Show Transcription

Kelly Bell:

Hey everyone, and welcome back to Episode #7 of The Learning Network Podcast. In this podcast episode, we're going to chat about what success actually looks like in the CAFS classroom. And I'm going to unpack four main challenges that I believe CAFS teachers are currently experiencing in their classroom and what they can really do to move their CAFS crew forward in that journey, but also to give you lots of tips and strategies and practical applications for what you can actually do to help your CAFS students improve both their engagement and also their results in Community and Family Studies. And if you haven't already heard, I am launching The CAFS Collective, your 10-month CAFS coaching programme, where you'll join a whole group of other beautiful CAFS teachers to support you on your CAFS journey, including masterclasses, guest expert sessions, videos, templates, resources and so many more goodies in between. So head over to thelearnnet.com/collective to learn all about it. 

Hey, I'm Kelly Bell. Welcome to The Learning Network Podcast. I guide Community and Family Studies teachers, newbies and experienced, through best practice to improve knowledge, increase empowerment and alleviate stress, to help you and your students to make meaningful connections across the course. I will share strategic and purposeful applications from my 16 years experience in the classroom that I have adopted to increase student motivation, enjoyment, engagement and results. Together, we will grow and transform your CAFS crew to the next level without impacting your sleep and wellbeing process. To join my free how to improve writing and fast track results webinar, head to thelearnnet.com/writing. So tune in, get inspired and let's connect, learn and grow together.  

You're in the right place. If you're ready to strategise in CAFS, you're ready to really build success in your students, you're ready to grow in CAFS and you're also ready to uncover the secrets to success in our course. The promise I have for you guys tonight is that you're going to work more strategically in CAFS, you're going to be able to build your students up for success right from the very beginning. And you're also going to be able to grow and flourish as a CAFS teacher. You're going to be able to take action from what we go through today. You're going to be able to have a look at what success looks like in the CAFS classroom. If you watch to the end, I have a special bonus for you guys. My step by step pathway to success in CAFS, having that really clear strategy to success. 

So as CAFS teachers we do have some challenges. The first one is really not having a clear purpose about what we actually do. Sometimes focusing way too much on the content and not having enough time to have that evaluation or that reflection in our practice, and some of us having that really closed-door approach to our CAFS classroom. I know not all of you guys are like that. But sometimes these are our common challenges. 

Let me know and write down a big 'YES' on your notepad if you're ready to uncover what a successful CAFS teacher looks like in the CAFS classroom. Imagine this, you're on your own CAFS Island teaching and slogging away, your head-teacher tells you that they want you to present a session to your whole staff about how you actually teach CAFS. How would you actually approach this? 

You can either take this approach, the 'no strategy Nat' or the 'no strategy Nick' approach. And what these guys do is really talk about how the content is really easy to deliver. but their students don't really get the results that the school wants. They showcase their engaging teaching & learning activities. But sometimes those activities take way too long to prepare, and are often confusing for the kids. They share what is actually working in the classroom, but they often don't take the time to reflect and evaluate their practice. They mentioned that they're collegial, and network with other teachers across the state, but they haven't really ever had a chance to do that in their own context at school, or they just don't have the time to connect with other teachers in our course.

Or is your approach like Donna and Michelle? Donna and Michelle focus on teaching content that strategically links our course and our concepts from your 11 into 12, instead of fluffy activities that are often just time fillers. They develop rich teaching and learning activities, their students are engaged, instead of creating time-consuming lessons that really often miss the mark. They reflect and be really critical about their practice and work out what is working so they continue to drive success and see success in their classroom, instead of not actually taking that time to reflect and evaluate. And they also build on their learning by connecting and networking with other CAFS teachers, instead of keeping their classroom doors closed. So we have two options. We can be like Nat and Nick, or we can be like Donna and Michelle. Nat and Nick work their butts off, they work really well together and they work and write really good teaching and learning activities to engage their students and to improve results. But they're disappointed by the lack of engagement with their kids, they're disappointed with lack of motivation that they see in their classroom and sometimes their HSC results and missing the mark. 

Donna and Michelle follow a clear pathway to success in their classrooms. Their kids are engaged, they and love coming to class, it's really strategic and purposeful, and they're making those connections across the course. 

So a little bit about my story; I was literally like that, I was thrown a syllabus and a textbook and that was pretty much it. I had a beautiful coordinator who absolutely trusted everything that I did, but she made CAFS my baby, she's like "Kell, make CAFS your baby." She had stage 6 PE at that point and I kind of really was thrown in the deep end with what this course looks like. And literally for such a long time, I was like that, flying blind having no idea about what I was teaching, being on my own and not having these networks that we have now to foster and develop and grow as a CAFS teacher. We didn't have social media. We didn't have any of the Facebook groups. We didn't have an online portal with all amazing CAFS goodness that many of you guys have been lucky enough to be part of in The Learning Network. And I didn't personally have anyone that I could kind of go to. It was just literally me the syllabus and a textbook. And I think initially, I would create really engaging activities, but the kids like them but I don't think they really linked to the syllabus or they weren't really, you know, with some strategy behind it. I don't think they were really working towards that success that I wanted to see my students. 

Now I actually work with you guys to have strategy, to have really purposeful connections across our course and I've been super lucky to be able to support CAFS teachers for such a long time. Now, I help CAFS teachers like you to work more strategically in your CAFS classroom with a purpose, to build on those connections across our course, and to see the engagement and the results that you want, but also our schools want and so do the kids. In other words, I hope the no strategy Nat and Nicks become more like Donna and Michelle. And I've literally done that over the last 18 months with Donna and Michelle in my Coaching and Mentoring programmes. 

These days, I've been so lucky. I feel absolutely blessed to be able to support you guys. I have supported over 500 CAFS teachers across New South Wales in my Coaching and Mentoring, in my courses and lots of other opportunities I've been really blessed to be part of. I've supported over 1000 teachers in my CAFS online networks and I feel, again, very privileged to be able to connect with you guys in that way. I developed the go-to spaces for us, for us to connect, learn and grow from each other and together. I've also been able to support many CAFS teachers and their students in my MasterClasses, not just now in the inside The Learning Network but prior to that for a really long number of years, from probably about 2007, to really build on the kids, improve their writing, but also improve their success in our course. And again, I feel super blessed to be able to be the co-author of two CAFS textbooks, where you guys get to improve your knowledge and understanding but also so do the kids. 

But as I mentioned before, things weren't always this way, it didn't just happen overnight. I had a few problems. I was a newbie, it was just me, the syllabus and textbook. I was flying way too quickly through content and I think I was just discussing too much, I was spending too much time yabbering and not really focusing on the content. I was really failing at guiding my students in a pathway to success, to really develop that extensive knowledge, understanding and skills that we want to see. 

Those Performance Band Descriptors help us, that band six is really about extensive knowledge and understanding and application of skill. I was literally running around the last minute, you know, recess and lunch, try to throw together a really great lesson, but often my lessons missed the mark with the kids. I would also spend countless hours at home, and don't talk to my husband about this, but he would know in my early days, I would literally spend hours and hours in our office at home creating new teaching resources activities, but also spending so much time on I think fluff, that the continent doesn't really hit the mark. I would spend literally the best part of my lunchtimes trying to scrape together something that was actually a little bit meaningful. 

For me as a CAFS teacher, I was literally living on a CAFS Island. I was reinventing the wheel every year. I didn't have a go to space for me to be able to connect with other teachers, like what I'm going to offer you guys in The CAFS Collective. I had no idea back then about where to go or what I should or could be doing to help improve my writing, the writing of my students and their results. 

Now, I'm pretty sure you can relate to this, at some point in your career you felt like that, either now, if you're a newbie in CAFS, or if you're experienced, you are still kind of searching for that secret ingredient is in our course.

I started to wonder how could I, as a CAFS teacher, work more strategically, with purpose, to see good results with my kids, but also without sacrificing my time and well being. Kind of fast forward a little bit, I started to have kids and I was a Pastoral Coordinator, I was wearing so many different hats, how was I able to do all of this that I wanted? 

So I wanted to have a way that enabled my class, the whole class, to be able to build that knowledge and skill, but to also ensure my students are working really strategically within the CAFS content, not just in Year 12 when it actually kind of mattered, I suppose, but in Year 11, as well, setting them up for success in year 11. I also wanted to be able to consistently work and to evaluate and reflect on my practice to improve myself as a practitioner and as an educator. I think what was also part of what was missing was I had no one that I could kind of go to, I didn't have any of those connections that many of us have now. We are so blessed to have social media, like I said, Facebook, even in all of my offers, being able to connect with you guys. I didn't have that back then and so I wanted to have that connection with teachers who are literally on the same page as me. 

I realised I really needed to start to connect and network with other teachers. The strategies I was using were way to focus on the content, I was trying to create really fun and engaging activities, but it wasn't actually building the capacity of my kids and building their skills and knowledge and seeing those results consistently. Since then, so since the old me, I've been able to support you guys, you and your students, in your learning, but to be able to connect that content strategically, to be able to work with purpose and intention, and to improve the application of our course and to see really good HSC results.  

My students results were consistently above the state average every single year, even in the early days, somehow, but of course they built every year. My students have achieved a large number of band four, fives and sixes with a small handful of band one and threes. I had unlocked the secrets to success in CAFS, and even better, I actually discovered that this process was replicable. And here's what I discovered. 

You need to have a clear strategy. You need to have a purpose or an intention or a meaning behind everything that you do. I often call it my method to my madness because sometimes I think in the background like it's a little bit crazy, or it's a little bit left of centre, what I do, but the strategy and the purpose behind it is going to get your results and that's literally what I'm going to be unpacking inside The CAFS Collective. Stripping back the content, getting rid of the notes, no more notes, no more writing on the board, stripping back the content and really going into every single lesson with intention. Inside The CAFS Collective, I will show you what that looks like. I'll be able to give you tools and templates and strategies to help improve the way you do things in your course. And then to also be able to reflect and evaluate on my practice. I've been a coordinator, as I mentioned, I also ran a few professional learning when I worked in Sydney at my all-girls Catholic school for 14 years and then as a relieving headteacher when I moved up the coast, I was in a position that I was relieving headteacher of PE but I also was part of the leadership team offering PL and that sort of thing, in a leadership position that way. So I know the importance of reflecting and evaluating but also getting you guys to think about your practice. 

The big one, I think, is really sharing and networking together, working smarter, not harder, working more strategically but with each other on board. Today, I'm really sharing with you guys a step by step strategy and pathway to success in our course. We can either go from having no strategy at all, and having no clear approach, or we can have really clear success in what we do. And this is literally my pathway. 

Little success back in the day, in the early 2000s, I started my career in 2004, and like I said syllabus, textbook, thrown in the deep end, and I dove in feet first. Karyn said to me, my coordinator, said 'Kell, you've got this I trust you. You know you're doing." I didn't. I didn't actually know what I was doing but I somehow meant to get through it, but she had complete trust in me. Then becoming the Pastoral Coordinator at my school and starting to do PL across New South Wales. Initially started doing some things with students, so presenting across New South Wales, going to different venues like Westmead Hospital with Achper NSW, doing some other work with HSC in the Holidays, and literally sharing my love and passion for CAFS.

I think it was a bit cocky back then, being a young teacher in 2007 doing this, but I think for me, putting myself out there made me a better teacher. I had to work really strategically and go, okay, if I'm putting myself in front of all these, you know, thousands of students, I need to kind of know what I'm doing. So kind of, I suppose being a bit scrappy about what I was doing. Now, fast forward to about 2010, doing professional learning in New South Wales for Achper, and many of you guys have been part of those opportunities back then, and I was actually awarded a PTC Teachers Council Award back in 2014, for my service to PDHPE and CAFS across New South Wales. That's a real honour that I kind of took on and I feel so blessed to now actually be doing this full time. Writing the two textbooks that I'm part of, I've absolutely loved doing that, but now, I literally get to live and breathe CAFS. I don't know this kind of sounds a bit weird, but I would kind of daydream about what it would be like to actually have my own professional learning organisation, sharing my passion for CAFS and I'm seriously living that dream right now. To be able to connect and learn and grow with you guys has been an absolute honour over the last 18 months, and many more years to come. 

So the path I'm sharing with you guys is about really the best way that you can have success in your classroom, to be able to connect and learn from other teachers in CAFS, so you can really achieve the dreams and goals that you guys want. Literally that is my philosophy. That is my transformational statement inside The CAFS Collective, the 10 month programme where I get you guys to work together, but me having that coaching and mentoring role to be able to support you guys in this membership.

So common mistake number one is CAFS teachers having no clear strategy. The solution is having that clear purpose, 'Where am I going with this?' 

Common mistake number two: too content heavy. The solution: let's focus on concepts and skills. I say concepts, I mean really looking at the big-ticket items: wellbeing resources, informal and formal support, equity, that type of thing, that's what I'm really looking for. Making sure the kids actually know those really big picture concepts. 

Common mistake number three: little or no reflection and evaluation, not having time to do it, but also really being more meaningful about it. Let's have that solution of looking at our data, actually looking at HSC results and seeing what's what's in there and having that feedback.

Common mistake number four. I'm not saying you guys are actually at this stage, there are some CAFS teachers and PE teachers and teachers in general, that are very closed, they won't open up their classroom to other people. The solution is us actually opening wide open our doors and sharing and growing together.

So are you ready to dive deeper? Let's unpack these common mistakes together. 

Okay, no clear strategy. This really means looking like no clear focus and a lack of purpose behind what you're doing, having little or no time, literally running into a classroom and going, "Okay, today we're writing some notes." What is the purpose and intention behind that? Where do I learn tos and learn abouts come from? Where's our learning intention and success criteria that we want to drive in that classroom? And really what this means is there's little or no improvement with the kids because we don't have a clear strategy in the first place. The solution is to have a clear strategy, every single lesson, focusing on the learn abouts and the learn tos and being really meaningful with what we do. 

So what this looks like in a CAFS classroom are couple of things like this, but we unpack this in so much more detail in the CAFS collective. So teaching extensive and thorough knowledge and understanding. For band five and band six, that extensive knowledge needs to exist, we can't just have that surface-level understanding anymore. Many of you were part of the CAFS conference on Friday, and you guys would know that that's what we kind of spoke about a lot having that deep understanding of the content. One of my pet peeves, something I really get on my soapbox about, is the Glossary of Keywords. If you haven't followed me for a long time or if you're brand new to The Learning Network, a huge welcome to you guys, but this is something that I talk about all the time and is literally the game changer. You'll see it here, it's an explain question, a clear link between, a link between, no connection to the glossary of key words, you're only going to get a 3 out of 6, only halfway. If you've got the content, no skill, you're only going to get that 3 out of 6. It is really, really crucial that we're teaching this to the kids.

Michelle Testimonial:

Hi, my name is Michelle. I am a PDHPE teacher, I've been teaching for 20 years. I've been wanting CAFS to start at our school for many years and finally we got permission to start it this year. I put my hand up to teach it, knowing that it would be a challenge, but I felt that it would be a fantastic opportunity for me to up skill. I came across Kelly probably about term four, or maybe even term three of 2020, came across her on the Facebook group and then delightfully discovered that she had started her own company. I was lucky enough to have her come and coach me in the beginning of planning for my CAFS career.

So she came for the day, one on one mentoring, helped me set up my programmes. This was complemented by me joining the Exploring Year 11 CAFS course that she had online. So me doing that online and then having her come live was just absolutely instrumental for the success of the beginning of CAFS. So, the fact that I'm the only one teaching, my head of department doesn't know much about CAFS, so it was just amazing to have this virtual equivalent of like, Kelly's like my virtual head of department. And I feel that by her coming, she's come a few times now to my school, I have felt so supported and I feel that by her teaching me skills with such experience has allowed me to start not as a new CAFS teacher, but as an experienced teacher, which I am already in PDHPE. I feel like I'm almost not a new CAFS teacher because of the content she has helped me teach. Also the takeaway points of what is important in the syllabus to teach and how best to teach it, the fact that she has taught me from the beginning to teach skills, has meant that I've been able to implement this into my programme throughout.Then, of course, she's also assisted me with marking and just learning little skills like doing WIN feedback and being able to give the kids the results without their mark has made a big difference. All the little things that she has mentioned, she may think they're little but they're actually really big. And I feel that the content that the girls are learning is really successful as a result. So the takeaway point that I have with Kelly doing one on one, or with my department mentoring, is that I feel like one day with her saves days and days and days of stress and prep. And at the end of the day, I found I had a lot of work still to do but she was always there at the end of the phone or email. I would highly recommend her to come to mentor your school, or you guys and she's also highly experienced online now, as we all are. So I will say please take in this testimonial and know that I really believe that it is going to make a big difference for you if you get her to coach you.

Kelly:

Okay, so beautiful Michelle. As she mentioned, I've been mentoring and coaching her for about 18 months or 12 months, it all kind of rolls into the next, but she has fast-tracked to success. So my 17 years has literally been compressed, and I have been able to share all that knowledge with Michelle.  

So I want you guys to write down for me, how would it actually feel to have that clear purpose finally in your CAFS classroom? 

Okay, common mistake number two: too content heavy, I said it before, writing way too many notes and having that really disconnected, you know, disjointed kind of connection. And what Michelle mentioned was that we're not actually focusing on the skills within our course. The solution is being more strategic, having that big picture on content that connects our concepts all the way through. And what it looks like is really having that clear strategy. Our questions are really more, not just the learn about learn to and here's a HSC question, you might have noticed that. If you haven't, and if you're new to CAFS, I want you guys to have a look at that. It's no longer learn about, learn to, HSC question. It is really getting the kids to kind of bring concepts across, that core of the syllabus or that option. So making those connections clear, but also applying that knowledge rather than just rote learning. 

Okay, have a think about how it would feel to actually strip the content right back and start to be more focused and explicit for maximum results in your CAFS classroom. 

Okay, let's unpack number three: no reflection and evaluation. Not looking at the data. I want you guys to start looking at your HSC data. Not like attendance data, that's important for us to kind of gauge if our kids want to be in our classroom, but that HSC data at the end of the year needs to be unpacked explicitly. And also for us not actually seeking feedback from colleagues, from our deputy, from our headteacher, from our peer coordinator or TAS headteacher, really getting some feedback from others. And what it means is that we're not growing we're not actually evolving. The solution is seeking feedback and ideas from other like-minded CAFS teachers. And what it looks like is that constant evaluation, that checking for understanding, making sure we're having some feedback.

Jessica Testimonial:

Hi, my name is Jessica and I had the opportunity to work with Kelly Bell in one of her Coaching and Mentoring programmes. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity that I had, as I have learned so much from Kelly. The reason why I first joined was I wanted to learn new and effective ways of engaging students within the classroom, as well as improving their success right in CAFS. Kelly has taught me that there is no right order or way of teaching CAFS content, instead that we should be teaching our students skills in order to lead them through the content. This has been extremely effective especially within my classroom, where my student results have improved and they are now enjoying CAFS more than ever. I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to have had spent some time with Kelly and she regularly checks in. The reason why I did join is because I did want to learn some new and improved ways and I definitely have. Thank you so much Kelly and I highly recommend Kelly's programme to all.

Kelly:

Right, so Jess is very, she's actually quite experienced, I think she's been teaching CAFS for about 10 years. So much passion so much energy, but I think even for her learning so much, you know more to add to her little bag of tricks. 

Okay, last one, common mistake number four: closed or classroom, protecting our resources and not sharing, keeping it to ourselves and then really not opening ourselves up to other people. The solution is really been opening your CAFS classroom with a coach and mentor, like me, to guide you along the way. So what this really looks like on the ground: sharing and collaborating, lighten the load, get your time and wellbeing back but having someone like me as your coach and mentor, especially inside The CAFS Collective, to have a really experienced CAFS teacher to guide you along the way. 

So let me know about how you would feel to have a coach and mentor. We all know the importance of coaching and mentoring, to be supported in your journey.

Okay, so let me guess you're probably thinking, okay, this is a great idea Kell, but how do we actually find the time? You've learned that this pathway is the best way to success in CAFS, is to connect and learn from each other, but also for you guys to be able to achieve your goals and dreams that you want. I really believe in this quote by Robert John Meehan about the most valuable resource we have, it's not a textbook, it's not a syllabus, it's it's actually each other. Without collaboration, we are literally limited to our own perspectives. So we could kind of stay stuck and be like Nat and Nick, and we can have no strategy or we can have a coach and mentor guiding us along the way, like Donna and Michelle. 

So how do you guys actually do this? How do you have a clear strategy, how to improve the way you link and connect content? How do you get to reflect on your practice? How do you start to open up your CAFS classroom? And how do you actually get to have a constant coach and mentor guiding you all the way through? And add the time to that, how do you actually find the time to do that? 

So I mentioned before, throughout our presentation, but The Learning Network is proud to announce that The CAFS Collective is open. It's a great way for you guys to feel supported, to connect, learn and grow beyond your wildest goals and dreams. So if you are very keen to have a coach and mentor, you can see the link there so thelearnnet.com/collective, you can learn all about it. But this is a program that's going to be really meaningful for you guys. So over 10 months, we unpack lots of content together, lots of skills, like you heard with my beautiful mentees this year, and really give you guys support all the way through. It's a CAFS membership, where you get to have constant support from me as your coach and mentor but also to be able to learn effective strategies for success. Transformation really comes from us connecting and learning and growing together to be the best educators we can be with strategy and clear purpose. I'll literally unpack or open my classroom up to everything that I've learned in my 17 years, to be our support you guys and your CAFS journey but what I've actually done also with hundreds of teachers across New South Wales. 

So what does The CAFS Collective include? It includes 10 monthly MasterClass sessions, so from February to November, three guests expert sessions, a video resource library, reserved seat to the annual CAFS conference, which many of you guys were a part of not so long ago, VIP dinner but also lots of bonuses as well. 

The monthly masterclass will be with me as your coach and mentor and we will unpack content that really is going to get you to move forward in your journey but also things that are timely for you guys. 

Guest experts, so guest experts from organisations like Barnardos, ABS, Tresillian Karitane, key organisations in our CAFS journey and what we teach to the kids that we often don't have time to actually look at. 

A whole big heap of video resources that will constantly be added to, so pre-recorded sessions. If I decide to do something on feedback and we think that's a common area for us to kind of grow in, I might do a recording on that and pop up in our CAFS library. Something on you know, rights and responsibilities in parenting caring, I might whip up a video together and pop it onto the portal. So all those resources are there for you guys in your CAFS PL library. But if you can't make any of the live sessions via zoom in our MasterClasses, they'll all be stored in our portal as well.

Templates, resources, saving you lots of time and wellbeing, scaffolds, access to the annual conference, so your reserved seat at the annual conference where we have two days of professional learning and we actually get to see each other face to face, in real life. So your spot is saved and next year, it's going to be on the beautiful Central Coast, at Killcare, where I call home, and we get to actually see each other and join together. At that conference we'll also have a VIP members dinner exclusive just to members who joined the CAFS collective in 2022 and you'll have a private session with me and all the other CAFS members who join up.

So what you what you will achieve in this is having that clear strategy having that confidence to move through your journey, focus on really strategic content to go big with your CAFS group and have those connections across the course, seeking feedback from like-minded CAFS teachers, like each other, and also being able to open up your CAFS classroom with a coach and mentor to guide you, and that's my job.

The bonuses that will also include in the actual The CAFS Collective, discounts and offers for you guys from teaching resources, stationery, some sporting goods, that type of thing. I've been in contact with quite a few different organisations and they're jumping on board to help you guys just make that transition really easy with some resources. Access to a private Facebook group, as you heard from Michelle, questions answered straight away. I will not leave you high and dry, like a bum on a seat at most other PL in our state, I will literally give you guys lots of access so you never kind of go away with having you know your questions unanswered. And then bonus three is the CAFS playbook, so templates and scaffolds you're going to use day to day, year to year with your CAFS Crew and all tips and tricks that you guys need to move your CAFS Crew forward. 

It's $450 for the 10 months, and literally that's over 13 plus, 15 plus, I reckon probably in excess of 20 hours worth of PL for just $450. So your school can make a payment, a one-off payment, to have access to everything and you can head to thelearnnet.com/collective to access that straightaway. If you want the low budget option, to pay $49 a month, just like two coffees a week, you can take that option, but the one-off payment is actually close to a month free and that's probably your best investment out of the two options. 

So $49 a month or $450 annually to literally get everything. 10 months of CAFS PL in the one place. 

So we mentioned the challenges; no clear purpose, focus on the content, little evaluation or reflection and literally closed door. 

Inside the portal access, you'll have your email, you'll have your login, access to dive in straight away, you'll be able to see some things that we've already prepared, that I've already prepared for you guys so if you love to binge then you can have a look at all of that over the holidays, but we don't kick start until February. 

You have two choices. You can stay stuck and be like Nat and Nick, and feel bit isolated, like on a bit of a CAFS Island. To have that little connection with CAFS teachers, you can have that really shallow understanding, that surface-level understanding that content, disjointed, lack of resources or you guys trying to reinvent the wheel and working your butt off and maybe not seeing the results that you want. 

Or you can be like Michelle and Donna and like Norm and Jess, having that coach or mentor like me to guide you along the way. 17 years of experience in the CAFS classroom, PL, co-author of two textbooks. This is my job. This is literally what I get to do for job. Clear connections across the syllabus, access to the video library but also getting your students to go from where they are right now to that deeper knowledge and understanding with lots and lots of resources. 

So head over to thelearnnet.com/collective, hit that yellow button, the 'Buy Now' button, and I'll feel so honoured to welcome you guys into the programme. 

You might have a couple of questions for me. How long is a membership? Well, really as long as, you know, how long is a piece of string? As long as you kind of work hard and, if you sign up now you're going to have me as your coach and mentor supporting you over the next 10 months. And you'll also have access to our portal which will give you so many resources that you can use time and time again. Because this is a new offer, it's a new PD, you won't have to do any NASA evidence yet. But hopefully down the track I can get this accredited. 

How long will you have access to the materials? Well as long as you actually have your subscription last. So it could be for 10 months, it could be for 20 months it could be for the next five years. As your coach and mentor. I'll be literally adding so much to our portal and checking on you regularly, adding new things all the way through. 

Okay, so please send me an email, [email protected], and let me know if you have any questions about The Learning Network's The CAFS Collective. 10 monthly MasterClasses, 3 guest expert sessions, video library, resources templates, reserved place the annual conference, VIP dinner with me and our CAFS members but also those three bonuses that I mentioned.

I would feel absolutely honoured if you are able to take this plunge, dive into your CAFS journey and really have me to be able to connect with you, connect with other teachers, but for us to be able to learn and grow together, so you can be the best educator that you can be. 

You can find me at thelearnnet.com and you can head over to thelearnnet.com/collective to sign up. The Learn Net is where I am on Facebook, @thelearnnet on Insta, and then you can also access our private Facebook group: The Learning Network Collaborative, that is different to our private membership one. That, sometimes people put questions in there, I might dive in there, but our membership will be high energy with lots of questions and lots of things for you guys to unpack. Or send me an email at [email protected]. 

Thanks so much, guys. I really appreciate you and I can't wait to support you guys inside The CAFS Collective.

Our professional discussion topic for this week is to chat about what success is going to look like in your CAFS classroom. What are you going to do to improve the way you do things, to work more strategically, to work purposefully in your CAFS classroom to improve student results, but also to improve their engagement? Head over to The Learning Network's Facebook page and Instagram, @thelearnnet using the hashtag #thelearnnet, and let me know what you are thinking and what you would like to achieve in 2022 to set your students up for success right from the very beginning. 

Thanks for joining The Learning Network, I'd love to hear what connected with you most about today's episode. Take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram and Facebook, @thelearnnet. If you'd like to know more about my courses, MasterClasses, Coaching and Mentoring and Membership, you can DM me over on Facebook or Instagram or head to thelearnnet.com. Don't forget to stay connected by subscribing to Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and if you love today's episode, I would be so honoured if you could please leave me a review. See you again next week. Let's continue to connect, grow and learn together to make a huge impact on the students we teach.