From the Director of Pedagogy and Innovation

Future Schools Alliance

Last week I was fortunate enough to travel to Canberra with three teachers as part of the Future Schools Alliance. We toured four very different schools to see how they were answering some of the big questions that are pinch-points in education right now. Questions like ‘in a world where information is instantly available, how do facilitate deep and relevant learning’ and ‘how do we setup students to own their learning, take responsibility and demonstrate growth?’ These questions, rightly, extend beyond basic regurgitation of facts and figures and reflect the type of learners we are growing at Blue Mountains Grammar School. 

Visiting these schools with Mr Forbes (Junior School, Stage 3), Mrs Herron (Visual Arts faculty) and Mr Wiebe (English faculty) continued the conversations that are already happening around the ways we personalise learning and step away from a factory-like model where students are commodities on a production line.

As often happens with many of these trips, there were more questions raised than answered, but the insightful observations and provocations from the teachers and host schools will continue to feed into the changing direction of out teaching.

Next week I will be writing about the launch of a new Year 7 program that will be a flagship of BMGS. I will be inviting parents to come along with us as we develop a specialised program that breaks the outdated mould of education and sets up students to be powerful and resourceful learners. Keep an eye out for ways to be involved. 

Mr Chris Sanders

Director of Pedagogy and Innovation