive impact on the wellbeing of teachers.

The OLCs are professional learning groups made up of between five to eight teaching staff. Each school term has a focus on an aspect of pedagogy including deep learning, leveraging digital technologies, and social-emotional learning.

Since it began in 2023, the OLC Program has been providing teachers with a holistic peer support group and a forum to engage in pedagogical creative thinking. The initiative has proved highly effective in elevating staff wellbeing.

More than ever, teachers face growing pressures which impact their ability to be mentors and educators. A 2021 Grattan Institute survey revealed that 86 per cent of educators lack time for high-quality lesson planning and preparation due to increasing workloads.

Internal statistics highlight the OLC Program has made the learning experiences of 85 per cent of the school’s teachers ‘more meaningful’, with 95 per cent enjoying the refreshingly collaborative approach.

The OLC Program is a unique Loreto Normanhurst initiative that creates a scheduled, open conversation around professional efficacy and is an extension of the school’s commitment to developing accessible and practical ways to offer support to teachers.

One year after conception, those involved share their insights. Monica Boardman, Head of Visual Arts at Loreto Normanhurst said:

“I have been taking part in the OLC Program since it began. It allows me to connect with the wider faculty and has been fantastic for developing innovative strategies for deep learning. The program has been instrumental in helping to encourage a cooperative approach to teaching, it is also an extremely useful tool for providing mutual support and mental wellbeing in a professional capacity.”

Some of the many benefits of the OLC Program are that it encourages the sharing of ideas and invites feedback from participants, empowering staff, and fostering mental agility.

“The OLC Program not only allows us to work cross-departmentally but helps us to keep performing to the best of our ability, so that we can continue to educate and guide our students” commented Clara Marsh, Head of Languages at Loreto Normanhurst .

“When you prioritise the wellbeing of your teachers, you are in turn supporting the wellbeing of your students. I am proud that Loreto Normanhurst has developed this initiative and pleased to be part of it.”

Marina Ugonotti, Principal of Loreto Normanhurst said:

“The aim for the program was to empower our staff, so that they feel fully equipped to deliver education that not only provides academic results but prepares students for everything that they will experience in the real world. By providing robust support networks for our teachers, we are seeing the benefits in our students.”

Mental health continues to be a fundamental focus of government policy, with the Department of Health and Aged Care allocating $260.2m for psychosocial support services in the 2023-2024 budget.

As the demand for mental health services across Australia is only set to increase, Loreto Normanhurst has its eyes set on further expansion of this learning format to include parents as part of a long-term strategy for curriculum innovation and mental wellbeing that spans all areas of school life.