Transcript Good Practice Conference

Curriculum for Excellence
Aberdeenshire
November 2008
Curriculum for Excellence?
Curriculum for
Excellence
4 simple steps
• Disregard all previous teaching experience
• Burn all policy papers
• Sell every current school resource on E bay
• Implement all outcomes on the same day
1. Read the recipe
successful learners
with
•enthusiasm and motivation for learning
•determination to reach high standards of achievement
•openness to new thinking and ideas
and able to
•use literacy, communication and numeracy skills
•use technology for learning
•think creatively and independently
•learn independently and as part of a group
•make reasoned evaluations
•link and apply different kinds of learning in
new situations
confident individuals
with
•self respect
•a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
•secure values and beliefs
•ambition
and able to
•relate to others and manage themselves
•pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
•be self aware
•develop and communicate their own beliefs
and view of the world
•live as independently as they can
•assess risk and take informed decisions
•achieve success in different areas of activity
To enable all young
people to become
responsible citizens
effective contributors
and able to
•develop knowledge and understanding of
the world and Scotland’s place in it
•understand different beliefs and cultures
•make informed choices and decisions
•evaluate environmental, scientific and
technological issues
•develop informed, ethical views of complex
issues
and able to
•communicate in different ways and in
different settings
•work in partnership and in teams
•take the initiative and lead
•apply critical thinking in new contexts
•create and develop
•solve problems
with
•respect for others
•commitment to participate responsibly in
political, economic, social and cultural life
with
•an enterprising attitude
•resilience
•self-reliance
Successful Learners
able to:
• use literacy, communication and numeracy skills
• use technology for learning
• think creatively and independently
• learn independently and as part of a group
• make reasoned evaluations
• link and apply different kinds of learning in
new situations
Confident Individuals
able to:
•
•
•
•
relate to others and manage themselves
pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
be self aware
develop and communicate their own beliefs
and view of the world
• live as independently as they can
• assess risk and take informed decisions
• achieve success in different areas of activity
Responsible Citizens
able to:
• develop knowledge and understanding of the world
and Scotland’s place in it
• understand different beliefs and cultures
• make informed choices and decisions
• evaluate environmental, scientific and
technological issues
• develop informed, ethical views of complex issues
Effective Contributors
able to:
• communicate in different ways and in
different settings
• work in partnership and in teams
• take the initiative and lead
• apply critical thinking in new contexts
• create and develop
• solve problems
2. Choose the ingredients
• Adjust/plan programmes
where necessary
• Focus on high quality
learning and teaching
• Develop the outcomes and
experiences to match your
context
• Use improvement planning
to address issues of priority
and pace
3. Weigh ingredients accurately
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
challenge and enjoyment
breadth
progression
depth
personalisation and choice
coherence
relevance
Challenge and enjoyment
Challenge:
• Makes learners think hard
• Develops skills to the full.
• Takes learning to the next stage
Enjoyment:
• Provides motivation
• Improves the quality of learning and life experiences
• Comes from hard work, perseverance and a sense of
achievement.
Proof of the pudding…?
QI 2.1 Learners’ experiences
Question:
“ To what extent are our learners well motivated
and actively engaged in learning?”
Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation
Breadth
Experiences and outcomes:
• define breadth in the curriculum
• embed aspects such as enterprise,
sustainability and creativity
A shift from time allocations...to…
• sufficient time and quality
• achieve securely the learning set
out in the guidance
Progression - in both attainment
and wider achievement
Attainment is a very important measure of
learning, however…
Not all valuable areas of learning can be
measured.
So, the curriculum should:
• value wider achievements
• provide opportunities for them
• recognise and celebrate them
Achievement for all?
Proof of the pudding…?
QI 1.1 Improvements in Performance
Question
“ How good is the range of activities and
experiences and how well are our learners
engaging with them in developing their
personal and wider achievements?”
Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation
Depth
• probing and researching a particular topic
• spending time discussing learning
• explaining it to others
• applying what has been learned in different
contexts
• developing secure understanding.
Relevance
Selecting content in order to:
• Make links with the pupil’s
experience, learning and
interests in and beyond school
• eg making connections with the local
community, the world of work, experiences of
travel or interests in sport or the media.
Personalisation and choice
• Not individualised teaching
• Ownership of the learning
• Studying in greater depth,
presenting in different ways
• Children’s own interests, experience and learning
styles
• Opportunity to engage the disengaged…
What might this look like?
• Seeing the whole child, taking an interest in learners as
individuals, being aware of their lives.
• Reviewing their overall progress.
• Taking account of their prior experiences, learning, and
interests during teaching.
• Being aware that they learn in different ways
• Talking with them to assess their understanding and
provide feedback on their next steps and progress
• Listening to their questions and ideas .
• Providing support according to their needs; and
• Working well with others who support them.
Proof of the pudding…?
QI 5.3 Meeting Learning Needs
Question:
“ How effectively do we support and challenge
learners by choosing learning tasks, resources
and activities which are well matched to their
needs, progress and attainments?”
Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation
Coherence means
Helping pupils to see links between different
aspects of learning
• within and across subjects and curriculum
areas
• in interdisciplinary studies
• draw different strands of learning together
Health Warning:
Trying to make links across too many subject
areas does not always help coherence.
Integration
Proof of the pudding…?
QI 5.3 Meeting Learning Needs
Question:
“ How well do we share information and discuss
learning to enable other staff to identify
clearly the learning needs of all, including
vulnerable learners?”
Improving Outcomes for Learners Through Self-Evaluation
4. And serve…
• Programmes based on curriculum areas and
interdisciplinary studies which take account of
the design principles and the outcomes and
experiences
• Programmes ensure clear progression in skills,
knowledge and understanding in contexts
across the curriculum.
• Learners experience highly motivating
learning activities.
Subject focused teaching / interdisciplinary studies
/ cross-cutting themes
• Subject expertise matters
• Interdisciplinary studies can provide highly motivating
contexts for learning which can help pupils to see links
between, and the relevance of, different aspects of learning.
• Cross-cutting themes enable learners to apply their
knowledge, understanding and skills in meaningful ways.
Questions to consider
• What are the big issues?
• What are the challenges?
• What questions need answered?
• What support do I need?
Curriculum for Excellence