As the school year begins our focus is on identifying the
learning needs of our students and working together to create learning goals in
each subject. At the start of Term 1, in our classrooms, teachers are working on setting
learning goals with students and classes to ensure steady and achievable
improvement throughout the year.
At home, this would
be an ideal time to review last year’s Semester Two report and talk about
setting realistic and achievable goals for the year. It is important that our
goals are set in the “Goldilocks” zone: not too simple and not too difficult.
Too simple and there is no effort required; too challenging and it is
frustrating.
The question we ask in the classroom is - what is the next
level for this student and how can we help them to achieve it? In our classrooms teachers will be talking to
students about strategies that help them learn and what they identify as their
challenges. Learning should provide challenge, it does require effort. These
discussions help the teacher choose which combination of strategies will best
suit the needs of the students in their classroom to provide the right amount
of challenge and support.
Research on learning effectiveness (Hattie, 2017) states
that two of the most effective impacts on student improvement are: the
teacher’s estimate of the student’s achievement potential; and the
self-reported grade prediction from the student. This is a powerful combination
so it is vital that we start the year in alignment. If we strengthen this
with support from home, we have already begun to achieve our college theme for
the year: Seeking Connectedness by working together towards clearly defined and
achievable learning goals.
Looking forward, the
end of the year should bring a wonderful opportunity to celebrate not only
progress, but the effort it takes to make it happen. Proud moments for our
students are earned through hard work.
We can celebrate the effort and guide through the challenges when we
have a shared understanding of what progressing through learning looks like for
each student.
Mrs Cara Robinson-Taylor
Academic
Leader: Learning and Teaching
