Conceptualising Curriculum

A model for conceptualising what learning matters keeps evolving as our dialogue continues. We think this model shows the links more clearly to our four vision principles. This is an attempt to highlight the micro and macro concepts we believe are important understandings for our learners to develop over their 8 years with us. Will see where the conversation takes this next.

What learning Matters?

As a staff we have been pondering a question that David Perkins asks 'What learning matters?, now in 10 years, 20 years and the future?'  A rather straight forward question - yet as we are finding no easy straight forward answer.

We are working to develop a conceptual curriculum that highlights the universal understandings that all learners should acquire.  These macro ideas form the overview of powerful understandings that enable our learners to develop a concept of self, interact and contribute as an active community member, value diversity, make sense of the world they live in, acknowledge the influence of change and ultimately experience personal fulfillment.

Our very initial ideas have been drafted into the following conceptual frame.

A bit too two dimensional at this stage however a starting point to critique.

We welcome your thoughts.

Student Voice, Making Next Steps Visible.

Our team sat down last week to discuss the growth we had recently observed after collecting another round of student voice on video. We have been dialoguing and wondering ever since about how might we effectively provide individuals with feedback that would continue to 'Build their Learning Capacity' Chris suggested we have a go at videoing individuals watching themselves being questioned about what they do to be a successful learner. It was my task to to interview a few individuals to see what would happen. I was quite amazed at what then happened. I started with a 6 year old girl her sat and watched a 1 minute clip of herself describing what good learners do. She explained that they're determined and don't give up amongst other things, then she said they connect. I said what does it mean to connect? She paused and said I don't know. When she had finished watching herself on video I asked her what she thought she did well as a learner. She immediately said I didn't know what connect was and now I do! She proceeded to give me quite some explanation on what learners need to do to connect. She had been videoed probably 10 days prior, what struck me was she didn't need intervention to inform her last step, rather the opportunity to listen to herself and reflect on what might be her next learning. This has seriously got me thinking as to how we provide more opportunities for learners to get feedback from themselves by viewing where they were and where they have come from to inform what might be their next step.

What Should our Learners be Learning?

David Perkins Interview from 21Foundation on Vimeo.

A refreshing clip of David Perkins questioning what's worth learning? What's worth learning now, in the next 10, 20 years? A critical question that deserves much thought and pondering.

Student Voice

Quite recently our team spent some time capturing another round of student voice around strategic goals areas. We asked questions like What makes a good learner a good learner?, what do you do when you get stuck in your learning?, what is your reading learning goal?, what is your next learning step?,
We were reminded what a powerful thing it is to spend time doing. It clearly highlighted progress made since capturing baseline student voice, it quickly highlighted next steps and illuminated assumptions made.
In summary It is fair to say we would believe it to be one of the most powerful things you can spend time doing. It causes and enables change.

Learner Led Conferences

It's been some weeks since our Learner Led Conferences and a promise to communicate how they went. Now that our community feedback has been received, via survey monkey, we can be evidenced in feeding back how they really went. The survey confirmed that 85% of conferences lasted for at least an hour. Children were in the driving sheet to share their learning and achievements. Each hub had created agendas of 'must dos' and 'can dos' to help structure the conference. It was wonderful to walk through the learning hubs and see a variety of learning experiences in action, these included experiences such as learners teaching their parents a maths games, using Success Criteria to do an observational drawing or self assess a writing sample using criteria together. Regardless of the power-cut and internet dropping for a period of time the learning continued to be shared.!



We value our parent feedback and voice - a glimpse of some feedback ...

'It was nice to have our childs input & ownership on the evening. We found we left knowing & understanding were our child was at, instead of attending a 15 min interview still unsure of what we needed to do to help improve his learning.'

'The interaction with our child, seeing him explain to us where he is at and what his goals are to get to where he needs to be'

'The time to spend in the Hub, moving around, led confidently by my child, having some one on one time with the guardians, it was interactive, interesting and insightful. We were really impressed, thank you.'

As a staff we have reflected on the process and thought about how we might continue to further improve the process to ensure that our learners truly led their conferences and parents leave feeling totally satisfied about 'how their child is going, and what their next learning steps are.

Learner Led Conferences - Encouraging Student Ownership

We are leading up to our first round of Learner Led Conferences this week and I am told by the Guardians in Hub 1 that the children (5 years old) are really looking forward to it. The children can't wait to show their Mums and Dads all the wonderful learning they have been doing this term. Their agendas are set with what they want to share with their families over the hour they will be in the learning hub. Each individual shares with pride how they are going in their reading, what goal they are focused on and where they want to end up on the Bee Hives. I love nothing more than having one of the learners bounding up to me and saying Miss M I've moved hives!



We have incorporated the mid year reporting in the Learning Management Space that most of our parents are already an active part of. The call on whether an individual is at, above or below is placed in the artifact box,the student reflection beneath, each teachers comment focuses on the progress made, what has been achieved and next steps. At the Learner Led Conference there will be an opportunity for the parents to connect with the Guardian and decide on the best way to help at home. This will sit in the Parent box. This report can be printed, it can also live beyond the Student ed Conference and be a virtual environment where the learning continues beyond the event. Ww will watch with interest.

Modern Learning Environments - Some more benefits

Some of the benefits of working in an open, modern learning environment we have started to surface are;

The shared ownership of the learners. Pooling strategies and ideas to further support learners, bouncing ideas to better meet targeted students needs.

The learning happening between adults that has a direct impact and influence on ones practice is remarkable. We have termed this incidental professional learning. The environment is so visible and transparent that much is learnt from ones colleagues operating in he same space.

I heard a teacher say some days the bell goes at 9.00am, I'm on duty, getting the next learning set up at lunchtime and before you know it it's 3.00pm and I haven't spoken to another adult all day, it can be lonely. The interactions and celebrations that can occur day to day between learners and adults in open, collaborative spaces are numerous. You are not alone.

We tend to be grouped according to age two times in our lives, to be educated and when we are on our way out in retirement villages! Open office spaces are becoming more of a reality globally. Individuals and groups selecting a space or environment that it fit for the given purpose. We learn so much more with and from others. Shouldn't School be more aligned with this approach. I got a fright when I googled classroom images last week. Try it!

Having recently gathered as a staff to moderate mid year achievements against expectations it became quickly apparent how easy the task was when you were making judgments with the other professionals teaching the same children. The collective ownership over all the children in the learning hub was evident.

PLG - Modern Learning Environments

It was great to kick off our first Professional Learning Group dialogue for Schools using more open environments and collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. We had three Schools represented at our first gathering on Thursday. We began to surface the expected and unexpected positives in working in modern learning environments. It was also refreshing to share some of the challenges. The biggest challenge seemed to be our own mental models. Thinking beyond the industrialist educational model that has lived for so long. In challenging how we have always done things quite innovative practices have come to the fore for each School.

We are keen to grow the PLG community and welcome anyone interested in attending the next dialogue.

Modern Learning Environments - Open, Social, Real

What a buzz it was this week to walk through one of our learning hubs during 'Break Through' time. The depth of engagement, range of learning occurring and student ownership struck me as I walked from group to group.
A robot was being programmed by one group, a guitar being strummed by another, a website created on the history of Stonefields, video animation being learnt from an expert, an individual absorbed in learning about the splitting of the atom, research into the local wetlands and the list goes on. Each knew what stage of the inquiry process they were at and the thinking and learning they were involved in to progress their learning. The learning was real for the individuals as they had ownership over what they were learning about. The learning was open - individuals and groups had access to the necessary resources, IT tools and space to enable the learning. The learning was social - only one individual was pursuing their inquiry on their own. The interactions, dialogue and negotiations between group members was apparent.
Our Break Through essence statement is;

Learners who Break Through are self aware of their talents.  They are determined self starters who are motivated and committed to achieving mastery or personal bests in learning.
They feel fulfillment by actively seeking break through opportunities and realising future learning possibilities.

Our students look forward to break through time. The time being invested once a week to Break Through learning is paying dividends. If we get lost in time doing the things we are naturally good at, intrigued by and have autonomy over surely that leads to fulfillment and happiness in learning.

Our wonderings continue - How do we get as much leverage as possible off this 'Break Through learning'? to benefit other aspects of each individuals learning.