Middle School

Year 7

OPEN LEARNING CENTRES (MAX LEARNING) YEAR 7

Our teachers are experts in the strategic use of the learning environment to support success.

At McClelland our outstanding facilities are used to suit the learning that is sometime individual, sometimes grouped and often collaborative.

Our flexible spaces and team based approach to teaching allows us to group students more easily and extend them in areas that simply cannot be achieved in the traditional setting.

Students are also taught and practice and learning how to learn as an individual and in group situations. All extremely important skills in gaining the best results at senior level and beyond.

MCCLELLAND TEACHING AND LEARNING FOCUS YEAR 7

YEAR 7 COURSE OUTLINE

CORE SUBJECTS IN MAX
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Inquiry
  • Japanese
CORE SUBJECTS OUT OF MAX
  • Science
  • Active Health
ROTATIONS Technology rotation (over year 7 & 8 students will complete 1 semester of each of the following)

  • Product Design – Wood
  • Systems Engineering
  • Food Technology
  • Product Design – Plastics

Visual & Performing Arts Rotation (over Year 7 & 8 students will complete 1 semester of each)

  • Drama
  • Music
  • Art

Students entering the college in year 7 will spend significant time acquiring the skills to establish and build sound working relationships. They will be given the opportunity to understand college expectations of them as learners, and to practice the routines that will support them to meet these expectations. The year 7 learning centre is staffed by a core group of teachers, who have shared responsibility for the needs of the students.

FOCUS

  1. Relationships – time will be devoted to developing the capacity of year 7 students to form working relationships that assist quality learning. Developing tolerance and problem solving skills will also be an important element of the learning at this level.
  2. Learning to learn / Thinking skills – time will be devoted to developing the capacity of year 7 students to practice the skills and strategies that assist quality learning
  3. Personal Learning – time will be devoted to developing the capacity of year 7 students to move from dependent to independent learners
  4. Citizenship – time will be devoted to the development of citizenship skills in the context of the MAX team

IMPLICATIONS

At McClelland College, we believe that it is critical to establish a firm basis for our students, for success in all future learning. The MAX learning centre accommodates half of a student’s time at the college, and will be the major vehicle for achieving this foundation.

In term 1, the three key focus statements outlined above will inform the work undertaken in the 7 MAX. Literacy, numeracy, Humanities and LOTE Japanese will be used in an integrated program that enables teachers and students to thoroughly work on the focuses.

Throughout the year, the work undertaken during term one will be revisited, revised and regularly referred to. This will ensure that students continue to develop their skills, as well as meeting our expectations for them as capable, independent learners who are achieving their potential.

To further support this work and the year 7 focuses, all students will be in a Link Group. Each time they enter the 7 MAX, they will meet with this group and a designated teacher to monitor uniform, equipment, and attendance, and to use Personal Learning Journals to ensure lesson details are recorded. This time will also be used to monitor student goal setting, evidence of learning and planning for future work.

The MAX teaching team will be committed to developing and strengthening relationships with parents, and involving them as much as possible in the learning program at the college.