collaborative curriculum innovation: balancing rigour … · collaborative curriculum innovation:...

Collaborative curriculum innovation: balancing rigour

and engagement

Mathilda Joubert Principal

SCEA Institute of Teaching and Learning

Cherylynne Gostelow Deputy Principal: Innovative

Learning Design Ellenbrook Christian College

Will Rogers

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit

there."

Outline �  The challenge

�  What we did

�  Evidence of impact

�  Implications for leadership

�  How do you develop a personalised school curriculum that guarantees systematic Australian Curriculum coverage, enables progression in the general capabilities like creative and critical thinking, harnesses student voice, creates teacher ownership and, above all, leads to student engagement in rich learning experiences that result in deep learning?

The Challenge - Opportunity

A tried and tested process that involves teachers in developing

a creative curriculum that guarantees learner engagement

and rigour

Creative Curriculum Development Process What we’ll learn

…………

…………

…………

How we’ll learn

…………

………….

………….

How we’ll learn

What we’ll learn

Student Voice

Rigour and progression in learning

Balancing rigour and enjoyment

Not like this

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

Curriculum Mapping Process

Think about?

Watch?

Like to talk about….

Look up to or want to spend time with?

Love to do or visit?

Favourite games

Listen to..

Exploring the world of children

Planning activity �  Make a random list of learning objectives that

children have to learn

�  Connect one student interest and one learning objective to plan a learning activity that would teach the chosen objective by hooking in through the interest of children

�  Repeat the process with another objective and another student interest, etc.

�  Planning learning activities from children’s starting points

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

Curriculum Mapping Process

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

Curriculum Mapping Process

© EXCITE 2010

Connected Curriculum

�  Cross-curricular connections

�  Link stimulus to all subjects

English Mathematics Science ICT History Geography Design Technology Health & Physical Education Music Visual Art Media Arts Civics & Citizenship Dance Drama Business & Economics Languages Religious education

“The Programmes of Study are just the ingredients.

Imagine the ingredients of a meal separated in the kitchen ready to eat. How do we create an appetizing salad?

In schools we usually serve the simple ingredients separately… Imagine eating tomatoes for 40 minutes, followed by lettuce for 40 minutes then, after a 15 minute break, sitting down to double onions.” Mick Waters, Former Director of Curriculum, QCA, UK

Remember: We want salad, not soup!

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

4.  Choose one of the General Capabilities to map in

Curriculum Mapping Process

Learning content and skills •  Purposeful, not accidental

teaching of skills –  Critical and creative

thinking –  Personal and social

capability –  Ethical understanding –  Intercultural

understanding

–  Literacy –  Numeracy –  ICT Capability

Balancing content and skill �  Work in groups of 3

�  Person A: write down a content learning objective from any subject

�  Person B: write down a random interest of young people (e.g. a TV show, hobby or film) as stimulus

�  Person C: choose a General Capability from the previous slide

�  Share what you have written down and together invent a new classroom activity that brings these elements together

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

4.  Choose one of the General Capabilities to map in

5.  Map in the fixed curriculum content (“what we’ll learn”)

6.  Map in the free curriculum content and skills (“what we’ll learn”)

Curriculum Mapping Process

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

4.  Choose one of the General Capabilities to map in

5.  Map in the fixed curriculum content (“what we’ll learn”)

6.  Map in the free curriculum content and skills (“what we’ll learn”)

7.  Plan a “WOW!” Start to the project to immerse the learners

8.  Plan a “FINALE” outcome or experience to work towards – real purpose and real audience

Curriculum Mapping Process

Real outcomes with purpose and audience

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

4.  Choose one of the General Capabilities to map in

5.  Map in the fixed curriculum content (“what we’ll learn”)

6.  Map in the free curriculum content and skills (“what we’ll learn”)

7.  Plan a “WOW!” Start to the project to immerse the learners

8.  Plan a “FINALE” outcome or experience to work towards – real purpose and real audience

9.  Plan in enrichment opportunities, e.g. visits, visitors, use of outdoor learning environment, community links, etc.

Curriculum Mapping Process

1.  Choose an exciting starting point from the students’ interests

2.  Mindmap “what we’ll do” from the students’ point of view – what would they love to do?

3.  Think of activities for all subject areas/areas of learning

4.  Choose one of the General Capabilities to map in

5.  Map in the fixed curriculum content (“what we’ll learn”)

6.  Map in the free curriculum content and skills (“what we’ll learn”)

7.  Plan a “WOW!” Start to the project to immerse the learners

8.  Plan a “FINALE” outcome or experience to work towards – real purpose and real audience

9.  Plan in enrichment opportunities, e.g. visits, visitors, use of outdoor learning environment, community links, etc.

10.  Invent a fun and engaging title – not something you would find in a curriculum document – and place it in the grid

Curriculum Mapping Process

Curriculum Examples •  Indiana Jones and the Pyramids of Peril in Coventry

•  The Apprentice in Harwich

•  Whodunnit? in Perth

•  From Ice Age to Space Age in Lincolnshire

•  A Night in the Museum in Hastings

•  Camping, Cooking and Caving in Herefordshire

•  Manic Machines in Leicester

•  X-treme Survival in London

•  Around the World in 40 Days in Perth

•  60 projects in 1 day in Runcorn

�  Teacher

�  School

�  Student learning

Evidence of impact

�  Building teacher professional capital – the biggest influence on student learning

�  Teacher engagement, collaboration and commitment

�  “It was very exciting seeing the teams integrating the ideas, skills and subjects together with so much excitement and enthusiasm …wonderful.”

Teacher impact

Impact on schools �  Improvements in enrolments, attendance, parental

engagement

�  Impact on whole school culture

�  “This is an outstanding school. Pupils are excited by their learning, make at least good progress and achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science. They are given every opportunity to be creative in lessons and other activities that are typified by outstanding teaching. At the heart of the school’s success, and its most noted feature, is the exciting curriculum which is rich, varied, highly stimulating and delivers a real ‘wow!’ factor.” (Ofsted, the UK inspectorate)

Impact on student learning

Improving student learning

Student engagement & enjoyment

Leading improvement, innovation and change

Change Ingredients

�  X = Change

�  fP = Frustration over the Present

�  CV = Clear Vision

�  SV = Student Voice

�  TC3 = Teacher Creativity, Collaboration and Confidence

�  EL = Enabling Leadership

�  T = Time

fP x CV

SV x TC3 x EL X =

T

Leadership implications 1.  Know your context

2.  Establish the moral purpose for change

3.  Anticipate resistance

4.  Choose your focus

5.  Build a guiding coalition

6.  Watch your language

7.  Keep the process clear

8.  Be research-informed

9.  Take parents with you

Leadership implications 1.  Know your context

2.  Establish the moral purpose for change

3.  Anticipate resistance

4.  Choose your focus

5.  Build a guiding coalition

6.  Watch your language

7.  Keep the process clear

8.  Be research-informed

9.  Take parents with you

10. Monitor impact

11. Balance change and stability

Innovation world

Rules Speculate Experiment

Problem solve Known

solutions

Routines

Yes/No Develop solutions

Balancing the Cycling Worlds

(Copyright Synectics)

Operational world

Leadership implications 1.  Know your context

2.  Establish the moral purpose for change

3.  Anticipate resistance

4.  Choose your focus

5.  Build a guiding coalition

6.  Watch your language

7.  Keep the process clear

8.  Be research-informed

9.  Take parents with you

10. Monitor impact

11. Balance change and stability

12. Be courageous and committed

“Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” (Lloyd George)

Why change?

Any questions?

Contact details �  Mathilda Joubert

�  mathildaj@scea.wa.edu.au

�  Cherylynne Gostelow �  cmgostelow@gmail.com