Quantum leaps in learning…… Building pedagogy which enhances curriculum provision for academically gifted students

Student learning needs… At Rose Bay we have A continuum of students from… Support Unit Selective Stream Classes

In 2007 we had a curriculum review Why did we do this? What resulted?.. key recommendations

Rose Bay Secondary College Review 2007 Recommendation 1 Develop a shared vision/goals/purpose, which emphasises a culture of excellence. This vision should articulate a whole school commitment and drive action. Recommendation 2 Align, adapt and differentiate the curriculum to meet individual student needs in accord with the revised school vision. This will include the development of a scope and sequence of curriculum provision across all key learning areas in Stage 4 and Stage 5. Recommendation 4 Build pedagogy which enhances curriculum provision for academically gifted students.

The ‘A’ class… an enrichment class that provides for: Students who qualified for selective places and did not gain a place due to limited spaces Students who demonstrate academic talent We need to create a pedagogy where the ‘A’ class can access a differentiated curriculum.

Quantum leaps in learning…… “Building pedagogy which enhances curriculum provision for academically gifted students” Our Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme project…

Whole school plan – What our programs will look like Outcomes Students learn to: Life Skills AdjustedCoreExtended Resources Question: Activity: Compare & contrast Question: Activity: Analysis Question: Activity: Synthesis & Evaluation

What have we learnt so far? Teachers have to know their subject/content and how to teach it ….moving beyond Blooms taxonomy Assumes staff are trained in the planning and implementation of authentic core curriculum. This does not happen overnight - it takes years to develop, revise and refine good core curriculum! (VanTassel-Baska, 2001; Keirouz, 1993)

Teachers have to know their students and how students learn …the importance of identifying and gathering background knowledge Importance of reporting student learning as well as academic achievement.

Baseline data Motivational issues are often a key part of underachievement in gifted children (i.e., Davis & Connell 1985, Reis et al 1995, Dweck 1986);

Motivation is important in tailoring provisions for gifted students because it can affect the way that students interact with programs (Dai et al 1996). Intrinsically motivated students derive their motivation from within themselves. Gifted students are more likely to be intrinsically motivated in school than their mainstream peers, and they maintain their intrinsic motivational nature until high school (Gottfried & Gottfried 1996), then there appears to be an overall decline in motivation (Eccles & Midgely 1989; Simmons & Blyth 1987)

Eccles et al (1993) - the cause of this decrease in schools lies in relevance, student self-direction and poor teacher- student relationships, and over-concern with educational outcomes and status. The Quality Teaching Framework provides an approach to the concerns raised in the research literature above.

Quality Teaching Framework Intellectual Quality Deep Knowledge Deep Understanding Metalanguage Quality Learning Environment Significance Problematic knowledge Higher order thinking Substantive communication Explicit Quality Criteria Engagement Social Support High Expectations Students self-regulation Student direction Cultural knowledge Knowledge integration Background knowledge Connectedness Narrative Inclusivity

Applying this to the classroom That students differ may be inconvenient, but it is inescapable. Adapting to that diversity is the inevitable price of productivity, high standards, and fairness to the students. - Theodore Sizer

QL2 (+ web 2) What did the teachers say about this course? Read the evaluation What does their feedback mean to us? Where to from here?