From the Director of Innovative Pedagogies

Odyssey Project 1: Why Do I Have to go to School?

On Monday it was exciting to meet with Year 7 so we could launch their first learning project for the year. Up until now, the students have been working on a livability study linked to their Geography work and their Learning Passport, as well as explicit teaching in their Pursuit classes. This has given them the background knowledge and base to work from as they move into the next part of their learning. I was keen to see how students from different Primary schools would interact in new groups and was both proud and unsurprised that it was a very positive experience.

Over the next seven weeks the students will be working in their teams to finish the statement “School would be so much better if...” This project is designed to have them think about the function, history and purpose of schools, as well as what needs to change to prepare students for the very different futures that previous generations have lived through. Year 7 will do a deep-dive into the structures of schools, how they differ around the world and what makes schools unique. Through Project Based Learning as the teaching model for these lessons, students rather than the teachers will be directing where the learning goes.

A key feature of their project is going to be the delivery of a media campaign that the students will develop themselves. This will tie in elements from a range of subjects into a single project presented to teachers, peers and parents in May. We have deliberately set this up as to cross-pollinate between subjects and match their learning in one part of the school to other parts; breaking down the isolation of learning is a key driver in improving learning as it becomes more powerful and more relevant. It is also more efficient as we do not have multiple teachers covering the same topics unnecessarily.

For their first project students will need to choose an element to market their school on and provide a:

Television or TikTok advertisement
Rap, jingle or radio advertisement
Poster, billboard or magazine advertisement
Artworks focusing online, contour and colour
Legacy key ring
Learning portfolio
Summary of the work they have completed as part of their group
Self-evaluation of their participation

By having a range of deliverables, as well as scaffolds to help them along the way, we are giving students multiple access points into their learning and ensuring each person can find meaning and purpose in their work. It also means everyone has a chance to contribute to their team and demonstrate their strengths.

We are looking forward to the learning that is starting to take place and to the showcase that will happen on 15 May. Stay tuned for updates!

Students will be looking into the possibilities of schools and how they can contribute to a better overall experience.

Mr Christopher Sanders

Director of Innovative Pedagogies