Visiting Wilford School

-
On my last trip to Wilford School I was treated to a quick trip around the classrooms to see what was happening.  To enact the values and the vision, the school has two areas of focus on  Building Learning Power and Choice Theory which are taught throughout the year. 

Building Learning Power links with Choice Theory and teaches students the competencies or dispositions they need to function successfully in the world. It forms out of  the Learning Culture. The  Inquiry approach is used to teach in a way which is child centred. 

The school has three themes a year. The first theme is Systems. Students are studying eco-systems, Marae systems and local council systems. Choice Theory and Building Learning Power are the scaffolding that supports teaching and learning in the school.

In every classroom I visited  there was evidence of the Inquiry, Learning Power, Choice Theory or the ideas that Bob Sullo had presented.

Photo One:  Liam ( Room 12)  is working on his waka in which he will be putting things from his Quality World.

  Photo Two: Choice Theory charts

 Photo Three:  Learning Power Inquiry

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Strengthening New Zealand So People Don't Want to Leave

-
I watched a current affairs program about the New Zealanders going to live in Australia in their thousands over the last five years. The current situation is that New Zealanders arriving in Australia are temporary citizens, not able to access any government money in the form of grants or benefits. That people cannot access unemployment benefits is a good thing, as it is often too easy to become dependent instead of standing on your own two feet.   However, the argument was the children who have gone with their parents to live in Australia since 2003 are unable to access student loans when they wish to study and will need to pay overseas student fees which are significantly higher. Minister Peter Garrett responded to questions about this situation, stating that New Zealanders were making the choice, knowing this information before they left New Zealand.   He did indicate that there were avenues, government to government that could be undertaken to change this situ...
Read more

The Solving Circle

-
The Solving Circle William Glasser’s Solving Circle has many applications and can be adapted for use with students in schools.  It is a valuable tool in the toolbox of the Lead Manager. This example explains a process that was used in a primary school in Queensland Australia with great success and with long-lasting results. The Story Every person who joins a group changes the dynamics.  A new year six student arrived at Arundel State School during the year.  She was a vivacious, attractive girl from South Africa of Indian descent. The ‘in-group’ of year six girls immediately included her in their group.  After a time,  the relationship began to deteriorate and  turned quite nasty and it descended into name-calling and general put-downs, ending up a catfight and the girls scratching of each other.  Parents became involved.  The classroom teacher and I were both Glasser advocates and decided this would be an excellent opp...
Read more

Repeat Offenders

-
  According to the New Zealand Department of Corrections website,  one in every two prisoners is re-convicted and re-imprisoned within four years of release. With a 50% failure rate, is what we are doing working? Anne Tolley, Minister of Corrections wants to reduce this rate by 25%.           How about 3.5%  That is the result of a 2012 longitudinal university study in the Californian Institution for Women. These inmates are being taught how they can have control over their lives  by Instructors from the William Glasser Institute.  Over a period of five years 500 women have spent over 100 hours learning Choice Theory.  There is currently a waiting list of 200 women wanting to be involved.  They request transfers from other prisons to be able to learn this life -changing program. Of the 175 women paroled, only five have returned to prison.  That is 3.5% - a long way better than 25%. This tra...
Read more