Plan for Improving Student Learning Through Communities of Shared Teaching and Learning Practice
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Identify and apply the essential elements of the NZC to create a relevant, authentic 21 st C curriculum relevant to their school community.
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o The NZC is a national framework for curriculum design that tailors learning to each learning community o Curriculum is developed from big ideas that connect and underpin essential learning areas o Big ideas in curriculum develop and deepen student understanding and their transfer of learning o Curriculum is defined by the identified “end in mind’ for learners o The ‘end in mind’ for learners is defined by the alignment of the vision of learning community with the NZC o Key competencies guide and frame expected learning behaviours and dispositions and therefore essential to a relevant year 7/8 curriculum o Effective planning includes Key Competencies and that require deliberate and conscious teaching o Effective curriculum is connected across learning areas and levels and helps students important ideas and transfer learning o An established curriculum review and development process gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to lead and model the creation of cutting edge, current curriculum o Curriculum that is inquiry/problem based leads to authentic relevant project based opportunities that excite and engage middle years learners o Tikanga and Te Reo Maori in a year 7/8 curriculum underpins and connects learning and learners
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o What is effective 21 st C curriculum? o How are big ideas defined and identified? o Why include big ideas in curriculum design? o How does curriculum design impact the development of global citizens? o Why use big ideas to frame curriculum design? o How does the curriculum design process lead effective and purposeful change? o How do Key Competencies impact learning and learners in the middle years? o What makes teaching and learning engaging and effective for year 7 and 8? o How do we create and sustain effective curriculum design? o Why frame the middle years curriculum through inquiry, problem solving and project based learning? o What is literacy in a 21 st C curriculum? o How do the literacies and numeracy underpin an effective 21 st C curriculum?

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o The NZ curriculum is the essential map that drives the development of school based curriculum o The NZC consists of key components that fall under three main sections: Directions for Learning, Guidance, The
School Curriculum o Each of the key components of the NZC provides essential information and guidance when designing school based curriculum o Big ideas are over arching ideas identified within and across curriculum areas o A responsive curriculum for middle years learners must recognize and provide opportunity for social awareness, complex authentic contexts o Authentic effective learning contexts must include positive relationships with adults and community involvement. o Effective curriculum design can only be sustained when a system of review and renewal is regularly built into the term school calendar o Curriculum mapping is a system wide process that involves all members of a learning community in regular review, revision and renewal o Effective engaging Year 7 and 8 curriculum is a result of backward design that clearly identifies the expected end in mind in the form of a transfer goal, understandings, essential questions, knowledge, skills and Authentic assessment o An inquiry/problem based curriculum includes clearly scaffolded stages of learning that starts in the known o There are specific strategies necessary to scaffold
Inquiry/problem based learning o Inquiry/problem based learning requires critical and creative thinking strategies
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 Align school vision with expectations for year 7
& 8 learners
 Identify big ideas within curriculum areas
 Compare and connect big ideas across curriculum areas
 Examine the NZC for essential elements to inform school curriculum design
 Analyse 21 st C skills, literacies and fluencies to inform relevant curriculum design
 Evaluate current curriculum design against
NZC and 21 st C expectations
 Adapt and renew curriculum based on the outcomes of the evaluation
 Analyse various curriculum models and strategies and identify possible frameworks and processes
 Examine strategies for creating a culture of inquiry in learning?
 Create a viable process for curriculum design that includes the voices of all members of the learning community
 Compare and contrast the strengths and barriers for effective curriculum in secondary schools
 Apply new learning to collaboratively create an effective relevant curriculum for todays learners
 Summarise outcomes and identify next steps in learning

o Design process embedded within the school systems and calendared accordingly o Curriculum design formats and frameworks selected and applied using backward design o Self directed, self managing learners identify next steps in learning o Students applying the learning dispositions and habits of mind required to be an independent contributor to the global community o Teachers know the individual learner and clearly identify their next steps in developing the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to achieve o
o A 21 c century year 7/8 curriculum design process in place. o Year 7 and 8 Curriculum mapped to identify big ideas and curriculum connections o Year 7/8 Students engaged in a range of relevant inquiry/problem based learning opportunities that challenge them to apply the skills and knowledge of a global citizen
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o An articulated vision for a year 7 to 13 school o NZC in evidence in curriculum maps and unit plans. o Teams work collaboratively to develop big ideas that require critical and creative thinking to build deep knowledge and understanding o Environment that has rich authentic tasks and performance based assessment o Collaborative learning environment that includes the world beyond the classroom o Self directed inquiring learners collaborating with teacher and other members of the class o Teachers lead a personalized learning environment where knowledge skills and dispositions of individual learners are the focus
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o Establish the learning Roles for the day – Who Owns the Learning (Alan November) o Review requirements of NZC and how this reflects the requirements for effective 21 st C learning. Compare and contrast the two and form conclusions about the impact on school based curriculum design o Examine the school vision and identify the story behind this vision. What are the expectations for students leaving the schools? What does this mean for Year 7 and 8.
What are our indicators? How does this shape curriculum design?

o Review the concept of big ideas in curriculum design
Review examples
Brainstorm possible big ideas/concepts
Examine an essential learning area page for big ideas and review across strands
Select possible big ideas to frame the year 7/8 curriculum and begin an initial draft of a relevant map o Review essential elements of backwards design process
Goals
Transfer
Understandings
Essential Questions
Knowledge
Skills
Authentic assessment
Evidence of Learning o Problem Based Learning – A Task
Share a GRASPS task for each group to complete a draft of their curriculum design process, requirements for effective classroom implementation and indicators of successful implementation o Summarise next steps and plan of action