MAIN CURRICULUM FOCUS
Science
● Identify questions and problems that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on scientific knowledge (ACSIS124)
● Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125)
● Cross-curricular Links- Design: Consider components/resources to develop solutions, identifying constraints (WATPPS40)
● Design: Design, develop, review and communicate design ideas, plans and processes within a given context, using a range of techniques, appropriate technical terms and technology (WATPPS41)
● English: Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)
● HASS: Identify current understandings to consider possible gaps and/or misconceptions, new knowledge needed and challenges to personal perspectives (WAHASS64)
● Science: Change to an object’s motion is caused by unbalanced forces, including Earth’s gravitational attraction, acting on the object (ACSSU117)
● Maths: Solve problems involving the comparison of lengths and areas using appropriate units (ACMMG137)
Context
Yule Brook College is an Independent Public School located in the south-east metropolitan region of Perth, Western Australia. The college strives to meet the individual needs of their students and to provide support to develop the dimensions of the whole person within a transformative learning and teaching environment. Yule Brook is a Big Picture School, which is designed to provide a personalised learning plan based on each student's interests and passions. The Advisory class is an integral part of the school structure and students develop a strong bond with their class and teacher. The two current Year 7 classes taking part in Creative Schools are both advisory classes. The ethos of our whole school program is ‘one student at a time in a community of learners’.
WHAT WE DID
Project overview
Before my arrival, Mr Peterson had worked with his Advisory class to transform the area outside their classroom into a productive garden. The students really enjoyed the hands on work creating and planting the garden and it was decided to extend this by the creation of a vertical garden that would hang outside their class. The problem that was put to the classes was that the Home Economics teacher really wanted to have strawberries at the beginning of the year but since there was no one on at the school site for 6 weeks over summer the plants always died. How could we create a vertical garden that could be watered over the summer break without any ongoing in put from people, electricity or plumbed water?
How did we make the curriculum come alive?
Each week our session started with a warm-up activity that was based on the concept of moving something in an interesting way. Our warm-ups included moving a ball without hands, creating a giant human caterpillar track and surfing tables on student logs.
In term 3 we alternated between a theoretical understanding of water movement, design and construction with hands on activities as we tested levers, constructed models of water systems, tested block and tackle setups and created gearing from bicycle wheels. We came back to our original design for each theoretical class to see how we could now refine and improve our design based on our new knowledge. (Spiral knowledge: once we have an experience we can never come back to the same place of learning, we are always higher up the spiral).
Term 4 was all about the hands-on construction. A chance to see all that theory come to live. Students had to use mathematic formulas to measure, cut and estimate resources, learn safety protocols for work with large machines and small and work sustainably with resources to ensure that we didn’t waste the resources we had.
How did we make the Creative Habits of Mind come alive?
Each session was always based on curiosity and imagination. When you are solving a problem and creating a design you need to always be curious and open to new ideas. Since we were combining two advisory classes we had to spend time each session on collaboration and discipline as the students learned to work together.
At the end of each session we discussed which Creative Habit of Learning with the students and which of the Habits they felt they had used that day and they then added a colour dot (leaf) to our Creative Habits Tree.
Term 4 the main Creative Habits we focused on were Collaboration and Persistence. There was a lot of new learning and times when we had to stand and listen to be taught techniques or wait or turn. The work was also physical which required the student to stick with a hard task whether it was sawing, sanding or cutting.
How did we activate student voice and learner agency?
From the very first session we used student input to design our vertical garden and watering system. Once we had a design under way the students chose a team to work on that best suited their skills. The Resource team was responsible for letter writing e.g. to the Principal to put forward a case for an excursion to City Farm in Term 4, resource sourcing and grant application. The Hydro team was responsible for the water system which has been decided as an Archimedes screw powered by solar panels and a small motor. The final team was the Construction team who were responsible for the design of the vertical garden, soil and plant selection and how to get the water through the plants and back to the collection vessel.
The biggest element of student voice and learner agency in term 4 was the option to opt out. Due to the dangerous nature of the work, we were doing the students had to be committed and focused to stay safe. If they felt they could not be safe then they could opt out to ensure that they didn't interrupt or endanger anyone else. Over the first few weeks this was not very successful as the students we chose to opt out wanted to impact the others around them but by the end of our series we saw the student's ability to choose their level of focus and activity and not impact others with their decision.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT?
Student
The impact for students has been very varied over the course of the term. At times it has felt as if the students couldn't care less what we were doing and other times when they were completely engaged. Evidence that it has impacted the students comes from the relationship that we have made with them over the course of the project and the conversations that we now have related to the program. They are proud to show what they have created or discovered and enter into conversations about what we should do moving forward. We have also overheard students say “oh yes its garden day” when they see the Creative Practitioner arriving for a session.
Teachers
Matt is a super enthusiastic teacher and he and I have worked really well together. My feedback from him is that he has learnt to allow the kids more freedom to explore a concept without too many parameters.
“I have found it hard at times to hand things over to the kids and let them run it. It’s great working with Fay and having someone to bounce ideas off.”
Sanchita is new to the Big Picture philosophy so has really enjoyed the project style approach of this experience.
“Creative Schools is amazing learning for the kids and for me. It’s hands on activities. It’s fun and the kids are coming up with new ideas all the time.”
“They are developing collaboration and inquisitiveness. We are pushing them more to ask more questions. We are also doing imaginative, fun things and constantly challenging them to think: how can this happen?”
Creative Practitioner
Initially I felt unprepared for the road blocks I came up against in this project. However, I have learnt that I do not have to teach the perfect plan that I have created. I can adapt and pare down and the lesson is still very valuable. I have learnt so much from Matt in his relationship with his students, the trust, and the potential he sees in them. I have loved the collaborative work that has occurred between the teachers and myself and the students.
School
Creative Schools has been running at Yule Brook College for two years, so I think the fact that the school opens its doors to Creatives is a testament to the impact the program has on the school.
Parents
I was able to sit in on a student’s end of term, exhibition where they shared their Creative Schools journey with their parents, we noticed the remarks around how much they enjoyed it.
Student quotes
“You get to do fun activities with Creative Schools. You get to try out so many different activities."
“Creative Schools people get to know the students better and you get to meet new friends. We work in groups and tell each other what to do and other people in the group help you work out the instructions.”
“It’s creative, we are doing things that can help the environment and animals. The thinking is creative. I don’t usually think like this. I’m getting lots of new ideas.”
“It’s pretty fun when she (the Creative Practitioner) comes. We get to play different games. She is really cool, she came here just to teach us about different watering systems. She teachers us how to be creative. I’ve had to solve problems when I did the paper challenge.”
“It gives you lots of exercise and mental exercise. We also move our bodies around more in these lessons. It's a little break from other learning. It's easier and also harder at the same time. You are thinking of lots but it gets easier when you get it.”
“We are constantly being given challenges in the project. It is good because we are actually being successful. I think it is fun, this style of learning. It builds our friendships.”
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