The concept of engaging with schools and the community beyond our gates continues to support Lutheran educators to challenge themselves and build strong learning partners. Recently, a scoping tour in Melbourne was conducted for the 2023 Contemporary Learning Tours. Reflections and highlights from our visits to Newmark Primary School, Kunyung Primary School, and Albert Park Public School are below:
- Kunyung’s Teacher Think Tank exhibited how they create space and time for teachers to collaborate with clear expectations around approaches, philosophy, and curriculum design. The intentional collaboration allowed teachers to design 5-week cycles of learning based on students’ needs at a point in time. This involved making flipped-learning resources which were shared across the team.
- Student agency and learner efficacy were other highlights from Kunyung Primary School. Students used 3 driving questions to lead their learning – What are you learning and why? How best will I learn it? How will I know I learnt it?
- Albert Park Public School was renowned for its use of community assets and learning partnerships. If students were not in a learning focus group, they were at the Life Saving Centre on the beach, the Year 9 Learning Facility (where they stayed all year), the Eco-Science Facility at the wharf, running one of the school’s community pantries, or in one of their industry-standard learning spaces.
- Albert Park took every opportunity to cover classroom rooms with reading stimulus. Books donated by the community. It was the most innovate use locker space I have seen. Lockers were plant pots, fish tanks, or bookshelves.
The next Sydney Contemporary Learning Tour scheduled for the 7th of November has a few places remaining and the Brisbane Contemporary Learning Tour is also fast approaching. To learn more about the itinerary and program scope, please click here for more details. Register here.
