Teaching & Learning Programme

Some thoughts for your teaching and learning programme as you get into the kai project

In previous research into how to support students to be action competent the following ideas were important – and they are prioritised

1.       From the outset and throughout teaching and learning keep the overall focus of taking action or doing something to make a difference as an outcome that is referred to regularly (i.e. at least 2-3 times a week).

2.       Experiences in and about the environment are crucial to enable students to understand concepts, ideas and develop new knowledge – only if though they are processed using a range of reflection strategies and foci including:

a.       What did we learn (knowledge, understandings and how to learn)?

b.      How did we respond (what’s going on with the heart or emotions?)

c.       How will it help us to take action?

3.       Experiences are vital in unlocking what are quite often abstract concepts and outcomes via a progression of ideas from concrete or tangible things in the environment. For example food miles is a pretty big idea. If students have experienced growing, harvesting, cooking and eating some part of a meal it gives them a greater understanding of the effort, energy and requirements to have an on-going source of food.

To sum up – at this early stage of exploration of our kaupapa with students content rich experiences in the environment that are processed through critical reflection (in the classroom and in the environment) are highly valuable in supporting students to become action competent.

Comments, questions welcome!!