To understand the whole planning processes, we go right back to last year when we sat down and started thinking about what we wanted to achieve in 2009. It is important to make sure that we have a clear direction and that learning is valued, purposeful and is a journey of both discovery and achievement, whereby each term adds value and feeds onto the next.
This year we have an umbrella statement ‘ Making a difference’ all units of work fit under this learning umbrella. We also have a range of other opportunities which fit under this umbrella included Enviroschool and the leadership programme.
In Term One, in the Senior School, we started learning about rights and responsibility, tolerance, understanding and friendship, we included a focus on the Treaty of Waitangi. As well as setting classroom treaties and establishing rules and expectations we also set up a platform for the year’s leaning pathway.
Term Two we looked at ‘Making a difference’ from an environmental prospective taking Term Ones learning and focusing on being ‘Kaitiaki’ (Guardians) for the environment.
Within these units we were also looking at developing a huge range of skills and attitudes, approaches to learning, goal setting, styles and approaches to thinking, skills for working with others, time management, inquiry development and preparation for high school as well as creating a leadership model and sense of pride in ones self.
Now lets look at unit development.
Next term is our term for focusing on health / personal identity Mana Tangata
In order to make every activity purposeful and meaningful we create a big idea. This also helps our planning by keeping all activities focussed and always relevant.
Big Idea: Who am I and what do I want to be seen as?
Mana Tangata, The power of the person.
We then started to discuss what we want to achieve. We also used a mind map, creating questions and discussion points in relationship to our current group of students. We identified a range of emotional, physical, intellectual needs with in the group. We also discussed trends and patterns of behaviour of the group and a range of relevant incidents.
We then created some key Concepts
• Making a difference by being ourselves (positive influence) and letting others be themselves.
• Making sure people view us in a positive light.
• Mana Tangata – Is the power acquired by an individual according to his or her ability and effort to develop skills and to gain knowledge in particular areas (Self Pride)
We than started to create some focuses questions, which direct inquiry and provide exploration, thought and meaning to students.
Some questions:
How do other influence who we are?
How do we influence others?
How are we perceived?
Do we make a conscious choice about who we are?
Is image who we are?
Can we really be ourselves? Be the best we can be?
How do we have different roles?
Are we true to ourselves (integrity)
How do we stay true to ourselves in different situations?
How does puberty affect our choices and who we are?
From here we seek advice, guidance and training. For this we got in a facilitator from Family Planning. She was fantastic. We got to discuss approaches, ask questions, look at research and gain a wealth of knowledge.
We than sat down with all our resources, kits, ideas, brainstorms, concepts and started to create a unit of work which fits into the Muritai Inquiry model We constructed a timeframe and an approach. We also looked at how we tie in ICT, speeches (which will be integrated as this team inquiry), literacy, key competencies and wearable arts.
We will also discuss and brainstorm needs with students next week and send a notice home consulting parents, before finalising the unit.
After creation of the unit we self assess and revise using an inquiry rubric looking at:
Authenticity
Academic Rigor
Assessment
Scope beyond the School
Uses of Technology
Active Exploration
Expertise
Communication.
It should be a great unit.
