A Modern Learning Environment at Ladbrooks SchoolSharing and Thinking
Collaboratively
To begin, sit back...… and enjoy Ken Robinson’s
thoughts
Some questions around our beliefs...
• What are our beliefs about the nature of our
learners?
• What are our beliefs around the attributes our
learners need now and for the future?
Defining our thinking ….
Collaborative teaching?
• We will start with the BLUE HAT to frame our thinking
• We will share some of our thoughts using the 6 Thinking Hats
• Following this, you will be involved in recording your thoughts and ideas under the headings of red, yellow, black and green hats
• We will share these ideas at the end as part of our discussion
Way back then ….
Today in NZ!- Stonefields (Auckland)
What is a Modern Learning Environment? (MLE)
•• They tend to have increased flexibility, openness and a greater access
to resources
• Teacher - student ratios are reduced
• Far greater opportunities for collaboration student(s) to student(s), teacher(s) to student(s)
Physical environments that support the needs of a modern learner
Collaborative teaching?
• Several teachers with many children
• Often multi-level and various age groups
• Can be in one space, MLE or in traditional class set up
• All teachers are responsible for all learners **
• Individual needs are catered for effectively
• Teacher expertise exponentially increased
Collaborative teaching?
• Excitement - It could really revitalise our practice and learning for the children.
• Sadness - Some of the neat things we do currently may change
• Fear - What will this look like?
Collaborative teaching?
• Supports strength-based teaching
• When there is one teacher, the learning is often serialWhen there is a team, it is parallel and learning is faster
• Additional possibilities for Gifted and Talented and remedial attention
• Increased connectivity between students and staff
• Teachers have told us they wouldn’t want to teach any other way
The TOROA environment...• Will students feel overwhelmed?
• How will siblings in the same learning community be accommodated?
• How will children’s social groupings be affected?
• Will it be noisy?
• How will the ages and stages be catered for?
• If I have an issue, who will I talk to?
The possibilities!
• We could do a arts/language rotation
• We could involve families in more formalised before- school word reading, spelling and brick testing routines
• We could use the library and Weka as quiet break-out spaces
• Cooking would be easy - we’d have the kitchen
• The ‘spare’ classrooms could be set up for art or music or PMP
Collaboration in action
Sharing our thoughts...
Key thoughts...