Photo courtesy of Community Newspaper Group. Professor Stephen Houghton UWA, Ms Ali McCammon and Dr Russell Pitcher DoE

Ms Ali McCammon, a teacher from Belfast, visited Clarkson Community High School as a part of her Churchill Fellowship to visit schools in Canada and Australia that inspire boys to learn. Clarkson CHS is recognised as an Invitational Education school. A school in which climate and culture attempt to improve students’ positive self-concept, which in turn, influences students’ choices of behaviour.

Ms McCammon was accompanied by Professor Stephen Houghton from the University of Western Australia and Dr Russell Pitcher from the Department of Education and an authority on the complex behaviour and wellbeing of students.

Prof Houghton is an expert in examining from an empirical basis the motivation and values that make some young people choose antisocial over positive behaviour. He has worked alongside a number of university academics including Laureate Professor John Hattie from the University of Melbourne on 15 years’ research with Australian youth on reputation enhancement theories and goal-setting.

Dr Pitcher is an expert with regard to students’ behaviour in schools and maximizing student engagement by improving teachers’ pedagogy.

Ms McCammon’s report as Churchill Fellow will be published later this year and she commented that she was very impressed with the implementation of Invitational Theory at Clarkson Community High School with both the range of programs provided to students and in the evidence-based improvements in behavioural and academic data.


John S Young
Principal
Clarkson Community High School
Advisory Council Member
International Alliance for Invitational Education
9400 1777