CORE
LEARNING Core
learning for all students will be key learning area outcomes and core
learning outcomes for all strands in all key learning areas as described
by the Queensland Schools Curriculum Council. The
curriculum will be drawn from the Outcomes in each of the 8 Key Learning
Area syllabuses – English, Mathematics, Science, Studies of Society and
the Environment, Health and Physical Education, LOTE – Italian, The Arts
(Art, Music, Instrumental Music, Dance) and Technology. Sport
is a priority activity with all year 5 – 7 students involved. The
school has devised an Information Literacy Plan that supports the
implementation of the 8 Key Learning Areas. A
Drug Education Strategy has been developed to support HRE learning. Specific
outcomes for students with special needs are developed in Individual
Education Programs for our Special Education Unit students. Special
Needs students work an inclusion model where they are integrated for all
learning, except the teaching of Life Skills. Reading
Recovery, Learning Support, Productive Learning Partnerships and
Intervention Strategies and Initiatives support students in building real
success at school. Social
outcomes as specified in Program Achieve and exit outcomes in Information
and Communication Technologies are incorporated in each unit of work. Outcomes
specified for years 1- 7 typically range from Foundation Level to Level 4
outcomes. Central
to the Curriculum Plan is the Ayr State School Literacy Strategy
The
curriculum at Ayr State School will focus on maximising learning outcomes
for all students through outcomes based education. The
staff has determined focus outcomes for each year level to be achieved by
a range of unit topics specified for delivery at each year level. Ultimately
all core learning at school will be aimed at developing in all students
the attributes of a Life Long Learner:-
Student
background knowledge is recognised for its critical importance in
involving students effectively in the units and creating a relevant
platform for further investigations and learning.
IMPLEMENTATION Implementation
of core learning takes the form of Cross Curriculum Integrated Outcomes
Units. This integrating
device will seek to unify and delineate the activities in a unit of work.
It outlines the social and cultural context and determines the
content and specific intended outcomes. A
critical/ problem based approach to all curriculum planning is the central
tenet of the cooperative partnership with East Ayr SS teachers.
Teachers identify the outcomes of units and backward map to plan
appropriate, relevant teaching and learning experiences The
school has developed its own template to assist teachers in designing
their units of work. The
units of work are based on the Multi - Intelligences and Bloom’s
Taxonomy. Planning
focuses on what the students need to know and be able to do at the
culmination of a unit of work. By a process of backward mapping, the teacher designs the
learning experiences to achieve this end.
Cross curricula priorites apply across the units, with each unit
incorporating particular focussed outcomes of particular KLA’s. Reading
and Spelling are stand alone areas and while addressed in cross curricular
units, are primarily implemented through dedicated literacy blocks of time
daily; with an emphasis on Jolly Phonics and Thrass in the lower school
with Reading; and Smart Words the Spelling program for the whole school.
ORGANISATION All
classes at Ayr State School are organised on a year level structure, with a
multiple of composite classes due to the variation by years of the numbers
of students attending the school. Teachers cluster together in sectors for discussions on
appropriate planning, researching, resourcing and implementing of units.
These sectors are upper school (years 6&7), middle school (years
4&5); and lower school (years Pre, 1&2&3).
Unit meetings are arranged fortnightly and teacher release days are
organised
for planning with teachers in other Burdekin Schools. Implementation
of Cross Curriculum Integrated Outcomes Units will generally be delivered in
the middle and afternoon sessions. Morning
sessions are specifically timetabled as designated literacy blocks, with
years 1-3 from 9:00 – 10:00am daily and 10:00 – 11:00am years 4-7. Number
is specifically timetabled in the morning session every day. Specialist key learning areas (Music, PE and LOTE) are timetabled separately, but where possible is incorporated in the classroom units of work. Language will be considered basic to all curriculum
areas, and integration of all areas through a language or literature base will be strongly
encouraged. Children will be encouraged to initiate their own learning experiences to suit
the needs of their own personal agenda, to explore possible solutions to achieve their
goals and to evaluate their actions in doing so.
|
||||
No 1. 
The
development of Thinking Process
