In the Know

From the Leadership Team

Lucas Collins, Head of Junior School 

The value of a variety of learning experiences

At a recent Junior School assembly, the highlights of seven different learning or experiential opportunities were shared by our students. 

In no specific order, these were: 

  1. The Centenary Concert
  2. Science Week celebrations and events
  3. The eSports FUSE Cup 
  4. Book Week incursions and engagements
  5. The Kilvington Art Show
  6. Maths Talent Quest 
  7. Science Talent Search

While some of these opportunities are specific to a select group or year level, most are open to students from Prep to Year 12. 

Reflecting upon this, I believe there are numerous benefits for students to be provided with a variety of learning experiences. Being exposed to a range of experiences supports children in getting out of their comfort zones, expands their knowledge levels, helps them to explore different perspectives, and grows their skillsets and interests. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, educational research supports the notion that students who engage in a diverse range of teaching, learning, and school experiences are likely to express more positive overall views about learning as well as higher levels of school connection and engagement, and these same students also tend to achieve higher than average academic results.  

One of the great benefits and points of difference about a school like Kilvington is that our students are provided with an exceptional breadth of opportunities and experiences that they are encouraged and enabled to access – these are both in support of, and in addition to, their curricular studies. 

Through expanding, promoting and valuing the diverse and impressive range of strengths, passions and interests that our students possess, we not only broaden their horizons, but also strengthen their connections to our School and their class-based curricular learning experiences.

REFERENCE 

Postlethwaite, K., & Haggarty, L. (2002). Towards the improvement of learning in secondary school: students' views, their links to theories of motivation and to issues of under- and over-achievement. Research Papers in Education, 17(2), 185-209.