We are all leaders of our own learning. This is the belief we promote in students from foundation to year 6. Students are taught to take responsibility for their learning through goal setting, reflection, feedback and a strategy based approach to teaching; particularly in literacy and numeracy with the comprehension strategies, traits of good writing and mathematician’s toolbox. As the saying goes “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.
There are many opportunities for students to take on leadership roles through SRC, Green Team and year 5/6 leadership program; however all students leave MPPS knowing the skills and behaviours of good leaders and have the capacity to take on leadership roles when they go on to secondary school.
Classrooms are established at the beginning of the year as learning communities through the MPPS Establishment Program and the literacy and numeracy expectations. This is when the school values are explored, class expectations and consequences are set up, students reflect on their strengths and challenges and positive collaborative practises are established. As part of managing their personal learning, students use diaries from year 3 to year 6. They set goals for their learning and work towards achieving them. Home practise (work) expectations are set for each year level.
Our Establishment Program and the MPPS Approaches to Behaviour management describe the way we support positive behaviours and develop a positive climate for learning that supports the health, wellbeing, inclusion and engagement of all students. This includes setting behaviour expectations, building teachers’ understandings of positive classroom behaviour and engagement practices and ensuring students have the tools and skills to develop positive and self-regulating behaviours.
Through the school values, particularly that of optimism we focus on empowering students so that they are resilient and optimistic when faced with challenges or difficult situations. As part of being a learner we are often challenged out of our comfort zone. Developing strategies to manage these opportunities, situations and the feelings associated with these are explored as part of the classroom program. Other programs that support this include our establishment program, mindfulness curriculum, community circles such as smile at playtime or feedback stations and brain break activities such as “Go Noodle”. Successes in terms of living the School Values and academic achievement are celebrated each fortnight in awards presented at assembly and published in the newsletter.
Some students require additional assistance. To support these students, we may work with psychologists and speech therapists to help identify their individual learning needs. We also provide additional assistance through individual and small group support programs, individual learning plans and partnerships with families. Students who are working outside the expected level of achievement have individual learning improvement plans to target their growth. Students who are struggling with demonstrating acceptable behaviours may have a positive behaviour support plan.
Students are provided opportunities for enrichment and extension through:
- engagement activities such as chess, fencing, Tournament of the Minds, sports, arts, GATEways, ICT, and MVIMP
- leadership roles and responsibilities including Sport, SRC, Green Team and Science Captains, Class Masters (Yr 5/6 Debating), leading assemblies, presenting at information sessions and School Council representing the school in network and community activities and during School events and activities.
- activities that build school connectedness such as the Better Buddies program, whole school events, cross-age and mentoring activities, mindfulness and the Transition program.
Resources to support a Positive Climate for Learning:
| Engagement and Wellbeing Policy Child Safe Policy Gifted and Talented Policy Home practice (homework) Policy Literacy Expectations Numeracy Excpectations MPPS Approaches to Behaviour Management Establishment Program Leadership Program |
Mindfulness Program Go Noodle Student Referral Process Individual Learning Plan Process Transition Program Smile at Playtime program Awards for ROCC star and Learning star |