Education in the 21st Century, a few of our thoughts :-)

Here are some of our reflections following our reflection meeting last week.

I am excited about the direction we are heading in.

There were 4 key questions during this time, here is a summary of the responses.

1. What does teaching and learning in the 21st Century look like to you?

• Student led, increased student agency/ownership
• Open, flexible, responsive learning environments
• High use of technology
• Huge community involvement
• Students learning how to be successful, what is required
• Teaching and learning any space, anytime
• Collaboration within school, cluster, nationally and internationally
• Colourful, vibrant learning environment
• Team teaching, learning from each other, utilising strengths of individuals
• Power of 3 (3:75), options to adapt as pedagogy develops
• Multiple activities happening at once
• Children can choose a learning environment to suit the need

     2) What do we need within our school and environments to achieve this vision?

• Instant access to the required resource
• Development of collaborative pedagogy
• Flexible, easily adapted teaching and learning spaces that are responsive to the current need
• Keeping up to date through observations of other schools, research, readings etc…
• Spaces opened up
• A welcoming feel, wow factor within the school
• Well organised storage areas
• Strong relationships between staff, students and whanau
• A collective, clear vision
• Breakout spaces to cater for diversity
• A physical space that allows for modern learning mindsets
• Passion and a positive attitude to change

     3) How must the environment be organised? What must be in this environment?

• 3 : 75 ratio, Power of three
• Ability to change space to fit the purpose, responsive
• Resources immediately available
• Learning hub is self sufficient, place for bags, resources, etc…
• Every space is a learning space
• Quiet spaces that are visible
• Breakout spaces for wet activities, dry activities, arts, technology etc…
• Space to display student work
• Colourful and vibrant
• Better heating and light
• Partitions available to mark off space/areas as required
• Every space belongs to everyone

    4) What factors have the biggest impact on student achievement?

• The people working with the students
• Catering and encouraging individual learning styles and needs
• Quality of feedback given to students
• Community involvement
• Strong leadership
• Relationships and rapports
• Students feeling safe, comfortable in the environment
• Being time efficient
• Student engagement, choice and therefore ownership
• To understand how to be a learner, what this means
• Developing a growth mindset
• Knowing the learner
• Consistency, everyone sailing on the same ship