Organisation logo

Amesbury School

Amesbury School Digest 11

You may have seen an item on TV1’s ‘Seven Sharp’ show earlier this week, which looked at open plan hub learning environments. You can view the story here.

Obviously, as an innovative learning environment (ILE), we are strong advocates for the way teaching and learning happens in these kinds of environments. However, even more, we are aware that teaching and learning in ILEs is just as likely to be as different from each other as it is between more traditional schools and ILEs (or even between traditional schools themselves). It simply isn’t helpful to make blanket assumptions about how certain types of schools operate or to turn the argument into a binary of traditional schools versus Innovative Learning Environments. Sadly, this impacts the ability to find the common ground that would move education forward in New Zealand.

Thinking back to the comments made by senior secondary school principals in the Sunday Star Times several years ago, it is disappointing to see that the discussion around ILEs has not become more informed and more open in the intervening time. Some views were expressed that simply cannot not be justified. The point of ILEs is to create a one-size-fits-ONE experience of teaching and learning for students. The purpose of more open, flexible architecture is to enable a more personalised response and for students themselves to be able to create/find the space they need that best meets their learning needs. Contrary to the initial opinions expressed in the Seven Sharp article, a well-designed and purposed open plan hub creates a highly engaged, rich learning environment - and this is backed up by Ministry of Education policy and emerging research. You can click here for some of the latest research on ILEs. Also a link to the Ministry of Education’s website on ILEs.

We remain committed to being an innovative learning environment and we are proud of the fact that, along with others, we are influencing the development of educational thinking around New Zealand and the world. However, articles like the Seven Sharp one are a distraction. We want to remain focused on what is our biggest goal and greatest challenge – ensuring that we meet the needs of EVERY SINGLE STUDENT. This is a much bigger challenge than I realised when we started out. But it is a challenge that is absolutely worth persevering with. 

For those of you who weren’t here then, here is a link to my response to the Sunday Star Times article.

Please do make an appointment with me if you would like to discuss this further with me.

Contents

3 August - 16 August

by Chris Waugh

Community and School Notices...

Visit this article

Year 5 & 6 South Island Camp, Curious Cove

by Demelza Topp

This is the initial information email for the 2017 Year 5 and 6 senior camp to the Curious Cove in the Marlborough Sounds. 

Visit this article
fleece

Stray and lost fleeces

by Chris Waugh

Please help! A number of our students are trying to track down stray or lost fleeces.

Visit this article
School Shop 

Amesbury School Shop Now Live!

by Beckie Duffy

The Amesbury School Shop is an easier way to purchase items from school, and it's now available via the school website and app.

Visit this article
exam

ICAS 2017

by Chris Waugh

Several of our Harakeke students have sat ICAS examinations this year.

Visit this article
Harakeke Barcamp

Harakeke Barcamp

by Chris Waugh

Week 3 was a busy week for the school. The whole school went on Noho Marae in two shifts, and the students of Harakeke Hub did Barcamp.

Visit this article
School logo

Assessment and Reporting at Amesbury School

by Urs Cunningham

Assessment and reporting looks slightly different across the school, and this can sometimes be confusing. This article is an overview of how assessment and reporting works at Amesbury.

Visit this article
Our visitors from Kaisei Girls Academy in Kobe, Japan

Visit to Amesbury from Japanese School

by Beckie Duffy

This week, we welcomed visitors from Kaisei Girls Academy in Kobe, Japan.

Visit this article
Noho Marae 2017

Noho Marae 2017

by Chris Waugh

The students have been having a great time visiting Orongomai Marae.

Visit this article
Amesbury School 

Board of Trustees Update

by Beckie Duffy

The Amesbury Board of Trustees met last Wednesday for their regular meeting. Here's an overview of what was covered:

Visit this article