MHS 2030 – Draft Sept 6 2018
- A Twenty-first Century Curriculum.
The goal of the Melbourne High School Statement of Purpose is to nurture in our students the capabilities required to lead successful and socially responsible lives in the twenty -first century. The Tertiary education environment and the nature of work is undergoing rapid and unpredictable change, and this will continue across the next 12 years. To lead successful and socially responsible lives, our graduates will need to be adaptable and resilient with the agility to adapt to and thrive in changing circumstances.
Tertiary institutions and the professions are increasingly seeking graduates who are lifelong learners who can adapt transferable capabilities to ever changing circumstances. General capabilities that have application across a range of employment fields will be more valuable than discipline specific knowledge and qualifications.
While maintaining its emphasis on academic excellence, there has already been a shift from the School’s traditional focus upon academic content and disciplines towards the development of general capabilities identified in the National Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians and the MHS Statement of Purpose.
Initial changes have been made to the Years 9 and 10 curriculum and assessment and reporting practices to introduce C21st capabilities however the School will need to explore options to maintain this focus in Years 11-12. This may include consideration of curriculum models such as the International Baccalaureate.
The development of the Centre for Higher Education Studies represents an expansion of the School’s role as a state-wide provider for students of high academic ability. It will also provide more flexible pathways for students and foster partnerships with tertiary institutions and other agencies.
Our curriculum must also be better tailored to the educational and development needs of our academically able students. This may include greater differentiation and flexibility in programs and pathways and more opportunities to apply skills and capabilities in real world situations.
The School’s extensive co-curricular program is essential to the School’s educational philosophy and purpose and is as essential to the School as its academic program. The co-curricular program will be given a more central and an explicit role in the development of general capabilities will be considered as well as evaluating its relationship and impact on classroom programs.
Our graduates report significant disenchantment and disengagement with tertiary studies and the School will explore more flexible pathways and partnerships with tertiary institutions particularly through the Centre for Higher Education Studies.
This strand will support the following MHS Statement of Purpose capabilities:
- Study a curriculum that embraces all learning areas and balances breadth and depth of focus
- Are lifelong learners with the agility to adapt to changing circumstances
- Are able to think critically and deeply within and across learning areas
- Supporting Professional practice
The quality and effectiveness of our teachers in the School’s most important resource. Research demonstrates that effective teaching is the school-based factor with the greatest impact upon student achievement and engagement and the development and support of its teaching faculty is a key priority.
Research suggests that a student’s performance is significantly impacted by the relative effectiveness of their teacher and the match between their learning needs and the teaching approach of the teacher.
The School has been moving towards a more consistent and explicit approach to teaching based upon contemporary evidence-based research and practice and differentiated to the needs of individual students. This must remain a key strategic focus in the coming years.
The emerging focus upon skills and capabilities will require a new model of teaching and learning. The impact of digital technology has also had a dramatic impact upon teaching and learning in the past decade and the classroom is no longer the essential location for learning. The School should explore innovative modes of curriculum delivery and redesign to reflect our vision of a twenty-first century curriculum. This will include the redesign of its teaching spaces to reflect new directions in pedagogy and curriculum.
More needs to be done to create a cohesive and collaborative professional culture, promote continuous professional learning and support our teachers to focus upon improvement of their professional practice.
This strand supports the following MHS Statement of Purpose Capabilities:
- Are able to work independently and collaborate in teams and effectively communicate ideas
- Are enterprising, show initiative and use their creative abilities
- Are creative and innovative in their thinking and application of learning
- Student Wellbeing
The MHS Statement of purpose commits the School to a well-rounded education that will prepare our students for all aspects of their future life. The capabilities required to lead successful and socially responsible lives extend well beyond the scope of a traditional academic program. The School must also nurture every student’s emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
The impact of the pressures and demands upon young people in a less certain world is evident in lower indicators of health and well-being both in the wider community and amongst our students.
The School has responded to this both within the curriculum and through provision of support services however this will remain a key priority for the School.
A key focus will be upon developing each student’s resilience and self-efficacy both in learning and in life. Rather than develop as independent and autonomous learners, many students rely on teachers and tutors to learn. Equally, we must encourage students to exercise greater agency in making decisions about their education and life. This will include a willingness to give students a more active voice in their learning and the life of the School.
The School aspires to prepare students for their adult roles in families, the community and the workforce. This needs to be a more explicit component of the school program.
This strand supports the following MHS Statement of Purpose Capabilities:
- Able to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing
- Have the ability to establish and maintain healthy and satisfying lives
- Relate well to others and form and maintain healthy relationships
- Are well-prepared for life roles in their family, community and the workforce
- Take responsibility for their learning and are motivated to reach their full potential
- Are optimistic, make rational decisions and accept responsibility for their actions
- Community Engagement and Impact
The School also prides itself in nurturing socially responsible young men. Students are expected to develop a strong sense of personal integrity and a commitment to active citizenship.
Our graduates will live in an increasingly globalized world. One of the strengths of the School is its embrace and celebration of individual, social and cultural diversity. The School will build upon this strength through developing national and international partnerships that foster intercultural understanding and experience. Improving engagement within our own community and with existing local partnerships and other schools is also essential.
Both tertiary studies and professional employment will increasingly emphasize the practical application of knowledge and skills. The School will explore opportunities for community partnerships that enable our students to apply their learning in real world situations.
Respect for individual difference and socially responsible citizenship has always been a key tenet of the School. This needs to be a more explicit component of the school program.
This strand supports the following MHS Statement of Purpose Capabilities:
- Are responsible and active global and local citizens
- Appreciate and respect individual, cultural, social and religious diversity
- Develop personal capabilities such as honesty, resilience, empathy and respect for others
- Able to relate to and communicate across diverse cultures
- Demonstrate a commitment to the values of democracy, equity and justice
- Develop a personal ethical understanding and act with integrity
- Are able to exercise civic leadership for the common good
- Strategic Resource Management
Our students deserve, and our community excepts, a quality of educational program, facilities and services commensurate with the best resourced schools in Australia. The funding and resourcing environment facing government schools across the next decade will mean that funding levels will struggle to keep pace with what is required to provide an education of the highest quality.
For the School to continue to prosper and grow, it would need to be more autonomous and proactive in maintaining resources and funding. This will require the School to both utilise its existing resources more effectively and sustainably and to increasingly seek resources from beyond its immediate community. We should be open to reviewing some of the key organisational features of the School including expansion to a second campus or to a Year 7-12 school.
The unique features of the School facilities including its Heritage status and age present their own challenges. A key priority over the next decade is to rejuvenate our classrooms to reflect the changes in teaching and learning the School is undertaking. The School will work closely with the MHS Foundation and seek other partnerships and opportunities to realise other resourcing priorities.