Good Day Kunyung!
This fortnight has been another ‘typical’ Kunyung fortnight……………learning, learning, learning and some more learning- and that was just the teachers!!
Through some wonderful life experiences and through some explicit, ‘sense of urgency’ teaching and learning we are ‘humming’ along in more ways than one……………..we also received our Staff School Survey results back and I have outlined two of our most positive areas- even though they were all great!
COLLECTIVE EFFICACY and RESPONSIBILITY………say what?
Our Staff School Survey results showed that our staff strongly believe we have a high amount of collective efficacy at Kunyung- that we all have a responsibility for the planning, teaching and assessment of all students in our teams…..what does that actually look like? Here are some examples…..
· Every week staff bring their class Student Data to our planning meetings- we look at this maths and reading data and discuss what teaching needs to be the focus for the following week, how we can move students further along in their learning and how far are they away from reaching their next benchmark (how can we get them there?). We discuss what direction the students want to take in our Unit of Inquiry and what are we actually looking for in our students to be able to say ‘Yep, they understand that!’
· Teachers have been completing assessments that will inform end of year school reports and part of that process has been ‘moderating’ student work. At our weekly collaborative planning meetings, teachers have brought in samples of student writing to share, ask questions about and decide on a level as a team. We have discussed maths outcomes and reading levels- trying to share our collective experience, understanding and thoughts. Our aim has been to give every student the best possible opportunity to demonstrate their learning before a final assessment is made!
TRUST IN PARENTS & STUDENTS
Another area of high scoring was the trust our staff have in you as parents AND the faith we have in our students’ ability to learn! How positive is that!!! It matches the high result from the Parent Opinion Survey that showed the high level of trust you have in our staff!
We thought that perhaps the work we are putting into opening up communication channels (Skoolbag app, newsletter, blog, diaries) between home and school, in regard to the ‘learning’ and events happening around the school, that parents have more of an idea about what is being learnt at school and how best to support their children. Our Staff have TRUST in you guys….what a compliment to you!!!!
Our staff also have confidence in your children’s ability to learn! Our work on developing a Visible Learning Culture where not only do teachers know What is being learnt, How best will it be learnt and How will we know what has been learnt BUT your children know the answers to these questions as well!!!! Our staff know that not all students are working at the same level (In fact our teachers know EXACTLY where your children are and so do they!!) but they have confidence that your children are al capable of learning and to be the best they can be…………
Just wanted to further reinforce two of the many positive things our staff feel about our school………..
Meanwhile in other news……..
Our Preps have been observing things in the environment they we have a responsibility for and, acting as custodians, as they learn about Sharing our Planet through the eyes of an environmental scientist! Reading and writing is starting to ‘take off’ and the Prep Swimming Program has just finished!!!!! Excitement reigns supreme!!!!!!
Over in ‘Junior Land’ our Juniors have also been looking at the world through the eyes of an Environmental Scientist……their focus being on structural features and adaptations help living things survive in the environment.
Their focus is on ‘how things function’ in the environment and that we all have roles to play if things are going to work!
Our Middle Students, not to be outdone, are spending time inquiring into how we organise ourselves. Their focus is on how we create organisations and systems to meet personal, local and global needs. They are looking at the systems and organisations we create to assist us in our learning. What roles do we play in these systems?
Our Senior Students have continued their inquiry into ‘Who we are’ and are spending time deeply thinking about what makes a ‘balanced’ person. It has been a perfect way to approach transition and has allowed students to address some of their concerns, worries, fears and excitement about growing up! A highlight has been the Family Life Program run by Family Life Victoria! Kelli is a wonderful presenter and the Seniors have approached such issues as developing positive relationships with maturity and confidence (and Kelli’s humorous approach has certainly supported these discussions!) SB have also been fortunate to have welcomed into their classroom, Ulli, grandmother of one of our Preps. She has worked with SB on developing the positive attributes inside them and attributes that a confident and resilient person displays. How lucky are we to have such expertise in our community! J
Let’s not forget FRENCH DAY next week………….our students will look amazing!!
Now……..after reading ALL OF THAT………which Learner Profile attributes do you think our students and teachers have exhibited over the past fortnight????? Have a look below and try to identify some they may have not only used but had the opportunity to develop!!!!
IB LEARNER PROFILE
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
IB learners strive to be:
| INQUIRERS We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life. |
OPEN-MINDED We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience. |
RISK-TAKERS We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. |
THINKERS We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions. |
KNOWLEDGEABLE We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance. |
| CARING We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us. |
BALANCED We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live. |
REFLECTIVE We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development. |
COMMUNICATORS We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways. We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups. |
PRINCIPLED We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences. |
Assistant Principal
