Inquiry in action!

Students in room 6have been working hard researching what they bring to school for lunch and what creates rubbish what can't be recycled.  After careful planning and design they created some amazing sustinable lunchboxes!  Powerful learning in action!!

The latest TED talk from Sir Ken Robinson asks some excellent questions as usual. Ken makes such a compelling argument, delivered in an incredibly engaging way. Education should encourage children to thrive, not to fall in line. Sir Ken gives an inspirational talk which focuses on harnessing the inherent potential of all learners in the school environment.

Technology- The next steps

Over the last five years Stanley Avenue has been experimenting with a range of emerging technologies to investigate whether they enhance teaching and learning opportunities for our teachers and students.  This has seen the use of IWB's, interactive projectors, netbooks, mobile phones and recently the use of Ipod Touches and I Pads.  With all these innovations the school's LMS-  Ultranet has been the hub where students reflect on their learning and share thinking they are proud of. 

Has the price of Ipads (both full and mini) coupled with the functionality of Google Drive and a wide range of apps changed the landscape?  Recently I have been experimenting with a range of apps that used with Google Drive lead to exciting opportunites for our teachers and students. 

In term two we are experimenting with Ipads and some apps coupled with Google Drive to see if they are game changers.  Watch this Space!

School Values in Action

Respect and Support Others-  As a school value this has always been a focus at Stanley Avenue School.  During term one this year there have been many planned actions organised by school leaders modelling these values. 

It has been fantastic to see students organising lunchtime activities, supporting members of the community in ventures and making a difference in and out of Te Aroha.  An example of this is room 9's effort to 'Save the World in 5 minutes' as part of their term theme 'Our Voice is Powerful'.  This saw students collecting old cellphones for Starship Hospital, toys for the Salvation Army and promoting the conservation of power at Stanley Ave. 

Measuring the Stanley Avenue Learner

Over the last few years we have been investigating what teaching actions help support the growth of the Stanley Avenue School Learning Dimensions.  We have aligned our pedagogy with the key categories of the learner and integrate opportunites to practice using these skills, dispositions and values. 

A challenge we have been faced with is measuring the growth of these dispositions as we believe that if you value it there should be some tracking of these skills as students progress through Stanley Avenue. 

This year we have moved away from collecting whole school student voice to interviewing a random selection of students from each cohort.  Students responses are then measured against a co constructed rubric.  This is collated with student learning reflections from their sharing space on the schools LMS. 

I look forward to seeing if this technique provides us with valuable information for our learners, teachers and parents.  I also welcome any feedback, ideas or learning stories from other school's. 

Schools can be more than this.

What is the point of school???

As I prepare to travel to my first NZPF principal conference I am seriously considering what schools need to do to remain relevant and useful for our students. 

Recently at Stanley Avenue School we have been documenting the opportunities that we provide for our boys and girls and asking ourselves 'What else can we do for our learners?'. 

I am left reflecting on a visit to an innovative High School, where the DP simply believed school was about creating memories.  Currently the debate on national standards and league tables has wrongly taken the focus from school curriculums that should have been created to engage, motivate and involve their students and community.  Whilst numeracy and literacy are important I am worried that some schools provide 'death by numeracy and literacy' for their students........ This is an issue that impacts especially on boys. 

I look at the last few weeks at school.  Our rock band performing at the Rock Shop regionals, our Winter Olympics team working together to achieve, the gymnastics team practicing hard to do their best........  We must remember that schools have the responsibility to go beyond the call of literacy and numeracy duty and provide a place where students can find their passions and talents.......Isn't that what you want for your child?