Whakamana
How We Empower Learners
To empower students is to prepare them for innvoative thinking and a strength in learning how to learn.
Learner Agency
Digital Technology to Accelerate Learning
Empowering talents and dispositions
Digital Technology to Accelerate Learning
Digital technology is integrated into all areas of learning, where it is proven to deepen or accelerate learning. Ākonga are explicitly taught how to use digital technology, but it is also a tool used to help them build on the core competencies and become 21st Century thinkers. Ākonga have their own ipad and a variety of tools (Google Apps, Hapara, HERO, SeeSaw, photos and videos) are used to both teach and demonstrate learning. Before implementing digital technology, the question is always asked: “how is this tool benefiting the students more than the traditional non-tech way?” Digital technology also refers to other tools such as robotics, maker technology, cameras, etc, and not simply iPads.
Digital technology is the accelerator.
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Learner Agency
Learner agency is fostered through a mix of the following strategies:
Learner agency talk is deliberately taught and modelled. Ākonga discuss and explain what, how and why they are learning. They can articulate the criteria for success.
Learning Partners are used to encourage collaboration and communication where learning is shared, reflected on and challenged. Ākonga use a range of digital tools to verbalise and demonstrate their learning. The digital tools are used to provide structure and accountability. It also allows learning to be easily shared, heightening motivation and engagement.
Learner agency is a competency and is taught and modelled alongside growth mindset, and is made possible through the use of digital tools.
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Learning to Learn
Ākonga are assigned to an individual kaiako but these teachers work in teaching teams and co-teach flexibly during the day. The physical environment is designed to allow for this flexibility: classes can be walled off to allow for 1 teacher, 1 class, or opened to allow for co-teaching across 2 or more classes. Breakout spaces allow students the space to work individually, in pairs or in small groups.
Teachers use a variety of teaching pedagogy to ensure the best learning at the time. Teachers deliberately teach students to learn how to learn.
Kaiako work in collaborative teams: digitally planning, assessing and teaching alongside each other. School-wide rubrics and matrices enable guided pathways for teachers to implement with their students. Teachers use a variety of collaborative teaching models.
Learning to learn model
One teacher is in front with most of the class while the other sits down with priority and extension learners close by. Both kaiako are working from the same plan modelling how to learn. The kaiako verbalise the ‘thinking’ and model the pairing up and sharing. As time goes on, the kaiako with the students needing more support intentionally does less, with the students doing more. That way the teacher can refocus on learning with the priority learners, then move onto the extension group.
Learning Coach
Similar to the learning to learn model. One kaiako may be involved in teaching a group while the other roams as a Learning Coach. Teachers may pre-determine who they will assist or it may be a responsive action. This model provides "just in time teaching" to support various needs and enables self regulated learners to learn at a pace suitable to them.
Station model
Sometimes it is useful to divide content and ākonga. In the station model there are stations around the classroom: some involve independent work, follow up work, particular resources or exploration, or time with the teachers. Each teacher takes a group and students rotate around the different stations.
Team Teaching Model
In team teaching, both kaiako are teaching a large group at the same time. This approach gives ākonga multiple perspectives on the curriculum as each teacher interprets and presents the curriculum in a different way. Students can be grouped according to learning style or behaviour needs or into inquiry groups.
Learning Hubs
Our learning hubs are websites that deliver content and tasks to our ākonga. They are used school-wide. Content and tasks on these sites align with our school-wide trackers which provide guided pathways. These Hubs allow ākonga to work at their own pace and can be accessed anywhere through the students’ Google accounts. They are adjusted regularly and collaboratively to provide seamless transitions between year levels and to facilitate personalised learning.
HERO: Progressions and learning pathways
Students overall learning success is considered to be more important than the covering of specific achievement objectives from the New Zealand Curriculum.
Achievement objectives from each area are chosen in response to the identified interests and learning needs of their ākonga and the subject being taught. Kaiako develop lesson plans including learning experiences and activities that are directed towards helping ākonga reach these goals. By aligning achievement objectives with the whole school’s big picture goal, ākonga are enabled to progress at their own rate of learning. Progressions are also consistent across classes and evidence is easily moderated.
Using digital technology and regular formative assessment and accountability practices by kaiako, personalised learning is able to be effectively delivered at SJB. Without these components, it is difficult to ensure true, personalised learning is happening effectively.
SJB does not believe in an "opt" in to learning model. Instead, it scaffolds and guides students through the learning, slowly releasing responsibility as the learner demonstrates they are becoming more independent.
Tracking Progress
One of the most important elements of learner agency is the ability for ākonga, kaiako and whānau to track the progress of the student. SJB has clear progressions and goals for every curriculum area, making it easy for tamariki to monitor their own progress. These clear statements also make it easy for teachers to plan and to integrate the curriculum.
These progressions are communicated to kaiako, ākonga and whanau through HERO. There are links from their goal to our Learning Hubs. This means a student or teacher can HERO to personalise the learning pathway. Progressions are ticked off and evidence against some goals is collated on HERO. This learning profile travels with the student throughout their learning journey at SJB. Whanau can track progress by logging in to Hero and seeing the progress their child is making.
Seesaw
Seesaw portfolios allow ākonga to share their learning with their teacher, their peers and their whanau. It is a private, online portfolio where ākonga can post work and send and receive comments about it. Kaiako use these portfolios as a way of snapshotting students’ learning and adjusting learning plans to suit. Whanau are able to see what the ākonga is working on and experience what is going on in class. SeeSaw is also one of the platforms that kaiako use to get in touch with parents.
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5.Express remainders as whole numbers,( fractions or decimals) (1).mp4Empowering Talents & Dispositions
As ākonga journey through their primary school years, they are able to express their own creativity and strengths during Chill Time, Adventure Time, Passion Projects and STEAM.
Chill Time
Chill Time (yrs0-2) is a programme which encourages ākonga to actively engage in their learning from the moment they walk through the gates in the morning. Students engage in a challenge or series of tasks based on their interests and learning needs, in the morning on arrival to school. The learning focus is on the core competencies and our graduate profile.
For more information: Chill @ SJB
Adventure Time
Adventure Time is similar to the Chill programme but happens across classes. Ākonga choose an activity and indulge in creativity and problem solving. Again the learning focus in on the core competencies and our graduate profile.
More about Adventure Time
Passion Projects
Passion projects (yrs 4-6) allows ākonga to explore their own passions and encourages creativity. Ākonga get a set period of time alongside project plans to choose what they want to learn or produce. Ākonga are able to work within their own personalised learning style while taking ownership of their learning and work within a timeline to meet deadlines. The learning focus is more about the process, the self-regulation of the learner and the creativity and problem solving rather than the end product.
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File_000.movSTEAM
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths. STEAM learning applies meaningful maths, science, and technology content to solve real-world problems through hands-on learning activities and creative design. STEAM activities are embedded into the SJB Inquiry projects which run across all age groups and throughout the year. STEAM also encompasses the new Digital Technology Curriculum. More information on STEAM can be found on the TKI under Future Focused Learning: STEAM.
SJB includes a Maker Space philosophy in its STEAM activities.