Creating a Culture of Critical and
Reflective Practice in Stage 4
Aims:
- To discuss how a Year 7 Identity program addresses a range of
the general capabilities of the NSW Syllabus for the Australian
Curriculum
- To share a method of reflection and target setting for Year 7
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Excerpts from the Stage 4 Focus
The focus of the Stage 4 English Course is to foster an increasing
awareness of the self and the world so that students are able to begin
their transition into adulthood with growing confidence. Students will
broaden and deepen their understanding of the human condition as
they explore the connections between the actions and motivations of
people across cultures, contexts and between eras. Their awareness
of the nature of their twenty first century context will be deepened
and they will be enlivened to the inspirational nature of the human
spirit.
Year 7 will focus upon The Individual and the World, where initially
students will focus inwards in their pursuit of knowledge, creating texts
that represent the self. The emphasis will then broaden to encompass
a global vision of experience, where the moral ambiguities of the adult
world will be explored in a variety of text types.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
The Individual and the World
Year 7 is the time when students are making their first steps
into the adult world. As such, it is an ideal period for students
to begin to explore notions of self, both ideologically,
culturally, historically and personally. This year will allow
students to discover the ways in which identity can be
expressed in fictional, non-fictional and visual texts, where
they will develop their skills of evaluating and judging the
success of a texts’ capacity to convey its key ideas to an
audience. Students will create a range of texts of their own
that reflect their identity…In all, this is a year where students
develop their understanding of the interconnectivity of
humankind and how texts allow the responder a window into
realms of understanding of the intertwining threads of
humanity.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
• What is identity?
• How does one’s identity form?
• How do you overcome the challenges in forming
your identity?
• How can the complexities of identity be
expressed in texts?
• How does one change one’s identity?
• How can a study of texts enrich our
understanding of ourselves and our world?
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
A Textual Quilt: Who am I now? Who
might I become?
Understanding one’s identity is a lifelong quest for all and
a concept that can be reflected upon in texts in a variety
of ways. In this unit, primarily a creative one, students
will explore a range of fictional and non-fictional texts
and examine the ways in which identity may be expressed
in a multifaceted and, sometimes, contradictory manner.
They will scrutinise the representations of others’
identities and create texts that reflect aspects of
themselves. This unit aims to allow students to develop a
deeper understanding of themselves and their world, as
well as the people, culture, religion or elements that
shape them, instilling tolerance for difference and
acceptance of the fluidity of identity.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Learning Across the Curriculum
To achieve a socially sustainable future, individuals need to possess an informed
worldview of people, places and communities. The basis of this worldview is a
strong understanding of self so that one can make connections with others. This
unit allows students to consider their identity within the context of being an
Australian in a multicultural society. They will unpack their own thinking about
the world, reflecting and considering critically how their opinions and thinking
define themselves. Through the exploration of a range of texts about identity,
students will see real world examples expressed in non-fiction or imaginative
texts, allowing them to consider a range of ethical issues that may challenge one’s
identity and how one copes with these challenges and still affirms their sense of
self. They consider the nature of identity and its diversity so that they will begin
to be able to see patterns between the self and others, deepening their
intercultural understandings and knowledge of difference and diversity in their
worlds. Ultimately, this unit will enable students to understand themselves as
individuals and their world, thus increasing their personal and social capability at
this crucial time of their development.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Difference and Diversity
Some activities include:
• Writing a letter to the
teacher to introduce the
student.
• Create a playlist/art
exhibition/time capsule that
represents the self. Peer
reflection and display.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Sustainability
Zlata’s Diary
By Zlata Filipovic
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Personal and Social Capability
Woman of the Future –
By Cathy Warry
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Ethical Understanding
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
The Diary of A Young Girl – Anne Frank
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Intercultural Understanding
‘Up Taree Way’
by Libby Hathorn
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Critical and Creative Thinking
“Learning is a consequence of thinking” – David Perkins
“Know what to do when they don’t know what to do” –
Cameron Paterson
Ron Ritchhart
* Open minded
* Curious
* Metacognitive
* Seeking truth and understanding
* Strategic
* Sceptical
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
The Philosophy Project
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
*What would life be like without
questions?
*Can you ask a question about
something of which you know nothing?
*Can a question be an answer? Can an
answer be a question?
*Is there ever a final answer to any
question?
* Is sad the opposite of happy? Is angry
the opposite of happy? What is?
* Is there a difference between joy and
happiness? Between sadness and
depression?
* Can you be sad to be happy or happy
to be sad?
* What is the opposite of love? (Hint:
The writer, Elie Wiesel, says it isn't hate
— it's indifference.) What is
indifference?
*What is the difference between the
truth and a lie?
*Can a lie ever be good?
*What is truth?
*Can something be false without being
a lie?
* How do you decide what to believe in
something strongly and that you are
willing stand up for it? What are you
willing to sacrifice to stand up for your
beliefs?
* Do you believe more fully in fate or
free will?
* How do you know whether the world
has become a better place?
From L. Sandomir The Calhoun School,
New York
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
The Task
Create a piece of work that represents your philosophy
of the world and the people who live in it. This work
will be in a form of your choosing – so it may be a
speech, a letter, frames from a graphic novel, an
interview, a short story, an essay, a poem or a series
of poems, a series of diary entries, an artwork or
photographs, a collage, letter or series of letters the possibilities are endless. You are asked to
negotiate this with your teacher.
Word Length: 500-750
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Reflective Practice at Pymble Ladies’ College
Triple focused
Reflective
Practice
Channels of
communication
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Personalising
Learning
Aims of this initiative
• Empower the students and develop their skills
of being an objective audience of their own
work
• Use reflection as a way to personalise learning
• Create stronger channels of communication
between students, parents/caregivers and
teachers
• Formalised and consistent approach
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Steps in the process
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Students bought a display folder.
Students taught how to reflect.
Students reflected on a range of formative and summative tasks.
Students placed self-assessed, teacher assessed and peer assessed
work into the folder.
Used for Parent Teacher Evening.
Early to mid Term 2, parents/caregivers and the students will work
together to create targets.
Targets reviewed by the teacher for suitability.
Targets reassessed in Term 3 by student and parents/caregivers and
altered in light of new learning. New targets may be set.
Targets reviewed and commented upon in reports at end of the year.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Student work
In my cultural identity story, I wrote about WW2 as my grandma was
involved in it. I made it as if my grandma was talking to me. I tried to make
the story really dramatic to keep the reader interested. I think I did quite
well. My teacher told me that I should write a bit more about the
granddaughters (my) reactions when she heard the story that her grandma
was telling her. I also need to remember to start a new paragraph every
time another person speaks. I also had quite a lot of inaccurate speech
punctuation on my paper. Whenever I write a story or anything really, I like
to draw a plan to guide me through what I am doing. When I wrote this
story I not only learned a lot about English like for example, starting a new
line when a different person speaks and also always including indentation
at the start of a new paragraph but I also learned a lot more about my past
and my real identity.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Student work
I have changed my mind because now I know what identity actually
means, before when I heard or saw the word identity I would always
think of spies but I now know that it is a lot more than that. I like to
think that I am good at keeping the reader feel quite involved and I like
to make my stories quite exaggerated as well. I think I need to learn a
bit more punctuation and grammar to make my writing correct and
accurate. To write this story I had to ask my grandma a lot of questions
about what really happened and then &wrote it down even more
dramatic than it already was! But overall, I think I did quite well and I
am happy with my work.
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Appendix
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
BOS versus Australian Curriculum
Outcome 11
Objective E
•
•
A student uses, reflects on and assesses
individual and collaborative skills for learning
Uses, reflects on and assesses their individual
and collaborative skills for learning
11.11 – articulate and discuss the pleasure and
difficulties, successes and challenges experienced in
their writing
Engage personally with texts
•
articulate and reflect on the pleasure and difficulties,
successes and challenges experienced in their
individual and collaborative learning
11.13 – their own learning strengths and learning
needs
Understand and apply contextual knowledge
•
understand and value the differences between their
own and others' ways of learning in English
11.1 – understand the demands of a task and the
outcomes and criteria for assessment being
addressed
•
understand the demands of a task and the outcomes
and criteria for planned assessment
Understand and apply knowledge of language forms and
11.4 – use the language of the subject when
features
engaging in learning
•
develop and use vocabulary for describing,
analysing and reflecting on their learning
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
experiences
2013
BOS versus Australian Curriculum
Outcome 11
Objective EN4 – 9E
•
•
Uses, reflects on and assesses their individual
and collaborative skills for learning
•
discuss and explain the processes of responding
and composing, identifying the personal
pleasures and difficulties experienced
•
use and reflect on metacognitive processes
used for planning, including brainstorming, mind
mapping, storyboarding, role-play and
improvisation
•
identify, plan and prioritise stages of tasks,
making use of organisational strategies,
eg drawing up a schedule, monitoring progress
and meeting deadlines
A student uses, reflects on and assesses
individual and collaborative skills for learning
No direct corresponding Learn to/about in Bos
No direct corresponding Learn to/about in Syllabus –
although 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.19 all address the
use of processes for planning for a task. There is no
direct reference to reflection on the processes or
strategies that a student utilises.
11.7 – identify, plan and prioritise stages of tasks
with clear teacher directions
11.19 – management strategies including drawing up
a schedule, monitoring progress, meeting deadline
and following marking criteria guidelines
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
BOS versus Australian Curriculum
Outcome 11
Objective EN4 – 9E
•
•
Uses, reflects on and assesses their individual
and collaborative skills for learning
11.10 – reflect on and assess their own and others’
learning against specific criteria
11.20 – reflection strategies such as learning logs,
journals, letters to teachers and peers, guided
discussion
•
reflect on and assess their own and others'
learning against specific criteria, using reflection
strategies, eg learning logs, blogs and
discussions with teachers and peers
11.9 – perform an allocated role responsibly in a
group and assess the success of the collaborative
process
11.15 – roles and responsibilities of individuals in
groups
•
understand the roles and responsibilities of
individuals in groups, performing an allocated
role responsibly in a group and assessing the
success of individual and collaborative processes
A student uses, reflects on and assesses
individual and collaborative skills for learning
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013
Key differences
Moves from:
• Discussing TO reflecting
• Own learning TO their own and others’ way of
learning and valuing the differences
• Use a vocabulary TO develop and use a
vocabulary
• Movement from planning TO an understanding of
the process of planning
• Repetition of personal pleasures and difficulties
in process of composing
Cassandra Freeman and Nicole Sabbadin©
2013