Learning in Action

In 2017 we completed the main elements of the Ministry of Education’s Christchurch Schools Rebuild (CSR) Programme. This building programme was a Government initiative managed by the Ministry of Education. Following the Canterbury earthquakes the educational landscape shifted and St Albans School was allocated $4.9m to retrofit and build learning spaces.

Why the Change? Most New Zealand schools were built in a time of ‘factory-style’ learning, where all students of the same age learned the same things, at the same time, by direct teacher instruction. We have now moved to a model of collaboration and co-teaching. Multiple layers of collaboration are now a component of our practice, including:

• 1: many
• 1 : home base
• 1 : group
• 1 : 1
• Co-operative groups
• Extension

Benefits of collaboration

• The power of two or three…
• Two heads are better than one
• More ideas
• Shared responsibility
• Building on teachers’ strengths
• Catering to wide range of needs

Outcomes for learners

• Improving hauora – wellbeing
• Better learning outcomes
• Challenge… mistakes… the power of ‘yet’
• Moving from teacher centred learning to learner driven, as required for learning in future educational settings
• Developing the skills required by ‘future employers’

HUBS AND HOME BASES

Students are in home bases with a home base teacher (this replicates the previous class teacher model). However, they will now also be a part of a hub of two or three other home bases. Our model acknowledges the importance of students and whānau having a strong relationship with one teacher in the shared space while developing meaningful connections with the other teachers.

All environments at St Albans School are collaborative, meaning there is a greater likelihood of teachers other than the home base teacher teaching your child, enabling us to use teachers’ strengths to get the best for all learners in a collaborative setting.

HUB COMPOSITION

At the end of the year we use an approach for our composite groups that see them working within the same home base and hub for two years, e.g., Year 3 students will stay with the same teacher and group in Year 4. Some exceptions will be made in consultation with whānau and staff, or if teachers leave or change levels.