MIDDLE SCHOOL Parent Group Term 1 Meeting Tuesday 28 March 2017
Middle School Team 2017 Middle School Team 2017 Dean of Dean of Dean of Students Students Sarah Loch Sarah Loch Head of Middle Head of Middle Head of Middle Head of Middle Head of Middle Head of Middle School School Focus of Middle School Tea Focus of Middle School Tea Tammy Rees Tammy Rees- Davies Davies Davies Davies Davies Davies Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Deputy Head of Middle School Middle School Middle School Middle School Middle School Middle School Middle School - Year 7 Year 7 Year 8 Year 8 Learning Learning Middle School Middle School Middle School MSAAC MSAAC MSAAC Jennifer O’ Jennifer O’ Counsellor Counsellor Katie White Katie White Katie White Katie White Katie White Katie White Kate Nolan Kate Nolan Kate Nolan Kate Nolan Year 8 Year 8 Year 8 Year 8 Year 8 Shannon Shannon Donnell Donnell Year 7 Year 7 Jowell Chew Jowell Chew Sengupta Sengupta Sengupta Connect Connect Connect Team Connect Team Team Team Team Team Administrative Administrative Administrative Administrative Assistant Assistant Assistant Assistant Ruth Volanikis Ruth Volanikis Rebecca Carmody – Rebecca Carmody Projects and Events Projects and Events Projects and Events
Bridging the gap • How can we help students to learn? • What impact can we have on improving student outcomes and achievement?
Student Wellbeing Know Guide Challenge Teaching Health and and Wellbeing Learning
The Role of the Connect Teacher • How will I help my students learn? • What impact can I have on improving student outcomes and achievement? Teacher, teach thyself and ignore the usual advice, Ben Jensen and Jacqueline McGee
Learning in Middle School
Kate Nolan - Deputy Head of Middle School Learning: My role is to encourage girls to embrace challenge in the Middle School . We are looking to build skills in your daughters which will equip them for life beyond Pymble. ‘Begin with the end in mind… and then…make things happen.’ Stephen Covey
Looking at learning from 3 different perspectives. • Student • Parent • Teacher
Learning in Middle School… what the girls say: Looks like: - teachers helping us without judging us - fun with lots of choice - lots of group work - we are more independent - productive - positive and happy
Learning in Middle School… Sounds like: - productive - collaborative and chatty when we work in groups - very quiet when we are concentrating - it’s busy!
Learning in Middle School… Learning in Middle School… Feels: - friendly - happy - inclusive - we are valued - collaborative
Do you remember your favourite teacher? - What are 10 facts they taught you? – that’s tricky - But how did they make you feel? – what is it about them that makes you still remember them? - Balance between wellbeing and learning is critical.
Our Learning Design Process is deliberately designed learning to KNOW , GUIDE and CHALLENGE every Pymble learner. Teachers plan and program using the Learning Design Framework. The learner is central to this framework. Planning, learning and reflecting.
Through the Learning Design process Through the Learning Design process
There are 3 key learner dispositions we are aiming to foster in your daughter. - Passion - Scholarship - Assurance
Passion Students can discover a passion for learning when they explore creatively . Students pursue an area of passion when they think critically.
Scholarship Scholarship requires students to be disciplined . Pymble girls are expected to take responsibility to: - master knowledge and understanding - explore authentic questions and critically evaluate possibilities Scholarship also demands students participate collaboratively.
Assurance Assurance is developed as students embrace challenge. Pymble girls are supported to: • set ambitious goals • persevere with resilience Assurance is expressed in the ability to accept agency. Pymble girls are empowered to reflect and learn from mistakes and achievements. They are encouraged to negotiate choices with increasing independence.
Middle School offers a world of opportunities. It is a time of change for your daughter as she moves from Junior School to Year 7 and establishes herself within new groups and friendship groups. This takes courage and resilience.
Learning is designed to move from surface learning to deep knowledge. We are developing skills in the girls that they will take with them into their world as future leaders. The girls are encouraged to use their voice to articulate on their learning and about their learning.
Maths: key skills and content - Posing questions, investigating, solving and reflecting on mathematical problems - Communicating the process of problem-solving tasks when working mathematically - Demonstrating knowledge and skills using a range of assessment opportunities - Manipulating materials and equipment and the use of ICT to show learning and understanding of concepts
Maths: key skills and content - Properties of plane and solid shapes - Algebraic Techniques - Equations - Pythagoras’ Theorum - Indices - Area of Quadrilaterals - Single Variable Data Analysis - Number theory including directed number - Fractions, decimals and percentages - Probability
Year 7 Core Music Students will explore and discover the concepts of music through the core skills of performance, Concepts of Music composition and listening. • Duration They will gain an understanding of different genres of • Texture music, including, but not limited to, film, pop, classical • Structure and musical theatre. • Dynamics and Expressive Techniques With a focus on keyboard, guitar, percussion and technology (iPads, notation software and sequencing • Tone Colour programs) students will engage in a variety of learning • Pitch experiences both individually, as part of an ensemble and through a transdisciplinary approach.
History Focus on building knowledge and empathy. The Ancient World The Ancient to the Modern World Overview Overview Investigating The Black Death Renaissance Angkor/Khemer the Ancient Rome China in Asia, Europe Italy Empire Past and Africa
Geography Investigating the diversity of physical and human environments throughout the world. Inquiry to build knowledge and understanding of geographical processes, interconnections between people, places and environments and strategies for addressing geographical challenges. Topics studied will include: Investigating our local area, Deserts, Water in Australia, Mountains, Tourism, Worlds Apart (which looks at comparisons between the most and least developed areas throughout the world) and globalisation. Develop skills such as research, presenting, collaboration, literacy and numeracy as well as fieldwork techniques of collecting, interpreting and evaluating data.
Science - Connecting with the students’ personal - experiences, stories and news stories. - Starting with a hook to inspire interest. - Thinking big picture and big concepts. - Finding the scientific facts. - Lessons, tasks, research and inquiry are differentiated to allow for different ability levels and topics are structured to include Personal Interest Project time.
Learning in Science is planned using the Whole Brain model. Learning using all 4 quadrants of the brain deepens our learning.
Visual Art – Year 7 - Establishing an inner confidence in every student to interpret and make artworks. - Working through painting, drawing, collage, digital art, sculpture, printmaking and ceramics, students learn techniques and skills to interpret artworks and develop their own ideas. - Artmaking is documented in the Visual Arts Process Diary.
Visual Art – Year 8 - Looking and writing about artists and artworks - Exploring a range of different art forms and media, learning techniques and ways to express their ideas. The approach to artmaking gradually becomes more autonomous and knowledge of art history and art criticism is developed .
Tech
PDHPE - Students will learn about their sense of self and different types of relationships and recognise how they can be supported during challenging situations. - They will explore risk-taking behaviours in drug use, road safety, water and sun. Mental wellbeing will be investigated and strategies developed for coping with challenges.
PDHPE Cont. - Diet and how sugar and fat impact us will be analysed. - Students will develop skills in a range of sports including, netball, basketball, swimming, athletics, AFL, touch football, cricket, rhythmic and artistic gymnastics. - Students will achieve their RSLA Bronze Star in Year 8
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