Wonder - Killester College

Our delve into the theme of Wonder at Killester has led to one of the most exciting curriculum developments in many years. Staff were asked at the conclusion of 2020 to look at how we could provide increased opportunities for our students to use their God given talents to explore the world through the eyes of Wonder...celebrating all that is good with joy and gratitude. From these enthusiastic staff conversations came the Killester WONDER Program. 

The WONDER Program is a thinking by design program that enables students to have agency in their learning whilst developing skills necessary for life, learning and working in the 21st century skills. Design Thinking ensures the development of higher-order thinking skills, focused on 21st century general capabilities in the Australian curriculum. It is a progressive contemporary learning program that enables student agency in the teaching of skills required for new and developing employment. It is active learning that leads to WISDOM: Worthwhile outcomes; Initiative; Student engagement, Discovery; Original thinking and Mastery. 

Each year level will undertake different Design Thinking units matched to their age specific learning needs. Students will be involved in both individual and collaborative enquiries. The vast majority of all the Design Thinking will take place at school, but will provide the opportunity for students to explore and refine their outcomes through excursions into “real” world environments as required. 

DESIGN & CREATE - Maths, Science, Digital Technology (STEM) 

BEAUTY & NATURE - Arts, HEPE, Science or Maths 

CULTURE & COMMUNICATION - English, Languages, Humanities 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT - Science, Maths, English 

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP - HEPE, Humanities, Religion 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT- Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Design Technology 

The dialogue around WONDER with our staff created this incredibly exciting program that will now be embedded in school life for Years 7 - 9. It also involves the rich resource of our College Alumni, over 50 alumni have already volunteered to be part of WONDER and will engage with our students bringing their wisdom and life experience to enhance the wondering of our students. WONDER is an expression of living justice and it has potential to engage students more actively in their learning so that they may experience success and “to have it to the full”.