the australian curriculum - the response for christian...
TRANSCRIPT
The Australian Curriculum
- The Response for
Christian Schools –
Being on the Front Foot
Fiona Partridge Kathleen Flentje
Coordinator of Studies Curriculum Development Officer
Torrens Valley Christian School, SA NT Christian Schools Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected]
Curriculum??
What is prescribed [official statements]
What actually is taught [perceptions, inferences]
Curriculum often defined by…
‘hidden
curriculum’
Sometimes…
change in official
curriculum content is
reactive…
Sometimes it’s
proactive
Sometimes…
change in official
curriculum content is
reactive…
Sometimes it’s
proactive
“Behind every
pedagogy is a
philosophical
anthropology….
…a set of assumptions
about the nature of
human persons –
about the kinds of
creatures we are”
Jamie Smith,
Desiring The Kingdom
Consider the factors that effect
‘curriculum’ content
• View of knowledge – beliefs about how
we know / what is important to know
• Beliefs about the purpose of learning /
how we learn best
• The political and economic context of
schooling
• The social and cultural context
Background to the Australian Curriculum:
Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians
Dec 2008, State, Territory and Commonwealth
Ministers of Education meeting as the Ministerial
Council on Education, Employment, Training and
Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA), released the Melbourne
Declaration on Educational Goals for Young
Australians which sets the direction for Australian
schooling for the next 10 years. The Goals were
developed by Education Ministers in collaboration
with the Catholic and independent school sectors,
following public consultation on the draft declaration.
National Goals for
Schooling
Goal 1:
Australian schooling promotes
equity and excellence
Goal 2:
All young Australians become:
– successful learners
– confident and creative individuals
– active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA 2008)
Australian Curriculum: ACARA ‘Curriculum is only one element that influences how
well young Australians are prepared for their futures
by their education, but it is important because it sets
the level of expectation of their learning. High-
performing countries set high expectations. They
support the fulfilment of those expectations with
high-quality teaching, school and system leadership,
and commitment and support from families,
communities, business and industry. Providing high
quality education is valuable to the community at
large, and justifies people’s investments of time,
effort and resources.’ ACARA 2009, Curriculum Design,
http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_.pdf, accessed 18/3/2011
What does ACARA
mean by…
…a ‘high-performing country’
‘high-quality teaching’?
‘high-quality education’?
Behind this is a ‘story’ of
the good life…
What it means to be
educated…
A ‘productive’ citizen…
Education…
= Build Australia!
= Build own
future!
Modernism….
Valuing ‘productivity’…
Building a better economy
= building a better life!
Education…
= Build Australia!
= Build own
future!
critique
Who
is the
Author
of the
story?
Where
are we in
the story?
What
time
are we
in?
This is
God’s
creation
we are
studying…
Common Grace…
ALL things ‘good’
God has a perfect
plan for His creation
– a story for His
people…
We are in it!
Education…..
restorative role
God says….
“Enjoy yourself in
MY STORY!”
Compliance….
Compliance….
Or
Culture Changers?
Teachers play a
large role in
how the
‘curriculum’ is
selected,
presented,
taught, learnt
and assessed
by students….
“An opportunity”
The Australian Curriculum gives
teachers an opportunity to re-think
the why, how and what of teaching.
Leading the change…
Stay connected to the big picture
Leaders need to be visible
Communicate well…and listen
People will be emotional
Rosalind Cardinal 5 Strategies for Leading through Change http://leadersinheels.com/career/5-strategies-for-leading-through-change/
Our story…
Learning and living that
God Loves Me
I am God’s Person
Living in God’s place
Reflecting God’s authority
Doing Justice, Loving Mercy
Walking Humbly with God
Equipped to be a disciple
To therefore .... go and make disciples
A Call to Action Responding to the Australian Curriculum
A Call to Develop a Set of ‘CEN Framing
Papers’ for Each Core Learning Area
Examples….
Cross curricula priorities
1. Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
histories and cultures
2. Asia and Australia’s
engagement with Asia
3. Sustainability
What a privilege and
opportunity to learn from
and about our brothers
and sisters in Christ, to
pray for and appreciate
and value their culture,
acknowledging like other
aspects of our world, it too is tainted by sin.
General capabilities
Creativity is part of our
image bearing nature,
interdependent learners,
active and informed by
the biblical narrative in
order to be responsive
disciples
As we address the general capabilities these are ‘signposts’ that
should be embedded across all areas:
• Critique assumptions behind ideas and opinions/perspectives
• An awareness of the ‘big ideas’ of the God’s story
• An ability to integrate across learning areas
• Faith perspectives on curriculum content
Opportunities
Threats Hopes
Key questions
Challenges
Dreams