the australian curriculum - the response for christian...

The Australian Curriculum

- The Response for

Christian Schools –

Being on the Front Foot

Fiona Partridge Kathleen Flentje

Coordinator of Studies Curriculum Development Officer

Torrens Valley Christian School, SA NT Christian Schools Contact: fiona.partridge@tvcs.sa.edu.au Contact: kathleen.flentje@ntcsa.nt.edu.au

Curriculum??

What is prescribed [official statements]

What actually is taught [perceptions, inferences]

Curriculum often defined by…

‘hidden

curriculum’

Sometimes…

change in official

curriculum content is

reactive…

Sometimes it’s

proactive

Sometimes…

change in official

curriculum content is

reactive…

Sometimes it’s

proactive

“Behind every

pedagogy is a

philosophical

anthropology….

…a set of assumptions

about the nature of

human persons –

about the kinds of

creatures we are”

Jamie Smith,

Desiring The Kingdom

Consider the factors that effect

‘curriculum’ content

• View of knowledge – beliefs about how

we know / what is important to know

• Beliefs about the purpose of learning /

how we learn best

• The political and economic context of

schooling

• The social and cultural context

Background to the Australian Curriculum:

Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians

Dec 2008, State, Territory and Commonwealth

Ministers of Education meeting as the Ministerial

Council on Education, Employment, Training and

Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA), released the Melbourne

Declaration on Educational Goals for Young

Australians which sets the direction for Australian

schooling for the next 10 years. The Goals were

developed by Education Ministers in collaboration

with the Catholic and independent school sectors,

following public consultation on the draft declaration.

National Goals for

Schooling

Goal 1:

Australian schooling promotes

equity and excellence

Goal 2:

All young Australians become:

– successful learners

– confident and creative individuals

– active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA 2008)

Australian Curriculum: ACARA ‘Curriculum is only one element that influences how

well young Australians are prepared for their futures

by their education, but it is important because it sets

the level of expectation of their learning. High-

performing countries set high expectations. They

support the fulfilment of those expectations with

high-quality teaching, school and system leadership,

and commitment and support from families,

communities, business and industry. Providing high

quality education is valuable to the community at

large, and justifies people’s investments of time,

effort and resources.’ ACARA 2009, Curriculum Design,

http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_.pdf, accessed 18/3/2011

What does ACARA

mean by…

…a ‘high-performing country’

‘high-quality teaching’?

‘high-quality education’?

Behind this is a ‘story’ of

the good life…

What it means to be

educated…

A ‘productive’ citizen…

Education…

= Build Australia!

= Build own

future!

Modernism….

Valuing ‘productivity’…

Building a better economy

= building a better life!

Education…

= Build Australia!

= Build own

future!

critique

Who

is the

Author

of the

story?

Where

are we in

the story?

What

time

are we

in?

This is

God’s

creation

we are

studying…

Common Grace…

ALL things ‘good’

God has a perfect

plan for His creation

– a story for His

people…

We are in it!

Education…..

restorative role

God says….

“Enjoy yourself in

MY STORY!”

Compliance….

Compliance….

Or

Culture Changers?

Teachers play a

large role in

how the

‘curriculum’ is

selected,

presented,

taught, learnt

and assessed

by students….

“An opportunity”

The Australian Curriculum gives

teachers an opportunity to re-think

the why, how and what of teaching.

Leading the change…

Stay connected to the big picture

Leaders need to be visible

Communicate well…and listen

People will be emotional

Rosalind Cardinal 5 Strategies for Leading through Change http://leadersinheels.com/career/5-strategies-for-leading-through-change/

Our story…

Learning and living that

God Loves Me

I am God’s Person

Living in God’s place

Reflecting God’s authority

Doing Justice, Loving Mercy

Walking Humbly with God

Equipped to be a disciple

To therefore .... go and make disciples

A Call to Action Responding to the Australian Curriculum

A Call to Develop a Set of ‘CEN Framing

Papers’ for Each Core Learning Area

Examples….

Cross curricula priorities

1. Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander

histories and cultures

2. Asia and Australia’s

engagement with Asia

3. Sustainability

What a privilege and

opportunity to learn from

and about our brothers

and sisters in Christ, to

pray for and appreciate

and value their culture,

acknowledging like other

aspects of our world, it too is tainted by sin.

General capabilities

Creativity is part of our

image bearing nature,

interdependent learners,

active and informed by

the biblical narrative in

order to be responsive

disciples

As we address the general capabilities these are ‘signposts’ that

should be embedded across all areas:

• Critique assumptions behind ideas and opinions/perspectives

• An awareness of the ‘big ideas’ of the God’s story

• An ability to integrate across learning areas

• Faith perspectives on curriculum content

Opportunities

Threats Hopes

Key questions

Challenges

Dreams