What an amazing time we had at Woodend last week.
We spent three days challenging ourselves, developing new skills, working together and creating great experiences we may never forget.
This week we will be putting together a collaborative camp journal and reflecting on our experiences for our portfolios ahead of our 3-way conferences in Week 4.
We would like to say a special thanks to our Room 14 parents, Bryan, Shane and Tobi, who accompanied us.
Monday, 27 October 2014
Monday, 20 October 2014
Exploring Our Passions
Running alongside our syndicate inquiry rotation this term, our in-class focus has been centred around passions.
Last week we spent much of our time exploring how our passions can open up a world of possibilities and interests for us. We decided that when we are learning around our passions we often feel like we are not 'working' at all. This linked well with our recent understandings of how a 'Growth Mindset' is so important for us to possess if we are to develop to our full potential.
Our investigations into others' passions and where they have taken them was eye-opening. This video in particular stood out as an example of someone who has truly found what it is that motivates and excites them.
The next stage for us was to do some inward reflection and engage in open discussions about our interests. We've done this sort of thing right through our school lives, but this time our objective was to decide on a topic or area of interest that could provide a spark for us to begin an inquiry journey.
We grouped our passions into five broad topic areas. Each of these areas were given a 'conversation zone' around our classroom, a place where we could go to speak to others informally about our passions and look to potentially form smaller inquiry groups with like-minded people.
The process for project creation has required considerable scaffolding from Mr K, as the deep understandings from our theme this term need to be central to what we do. The enterprise, innovation and creativity aspect of this theme provides us with a huge scope for exploration. The big question we are considering is - 'How can I improve?'. Each of us have now developed a plan for a project that we will be working on, already outlining the research, design and initial creation aspects of what we are doing. Most of us are working in groups, although a couple of us have decided to pursue an independent project.
Over the course of the term we will be documenting what all of our groups are up to via Twitter, but here is a sneak peak at what a few of us have planned:
Last week we spent much of our time exploring how our passions can open up a world of possibilities and interests for us. We decided that when we are learning around our passions we often feel like we are not 'working' at all. This linked well with our recent understandings of how a 'Growth Mindset' is so important for us to possess if we are to develop to our full potential.
Our investigations into others' passions and where they have taken them was eye-opening. This video in particular stood out as an example of someone who has truly found what it is that motivates and excites them.
The next stage for us was to do some inward reflection and engage in open discussions about our interests. We've done this sort of thing right through our school lives, but this time our objective was to decide on a topic or area of interest that could provide a spark for us to begin an inquiry journey.
We grouped our passions into five broad topic areas. Each of these areas were given a 'conversation zone' around our classroom, a place where we could go to speak to others informally about our passions and look to potentially form smaller inquiry groups with like-minded people.
The process for project creation has required considerable scaffolding from Mr K, as the deep understandings from our theme this term need to be central to what we do. The enterprise, innovation and creativity aspect of this theme provides us with a huge scope for exploration. The big question we are considering is - 'How can I improve?'. Each of us have now developed a plan for a project that we will be working on, already outlining the research, design and initial creation aspects of what we are doing. Most of us are working in groups, although a couple of us have decided to pursue an independent project.
Over the course of the term we will be documenting what all of our groups are up to via Twitter, but here is a sneak peak at what a few of us have planned:
- Jessica and Lily are taking a out a small financial loan from our school Enterprise Group (which Lily is a part of). They have started in discussions with Barb, our school support worker, to begin contacting local food suppliers to put together a product (or products) that they could use for a whole-school lunch day that they are planning.
- Julie, Ellee, Chloe and Maia are using their individual strengths to design and create a school magazine, with some very exciting features, that they are planning to release fortnightly for the rest of the year.
Monday, 13 October 2014
Failing Forward
Our main inquiry theme this term is called 'Innovation, Enterprise and Creativity'.
As well as investigating technological design and processes, we will also be making links between this theme and the traits that great learners possess. Many of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and creative individuals have failed many times before developing an idea or concept that positively changed their life and that of others. The fact that these people were able to pick themselves up in the face of adversity and find new possibilities may well have been their most powerful trait. Some people refer to this as 'failing-forward'.
Take a look at this clip about Alex Zanardi...
TOUCH THE SKY from tim hahne on Vimeo.
Can we pinpoint exactly what it was inside of him that made him find a new passion, even after being through an horrific accident? Why would he possibly be happier now?
Could this be a common theme with many successful people? How many other people can we find out about whose ability to fail-forward was a key part of their success? And finally... So what? What does this mean for us and what connections can we make?
As well as investigating technological design and processes, we will also be making links between this theme and the traits that great learners possess. Many of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and creative individuals have failed many times before developing an idea or concept that positively changed their life and that of others. The fact that these people were able to pick themselves up in the face of adversity and find new possibilities may well have been their most powerful trait. Some people refer to this as 'failing-forward'.
Take a look at this clip about Alex Zanardi...
TOUCH THE SKY from tim hahne on Vimeo.
Can we pinpoint exactly what it was inside of him that made him find a new passion, even after being through an horrific accident? Why would he possibly be happier now?
Could this be a common theme with many successful people? How many other people can we find out about whose ability to fail-forward was a key part of their success? And finally... So what? What does this mean for us and what connections can we make?
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