This has happened!

Priority No. 2

Learning Dispositions - What are these? What do they look like? What do they look like for us?

This last week as part of our PLD programme we had a Skype session with Sarah Martin, Foundation Principal of Stonefields School. She led us through what she has been building with her school in terms of Learning Dispositions. A lot of knowledge gathering and idea developing was done through reading research from Art Coster, Guy Claxton, Dreyfus and John Edwards. Students were interviewed: 

What do you do when you are stuck as a learner? and What makes a Powerful Learner? 

The results were eye opening and offered up many questions as to what powerful learning looked like and how teachers were making a difference.

From here the school explored what it learner qualities looked like and through a series of PLD came up with

• Be Self Aware
• Wonder
• Think
• Connect
• Be Determined
• Question
• Reflect

Within each of these Learner Qualities is an easy to follow progression. Underpining this is the importance of Foundation Literacies in able to learn and relationships!

I realised that I had explored this path a few years ago with my then Year 4 class. My point of reference then was "Building Learning Power in Action" by Sarah Gornall, Maryl Chambers and Guy Claxton. I have found the text and am reading it again! Next I will build my understanding and knowledge more by reading material that is shared with us by Sarah Martin and Daniel Birch (Hobsonville Point Primary School).