ERO/Class Programme

=Democratic Classroom=
 * Establishing a democratic classroom is not a fast or easy option and is best achieved gradually
 * Supporting all students to become natural learners and be part of the decision making process requires significant organisation

Creativity

 * View with class Big bang animation
 * Discuss creativity and the ability to "think outside the box"
 * Talk about future plans what career paths students want to pursue
 * Link these to curriculum area - vet (science, maths) pyrotechnic (science) etc
 * Share how we all choose different paths and that's what school should be accommodating of
 * Ask students to think about what their best school/class/learning may look like
 * Students to share their ideas via - writing, drawing, poetry, oral presentation

Mandatory

 * With the class establish what are the mandatory parts of the school curriculum (if any)
 * Probably things such as maths, reading, writing (and probably some tests too), homework, sports and cultural events
 * Plan with the class how these will be conducted and incorporated

Teacher interest

 * List teacher/school ideas/themes that students can be assisted/incorporated
 * the sea, stream study and planting, gardening, running the radio station, teaching younger students, making hoola hoops

Student interest

 * Brainstorm general topics for studying e.g
 * Rainforest animals, human body, wood work, birds, dessert, factories, swimming, orcas, Romans, sea plants, diseases, metal work, clay, fireworks, grasslands, film and photography, food, languages, penguins, surviving, science fair, time, computers...

Classroom brainstorm planning

 * 3 Circles
 * 1) Mandatory - share what, when, why?
 * 2) Teacher - themes, availably of items, strengths, weaknesses
 * 3) Student - interest/s

Mixing it all up

 * Creating plans with students that include the detail from the 3 circles
 * Each student choosing 2-6 ideas/themes per term
 * Selecting ideas from the class brainstorm
 * or random out of thin air thoughts
 * Keep talking/sharing each others ideas

Student plan
Student's participation in the process is consistent with learning being a matter of constructing ideas
 * Use class brainstorm to create individual plans based on interest and class foci?
 * Books, large sheets of paper, drawn, written. recorded
 * Formulate questions with students
 * High level requiring more than one word answers
 * Seek out (and create) answers - using resources
 * Books, internet, visits/visitors, phone calls, library
 * Think through possibilities
 * Evaluate how successful they and their teachers
 * Against established criteria, key competencies, exemplars

Using language symbols and texts
Listening, Sharing ideas/findings, Note taking, Writing - proofreading, Explaining, Reporting, Writing - genre/purpose, Diagrams, Questioning, Summarising, Organising, Speaking, Comprehension, Reading for a purpose, Viewing, Presenting, Recognising patterns Locating information, Selecting information, Using information, Persuading, Sequencing, Making visuals, Numeracy, Measuring

Relating to others
Cooperating, Listening, Negotiating, Considering others, Responding, Share views, Valuing others, Collaborating, Using appropriate behaviours, Awareness of audience, Giving constructive feedback, Being responsible

Managing self
Working independently/interdependently, Organising, Managing time, Setting goals, Self assessment, Reflecting, Imagining, Meeting goals and deadlines, Thinking divergently, Taking risks, Making mistakes, Being Resourceful, Showing leadership

Participating and Contributing
Working together, Connecting, Taking action, Collaborating, Sharing the load, Giving ideas, Helping others

Thinking
Making comparisons, Inferring, Designing, Predicting, Evaluating, Synthesising, Observing, Estimating,,Categorising/classifying, Brainstorming, Making choices, Making decisions, Planning, Imagining, Elaborating, Considering options, Interpreting, Justifying, Causes and consequences, Testing, Analysing, Reviewing, Generalising, Considering pros and cons, Recognising bias

Assessment
How students digital content should be treated in the Server/USB-Portfolio environment. The Server/USB-Portfolio is not really designed to be an environment which handles formally assessed content, it is more intended to be an environment in which the student collects artefacts which are evidence of a personal learning journey for reflection upon by themselves and given over to view for feedback by others. School managed systems are designed to handle and verify assessment information. The teacher typically assists the student in identifying tools for this purpose. The Server/USB-Portfolio is owned and managed by the student, so should not be considered an authoritative source for assessment information. What if the student were to edit the work after it had been assessed in the Server/USB-Portfolio? What if they were to change the grade? Or if they were to selectively edit out less positive comments after the fact? “Well, so what if they do?” It is nothing that they couldn't do in other ways if they so desired and if it is not relied upon as an authoritative source on assessment then it shouldn't matter.

Parent Evening

 * Teachers and students run an information evening for families and other interested people