Course Selections - Whānau Feedback
In a traditional Intermediate school, students and whānau get no input into classes and specialist subjects experienced, and in Secondary Schools, Year 9 and 10 students have a range of compulsory subjects, and by Year 10 usually choose option subjects from Technology, Languages and the Arts. Our vision, on establishment, was that students in courses that are in contexts of interest to them would be more engaged with their learning. We also saw the process as an opportunity for students to learn and/or practice essential skills such as critical thinking, prioritising, balancing wants vs needs and resilience.
In a regular year, up to 30% of students (sometimes much less than this) don't get their first choice (they get their 2nd or 3rd choice instead). This can cause considerable disappointment and angst in students and whānau. The only way to prevent this is to give students much less choice, and place them in courses across the Learning Areas of the curriculum to achieve the 'Broad and Balanced' curriculum we are required to, much like more traditional Secondary Schools.
We would like to hear from our community about how important you think it is for your children to have this choice. We would appreciate you taking the time to answer the questions below. We think it is timely to ask for this feedback now, as students have just completed the course selections process and have been allocated their Semester 1 courses.
Important points to note.... Restricting the course selections process will:
Enable us to start into Learning Modules almost immediately at the start of the year. We believe this is an advantage.
Mean that students may not be in classes with friends. This is no different to what happens in traditional schools when students are placed in home room or core line classes.
Year 9 and 10 students would still have the opportunity to identify pathways and subjects of particular interest to them
Please take 5 minutes to fill in this survey to submit your views on this.