EDUCAT ION
EDUCAT ION SPOTL IGHT T h e goo d s t ruggle
HEADTEACHER AMANDA GIBBARD FROM OAKS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL EXAMINES THE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEARNING
chools need to focus on children learning. This is a fairly obvious statement. However, many things that happen in schools
and are seen as ‘learning’ may actually be confused with the factors that affect learning. These can include resources, curriculum, events, management, the building, health and safety, test results and, of course, teaching. All of these things are important to ensure that children can learn – but they are not actually the learning itself. So, what exactly is learning and where does it take place? Of course, the simple answer is that learning takes place in children’s brains! It happens when repeated experiences become hardwired into the brain and is when someone (adult or child) gets better at something. If we are searching for children that are truly learning or ‘getting better’ at something, what should we be looking for? It is possible to come up with two different types of learning that are important. One type of learning can be characterised as ‘new learning’, where students’ brains are actively working on new knowledge, skills or understanding they have not seen before. They are in a good struggle, but need to ask questions and rely on the teacher or other support material as they try to attach knowledge to things they already know, or practise skills for the first time. Their recall, performance or
they have to learn it, but they still have some way to go before their learning becomes fixed. Students at this stage have a relatively clear idea of what they need to do to get better and what it will look like. At Oaks International School, leaders and teachers are practising being able to recognise these two types of learning (‘new’ and ‘consolidating’) through close observation and discussion with the children in their classrooms. They are also developing a clear understanding of what it looks like when children are ‘treading water’ or ‘sinking’. That is, where the child is either insufficiently challenged or learning is inaccessible. Looking at learning first enables us to see where adaptations to teaching or resources are needed, or perhaps when a child needs greater reinforcement or a challenge. Putting the child at the centre, rather than the teacher, and closely observing learning before teaching is helping us ensure that our students have the best chance of getting better in all of the areas we offer at Oaks International School.
discussion is, at the beginning, hesitant and unsure. It is often rough and ready until the student begins to get a little more comfortable. New learning is never smooth and never ‘successful’ at whatever level the student is performing. Students at the new learning stage look for relatively frequent reassurance they are on the right track in order to stay motivated. The other type of learning, equally important to the process, is ‘consolidating’ learning. Here, brains are working just above their comfort zone. However, the students are confident and able to work mostly independently from the teacher and other support material. They need to think and go slow, sometimes making mistakes and needing a little coaching from peers or the teacher. There is a focus on getting better at a clearly identified knowledge, skill or understanding, and their attention is highly targeted on this. Students at the consolidating level still need support and reassurance, but much less frequently than at the new learning level. They are more comfortable with what they have to learn and how
99
C A M B S E D I T I O N . C O . U K
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
Powered by FlippingBook