3rd Global Conference
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Friday 9th February - Sunday 11th February
2007
Sydney, Australia
Conference Programme, Abstracts and Papers
Session 3: Creative Engagement as an
Ideal
Chair: Elizabeth McIntyre
Broadening the Definition of School’
Keith
Peters
Senior School Improvement Officer, Grampians Region, Ballarat, Australia
This paper explores a number of questions as to the
capacity of schools to captivate students emotionally and intellectually
while they rely of what is arguably an outdated model of organisation,
one that is reliant on learning in classes operating as silos. It raises
questions as to the administration of a system of social control through
boredom, and emphasises the need to educate for our students’ future.
Some
of the questions raised are: can we envisage what a modern learning
environment looks like? Are we investing in classroom organisation
beyond token tinkering at the edges? Are deviations from standard practice
little more than adjustments catering for those deemed unable to cope
in mainstream? Is the message schools send too difficult to manage,
too difficult to educate?
The paper examines the concept of a ‘decentred’ classroom
as opening up learning possibilities beyond what we have imagined in
the past, premised on the idea that the challenge for modern schools
is to re - define classrooms from static, one dimensional linear pathways
into multi dimensional experiences where physical boundaries are removed,
creating professional, student centred learning experiences with
outcomes more in line with learning needs as opposed to organisational
demands. The paper suggests that this is a challenge the Ballarat LinkUp program
has met.
LinkUp is a beyond–the-school-gate learning
program that creates a learning environment that challenges the standard
model. In this program, learning is based on a decentred framework.
Negotiated, theme based curriculum is managed on an appointment schedule,
designed to allow students more authentic learning opportunities than
traditional schools allow. Programs are organised through Personal
Learning Plans (PLPs) taken from students’ points of need. Student
plans detail personal and school history, student interests, learning
style analysis, learning skill levels and pathway plans. The PLP provides
a more professional learning pathway incorporating student timetable,
future learning plans, skill development needs and theme based study.
It becomes the student’s
timetable, negotiated with their learning facilitator regularly. This
paper therefore explores a decentred learning model structured on personal
learning needs through an integrated curriculum model with students
accessing an interest-based and vocational-based elective program operating
in the community.
Restorative Practices as an Engagement
Strategy in Schools
Susan
Renn
Student Wellbeing/Drug Education/Attendance, Department of Education
and Training, Grampians Region, Ballarat, Australia
This paper explores
the role of restorative practices within school communities in providing
an environment where students are engaged with learning and are strongly
supported by teachers to reflect on their behaviour and the effects
of their behaviour. In
a restorative environment students and teachers learn processes to
support the strengthening of relationships. These processes encourage
the acceptance of responsibility for behaviour that harms other people
and clearly support people while developing pathways for behaviour
change.
The implementation of restorative practices in schools varies considerably
according to the degree of empathy and acceptance of restoration as
a principle by the leadership teams and teachers in a particular school. This
paper will explore aspects of implementation such as the difficulties
faced by schools which are attempting to become restorative in a culture
which is essentially retributive in nature and the benefits for school
communities that have adopted restorative practices to provide an engaging
and reflective environment for students.
There is growing recognition
in the policies and documents produced by the Victorian Department
of Education that restorative practices, if adopted by school communities,
may enhance the school climate in a positive manner and provide alternatives
to suspension and exclusion of students. In cases of persistent
and severe behaviour transgressions restorative processes enhance the
reintegration of students into the school community and provide the
environment to heal fractured relationships. At
a classroom level, restorative language and processes equip the teacher
with strategies to solve problems quickly and avoid the escalation
of behaviour to a high level of intervention and exclusion. High level
interventions involve a negative impact of emotions of all people involved,
teachers and students alike.
While implementing restorative practices
and processes, schools need to be aware of their responsibility in
developing emotional literacy in students and teachers to ensure that
all members of the community are equipped with the language of emotions
and have common understandings of the difficulty in expressing some
emotions and of managing feelings. Restorative practices provide safe,
clearly signposted processes which assist people in managing feelings
and in taking responsibility for reflection and change. These
processes support young people in behaviour management and strengthen
their connection to the school community
Human Rights Education and Training in Schools in Bangladesh
Syeda
Absar
Children of Bangladesh are exposed to a variety of disciplinary topics through their primary and secondary text books. However, these books do very little in explaining the concepts of democracy and human rights at a time when violent fundamentalism is on the rise in the country, particularly post 9/11 incident. With the sponsorship of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh, contents of primary and secondary text books are to be modified so that critical thinking of children increase in future. The paper discusses the process of such measure taken in August 2004. It also discusses the causal relationship of educational material, content and critical thinking essential in the making of a person everywhere. It includes the recommendations of different stakeholders and the pros and cons of the existing teaching system likely to influence the implementation of the new curricula. Politicisation of school administration and management affect teachers and children in rural and urban Bangladesh and the tension hangs over the civil society as lack of liberal thinking makes the country unsafer.