RAFA and the New Zealand Curriculum

A pictorial overview 2004 -2009

Raising Achievement for All

• Staff and students in 8 schools (250 staff and over 6500 students

RAFA practice in all schools2004 -2007

• Improving and strengthening teaching and learning to engage more students

• Collaboration in schools ( peer coaching and professional learning groups)

• Collaboration across schools ( RAFA conference and subgroups e.g coordinators and HODs)

• Reflective teacher practice using student achievement data

Professional learning groups2008 Principals and coordinators (RAFAPAC)

RAFA focus

• Learning and teaching ( literacy, higher order thinking, numeracy, cooperative learning, formative assessment techniques,questioning,differentiating, using ICTs

• Using data (including student voice in the CEM annual survey) to design deliberate interventions for more engagement for a variety of students

The New Zealand Curriculum2008-2009

• Vision• Values• Principles• Key competencies• Pedagogy• Assessment• Learning area

statements• Achievement objectives

RAFA

KCs

Principles

RAFALearning, teaching, using

data

School curriculum:AOs, pedagogy,

assessment

NZCStudent needs first

Interschool collaboration 2008

• Principals’ learning group• RAFAPAC• RAFA coordinators• Curriculum coordinators• Heads of Science, Accounting and Economics,

PE and Health, Visual Art, Food and Nutrition, English

Interschool collaboration 2009

• Principals’ learning group• RAFAPAC• RAFA coordinators• Curriculum coordinators• Heads of English, Mathematics, Social

Sciences, Technology, Languages and Music

Funding

• Extending High Standards Across schools funding 2007-2010 ( A MoE contract)

• Allows HODs 2 meetings in school time over 2008 -2009

• Pays for release time for RAFA coordinators• Pays for 0.8 RAFA mentor ( Cheryl)

Linking RAFA and the NZC to make a school curriculum

• “Start with the visions of young people who will develop the competencies they need for study, work, and life long learning and go on to realise their potential” NZC p6

What’s different?

• The New Zealand Curriculum aims to support today’s students to learn in a way that will prepare them for the world of tomorrow.

• It: • includes a set of common values • places more emphasis on themes relevant to today’s society • contains five key competencies for students • raises the profile and status of learning a second language • raises the profile and status of statistics within mathematics • makes the Treaty of Waitangi explicit in the overview, purpose,

principles and values • recognises the need for schools to work closely with communities to

design relevant learning programmes.

WHY?• In 2002, the Ministry of Education’s Curriculum Stocktake

Report identified that while many students were achieving at world-class levels, there are disparities among some groups.

• The new curriculum contributes towards all students having a strong foundation for learning, high levels of achievement, and a lifelong engagement in learning. It encourages schools to put personalising learning into practice and support the aims of the government for students to stay at school longer, and attain higher levels of achievement.

How can RAFA help in your school?

• We already have a strong tradition of improving and strengthening learning and teaching through– On going professional learning– Learning communities to support new practices– Data analysis for personalising the learning– Strong focus on engaging the less engaged

students

The new focus

Use all the RAFA skills to give life toThe Key competencies of

Thinking ( higher order thinking, Blooms , other tools e,g thinking keys, De Bono)

Using language, symbols and texts ( literacy ideas)

Managing self ( cooperative learning, goal setting)

Further KCs

Relating to others ( cooperative learning)Participating and contributing (cooperative

learning and other techniques)

If we use our teaching techniques to develop the KCs in all of our students, then we are personalising the learning and giving them the competencies for life long learning.

The School curriculum

• This can be developed using the AOs in a mix to suit the students.

• By developing a school curriculum that meets student needs we can deliberately give life to the principles and values in the NZC

Values

excellence, innovation, inquiry, curiosity, diversity, equity,

community and participation, sustainability,

integrity and respect.

Principles

• High expectations• Treaty of Waitangi• Cultural diversity• Inclusion• Learning to learn• Community engagement• Coherence• Future focus

We are ready !

• Our strong RAFA traditions will enable us to give life to the NZC.