Wonder 2022

“What is WONDER?” asked the Year 11 students to their Sport and Recreation teacher. 

“How is WONDER going?” inquires a Science teacher.

Let me tell you, our Killester Community, about the WONDER program in Term 1 2022. 

All of our planning for WONDER has been influenced by project-based learning expert John Spencer. Teacher leaders in the WONDER program have undergone extensive professional development as well as collaborative planning to create a program unique to Killester. 

All action undertaken in WONDER is informed by Killester’s very own WISDOM cycle. (see image)

This is a process of learning that engages students from a point of interest or influence and encourages them to use the steps of the cycle to make something. 

Term 1 Year 9 WONDER is all about making a difference.

The general topic is How can we as members of the Killester Community Enrich the lives of others?

Working in teams, students identify an area of need. They have done so using surveys, personal and student observations as well as their own experiences. The final projects are as diverse as the year 9 students themselves. There are groups working on problem-solving issues with our new Killester canteen, improving the functionality and use of learning spaces at the college and even refurbishing a greenhouse and cleaning up the local area. 

The students are learning and practising skills identified by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority as essential for critical and creative thinkers including: 

• Suspend judgements to allow new possibilities to emerge and investigate how this can broaden ideas and solutions  
• Challenge previously held assumptions and create new links, proposals and artefacts by investigating ideas that provoke shifts in perspectives and cross boundaries to generate ideas and solutions 

Of course, they are learning much more beyond this from a diverse range of learning areas. Students at years 7 to 9 are also challenged to network and create connections with stakeholders within and outside the college, who can assist with their projects. Year 9 students have written to their local MPs, clothing manufacturers as well as tapped into onsite experts such as our business manager Sandra Rotunno. And you read about the Year 8 alumni morning tea in the last newsletter. 

The most exciting part of the Term 1 WONDER program will be our showcase in Week 10. We hope that students are challenged by their projects. We do not expect total success in this first round of learning. We hope that students make mistakes and are able to reflect on what contributed to the flaws in their process or experience. We want students to develop on their collaboration, problem-solving, initiative, time management, reflective practice and goal setting. You cannot do all that by hitting your target the first time, every time. Stay tuned for reports of student achievement and learning in future newsletters. 

Claire Cook 

Junior Strategy Leader 7-9