Mind matters

UWCSEA STORIES

Mind matters

how UWCSEA is meeting learners where they are

Decades ago, it was impossible to imagine that teachers could tailor their lessons to different types of students; but today, it is an established and necessary practice. Thanks to the generosity of a long-terrm supporter, UWCSEA has embarked on an innovative, three-year project to develop the capacity of teachers to recognise different kinds of minds and to help build classroom-based strategies to support their students to engage with their learning in ways best suited to each individual. Rebecca Butterworth, High School Principal at Dover, started this work in 2019/2020, in consultation with education expert, Syliva Leck, from Foundations for Learning, based in Zurich. Syliva’s method is neurodevelopmental, asserting that learning challenges arise from the way our brains work differently. As a result, some of the behaviour changes we see in young people as learners may be a manifestation of how

their brains process information differently. The model is designed to recognise the incredible diversity that exists in every classroom and the unique way that each brain works to process information. In Term 1 of 2019/2020, Rebecca worked with Sylvia and Simon Beesley, Teacher of Learning Support in the High School, on a professional learning plan that would reach all High School teachers. In Term 2, they identified the Heads of Department as the team of advocates who would embark on the initial phase of this project in 2020/2021. This team would have additional time and training to build their capacity and work with a core group of students. While the school closure during the Singapore circuit breaker interrupted the ability to begin the work with students, it created the opportunity for ongoing virtual training with Sylvia Leck, which was then continued into 2020/2021. By the end of next year, the advocate team and High School Heads of Department will have completed core training modules. Looking back, Rebecca remarks,

“The virtual training enabled us to design more bespoke support for our advocates. By dividing the Heads of Department into smaller teams we were able to offer far more personalised training. Instead of a one-off, two or three-day face-to-face workshop, our subject leaders and advocates now have regular mentoring, meaning they can apply their learning to real-life classroom situations.”

During the training, teachers learn about how behaviour in the classroom can be linked to differences in how students process information. The framework moves away from the idea that the student ‘has a problem’ and instead focuses on understanding the student as they are. Teachers learn how to deconstruct the behaviour they observe in the classroom so as to better understand what is going on for the student neurodevelopmentally. For example, a student with an auditory processing issue (who may present as forgetful or disinterested) may need to have instructions written down, in a step-by-step list, rather than receiving instructions verbally. Or a student with memory retention challenges (who often forgets their homework), may be helped by using tactile mediums to take notes or remember deadlines. Initial feedback from the pilot group of advocates is very positive and the High School team looks forward to the continued implementation over the next two years. As the project continues, synergies will be developed with simultaneous work which is examining ways to promote improved wellbeing and to support mental health in the High School. As the future of education continues to be re-imagined, ensuring that we support our students with classroom practices that connect with their learning style has never been more critical. It conveys that we genuinely value our students and are equipping them with the tools they need to navigate ever-changing contexts.