Our Learning Story

PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION

Every Learning Story is Unique

As we move into the final week of our first 2023 Semester together, we share tremendous pride in our students and their individual progress so far. Progress, not perfection, is the Wollert Way. We embrace the belief that everyone travels the same developmental learning paths, they just might look different for all. 

Everyone can learn to read for example, just at a different rate and in different ways. Everyone can learn to communicate, learn to regulate their bodies, learn to bounce a ball, learn to be a good friend, just at different rates and in different ways. EVERYONE CAN LEARN...fundamentally, this is our belief. 

EXPERIENCING PROGRESS TOGETHER                 builds learning positivity 

There are three key elements that are used to share student progress at Wollert.

Seesaw Progress Tracking: We believe in sharing and acknowledging learning growth and achievement as it occurs. Our Seesaw platform supports our Progressive Reporting approach, sharing student highlights, strengths, task effort and outcomes, both individually and communally. We don't wait for a report to give families an indication of how their child is progressing, this picture is built over each term.

Learning Story Conferences:Our Learning Story Conferences provide the opportunity to discuss the strengths and progress of students. Our teachers work with deliberate intent to celebrate the effort and progress made each and every day. Using these conferences to share what they see and hear every day is critical in understanding progress. A report will never capture the effort and tiny steps your child has made like a teacher can. The effort and steps your child has demonstrated may or may not allow them to reach a determined expected standard, but moves them further along their learning path. 

Reports: Semester reports are a summary of achievement mapped against the Victorian Curriculum Expected Standards. The 'dot' presented on reports is the indication of where your child's teacher has judged competency to be when measured against academic and social & emotional expected standards. Various assessment, observation of effort and work output and daily progress wins contribute to the 'dot'. The dot tells us something but it cannot tell you everything about your child's progress.

How we discuss all of these elements with children can either support a positive approach to learning or create levels of concern, anxiety and fear moving into the next phase in their story. Every child is unique and have different strengths and areas for growth. As adults, we often move straight to the gaps and what a child cannot do based on our fears and desire for our children. 

We all want the best for our children but this desire can sometimes close our eyes to the best that is already in our children. Our measures and expectations, if not met, can create a pressure for children to feel like they need to be on someone else's learning path when they're just not ready. Comparing the dot, the output, the progress to others can put a full stop on the dot and progress. 

A healthy, positive approach to learning comes when we acknowledge and celebrate each child's progress loudly, while identifying together the next steps on the learning path we can work in partnership on. Embracing the uniqueness of your child and accepting that learning looks different for all is the greatest gift you will give your child as they navigate the trickiness of learning. 

Progress will always be the winner