Values in Action

Classroom Activities:

Teachers across the cluster have used a variety of Thinking Tools to engage the students in the interpretation of the values in the national framework.

1. Students have developed Mind Maps, used Bundling strategies, participated in paired interviews and silent galleries, played Pass the Ball and Pick up Sticks, developed Graffiti Boards and Brainstorms and a wide range of other activities to clarify the understanding of each value.
2. “Snapshots”, a “literary resource that features cultural encounters across our world” has been used in the classroom to generate discussion and to encourage students to think more widely about each value.
3. Class surveys have identified the ‘most important’ values for each student and the common values identified by each class group.
4. Students have surveyed parents for their ‘most important’ values and compared the results with the student views.
5. Small group discussions have focused on the meaning of each of the national values and the behaviours which may demonstrate this value

Having developed an understanding of each value, students working in groups, were given responsibility for one of the values, to brainstorm ideas for presentation of the value, to develop a storyline for the value and to develop the concepts of settings, characters and language. At this stage, the development of the stories from each school varied according to the interests, skills and interpretation of the students.

Young Leaders Group

The Young Leaders group, composed of the School Captains from each of the primary schools and the SRC representatives from Year 7 and 8 meet regularly to provide a focus group for the discussions and to plan activities. This group has attended the Young Leaders’ Foundation Day at Vodaphone Arena in 2005 and 2006.  They have shared information about current Values Programs in their individual schools,  identified common values and worked together to develop scenarios for discussion by their fellow students. The cross school interaction has been a positive example of the values as the students have developed respect, acceptance and understanding for each other and for each other’s views.

Student Conference:

A Student Conference in June brought together approximately one hundred students from across the cluster schools. The focus for the conference was on valuing the environment, with students working with community members, such as volunteers from the community groups, Friends of Native Wildlife and Marine Care at Rickett’s Point, local Bayside City Council groups including Waste Management, Citywide Parks and Gardens and Melbourne Water, to identify environmental issues and to show responsibility and respect for their community

Professional Development:

Professional Development activities have been conducted at the Whole Cluster level as well as within each school. There have been two Cluster meetings for all Middle Years teachers from cluster schools. At the first, in early term 3, the Values Education Good Practice Schools Project was presented. A broad outline of the project was discussed with the role of each school, the expected outcomes and the support offered to achieve the goals. A display of the “Snapshot” series of literacy material was provided and some suggestions for how this could be incorporated into the project, with ideas for researching the values and for the development of class photo stories. The second meeting in early term 4, provided an opportunity for schools to describe and share the activities in each school. Results from school surveys, student and parent understandings, class discussions and story lines developed were shared and discussed.