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Dean of Learning - Junior Years
FROM THE DEAN
OF LEARNING JUNIOR YEARS
THE OXFORD DICTIONARY DEFINES CURIOSITY AS “A STRONG DESIRE TO KNOW OR LEARN SOMETHING”. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN THERE IS NO BETTER STARTING PLACE FOR LEARNING THAN CURIOSITY – THE STRONG DESIRE TO LEARN. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FORCE SOMEONE TO BE CURIOUS. INSTEAD, THE GOAL IS TO SEEK TO CREATE SITUATIONS AND EXPERIENCES THAT PROMPT OR GUIDE STUDENTS TO THINK CURIOUSLY (BOUDREAU, 2020). SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL AT REDEEMER?
This year, as we have navigated the various challenges of 2022, our teachers and teacher assistants have continued to passionately seek to create the very best learning experiences for students and to tap into students’ curiosity by involving them in the learning process. As mentioned previously, curiosity cannot be forced. Curiosity comes from within each person, so the person at the centre of the learning process is the student. With this in mind, we have been continually exploring how we can provide an excellent educational experience for our students that is in line with the Australian Curriculum, with high standards, while also enabling students to be active participants in the learning journey. We believe this is best achieved by having a deep knowledge of the curriculum, combined with an ability to genuinely listen to students, the questions they are asking and the ideas they are developing.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who has been a leader in research and learning around achieving a ‘state of flow’, tells us:
“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990)
Appropriate challenge is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to fostering a state of curiosity for students. Determining and planning for the appropriate level of challenge can be a difficult proposition at the best of times. However, we are constantly seeking to improve how we plan learning experiences that are personalised for students, considering the abilities, interests and goals of each student to plan learning experiences and allow flexibility so that each student is engaging with the learning at an appropriate level of challenge for them. Not only that, but in designing projects and tasks that are open, project-based and connected to the wider community, students are naturally able to ask questions and take action at their own pace and level.
These are big goals for us to aim towards, and we are still very much on the journey to achieving them. I don’t think there will ever be a time when we arrive and have achieved all we wish to when we consider an educational experience that is personalised and driven by curiosity; however, amidst the many challenges and constraints experienced by schools across 2022, I have been incredibly proud of the progress our staff are making towards this goal. Our teachers and teacher assistants are an incredible blessing to our Redeemer community and, most importantly, to the students in their care. I am consistently amazed by their passion for improving their practice to ensure the best outcomes for our students, and to do all they can to equip students at Redeemer to be active participants in changing our world for the better.
