Frequently Asked Questions

Collaborative Learning

Why is there a need for change in the design of school buildings?

 "The majority of New Zealand’s school buildings were built between 1950 and the 70s. Since then, teaching practice and student learning needs have changed significantly. New technologies and building materials allow for new, vibrant and well-connected learning spaces. All students deserve to be taught in these new modern learning environments and benefit from new teaching methods." – Ministry of Education

Learning is not the same as it was 10 years ago due to the exponential growth of technology. It has drastically changed our lives and also the workforce. Children can now learn anytime, anywhere and with anyone (ubiquitous learning). 47% of jobs will disappear in the next 25 years and robots will replace 5 million workers in 2020 alone. So to respond to the demands in this ever-changing world we need to create different learning spaces for different purposes to ensure every child can achieve within a future focused environment.

How does my child benefit from being in these collaborative learning environments?

They will be given opportunities to learn on their own and alongside others. We know through research that when teachers collaborate, they share responsibility for the learners, share collective expertise and demonstrate best practice on a daily basis. As a result, collective teaching practice improves and standards are raised. This builds teachers' capacity and knowledge which benefits all learners. Learners in turn end up getting the benefit of the “super teacher”.

How do you shape the Curriculum for Learners at Suzanne Aubert?

We use the New Zealand Curriculum as a framework for learning. We will shape our localised Suzanne Aubert Curriculum in response to the needs of our learners, community and environment. We will design a curriculum that is relevant, authentic and purposeful to our learners. We will create innovative learning opportunities for students to explore the world around them and make sense of their place in the world. This will be achieved through providing contexts for learning across all curriculum areas. Information about progress and achievement will be shared with families throughout the year. Teachers will use a collaborative approach to designing learning and share expertise and ideas to ensure the best outcome for each child. In our environments, you will see children learning independently, collaborating in small groups and connecting in large groups.

How many kaiako will be in each hub?

There are at least 3 kaiako in each learning hub at any given time. At Suzanne Aubert, our ratio of teachers to learners is unique and enables the learning partnership to be strengthened. This provides an opportunity to build a quality learning focused relationship between learner, whānau and teacher.

Will learning spaces be noisy?

The acoustic design in our learning spaces is world-class and uses up to date technology and materials to reduce noise. Through current research in building design, the layout of learning spaces provides optimum opportunities for students to focus on their learning. Different spaces will determine different purposes by providing the right environment for low volume independent focus, medium volume learning conversations and higher volume for ‘noisier’ activities. These design outcomes mean that noise is specifically reduced through the material on the walls, the use of break out spaces and speaker control systems.

Some classes will have different year levels. Will my child’s learning needs be met?

Learners are supported according to their specific abilities, goals and capabilities regardless of the year level expectations. There has always been a wide range of abilities within a ‘traditional’ classroom environment. This does not change in our learning space. Each child at Suzanne Aubert will have their needs met through the design of a personalised learning program which will enable them to access and make progress in the curriculum. The advantage of having more than one teacher in each learning space allows our kaiako to plan collaboratively and design learning that is differentiated for each child.

What are Whānau Classes?

Every child at Suzanne Aubert belongs to a whānau class and has a whānau teacher. This teacher is the first contact for parents and caregivers and is responsible for the pastoral care of your child. The first and last 15-20 minutes of every day is spent with the whānau teacher taking attendance, sharing prayer and celebrating whanaungatanga. Research indicates that we make the most gains with students when we develop strong learning focused relationships. To support the transition process for our learners, we believe it is important for siblings to be with each other in these whānau groups. That is why if you have more than one child in the same learning community, you will notice that they are in the same whānau class.

How will children be grouped for learning?

Learners are grouped depending on their needs, context and expected outcomes. Throughout the day, your child could be grouped in any one of the following ways:

• By their choice of learning context
• By a mutually shared interest
• By mixed ability grouping
• By ability and the Curriculum level your child is working at.

Grouping of learners at Suzanne Aubert will be flexible depending on teacher observations and through the rigorous use of ongoing assessment. Groupings will not be fixed, as all children learn at different rates.

Enrolment/Transition