Approaches to Learning

The Approaches to Learning (ATLs) are a fundamental part of learning through the Primary Year Programme at Nexus.

The ATLs are specific strategies, skills and attitudes that permeate the learning at Nexus. We know that a large influence on a learner's education journey is not only what they learn but also how they learn. Becoming an effective learner builds a foundation not just for future study but also life after education. It is one of the key reasons that an IB education is considered one of the best in the world.

As adults, many of us can be tempted 'to do for' our children. This can even be the case in many schools - teaching children to be agentic is much more challenging than providing 'fixed' tasks. At Nexus, we will be deliberately and explicitly teaching these fundamental strategies, skills and attitudes and we will have high expectations of learners developing these approaches to learning.

This is why some messages do not come via your child's homeroom teacher or through our newsletters. This is why some home learning will include organising themselves for the task at hand. This is why we regularly ask our learners to reflect on their learning and what made that moment of learning successful.

Below, our teams have shared the key ATLs that they have been working on.

If you have missed a newsletter, previous editions can be found in the Parent Zone on the Nexus website.

Nursery: Communication and Social Skills

The relationships we have with others can shape our journey

We are continuing our Unit of Inquiry about ‘Who We Are’ and this week the learners have been learning how to develop their communication skills by talking in circle time about their family and sharing their special family photo album. They absolutely loved spotting themselves and naming their family members. We encouraged children to listen carefully and respond to what they saw and heard, they showed great interest in their friends' photos.

We have been reading the story, 'The Little Red Hen’ and the learners were supported to work in a team and help each other to make bread, unlike the animals in the story. During our independent play, the learners were then keen to work collaboratively to play board games, sell ice cream in our new shop and retell stories using the puppet theatre they created out of a large box.

Kindergarten: Communication

Discover and Discuss

The Kindergarten learners have been sharing personal experiences of using their senses for our Unit of Inquiry - Who We Are. This week for our mini presentations, the learners shared photos or made videos at home of themselves trying a new food. These videos were shared in our classes and the learners spoke about what it was like to be a risk taker and try something new. They also took questions and comments from their friends in class. As each learner had the opportunity to speak to their peers, we noticed how they thought about what they wanted to say and shared their experiences in a logical sequence. The learners are showing great enthusiasm for our weekly Discover and Discuss sessions and are developing their communication skills.

Year 1: Wellness

Choices Influence Our Wellbeing

As we continue our exploration of wellbeing, the Year 1 learners have impressed us during class discussions by sharing strategies to help manage different emotions. They have been presented with different scenarios using a See, Think, Wonder thinking routine, helping to solve problems such as being upset in the playground, feeling cross at school or at home or feeling tired.

Strategies that the learners have shared include mindfulness techniques such as taking deep breaths, counting to 10 and listening to calm music. It has been wonderful to see the learners use these techniques at school and we hope they can share some of these strategies with you at home!

Year 2: Research Skills

Family histories and cultural influences shape personal journeys

This week sees the end of our current inquiry into personal histories and how they influence us. Our Year 2 learners used this inquiry as a way to develop their research skills by creating questions for family members to learn more about their histories. The children discovered how much they can learn about themselves by understanding more about their own families. We were very impressed with how seriously the learners took their interviews and how they crafted their questions to make sure they discovered all they needed.

They then organised the information collected chronologically, having the choice to present their work as a timeline, flap-book or a chapter book. We look forward to sharing the outcomes of their hard work with you during next week’s Parent Teacher Conferences.

Year 3: Social and Self Management Skills

People's Actions Affect Others

As we come to the end of our first unit of inquiry, Year 3 learners have focused on developing their self management and social skills. The learners have explored how to navigate conflict between peers and appreciate our similarities and differences while building strong friendships. The focus on social skills this term has really helped us bond as a year group and developed strong collaborative working relationships which will help us learn from each other as we go through the year.

Year 3 learners have also been working hard to become self managers and build a system of organisation to help them be successful in their learning spaces. They have each reflected on areas of strength and decided on goals to help them focus on their personal learning needs. The stylish new Nexus bags, which were tested and trialed by the learners, have been a hit and definitely help with their organisation as they move around school.

We look forward to sharing more about their goals with you next week at the Parent Teacher Conferences.

Year 4: Research Skills

Water is an Essential Resource

Year 4 learners are currently discovering the importance of water to our planet and during this inquiry, learners are honing different types of research skills. They began this inquiry by investigating the water cycle through a variety of science experiments. This week, each Year 4 homeroom carried out surveys at the canal behind our school. We considered ways to record what we observed and formulated questions prompted by our observations. We designed and refined receptacles to collect some samples of canal water which we will analyse further back in our homerooms. Learners are using their comprehension skills to explore a range of source materials and identify reasons why canals are built. During this inquiry, learners will also learn how to critically use information from videos - identifying key points about places in the world that lack clean water supplies.

Year 4 have also become Proud Plant Parents! We researched what our seeds needed to grow and created a 'plant care plan' before planting took place. We are now finding out the best conditions to ensure our plants thrive.

Year 4 are discovering there are many pathways to explore how water is an essential resource.

Year 5: Social and Communication Skills

Peace and conflict exists within and between communities

Throughout our inquiry into Peace and Conflict, learners have had the opportunity to view the social and communication skills of others and reflect on and develop their own. As part of an individual inquiry, each learner chose a context of conflict to inquire into. This was connected to self, national or a global conflict. Learners have suggested strategies or solutions that they believe would help to achieve peace. We have reached the conclusion that: compromise, negotiation and communication are key to maintaining peace. Learners have also identified kindness, being caring, helping others and team work as ways to reduce conflict.

As part of our unit, learners have been extending their knowledge and understanding of Net Games. Learning has included Newcombe Ball, where teamwork and communication are key to playing effectively in games. Learners have umpired their own badminton and table tennis games, working together to score matches and resolve any discrepancies.

Year 6: Reflecting on all the ATLs

Exploring the Past, helps us to understand the Present and innovate for the Future

Our second Unit of Inquiry will give Year 6 learners the opportunity to explore where we have come from. Learners were very keen on our initial provocation where they had to choose who they would take to begin a new society. The discussions were very interesting with many people having quite strong opinions on what would make the small group of survivors a success. Our Key Concepts and Lines of Inquiry will give us a focus:

FORM: How people lived in the past.

CAUSATION: Connections between past and present (the struggles and successes people have experienced and implication for the future).

CHANGE: How the struggles and successes changed how people live.

All of our learners are very keen to begin 'digging' into our inquiry. It will be very interesting to see the directions their inquiries go as we look back in time to try to find solutions for the future. To support this, in Year 6 we encourage the learners to start to reflect on and explore all the ATLs. Learners will consider which are the key skills, attitudes and strategies that they will focus on as we explore our inquiry. Through each unit, learners will be given explicit opportunities to practise, analyse and reflect on their ATL strengths and areas to develop.

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