Curriculum

Implementation
at
Rototuna Primary

   
 Mission Statement:
To provide quality
learner centred
Education
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 The Story So Far …
Model 1 (2003 - 2004)
Teachers implemented 2-3 units per term.
This allowed for general coverage of the curriculum.

Model 2 (2005)
Teachers implemented term wide themes with each
theme relating to one specified curriculum area.

Model 3 (2006)
Using one broad theme for the year, students were
asked to identify their particular interests and
questions.
Along with school requirements, teachers used the
 
students ideas as a basis
 
for planning units.
 The Draft New Zealand Curriculum
Outlines …
Principles
Values
Key Competencies
Learning Areas
Schooling Strategy Goals

We asked,
“What does all this mean for our school?”
   
 Step 1:
We began with vision …  
What do we want our
Rototuna Learners to know, do and
be?

   
 Rototuna Learners are:
Communicators
(Key Competency - Using languages, symbols, and texts)

Thinkers
(Key Competency - Thinking)

Researchers
(Key Competencies - Using languages, symbols, and texts; Thinking;

Participating and contributing; Managing self; Relating to others)

Risk Takers
(Key Competency - Participating and contributing)

Self-Managers
(Key Competency - Managing self)

Team Players
(Key Competency - Relating to others)
   
 Step 2:
Principles
into Practice
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 Excellence
‘All students are empowered to learn to achieve to the
best of their abilities and to seek personal excellence
…’ (p.9).
_________________________________
Our motto is
‘Our Best Always - He Rawa Mo Ake
Tonu’.
For teachers and students, the concept
of personal excellence is at the heart of
our school.
  Striving to be the best
  that we can be.
 Learning to Learn
‘All students experience a curriculum that enables them
to become active, confident, creative, and innovative
learners and thinkers’ (p.9).
_____________________________________

Emphasis is placed on quality formative

practice.

Assessment information is gathered, analysed

and used to inform planning and to give
focused feedback.
Students are actively involved in knowing what
they are learning, why they are learning it,
 
and how to identify
 
when they have been
successful with their learning.
 Coherence
‘All students experience a curriculum that provides a
range of coherent transitions and pathways to further
learning’ (p.9).

‘Principals and teachers can articulate what it is that they

want their students to achieve and how their
curriculum is designed to achieve this.
Schools can explain their curriculum priorities’ (p.28).
__________________________________
We have identified what we want our students to
know and do within and across each curriculum
area.
These important concepts and skills are revisited
at regular intervals as students’ transition from
year to year.
   
Thinking skills and use of ICTs are emphasised and
 Equity - Cultural Heritage
‘All students’ identities, cultures, languages, and talents
are recognised and affirmed. Their learning needs are
identified and addressed. All students experience a
curriculum that reflects New Zealand’s bicultural
heritage and its multicultural society’ (p.9).
_________________________________________
Rototuna is a multicultural school.
Our students learn about what it means to
be a New Zealander.
They also learn about the diverse cultures
and identities of people within our school
and community.
   
 Connections
‘All students experience a curriculum that makes
connections with their lives and engages the
support of their families and communities’ (p.9).
___________________________________
We strive to make meaningful
connections with our students, by
working in partnership with them,
their families and the wider
community.

   
 Step 3:
Curriculum
Implementation
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 Curriculum Implementation Overview

CURRICULUM AREA KEY CONCEPT(S)

English Communication
Making sense of the world by knowing, doing, and
Mathematics
thinking mathematically and statistically
ONGOING

Arts Creative Communication

Hauora
Health and Physical Education Respect and Responsibility
Health Promotion

Communication
Learning Languages
Cultural Identity
Social Sciences Being a New Zealander

TERM 1 TERM 2 TERM 3 TERM 4

Science Social Science Science Technology
Key Concept:
Key Concept:
Surviving On Our Planet Key Concepts:
Energy Is All Around
Key Skill: Communicating Key Concept: Needs Driven
2007 Key Skill: Communicating in
in Science Belonging Fitness for Purpose
Science
Modelling and Prototyping

Key Concept: Key Concept:

Change And Time Cultural Diversity Key Concepts:
Key Concept:
Needs Driven
2008 Trends, Patterns And
Fitness for Purpose
Relationships
Technological Systems

Key Concept: Key Concept: Key Concept: Key Concept:

Surviving On Our Planet Belonging Energy Is All Around Us Needs Driven
 
2009   Fitness for Purpose
Modelling and Prototyping
 Key Concepts
and Big Ideas -
Some Examples
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 SCIENCE: CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW
KEY STRAND
BIG IDEAS POSSIBLE CONTEXTS
CONCEPTS LINKS
Energy Is All Energy has many Physical Comparing
Around Us forms. World Heat/light/sound/electri
Energy can be changed Physical city
from one form to World Magnetism - force of
another. attraction and repulsion
When forces do work Physical Forces - energy of
energy changes from World pushes and pulls
one form to another. Pulleys, machines
Relationships exist
between the energy Physical
source and its effect. World
Weather systems
Energy originally Weather forecasting
comes from the Sun.
Weather patterns can Planet Earth
be observed and and Beyond
predicted. Planet Earth Photosynthesis
and Beyond
Plants concert energy
into food. Living World Cooking processes,
chemistry of cleaners
Chemical reactions (acids/bases)
   
involve a transfer of Material
energy. World
 TECHNOLOGY: CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW
KEY BIG IDEAS STRAND POSSIBLE
CONCEPTS LINKS TECHNOLOGICAL
AREAS
Fitness for Technological Nature of Biotechnology
Purpose outcomes have Technology:
physical Characteristics Electronics and Control
characteristics. of Technology
technological
Technological outcomes Food Technology
outcomes have
functional Technologica Materials Technology
characteristics. l Knowledge:
Technological Production and Process
The related physical products Technology
and functional
characteristics of Structures and
technological Mechanisms
outcomes determine Technology
their fitness for
purpose. Communications
Technology
   
 “The draft makes learning authentic, 
connected and real for young people”

(John McAleese, Principal, Howick Intermedate, 2007)

   
 You’ve got to go
below the surface...

   
 to uncover the
really ‘big ideas.’

   
 What is the enduring understanding? 
What’s the point?
Why are we learning this?

 …so we are not teaching discrete skills and 
unconnected knowledge and giving the students 
messages that school learning is nothing more 
than memorising facts and passing tests of recall 
and recognition
McTighe,2005

   
 Twin sins of planning
Activity focus
Curriculum coverage focus

For any subject taught in primary school we might ask (is it) worth an 
adult’s knowing, and whether having known it as a child makes a person 
a better adult. A negative or ambiguous answer means the material is 
crowding the curriculum

How do we make the links explicit to the learner from 
the day to day learning to the deep learning (enduring 
understanding)?
Do we know what the deep learning is and what the 
links are?
   
 How does it all fit together?

   
 Three Stages of Planning
Stage 1 ­ What is worthy and requiring of 
understanding?
 
Stage 2 ­ What is evidence of understanding? 

Stage 3 ­ What learning experiences and 
teaching promote understanding, interest 
and excellence? ­ How

   
 Planning for Deep Learning
1. Enduring Understanding

2. Big Ideas
 Students will understand that…

3.Big ideas framed as essential questions for exploration

4.Knowledge
 Students will know…

5.Skills; processes
Students will be able to…

6.Authentic Assessment ­ Evidence of understanding

7.Learning experiences
Adapted from McTighe 2005
   
 Authentic Assessment
Six Facets of Understanding
 Explain ­ provide thorough,   Perspective ­ can see and 
supported, and justifiable accounts of  hear points of view through critical eyes 
phenomena, facts and data and ears; see the big picture.

 Interpret ­ tell meaningful   Empathize ­ find value in 
stories; offer apt translations; provide a  what others might find odd, alien, or 
revealing historical or personal dimension  implausible; perceive sensitively on the 
to ideas and events; make it personal or  basis of prior direct experience.
accessible through images, anecdotes, 
analogies, and models.  Self­Knowledge ­ 
 Apply ­ effectively use and adapt  perceive the personal style, prejudices, 
projections, and habits of mind that both 
what is known in diverse contexts. shape and impede our own understanding; 
having an awareness of what one does not 
understand and why understanding is so 
hard

   
 Working alongside teachers
Through sustained support:

Making the links between theory and 
practice
Supporting at each stage of the 
process
Empowering teachers
We are all learning together 
   
 Colleen Sayer. Education Consultant

 Email – csayer@orcon.net.nz
 Cell phone – 027 30 54 800