NCS Curriculum Framework Revised

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NELSON CENTRAL SCHOOL

CURRICULUM DELIVERYAN ASPIRATIONAL DOCUMENT

NCS Curriculum Framework

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A PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION ........................................................................ 5

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION STATEMENT OF INTENT 2007 - 2012 ...................7

WHAT WE STAND FOR ....................................................................................... 7

Outcomes ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. ......... ..... ...... ...... .8

Specific and immediate areas of focus ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ..... ..... ..... ......9

............................................................................................................................. 10

Raising Achievement ............ ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. ...... ...... ...... ..10

Reducing Disparity .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... ....... ...... ...... ..10

Effective Teaching ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ...........10

Family and Community Engagement ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... ....... ...... ...... ..11

Evidence Based Policy and Practise ............ .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ............. ..... ...... .11

Student Diversity ............ ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. ............ .11

High and Clear Expectations For All Learners ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ........ ..... ...... .12

THE ANNUAL GOALS AND TARGETS ..............................................................12

Curriculum Delivery Key Features ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ...... ..13

Assessment ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ..... ....13

STRATEGIC AIM FOR CURRICULUM 2011 ...................................................... 13

CONTEXT FOR THE CURRICULUM .................................................................. 14

Knowledge ............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ....... ..... ..... ..... .14

Pedagogies .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .........17

Intellectual Quality ......................................................................................................................................18

Connectedness ..............................................................................................................................................19

Supportive Classroom Environment ..........................................................................................................20

Valuing of Diversity .....................................................................................................................................21


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TEACHING FOR UNDERSTANDING/BACKWARD DESIGN ............................ 21

LEARNING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES ......................................................22

THE NEW ZEALAND CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK KEY COMPETENCIES ..23

INTEGRATING ESSENTIAL LEARNING, KEY COMPETENCIES ANDPEDAGOGIES ...................................................................................................... 24

ORGANISING FOR CURRICULUM DELIVERY ................................................. 25

Life Pathways and Social Futures ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ............. ...... ...... ..25

Multiliteracies and Communications Media ............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .......... ...... ...... ..26

Active Citizenship ........................................................................................................................................27

Environments and Technologies ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .28

TRANSDISCIPLINARY THEMES ........................................................................ 29

Transdisciplinary Topics .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... ..30

Five Essential Elements ............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... ....... ...... ..30

Concepts ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... ..31

Key Competencies .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ....... ...31

Attitudes ............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. ........... ..32

Action ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. ..... ..... .....32

ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................32

Formative assessment ..................................................................................................................................32

Summative assessment ................................................................................................................................32

RICH TASKS ........................................................................................................ 32

Self Review ............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .........34

School Assessment Map ............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .34

Tools .............. .............. ............... .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. ............... .............. ...... ..... ..... .35

REPORTING ......................................................................................................... 35


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A Philosophy of EducationThe philosophy of education that underpins the actions of the people in our school who

are concerned with curriculum implementation derive from five basic philosophies of

education:

Perennialism

Idealism

Realism

Experimentalism

Existentialism

Perennialism is a very conservative and inflexible philosophy of education. It is basedon the view that reality comes from fundamental fixed truths-especially related to God. It

believes that people find truth through reasoning and revelation and that goodness is

found in rational thinking. As a result,schools exist to teach reason and God's will.

Students are taught to reason through structured lessons and drills.

Idealism believes in refined wisdom. It is based on the view that reality is a world within

a person's mind. It believes that truth is in the consistency of ideas and that goodness is anideal state to strive to attain. As a result,schools exist to sharpen the mind and

intellectual processes. Students are taught the wisdom of past heroes.

Realism believes in the world as it is. It is based on the view that reality is what we

observe. It believes that truth is what we sense and observe and that goodness is found in

the order of the laws of nature. As a result,schools exist to reveal the order of the world

and universe. Students are taught factual information.

Experimentalism believes that things are constantly changing. It is based on the viewthat reality is what you experience. It believes that truth is what works right now and thatgoodness comes from group decisions. As a result,schools exist to discover and expand

the society we live in. Students study social experiences and solve problems.

Existentialism believes in the personal interpretation of the world. It is based on the view

that the individual defines reality, truth and goodness. As a result,schools exist to aidchildren in knowing themselves and their place in society. Students learn what they want

and discuss subjects freely.

A danger associated with adopting a particular philosophy is that the view of the world

through that philosophy and the ability to change it are restricted. A combination ofseveral of these philosophies or approaches may better serve the interests of a wider

range of views and possibilities. This amalgam ought to guide us in our endeavours and is

perhaps best seen through the words of Tom Mandel:

Education makes us what we are.

The most important kind of knowledge,

perhaps the only kind that matters ultimately.


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is not intellectual in its nature.I would far rather feel remorse than know how to define it.

Culture is activity of thought and receptiveness to beauty and humane feeling

scraps of information have nothing to do with it.

All too often Americans substitute as a measure of educational excellence

the display of details instead ofthe abilities for which they are the fuel.Education is not a perfection in the accomplishment of habits of blind obedience

and prescribed diligence, buta preparation for independent actionThe teachers function is to train pupils in habits of accurate observation,

not in the memorization of words.

However true those words might be, they have no reality for the studentunless based on his own perceptions.

Do not mistake the pointing finger for the moon.

For eternally and always there is only Now,

the present is the only thing that has no end.To know is to do.

Experience is the only teacher.Experience is the child of thought, andthought is the child of action.We cannot learn men from books.

The word is not the thing.

The difficulty that beginners find in the study of science is due to thelarge amount of technical detailwhich has been allowed to accumulate

in the elementary textbooks, obscuring the important ideas.

The governing metaphor of the school should bestudent as workerrather than the more familiar metaphor of teacher as

deliverer of instructional services.

It is a grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and learning

can be promoted by coercion and sense of duty.Order and obedience we would always have and yet

two of the best schools we ever knew appeared to the casual spectator

to be complete uproar, confusion and chaos.Schools need not be asked to teach more and more content,

but to teach what is essential and to teach it more effectively.

Education is not a process of packing articles in a truck,the importance of knowledge lies in its use.

A magazine of remembered facts is a useless treasure.

Using knowledge is the heart of it.

There is an inmost centre in us all,where truth abides in fullness,

and, wall upon wall, the gross flesh hems it in.

Andto know rather consists in opening out a waywhence the imprisoned splendour may escape

than in affecting entry for a light supposed to be without.

The emphasis is upon placing the pupilin the midst of those things

which are like what we desire him to become.


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Let them know nothing because you have told him,but because they have learnt it themselves.

Don't teach them science, let them discover it for themselves.

They should be told as little as possible

and induced to discover as much as possible.

Teach by doing whenever you canand fall back upon words only when doing is out of the question.

My friend, all theory is greyand the golden tree of life is green.

Ministry of Education Statement of Intent 2007 - 2012

He takohanga n-o te kotahi, n-o te katoa hoki.

The Ministry of Educations Statement of Intent 2007-2012 (SOI) sets out key elements

of how the ministry will contribute to the delivery of government themes and ministerialpriorities for education.

What we stand for

The Ministry of Educations overall mission is to raise educational achievement and

reduce disparity. Our overarching outcome is to build a world-leading education system

that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values to be successfulcitizens in the 21st century.

To achieve this outcome our education system needs to change. We need to make

changes not only to what New Zealanders learn, but also to the way we learn.

New Zealanders need to develop critical lifelong learning and thinking skills for success

in society and the knowledge economy. To be successful in the 21st century we needbasic skills such as numeracy, literacy and the ability to communicate, as well as being

self-starting, quick-thinking, creative, critical-thinking, problem-solving, risk-taking and

decision-making individuals who can collaborate with others. People should have apositive sense of their own identity and belonging and have the skills, knowledge and

values to be active participants in New Zealand society as well as global citizens. The

education system must also support Mori learners to contribute as Mori to Te AoMori, as well as to the wider New Zealand society and world.

We need to create open and dynamic learning environments where the needs of students

are at the heart of the system. The system must support teachers, students and their

families to:

recognise and work with diverse strengths, interests and abilities connect learning to family and community backgrounds

create diverse learning opportunities and networks


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use diverse teaching approaches

balance academic achievement with the development of knowledge, skills and

values.

We are moving into a knowledge age. This kind of society will demand very different

values, competencies and knowledge from those we were familiar with last century.Our education system is already moving down appropriate lines. Examples can be

seen everywhere. But there is a lot more to be done if we are to have a whole system

motivated by the need to serve the interests of learners.

Hon Steve Maharey to New Zealand School Principals Federation February 2007

Outcomes

In Chapter 1 we set out the ministrys overall outcome as: to build a world-leadingeducation system that equips all New Zealanders with the knowledge, skills and values tobe successful citizens in the 21st century.

For this to happen we will need to lead change in our education system, to transform not

only what students learn but also the ways in which they learn.

To deliver ministerial priorities for education and build an education system for the 21stcentury we are focused on three paths:

specific and immediate areas of focus to achieve significant improvements in

student presence, engagement and achievement in early childhood education and

schooling and a major reforms programme in tertiary education to driveimprovements in quality and relevance of education, training and research

developing the key features of personalising learning that will support the system

to deliver educational innovation and change

leading and supporting change to ensure that the education system values,

respects, and is successful for all children and young people, in particular Mori,

Pasifika and students with special education needs.


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Specific and immediate areas of focus

On average, the New Zealand education system performs very well and by international

standards New Zealand scores highly in measures of achievement.

However, there are significant performance issues:

across the system the spread of achievement between our highest and lowest

achievers remains wide by international standards

the system is under-performing for many Mori

achievement rates for Pasifika students are, on average, low issues relating to behaviour, attendance and transience continue to limit

achievement

too many students are leaving school without the level of qualification needed forsuccess

too few students make the transition from schooling into higher levels of

education and training there is low quality and relevance in some areas of tertiary provision.

Primary Schooling

Targets Actions

Early foundations, with an

emphasis on literacy and

numeracy (with a particular

focus on Mori students,

Pasifika students and studentswith special education needs)

Continue positive shifts in

reading, writing and

mathematics performance,

as measured by nationaland international

assessments

Increase levels ofachievement of Mori and

Pasifika students in

reading, writing andmathematics to the national

average

Ensure all children are

able to positively engage in

safe and inclusive learningenvironments

Sharpen literacy intervention

and programmes for

professional development,including within them:

clear expectations of

progressions in

literacy and numeracyat each level

ECE learning outcome

measures

Strengthen earlyinterventions for 5 to 8 year-

olds, particularly for Mori

and Pasifika children andchildren with special

education needs

All teachers use quality

assessment tools in reading,writing and mathematics to

inform their teaching

practice for each child and

Strengthen professional

development on the use ofassessment for learning

Build on existing effective

interventions for Mori and


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student

Pasifika students

Strengthen the understanding

and use of assessment toolsand the information they

make available

Integrate an assessment forlearning component into all

professional development

(PD) contracts

Raising Achievement

Ministry of Education research shows that overall student achievement in New Zealand is

high and that, on average, New Zealand students rank highly compared with other

countries.

To ensure achievement levels are maintained and improved we will: maintain a broad view of quality and strive to increase the achievement and

learning of all learners throughout their time at the school

recognise the importance of rapid increases in new knowledge, new technologies

and the ability to use and apply that knowledge and technology

encompass growing global influences

prepare children to continue investing in their own learning and personal

development

Priority areas for raising student achievement include:

Higher levels of literacy and numeracy

Stronger self-management skills including the ability to set goals, be resourceful,

make the most of opportunities and have the resilience to get through difficulttimes

Stronger sense of identity and selfincluding belonging, relating and contributing

to a number of communities as well as to the well-being of self, others and society

Higher levels of thinking skills creatively, critically, logically and ethically

Higher capabilities to make meaningfrom texts, symbols and technologies.

Reducing Disparity

Reducing disparity is about reducing the gaps between our highest and lowest achievers

while raising overall levels of achievement. It is about every individual being given the

encouragement, support and opportunity to realise their education potential regardless of

their social or cultural background, their location or individual needs.

Effective Teaching

Effective teaching means teachers:

have high expectations of all learners ability to achieve

have the content knowledge, skills and attitudes to respond flexibly and

appropriately to the needs of diverse learners to both challenge and support them


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to achieve.

Effective teaching needs teachers to be:

able to build effective and purposeful relationships with:

o learners

o professional peerso family and whnau, the wider community, including stakeholders such as

industry in order to strengthen their understanding of each learner and to

inform teaching and learning interactions.

an integral part of a professional community committed to ongoing learning and

development

up-to-date with appropriate research and current thinking in, and best practice in

the pedagogy of, their teaching field

supported by employment and workplace conditions that encourage and enable

effective teaching.

Family and Community EngagementFamily and community engagement in education means:

families and whnau have high expectations and support and nurture the learning

of their children

families and whnau have informed, positive relationships with educators that

mutually support childrens learning

communities have the resources, knowledge, leadership and skills to actively

support and encourage learning

communities engage with providers to ensure that learning is relevant to

community needs and aspirations.

Evidence Based Policy and PractiseWe are committed to a focus on high achievement for all learners. This goal is supported

by a commitment to planning, measuring results, looking for evidence about what works

and what does not, and ensuring that this information is used to make improvements.

We need to be strategic about our plans for student achievement and clear about the

information/evidence basis that underpins them. This will see the development of explicitand successful strategies for the diversity of student needs with particular attention to

groups of students not doing well.

Monitoring overall student progress, using internal, national and international data to help

benchmark performance, evaluating the effectiveness of programmes and the capabilityof the teachers, will all be important in developing and reviewing strategies to improve

achievement.

Student Diversity

Student diversity is the reality in todays education system.


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Students represent many different home and social backgrounds and many nationalities.

They represent a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds, have a range of first

languages and a wide range of learning needs, interests and gifts.

This demands broader views of effective teaching that encompass goals of identity and

social participation along with the knowledge and skills needed to participate effectivelyin the world.

Effective teaching requires teachers to relate their teaching to the wide range of home,social and cultural contexts of their students. It also requires teachers to better recognise

differences in the prior knowledge of their students and build learning from this.

One key area of focus is increasing the ability of teachers to develop strategies that takegreater account of the individual needs of learners while teaching and learning in a group

setting.

High and Clear Expectations For All LearnersResearch shows that where educators assume that all students can and will achieve, and

teaching relates effectively to the backgrounds and aspirations of students, significantlyimproved outcomes are achieved.

The Annual Goals and Targets

What does a national curriculum look like? It sets the boundaries but schools still need to

make some decisions about what and how.1

The theme for 2011 is: Act Now Shape Your Future! This will focus on Science

and technology.

1 Mary-Ann Mills (Ministry of Education) in an address to the NZPF National Conference held in Napier

July 2007.


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Curriculum Delivery Key Features

1. A vertical approach to curriculum delivery over 6 years.

2. A transdisciplinary approach to teaching2

3. Full integration of science, technology and social studies.

4. A focus on Human Rights in Education.

5. Partial integration of literacy, writing, ICT, health and the arts.6. A largely stand alone approach to mathematics, Taha Maori, and physical education.

Assessment

Assessment requirements will be met through a series of performances or rich tasks

associated with each sub theme. The rich tasks are stated in the implementation planabove. There may be some minor variation on these depending upon the level of the

school children are working at.

Annual Goals for 20111. Reduce to zero the tail of underachievement in literacy, numeracy and writing

2. Raise the mean achievement level in literacy, numeracy and writing at each levelof the school.

3. Provide targeted professional development that maximises student achievement.

4. Engage children actively and directly in decisions that affect their learning.5. Implement review cycles for continuous improvement through data driven

decision making and assurance.

Strategic Aim for Curriculum 2011

All students are able to access The New Zealand Curriculum as evidenced by

achievement in relation to National Standards.

3.

2The school promotes an approach to teaching and learning which enables students to achieve deepunderstanding through transdisciplinary inquiries. The transdisciplinary approach draws on practices and

skills across disciplines. It attempts to retain the integrity of each disciplinary methodology, epistemologyand canon. Transdisciplinary learning is complex, active learning based on significant issues, tasks,

questions or problems, each delivering a range of learning outcomes deriving from several key learningareas. It uses ideas that draw on knowledge and methodologies from several disciplines. Transdisciplinary

investigations involve students in using more than one discipline in solving significant real world questions

or problems. Approaches that are transdisciplinary increase students capacity to make connections in their

learning across the curriculum and between disciplines.Transdisciplinary learning is engaging for studentsbecause it supports their involvement in tasks that are worthwhile, significant and meaningful such as those

undertaken by successful adults.


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Context for the CurriculumChildren come to school to learn and our current belief about learning is that it is:

A life-long mission.

Acquiring skills, information or habits.

Applying and using knowledge and skills in new contexts

Taking risks.

Developing understanding through forming connections

The curriculum is about laying the foundations that will help children deal with aspects ofan emerging world that have to be taken seriously by the school. That includes issues of

identity, new economies, new technologies, diverse communities and complex cultures.

These need to be the focus of debate, data analysis and collection, higher order thinkingand basic skills building.

The design of our approach to curriculum delivery is an attempt to meet the complexity

of the challenge of preparing children for 2012 and beyond, empower and encourageteachers, unclutter the curriculum, up the ante intellectually, deliver fewer alienated

students, prepare students for a future in an uncertain world, and position the classroom

within the global village.

We also want to provide a framework of action and support to help teachers improve their

performance as teachers and to do this in a way that directly confronts the challenges thatlie ahead of us.

Knowledge

Wikipedia is an example of people participating in the production of knowledge.3

3 Mary-Ann Mills (Ministry of Education) in an address to the NZPF National Conference held in Napier

July 2007.


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Knowledge has been defined in many ways by countless experts. Two examples will

suffice to show knowledge as a noun: Knowledge is the internalization of information,

data, and experience. Tacit Knowledge is the personal knowledge resident within themind, behavior and perceptions of individual members of the organization. Explicit

Knowledge is the formal, recorded, or systematic knowledge in the form of scientific

formulae, procedures, rules, organizational archives, principles, etc., and can easily beaccessed, transmitted, or stored in computer files or hard copy.4

Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of facts, truths or information gained inthe form of experience or learning (a posteriori), or through introspection (a priori).5

Recently Information Communication Technologies have forced us to consider

knowledge as a verb. We live in a period when foundational givens of thought areon the

move This is creating a shiftin the understanding of reality [that] underminesmany of

the bedrock assumptions on which Western consciousnessis based. the world shifts toa post-industrial informationage

If one is to be at home in thisnew world, the means of socializationin particular ineducationmust adapt or better still, lead the way. Thiswill require profound change in

pedagogy, epistemology, content,delivery models, and organization.6

In her book, Catching the Knowledge Wave? Gilberttakes apart some of our most

deeply-held ideas about knowledge and education, and explores the ways our schoolsneed to change to prepare people to participate in the knowledge-based societies of the

future. Mary-Ann Mills provided said, that people and children in particular need to

participate in the production of knowledge and gave the growth and use of Wikipedia anexample of how that is already happening.7 The rest of this section draws entirely on

Gilberts work.

The knowledge society is an idea that is widely discussed, but not well understood.

Perhaps this is because we need to use knowledge as a verb, not a noun it something wedo rather than something we have. This new meaning is quite different to the one ourschools were built on, and because of this knowledge society developments are a major

challenge for our schools. Gilbert argues that we cannot address this challenge by simply

adding more ideas to our existing structures. We need a completely new framework, one

that takes account of knowledges new meaning, but that in practice also gives everyonean equal opportunity to succeed.

The book argues that our current education system is set up to serve industrial age, notknowledge age, needs. It works like a production line, using the traditional academic

subjects to sort people according to their likely place in the job market. This, it argues, is

completely inappropriate as we move into the knowledge age.

4home.earthlink.net/~ddstuhlman/defin1.htm5en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge6 http://jtd.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/4/2/1057 Mary-Ann Mills (Ministry of Education) in an address to the NZPF National Conference held in Napier

July 2007.


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If people are to have a job at all in the new work order, they need more than basic

literacy and numeracy skills. Everyone (not just those heading for university) now needshigher order thinking skills. They need the ability to be an independent learner, and the

ability to go on learning all their lives. However, they also need to know quite a lot not,

as in the past, at the detailed level of traditional forms of knowledge, but at the systemsor big picture level. They also need the ability to work as part of collaborative teams in

which the members acknowledge, recognise and build on each others strengths and

weaknesses.

In contrast to the present system that encourages people to master existing knowledge for

its own sake, a knowledge age education system needs to help people (allpeople) go

beyond this. It needs to help people develop the ability to generate new knowledge fromold. This move from industrial age to knowledge age is a paradigm shift, not a gradual

progression.

One of the defining features of the knowledge age is that knowledge has a new meaning.The old idea of knowledge as stuff, something we get, and store away somewhere, is

being replaced by a new view of knowledge as being more like energy something thatdoes things, something that makes things happen.

This new view of knowledge doesntmean that the old kinds of knowledge (the stuff

we get to store away) dont matter any more. On the contrary, old knowledge is the rawmaterial for the new, so we still need to know it.

However, learning the old forms of knowledge is no longer an end in itself, as it is inour current education system. We now need to learn it so that we can do things with it:

Old knowledge is the raw material for new knowledge building.

The ability to do things with knowledge is now the key skill people need: however people

need to be taught how to do this and they need to learn how to do it from an early age

(not wait until postgraduate university level).

A second key feature of the knowledge age is a new model of individuality (what it

means to be a person), and, as a result, new ways of thinking about things like equality

and social justice.

Just as the one-size-fits-all production line model of education is no longer appropriate

for developing the knowledge ages human resources needs, the one-size-fits-all model ofequality (as sameness) is not an appropriate framework for thinking about citizenship in

the knowledge age. Multiplicity, diversity, difference and hybridity are the norm now.

Identity, like knowledge, is now a verb, not a noun it is always in process, neverfinished. Thus we cannot expect everyone to learn things in the same way, in the same

order, at the same time (as they do in the production line model). We need new, more

flexible, non-linearlearning systems.


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The new ideas about knowledge and identity are a significant challenge to our current

education system. We cant address this challenge by tinkering with the current system

a paradigm shift is needed.8

Currently our collective beliefs about knowledge are that knowledge is:

Constructing meaning through interaction and creativity.

Understanding demonstrated through interpreting, analysing reasoning and

applying learning.

Information that furthers the acquisition of more knowledge throughmanipulation.

The ability to understand, transfer and use information.

What knowledge do we want children to develop?

Programme content identifies a body of significant knowledge for all students in all

cultures, in seven principal subject areas:

Social Studies

Science Technology

Health/Physical Education

The Arts

English

Mathematics

The special character of our school also identifies Taha Maori

These subjects are to be considered transdisciplinary and will be achieved through

annual topics to be decided each year by the Curriculum Director and staff.

PedagogiesUsually known as teaching the pedagogies used in the school are comprehensive and do

not focus on just one aspect of teaching. They require attention to many essential aspects

of classroom teaching. Our current belief about teaching is that it is a cluster of activities

undertaken by the teacher to ensure learning and includes:

Organising

Facilitating

Inspiring

Motivating

Supporting

Guiding Informing

8 http://www.nzcer.org.nz/pdfs/14057-summary.pdf


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Productive Pedagogy9 refines the notion of teaching and takes existing techniques and

learning concepts, and groups them into a simple model comprising four 'dimensions':

Intellectual quality

Relevance (or connectedness) Socially supportive classroom environment

Recognition of difference.

The measurement and evaluation of these factors, combined with the increased awareness

of teachers of the most effective techniques, contributes to their success as classroom

tools.

Enhancing intellectual quality involves recognising that knowledge isn't a fixed body of

information. This idea is consistent with Gilberts ideas about knowledge. It encourages

students in higher-order thinking10 and has a problematic approach to knowledge which

involves communicating ideas and arguments as opposed to a 'giving' approach. It's aboutgetting students to do learning work rather than busy work, but most of all it's about

engaging students in big ideas and complex understandings.

Relevance (or connectedness) is simply helping students to make connections between

different aspects of school learning as well as connections to their past experiences andthe world beyond the classroom.

A socially supportive classroom environment is one where students are able to influence

activities and how they are implemented. It also involves a high degree of self-regulationby students. It's about making sure the classroom supports learning. It's not just making it

a warm, happy place to be, but an environment that has high expectations of students andwhich encourages them to take risks in learning.

Recognition of difference encompasses inclusivity of non-dominant groups, and

positively developing and recognising differences and group identities.11 Here, it'simportant to be conscious of ways teachers can support students who come from non-

dominant groups, to be aware of how to best support their learning.

Intellectual Quality

Intellectual quality refers to the level at which students are engaged in authentic learning

activities that promote the kind of thinking required of successful adults in the realworld. Tasks and instruction with high levels of intellectual quality typically include

features such as:

9 Productive Pedagogy is a term used in the Queensland New Basics approach to curriculum construction

and delivery. It has been used here to achieve a focus on things that effective teachers ought to do at a

practical classroom level.10 This notion is consistent with ideas centred on Blooms taxonomy and has been used in the school for

many years.11 This notion is part of the schools strategic plan Goal 3 concerning diversity.


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Complex problems or issues

Real-world tasks

Higher-order thinking

Sustained classroom discourse

Elaborated communication

Inquiry leading to in-depth understandingWe want to ensure that students manipulate information and ideas in ways which

transform their meaning and implications, understand that knowledge is not a fixed body

of information, and can coherently communicate ideas, concepts, arguments andexplanations with rich detail. We want students, teachers and families to engage in:

Higher order thinking - students will manipulate information and ideas in ways

that transform their meaning and implications

Deep knowledge concerns the central ideas of a topic or discipline that is judged

to be crucial to the topic or discipline. Relatively complex connections are

established to central concepts

Substantive conversation - there is considerable teacher-students and student-

student interaction about the ideas of a substantive topic; the interaction is

reciprocal, and it promotes coherent shared understanding

Knowledge as problematic understand that knowledge is not a fixed body of

information, but rather is in the process of being constructed, and as such is

subject to political, social and cultural influences and implications. Multiple,

contrasting, and potentially conflicting forms of knowledge are represented

Metalanguage - has high levels of talk about talk and writing, about how written

and spoken texts work, about specific technical vocabulary and words

(vocabulary), about how sentences work or don't work (syntax/grammar), aboutmeaning structures and text structures (semantics/genre), about issues how

discourses and ideologies work in speech and writing

Connectedness12

Adults in diverse fields must construct knowledge through disciplined inquiry that usesknowledge, skills, and technology. Results of the disciplined inquiry can be expressed in

written, symbolic, and oral discourse, by making things (bridges for example) and in

performances for audiences. These expressions and products have value beyond schools.

Thus, we want to ensure that students engage with real, practical or hypotheticalproblems which connect to the world beyond the classroom, which are not restricted by

subject boundaries and which are linked to their prior knowledge. To that end we expect

that:

Knowledge integration - explicit attempts are made to connect two or more sets ofsubject area knowledge, or when no subject area boundaries are readily seen.

Topics or problems which either require knowledge from multiple areas, or which

have no clear subject areas basis in the first place are indicators of curricula whichintegrate school subject knowledge.

12Learning is fundamentally about making and maintaining connections: biologically through neural

networks; mentally among concepts, ideas, and meanings; and experientially through interaction between

the mind and the environment, self and other, generality and content, deliberation and action.


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Background knowledge will be recognised and used - lessons will provide

students with opportunities to make connections between their linguistic, cultural,world knowledge and experience and the topics, skills and competencies at hand.

What children learn will show connectedness with the real world - the lesson has

value and meaning beyond the instructional context, making a connection to the

larger social context within which students live. This will involve the study orsolving of a real-world public problem; lessons that focus directly upon or builds

upon students' actual experiences or situations.

The curriculum will be problem based13 - lessons in which students are presentedwith a specific practical, real, or hypothetical problem (or set of problems) to

solve will be conducted. Problems are defined as having no specified correct

solution, requiring knowledge construction on the part of the students, and

requiring sustained attention beyond a single lesson.

Supportive Classroom Environment

We want to ensure that students influence the nature of the activities they undertake,engage seriously in their study, regulate their behaviour, and know of the explicit criteria

and high expectations of what they are to achieve.

Student direction - students influence what specific activities or tasks they will do

in the period, or how these will be realised.14 Such activities are likely to be

student-centred, as in group work or individual research or investigative projects

Social support - the teacher supports students by conveying high expectations for

all students. These expectations include: that it is necessary to take risks and try

hard to master challenging academic work, that all members of the class can learnimportant knowledge and skills, and that a climate of mutual respect among all

members of the class contributes to achievement by all. Mutual respect means that

students with less skill or proficiency in a subject are treated in ways that continueto encourage them and make their presence valued. If disagreement or conflict

develops in the classroom, the teacher helps students resolve it in a constructive

way for all concerned.

Academic engagement - on-task behaviours that signal a serious psychologicalinvestment in class work; these include attentiveness, doing the assigned work,

and showing enthusiasm for this work by taking initiative to raise questions,

contribute to group activities and help peers

Explicit quality performance criteria - frequent, detailed and specific statements

about what it is students are to do, to achieve. This may involve overall statements

13 This is in line with a statement in the Technology Curriculum that invites children to solve practical

problems within society p8.14

Constructivism (Vygotsky, 1986; 1978) is an approach to learning in which students cognitive

development occurs through interaction with authentic experiences. Support is provided through

scaffolding that includes structures and steps in what Vygotsky referred to as the zone of proximal

development (1978; 1986). In this way, the teacher plays a support role as students apply their skills. In this

school, class programmes will employ a constructivist approach in which the students and teachers will co-

create new knowledge and understanding of complex issues chosen for study. In this way students will play

a significant role in their learning.


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regarding tasks or assignments, or about performance at different stages in a

lesson

Self-regulation15 Children are in control of their own behaviour and there is

virtually no teacher talk which focuses on student behaviour or movement. The

lesson proceeds without interruption.

Valuing of Diversity

We want to ensure that students know about and value a range of cultures, create positivehuman relationships, respect individuals, and help to create a sense of community.16Children will have opportunities to develop understandings of other cultures

Cultural knowledge - explicit valuing of their identity represented in such things

as beliefs, languages, practices, ways of knowing.

The principle of inclusion will be followed - the degree to which non-dominant

groups are represented in classroom practices by participation.

Narrative - a sequence of events chained together. The use of narrative in lessonsis identified by an emphasis in teaching and in student responses on structures and

forms. The use of narratives in the form of personal stories, biographies, historicalaccounts, literary and cultural texts

Group identity - create learning communities in which difference and group

identities are positively recognised and developed within a collaborative and

supportive classroom community. Differences and group identities are positivelydeveloped and recognised while at the same time a sense of community is created.

The teacher elaborates the meaning of active citizenship and facilitates its practice

both within the classroom and outside.

Teaching for Understanding/Backward Design

The Teaching for Understanding (TfU)17 pedagogical framework has four key elements -

generative topics, understanding goals, performances of understanding and ongoingassessment. These help teachers to plan and teach more effectively. Understanding by

backward design (UBD)18 is an approach to teaching for understanding in which the

understandings of the unit are decided upon first, and then used as a basis to determine

15 This particular requirement aligns very clearly with the Key Competencies proposed by the DraftCurriculum Statement released on 31 July 2006.16 Goal 3 in the schools strategic plan makes the statement: To Value Diversity and this section is

included to elaborate on what they might mean for children at the classroom level.17Teaching for Understanding (TfU) had its beginnings in 1988 when Howard Gardner, David Perkins andVito Perrone from the Harvard Graduate School of Education began a dialogue around the followingquestions:

What does it mean to understand something?

How do we develop understanding?

What do we need to understand?

18The backward design process of Wiggins & McTighe begins with the end in mind. One starts with theend - the desired results (goals or standards) - and then derives the curriculum from the evidence of learning

(performances) called for by the standard and the teaching needed to equip students to perform' (Wiggins

and McTighe, 2000, page 8)


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appropriate assessment methods to demonstrate those understandings, and finally the

learning experiences that will be needed to enable students to develop and demonstrate

the identified understandings. TfU and UbD can be successfully combined with inquirylearning to provide powerful learning programmes for children.

Learning and Learning StrategiesThe learning strategies listed here have been derived from the Queensland New Basics

project although anyone reading them will instantly recognize that these are the sorts ofthings that take place in effective teaching environments every day.

Strategy Focus questionsHigher order thinking Are higher order thinking and critical analysis

occurring?

Deep knowledge Does the lesson cover operational fields in any

depth, detail or level of specificity?

Deep understanding Do the work and responses of the students provide

evidence of depth of understanding of concepts or

ideas?

Substantive conversation Does classroom talk break out of the

initiation/response/evaluation pattern and lead tosustained dialogue between students, and between

teachers and students?

Knowledge problematic Are students critiquing and second-guessing texts,

ideas and knowledge?

Metalanguage Are aspects of language, grammar and technical

vocabulary being foregrounded?

Knowledge integration Does the lesson range across diverse fields,

disciplines and paradigms?

Background knowledge Is there an attempt to connect with students'

background knowledge?

Connectedness to the world Do the lesson and the assigned work have any

resemblance or connection to real-life contexts?

Problem based curriculum Is there a focus on identifying and solvingintellectual and/or real-world problems?

Student control Do students have any say in the pace, direction or

outcomes of the lesson?

Social support Is the classroom a socially supportive and positive

environment?

Engagement Are students engaged and on-task?

Explicit criteria Are the criteria for judging student performancemade explicit?

Self-regulation Is the direction of student behaviour implicit and


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self-regulatory or explicit?

Cultural knowledges Are diverse cultural knowledges brought into

play?

Inclusivity Are deliberate attempts made to increase the

participation of students of different backgrounds?

Narrative Is the style of teaching principally narrative, or is

it expository?Group identity Does the teaching build a sense of community and

identity?

Citizenship Are attempts made to foster active citizenship?

The New Zealand Curriculum Framework Key CompetenciesFive overarching and interconnected key competences form part of the curriculum. They

are described in this way:

Thinking is about all kinds of thinking in all kinds of contexts. It includes creative,critical and logical thinking, and the ability to think about thinking as well as self-

awareness, reflection, and judgment.

Making meaning is about discovering meaning in ideas represented as they may bein any of their countless forms. It is about interpreting cues and clues; about gettingbelow the surface, about wanting to get to the bottom of things.

Relating to others is about the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed for

living, working, and playing with others. It includes the ability and inclination to takea variety of roles in group situations for example, leadership, conflict resolution,

and negotiation and demonstrating consideration for others.

Managing selfis about making good decisions for oneself whilst recognising that weare part of a wider, interdependent, social context. It is about the inner independence

that comes from being given manageable amounts of responsibility and choice.

'Managing self' includes the ability to make plans, set goals, and estimate time needed

for activities. It is also about developing strategies to overcome hurdles, and knowingwhen a change of course is needed.

Participating and contributing involves gaining a panoramic view of what ispossible. It is about seeing one's potential to be a member of multiple communities

for example, family, iwi, and friendship groups, or communities of artists, problem

solvers, sportspeople, or mathematicians. By participating, we gain the sense of

achievement that comes from making a contribution to local and global communities.


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Integrating Essential Learning, Key Competencies and

Pedagogies

At the centre of this model lie three key domains personal social and cognitive. The fivedraft key competencies can be arranged within those three domains. Each key

competency has been elaborated to bridge the gap to the teachers role in pedagogy using productive pedagogies that effective learning for children. That the productive

pedagogies lie between the New Zealand Curriculum framework and the key

competencies is no accident. Teachers are expected to make the learning and practice ofkey competencies their central focus. In doing that they are expected to draw on the New

Zealand Curriculum Framework. That represents a critical change from the 1992 New

Zealand Curriculum Framework expectations where the Essential Learning Areas hadbecome a key area of focus.


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Managing Self

Using language, symbols & textParticipating & contributing

Personal

Social Cognitive

Thinking

Relating to others

CreativeCriticalLogical

Met cognitionCritiqueSelf awareness, reflection& judgmentEngaging in higher orderthinkingMake knowledgeproblematicKnowledge integration

Discover meaning in ideas

regardless of formInterpreting cues & cluesGoing beneath the surfaceArriving at the essence ofsomethingGaining deep knowledge &understanding

Gaining a panoramic viewof what is possible

Recognising self potentialto be a member ofMultiple communitiesTaking part in substantiveconversationSolving real worldproblemsSense of citizenship

Knowledge, skills,Values & attitudes neededto live,Work & play with othersAbility to take on rolesMaking connectionsUnderstanding & valuingdiversityPracticing inclusivity

Make good decisionsRecognise wider,interdependent,Social contextsInner independenceManage self & timeHaving a say in learningSelf regulationSense of identityBuilding on ones

background

ProductivePedagogies

New ZealandCurriculum

Framework


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Organising for Curriculum DeliveryOurs is a futures-oriented way of organising curriculum. Essentially it is a way of

managing the enormous increase in information resulting from globalisation and the rapid

rate of change in the economic, social and cultural dimensions of our existence.

The Draft New Zealand Curriculum has suggested some ways a school might organise a

curriculum and these have been incorporated into the organisers proposed for our school.

We use clusters of essential practices that students need in order to flourish in 'new times'.Apart from globalisation, factors contributing to new times include the shift towards new

and constantly changing technologies, complex transformations in cultural and social

relationships, fluid demographics, and a sense of uncertainty about the future. At thesame time, and specifically related to the education field, are the increasingly

complicated demands on teaching and assessment that have accompanied the

diversification of classrooms.

The curriculum is organised around are four organisers:

Life pathways and social futures

Multiliteracies and communications media

Active citizenship

Environments and technologies

They have an explicit orientation towards researching, understanding, and coming to

grips with the new economic, cultural and social conditions. These four clusters of

practice are deemed to be essential for lifelong learning by the individual, for socialcohesion, and for economic wellbeing.

This approach will help teachers and curriculum planners to move beyond a defence ofstatus quo knowledges to a critical engagement with the ongoing change that

characterises new times. The curriculum is predicated on the existence of mindful

schools, where intellectual engagement and connectedness to the real world are constantfoci.

Life Pathways and Social Futures

This refers to that cluster of practices students need to master in order to flourish in a

changing world. It involves both understanding the self and relationships with others,mental and physical health, and designing a place for the self in the changing contexts of

work and community.


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Because we are not certain that we know futures - the future of an individual, the future

of the world, we best ensure that our students are prepared for uncertain futures byallowing diversity within a general framework that emphasises the value and, hence,

relevance, of development of human qualities and potential.

An understanding of self involves knowing who one is (e.g. genetic makeup), where one

has come from (e.g. some cultures place significant importance on knowing about

connections to the past), and where one wants to go.

Living in and preparing for diverse family relationship

Collaborating with peers and others

Maintaining health and care of the self

Learning about and preparing for new worlds of work

Developing initiative and enterprise

Students also explore what it is to be innovative and entrepreneurial. Through

their learning experiences, they develop the understandings, skills, competencies, andattributes that equip them to be innovative. They can identify, create, initiate, andsuccessfully manage personal, community, business, and work opportunities, including

working for themselves.

Multiliteracies and Communications Media

How do I make sense of and communicate with the world?

Blending traditional and new communications media

Making creative judgments and engaging in performance

Communicating using languages and intercultural understandings

Mastering literacy and numeracy Mastering critical literacies such as financial literacy, in which students build

personal financial capability so that they are able to contribute to New Zealands

future economic well-being.

Multiliteracies and communications media, refers to technologies of communication that

use various codes for the exchange of messages, texts and information.

Historically, communications media have included spoken language, writing, print and

some visual media like photograph and film. Since World War II, the various electronic

media such as television and other digital information technologies have provided much

more complex audiovisual layers to these.

Yet the old technologies of pen writing, book reading, spoken communications, mental

arithmetic and so on are not made redundant by these changes. They remain central to theNew Basics. But if new communications technologies are viewed merely as add-ons then

there is the danger of further crowding an already cluttered curriculum. New

communications change the way we use old media, enhancing and augmenting them.


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Communications media require mastery of symbolic codes ranging from number systems

to sign language, from linguistic grammars to computer codes. Networked societies call

for various kinds of literacy simultaneously, the mastery of many different codes, and thecapacity to switch between and blend multiliteracies. For instance, to read or construct a

web page requires an array of literacies and numeracies: traditional print literacies (to

record information and ideas); visual literacies (for overall design and to manipulateimages); aural and musical literacies (to build a soundscape around the page);

mathematical understandings of number and chance and data (to keep track of usage and

to survey interest levels).

To participate effectively in the global village as well as in the ever-increasing number of

cosmopolitan pockets in New Zealand requires skills of communicating across different

cultural and language groups. This requires an understanding of, and basic means for,communicating with people from many communities and cultures - local and global,

face-to-face, in selected languages, and with sensitivity to their needs and practices.

Active CitizenshipStudents explore what it means to be a citizen. Through their participation in

learning experiences in the school or community, they learn how to become active,informed, and responsible citizens who know how to contribute positively to the

development and well-being of the society in which they live. Active citizenship raises

basic questions such as What are my rights and responsibilities in communities, culturesand economies? and require us to address with children issues such as

Interacting within local and global communities

Operating within shifting cultural identities

Understanding local and global economic forces

Understanding the historical foundation of social movements and civic institutions

Schooling was founded on the development of students as worthwhile and contributingcitizens. Producing active citizens remains a specific goal of schooling-whether the active

citizens are compliant members of an assumed social order, participants within given

social structures, or active agents of social change.

This approach involves students in the reinvigoration of valued social practices and civic

institutions through exercising their democratic rights and responsibilities. In recent

times, there has been increased advocacy for the importance of preparing students to playa more active role in society.

This view of citizenship suggests that schools engage students in active participation in

social, political and economic issues in communities, as well as in their school life andstudies. Communities take on a different perspective when viewed not merely as physical

spaces with clearly defined boundaries but as a series of interacting, intersecting socialrelationships and groupings. Important social changes and issues may have local impacts,

but also reflect global dynamics. The power of communications technology in redefining

what were once reasonably static and defined boundaries has to be acknowledged in this

context. For example, the online economy is changing patterns of consumption,


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production and delivery of goods and services. It has created new industries based on

products and services especially designed to exploit these opportunities.

Because the election of governments, the fall of political regimes, and the gruesome

details of war are portrayed in our homes on tiny screens every day, young people need

help in understanding the significance of these events and some criteria for evaluatingthem.

Environments and Technologies

This organiser invites us to examine ways to describe, analyse and shape the world

around us through such issues as:

Developing a scientific understanding of the world

Working with design and engineering technologies

Building and sustaining environments

Environments and technologies, provides students and teachers with the opportunity toexamine and interact critically with the physical world. It is based on the premise that our

environment, and the technologies we use to manipulate it, can be studied and understoodthrough active participation in real-world contexts. Natural and built environmentsinteract with each other in complex ways, and issues of sustainability and adaptability are

not exclusively the domain of one or the other.

Students investigate the long term impact of social, scientific, technological, economic, or

political practices and consider alternatives that might prove more durable for the

economy, for society, and for the environment.

Environments involve people locally and globally and it is important that sight not be lost

of this. In studies of Asia, for example, students explore what it means to be part of the

global community as they learn about and connect with the peoples and cultures of Asia.Such studies can encompass both the diversity of the Asian region and the diversity of

people from Asian backgrounds living in New Zealand.

It is important that public concerns are not dealt with by value-neutral experts or by

manufacturing controversy. But a cautionary note must be sounded. It is also important

that public concerns are not turned into a forum for sharing ignorance or withholding theworst aspects of a situation. The way to ensure that the expression of an opinion on such

matters is founded on a knowledge base is to ensure that students are not scientifically

illiterate.

In Environments and technologies, knowledges and skills from various scientific,technological and environmental domains are combined with design processes and

practices to complete practical activities. Study should focus on the application of basicscientific understandings to relocate learning within contexts from the wide world (and

the universe).

This category stresses the importance of people developing a harmonious relationship

between natural and built environments. In this context, ecological and economic


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sustainability have become both cultural and curriculum imperatives. Living in and

building sustainable environments involves careful planning and consultation, and is an

area in which schools have become increasingly involved. The implementation of thiscategory means that students will have the opportunity to apply their scientific,

technological, environmental and design understandings within a practice-oriented

framework.

Issues of adaptability and transformability, which are normally associated with

technological progression, take on new significance. In order to deal with environmentalchallenges, we need people who think broadly and who understand systems, connections,

patterns and causes. These issues have social, scientific, cultural, economic and ethical

aspects-all of which are important for incorporation into a school program. Specialist

discipline-based knowledge, while providing critical contributions to our understanding,is no longer of itself adequate. Such knowledge needs to be harnessed and applied to the

broader environmental and technological issues facing the world.

We are concerned here with enhancing activity in context. Unless that activity is made

integral to the learning there is a risk that scientific understanding and processes will be

regarded as irrelevant to the lives of the vast majority of students who choose to not studyscience at advanced levels after leaving school.

Transdisciplinary ThemesSubject knowledge should be integrated using the four curriculum organizers above since

they address the key questions that curricula the world over are grappling with:

Who am I and where am I going?

Where we are in place and time?

How does the world work?

How do I describe, analyse and shape the world around me?

How do I make sense of and communicate with the world?

What are my rights and responsibilities in communities, cultures and economies?

How we organize ourselves?

How do we share the planet?

The transdisciplinary themes provide the framework for the exploration of knowledge.

Teachers and students are guided by these themes as they design curricular units forexploration and study. Students explore subject areas through these themes, often in ways


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that transcend conventional subject boundaries. In the process, they develop an

understanding of important concepts, acquire essential skills and knowledge, develop

particular attitudes and learn to take socially responsible action.

Transdisciplinary Topics

Each year transdisciplinary themes are expressed as topics or major understandings. In2010 the main curriculum theme was "Explore-Dream:Discover! Kia Toro-KaMoemoea:Whakahura!" The theme for 2011 is: Act Now Shape Your Future!

This will focus on Science and technology.

There is an opportunity for us to follow on from previous themes and extend areas of

interest on some key international issues:

Global warming

Environmental protection

Sustainable development

Following on from 2010 there will be a school-wide focus in 2011 on Science teachingand learning based on the New Zealand Curriculum Achievement Objectives.

The themes allow us to explore some key transdisciplinary questions that help to maintain

the connection with sub themes, with the theme for the year and also with themes insubsequent years. Questions include but are not limited to:

Who am I and where am I going?

Where we are in place and time?

How does the world work?

How do I describe, analyse and shape the world around me?

How do I make sense of and communicate with the world? What are my rights and responsibilities in communities, cultures and economies?

How do we organize ourselves?

How do we share the planet?

Five Essential Elements

Five essential elements underpin the choice of themes, topics and units of work. These

are reflected elsewhere in this document but are presented here in another format to assist


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understanding. In this framework concepts, competencies and attitudes come together to

inform/shape action.

CONCEPTS COMPETENCIES ATTITUDES

ACTIONForm Relating to others Tolerance ReflectFunction Managing self Respect ChooseCausation Participating and contributing Integrity ActChange Thinking IndependenceConnection Using languages, symbols and texts EnthusiasmPerspective Research EmpathyResponsibility CuriosityReflection CreativityCooperationConfidenceCommitmentAppreciation

The first four concepts, competencies, attitudes and actions are relevant in and across

all subject content areas and provide the framework for structured and purposeful inquiry.

They can have different applications and interpretations, depending on the subject area.The fifth element is knowledge, which is considered to be a holistic understanding of

ideas, not merely the acquisition of facts and skills and should be read in light of the

insights provided by Jane Gilbert whose work was presented earlier.

ConceptsWhat do we want students to understand?

Eight fundamental concepts, related to the curriculum organizers described above and

expressed as key questions here, propel the process of inquiry and help to encourage atransdisciplinary perspective. These concepts drive planning and teaching processes

including units of inquiry the details of which teachers and students design together -

they lie at the heart of the curriculum model. The concepts are the following:

Form: What is it like?

Function: How does it work?

Causation: Why is it like it is?

Change: How is it changing?

Connection: How is it connected to other things?

Perspective: What are the points of view?

Responsibility: What is our responsibility?

Reflection: How do we know?

Key CompetenciesWhat do we want students to be able to do?

Key competencies19 are essential throughout life, for work and play. They are the

capabilities people need to live and to learn to make a contribution as active members of

19 These were presented on p20-21.


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their community. The key competencies acquired in the process of structured inquiry are

thinking, communication, social, research and self-management skills. See also the

repertoire of skills outlined below.

Attitudes

What do we want students to feel, value and demonstrate?The programme promotes and fosters a set of attitudes that include tolerance, respect,

integrity, independence, enthusiasm, empathy, curiosity, creativity, cooperation,confidence, commitment and appreciation. See also the profile for students set out below.

ActionHow do we want students to act?

Students are encouraged to reflect, to make informed choices and to take action that will

help their peers, school staff and the wider community. The actions we would like to see

them engage in during their lives are reflected in the key curriculum organizers discussed

above.

AssessmentAssessment is the process of acquiring information and making judgments about students'

learning. The purposes of assessment include the following:

to assist student learning related to outcomes,

to make judgments about students' achievements,

to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching programs, and

to inform decisions about students' future learning.

Teachers organize continuous assessment over the course of the school year according to

specified assessment criteria that correspond to the objectives of each programme ofwork.

Formative assessmentis interwoven with daily learning and helps teachers and students find out what thestudents already know in order to plan the next stage in learning. Formative assessment

and teaching are directly linked; neither can function effectively or purposefully without

the other.

Summative assessmenthappens at the end of the teaching and learning process and gives the students

opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned. The school promotes the use of arange and balance of school-based assessment and feedback techniques, including

student/teacher/parent conferences, writing samples, structured observations, andperformance tasks assessed by teachers and by the students themselves.

Rich TasksThe Rich Tasks approach to teaching and assessment is being developed in the school

and utilizes a number of approaches currently used widely in schools. That includes the


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testing activities used in the NEMP project and the exemplars used in English and other

curriculum areas.

A Rich Task20 is a culminating performance or demonstration or product that is

purposeful and models a life role.21 It presents substantive, real problems to solve and

engages learners in forms of pragmatic social action that have real value in the world.The problems require identification, analysis and resolution, and require students to

analyse, theorise and engage intellectually with the world. In this way, tasks connect to

the world outside the classroom.

As well as having this connectedness, the tasks are also rich in their application: they

represent an educational outcome of demonstrable and substantial intellectual and

educational value. And, to be truly rich, a task must be transdisciplinary.22 Rich Taskshave relevance and power in new worlds of work and everyday life. It is important that

they have recognisable face value with educators, parents and community stakeholders as

being significant and important. Finally, it is crucial that tasks be rich in developmental,

cognitive and intellectual depth and breadth to guide curriculum planning across asignificant span of schooling.

In summary, a Rich Task:

is an integrated intellectual and linguistic, social and cultural practice

represents an educational outcome of demonstrable and substantive intellectualsubstance and educational value

is transdisciplinary

draws on a range of operational fields of knowledge

engages knowledges and skills from at least two of the New Basics clusters

is problem-based

connects to the world beyond the classroom has face value for educators, parents and community stakeholders

has sufficient intellectual, cognitive and developmental depth and breadth to guide

curriculum planning across a significant span of schooling

enables flexibility for schools to address the local context

has reasonable workload expectations for teachers.

20A Rich Task is the outward and visible sign of student engagement with the curriculum. It is the

assessable and reportable outcome of a curriculum plan that prepares students for the challenges of life in

'new times'. A Rich Task is a reconceptualisation of the notion of outcome as demonstration or display of

mastery; that is, students display their understandings, knowledges and skills through performance on

transdisciplinary activities that have an obvious connection to the wide world. In this respect it issynonymous with authentic assessment and is consistent with the requirements of the Teaching for

Understanding model of curriculum implementation.21

A Rich Task is the culmination of three years work. It is not a short-term project. Not only is the

quality of the product important but also the intellectual strategies that are acquired by the student in the

processes leading up to the completion of the task.22

Transdisciplinary learnings draw upon practices and skills across disciplines while retaining the integrity

of each individual discipline. This is not the same as the traditional interdisciplinary approach that seeks

links between disciplines often via thematic learning.


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Although Rich Tasks vary in the intensity of what is expected of students, all of them:

draw from academic scholarship and connect to sensible decisions in a prudent

world

draw on topics widely accepted in history, science, mathematics, home economics

and so on ask for straightforward analyses and the possession of ingenuity

ask for analyses that go beyond the data presented (that is, ask the student to do

autonomous creative work)

call for realistic decisions and defences of those decisions

involve topics of interest to people in that age group

require judgments that most young people would expect of thoughtful citizens

depend, in some cases, on the judgment of adults monitoring the process (for

example, by defining terms or shaping contemporary meaning).

Thus, Rich Tasks are the assessable and reportable outcomes of a curriculum plan that

prepares students for the challenges of life in 'new times'. The Rich Task is a

reconceptualisation of the notion of outcome as demonstration or display of mastery; thatis, students display their understandings, knowledges and skills through performance on

transdisciplinary activities that have an obvious connection to the wide world.

Self Review

The approach to self review utilises a number of checklists to provide feedback on:

the National Education Goals

The National Administration Guidelines

The School Strategic Plan

The Curriculum Plan

The information provided by teachers is used to inform analysis and to make planningdecisions.

School Assessment Map

Documents

NCS Curriculum Framework Revised