Connecting School with Life - Getting students involved in curriculum & learning design

This week is a really special episode where we get to hear from some incredible students and teachers from around the world with one thing in common! They are all doing amazing work to explore the possibilities that come when we invite learners to be much more involved in who directs the learning process, what gets learned and what the role of the educators is in our schools. 

We will hear from Amalia, Mehrbanoo, Bruno and Ollie at International School of the Hague, Natalia, Bryant, and Mark at Avenues School, New York, Michaela, Lauren, and James at Northern Bay College in Geelong, and lastly Charlie, Josie, Dylan and Nathan at Prahran High School in Melbourne.

Despite working in very different contexts and being at different stages of the process, what you'll hear is that many of the challenges and successes are the same! How much structure is the right amount to give learners freedom but also support at the right time? What skills and approaches to learning do students need and quickly develop as part of this work? How do we reduce the 'fear-factor' of these changes among parents, teachers, school leaders and sometimes amongst students themselves? How do assessments and curriculum structures also need to develop to make sure that these shifts are well-supported rather than working against the system? Because when you hear these students tell their stories, there is NO QUESTION about how significant and real the benefits are of giving them more ownership and control over their learning.

For more background on the theory and practices around supporting student agency, you can check out episode 86 with Larissa Raymond and Jayne-Louise Collins.

The schools featured in this episode are:

International School of the Hague: https://www.ishthehague.nl/academic/myp/pathfinder-curriculum

Contact - Pathfinder Programme Lead: Anne Tabak

Avenues, New York: https://www.avenues.org/open-ed/what-do-students-really-learn-in-mastery 

Contact - Global Academic Dean: Mark Gutkowski

Northern Bay College, Geelong: https://www.nbc.vic.edu.au/ 

Contact - Year 9 Learning Community Leader: James Bayard

Prahran High School, Melbourne: https://prahranhighschool.vic.edu.au/  

Contact - Executive Principal: Nathan Chisholm