Update - Building our Learning Community

Our children were motivated and excited about ‘building’ their own learning space! They were empowered to make decisions about which furniture to use and how to arrange it. The children created floor plans and discussed their ideas as a class before setting up their spaces for learning.

Andrea and Krisy shared a selection of images to inspire the children to think of different ideas when they were designing their learning environment for 2016.

In the first few weeks of school, the children completed a range of different tasks to get to know each other, including player profiles, artworks, team challenges and sharing family traditions.

The children started to explore the learning culture of their classroom by responding to a range of provocative statements. 

For example: 

• We all learn the same way.
• It is my teacher's responsibility to make me learn.
• Everyone needs to sit at a desk to learn.
• The teachers should make all of the decisions in our classroom.
• We all need the same things to be able to learn.
• I can only learn when I am told what to do.
• You need to work in silence to be able to learn.
• I am too young to manage my own learning.

As part of these discussions, classes developed their own treaty for 2016.

This process allowed the children and teachers to establish shared ownership for the learning culture and environment.

Mindcraft - Building our Learning Community in 2016

We have started 2016 with our own version of ‘Minecraft’, a computer game our children love to play!  When the children arrived at school, they noticed signs saying ‘Mindcraft’. The children completed a player profile at the start of the day.  The furniture was stacked in the classrooms and the walls were empty.  Our children are going to be fully involved in building a successful learning community in their classroom.  Children will get to know each other, be actively involved in setting up their environment for learning, and develop an understanding themselves as a learner. 

The big idea of our integrated unit in Term One is ‘Hauora’ (Well-being).  Throughout the term our children will develop an understanding of the four dimensions of Hauora (Physical, Social, Mental and Emotional, and Spiritual).  All four dimensions together make us strong, healthy, and happy.  After morning tea, the children played a game of ‘Mindcraft’. The children had to complete challenges from each dimension of Hauora. Each class was set the challenge of designing and building their learning space by incorporating the dimensions of Hauora.  By ensuring the children are part of the decision-making process, we create a learning community where our children feel a sense of belonging and ownership and establish a strong culture of learning.