Page 5 -
P. 5
recognise the importance of a two-way transfer from intimate awareness of what, how and why we (teachers
generic to specific competencies and vice versa (New and students) are learning. This co-constructive process
Zealand Educational Institute, 2005). sows the seeds for developing desired understandings
and it broadly informs us of our learning destination.
It is difficult to make a distinction between the Habits of Success criteria in the form of the matrix (handout notes)
Mind and the Key Competencies. This close alignment of afford students the opportunity to reflect on their learning
the models is exemplified in the bubble map below.
and consider their next learning steps, which develops
self regulation. This co-construction ensures learners
Linking the Habits of Mind and the Key Competencies have a voice. Being heard empowers our students.
Defining success criteria for deep understandings
Use knowledge
Makes links to to carry out Explicity train and the Habits of Mind should relate to performance.
meaningful
others and the leaners to think This is the key to measuring understanding, but it is
world they live tasks Value,
in also where subjectivity may occur (refer to Habits of
inclination,
Focus on sensitivity, Mind International Expo support material). Measuring
identity, student capability &
voice commitment understanding is holistic, complex and a confusing target
motivtation
discerment (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). These authors suggest that
teachers be clear about what they want students to
Integrate understand and what is meant by this. When the lesson
Develop critical Key competencies holistic &
reflection skills and the Habits of complex design is closely aligned to what we want students to
Mind both
understand, learning is more likely to occur.
Performance- Develop Teachers’ professional understanding is enhanced by
based actions,
behaviours, dispositions for this level of planning and assessment; we have had
lifelong
choices &
assessment learning many ‘uh hah’ moments, and these new insights into
Aims to how to grow the Habits of Mind in our own lives and in
develop Create &
common good critique the lives of our students fuel innovation.
& social Include knowledge
responsiblity
knowledge,
skills, attitudes
& values Key Competencies in the New Zealand
Curriculum
“Assessing the key competencies will be carried through
processes that empower learners to take responsibility
Measuring dispositions (HoM) – some ideas for their own learning and to see themselves as life-long
At CSNS, action-based performance - or operacy (de learners. Progress with key competencies depends on:
Bono) - including knowledge, skills, attitudes and values, ■ opportunities to practice in increasingly complex
is assessed formatively and summatively. Operacy contexts;
reflects what a learner knows and what a learner can
do with what is known, as well as their confidence ■ the considered transfer of responsibility from teacher
and motivation. Learners need to develop the skills to to learner;
access resources such as self, others and cultural tools ■ the clarity of the learning goals and
related to thinking and making meaning. Reflective
self-assessment is fundamental to growing dispositions ■ a learning environment that supports a range of types
and developing intelligent patterns of behaviour. “At of interactions.
the centre is the learner, with identity, well-being As learners progress they demonstrate key
and belonging at the core. This also recognises the competencies with more consistency, strength, self-
importance of environment in establishing the conditions knowledge, confidence, thoughtfulness and critique, in
in which a learner belongs and learns” (Brewerton 2004, increasingly complex and diverse situations” (Ministry of
p. 37). Education, 2006).
Deep understandings and Habits of Mind can be broken Learning how to assess the Key Competencies
down into success criteria under the headings of Novice, formatively and summatively is fundamental to
Apprentice, Practitioner and Expert (Refer Habits of the success of our approach. Enhanced student
Mind International Expo Conference support material). achievement will become more apparent when teachers
While teachers make these divisions first whilst planning, notice, recognise, respond to, record and revisit the Key
then students are encouraged to use dictionaries, Competencies and Habits of Mind.
thesauruses, peers and adults to co-construct new
definitions and success criteria for Habits of Mind, thus Our EHSAS goal is to raise achievement of the Key
developing ownership of their learning. Earlier this year, Competencies and to demonstrate evidence of this by
we realised that our approach was mainly at a cognitive developing a sociocultural approach to learning and
/ comprehension level. The teachers came to see that assessment. In partnership with teachers wishing to
by engaging learners with the dispositions they could carry out their own action research, we began to use the
use it during the process of co-construction. This could sociocultural lenses as filters to assess transformation in
potentially deepen students’ understanding of the Habit participation.
of Mind (see handout for an example of planning). The
purpose for this shared approach is to develop an
Australian National Schools Network and Learning Network New Zealand • 9