What was your experience of college as a student?
What has been your experience of college as a parent?
Our approach to both learning in and out of the classroom at Central Coast Sports College is different. This is challenging for us parents to understand, especially when we have been shaped by our own experience of how teaching and learning should take place in a college.
When I first shared the idea of IFS with my mum, she was horrified at the prospect of no homework, one on one learning using an iPad and the thought of putting all those students in one room. My mum has been with me on my teaching journey, she has celebrated with me and witnessed my tears and frustration. She also supports me and has made an effort to understand what we are doing at IFS so she can explain to her friends – which I am sure you are all finding yourselves doing.
I started my teaching career in a local comprehensive public college. Having my own classroom, students came to me, sat in rows facing the board, used textbooks and I was the centre of my student’s world. I was the one with the knowledge to impart and I was the one in control. Did this always work for me? If I had a capable and motivated class – the lessons ran like a well oiled machine. If I had a challenging learning/behaviour group, I could guarantee a white knuckle ride every lesson. Why? I had a curriculum to teach, boxes to tick and continuing assessment and testing deadlines. Was I meeting their needs? Was I being the teacher I wanted to be? What has changed?
The number one thing that has changed my approach to teaching and learning is that I am a parent, first and foremost. As a mum or dad, you begin to see things differently and begin to ask the what ifs and the why nots. There is a need to want to provide your child with the best possible learning opportunities and prepare them for life. We love and support our children to be the best they can be. We feel their happiness, we feel their sadness, they are our universe! I encourage my staff to treat the students how we want our own children to be treated at college. The choice of sending your child to Central Coast Sports College is not one that you have taken lightly. You have trusted us to provide your child with a challenging academic program that supports a rigorous Football Development Program.
Our world is forever changing, and the reality is our children will be working in jobs that have not even been invented. Our children are part of a wi-fi generation and technology is moving very fast. There are aspects of what we expose our children to that can be slowed down and we can have control over what is age appropriate or not. However, there are some things that are beyond our control that we need to prepare our children for. How fortunate we are to be able to this is a supported environment. How does IFS do this?
Central Coast Sports College aims to deliver an integrated curriculum. Put simply, this means that instead of teaching subjects in isolation, subjects are presented to students showing our students the connection the subjects share. For example, the current project our students are working encompasses English, History and PDHPE. The content connection that these three subjects share is addressing gender equality. Our students have been studying two very different advertisements about football. All the skills they have been learning and developing will culminate in applying these in designing an advertising campaign for IFS. Our next project project will encompass Maths, Science and Geography. Again, the skills our students learn will culminate in students applying these skills learnt to develop a proposal on the development of our bottom fields at IFS. By showing our students how they can put the skills and knowledge they learn into practice, they are experiencing a real relevance in their learning.
As we do not teach subjects discretely, it is a challenge to understand how we approach the curriculum. For example, Maths is not taught everyday, but is taught within a project. It might not be a formal Maths lesson, but elements of numeracy are incorporated. Sometimes our students don’t realise which subject they are actually doing, because it has been integrated into what they are learning. This is a challenging concept, as we are used to our children moving from class to class learning Maths, English, Science etc on a daily basis. By embracing this way of learning, we are aiming to break down barriers that are associated with particular subjects.
Although we are not relying on the iPads, we are aware of how much easier it will make learning. Our students will have access to subject specific websites and apps that are based on the Australian NSW Curriculum that will allow practice and support our student’s learning. Students who struggle with reading and writing will be able to explore different ways of presenting their work and I believe students will be more willing to embrace one on one learning.
One on one learning, allows students to work on modules at their own pace. It allows students to read/watch/listen to content that is presented to them and then complete set individual and group activities. It allows an element of choice and freedom in terms of how work is presented to the student and how they present what they are learning to their teachers. It empowers the student and allows the teacher to focus on supporting the student through either extension or remedial help. This is moving away from the model where the teacher stands up the front, delivers content, directs student tasks and manage behaviour. Students are quickly learning at IFS, if they do not work in the classroom or on the field, they miss out on training and need to catch up. Our four hours of classroom time is precious and are a time of constant productivity.
It is important to understand that is is vital that we meet the Board of Studies requirements in terms of the curriculum we deliver and the hours spent on each subject. This is not negotiable as the Board of Studies demands it off us.
I strongly believe that by doing things differently, allowing our students to present their work in a way that demonstrates their strengths and support their weaknesses we are meeting their needs and instilling confidence in the work they produce. Our teachers are part of the support network our students need for academic success. By encouraging our students to accept responsibility for their learning, we are supporting the development of their will to succeed and instilling that this comes from within – not because his/her teacher/coaches have directed it so.
There are many colleges in both Australia and the world that are embracing educational change. I am looking forward to visiting 2 of these colleges in the UK during our term break in April. It is exciting to be part of a real educational revolution and changing paradigms on many different levels. Thank you for coming along on this exciting journey too!
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself” Rumi
Thanks Laura…Inspiring words….
For the newbies out there…I’ve had 2 previous children go through High School with Paul & Laura…And, just know, that our kids now…couldn’t be in better hands with such inspiring, capable & caring human beings………….Oh and, we have total trust in who you have picked as teachers & coaches……so RELAX everyone & ENJOY the journey with love & trust 🙂 🙂 (sounds a bit sucky I know !!!, but we love these guys )……The Titheringtons………