THINKING CURRICULUM

• The world is changing at an accelerating rate. Students of today require highly developed skills in order to become successful citizens of tomorrow. The ability to think effectively in all situations is paramount to each student's potential to succeed and to prosper in an ever-changing, information rich and increasingly interactive world.

• For students to develop within themselves, the abilities to think effectively and to make positive choices based upon sound thinking practices..

Implementation

• Thinking is an essential learning that needs to be taught, practised and developed.

• Thinking is demonstrated by the choices we make, and involves the thought processes used to arrive at those choices.

• Our school curriculum will be developed in a manner that encourages thinking, and the development of thinking skills.

• All students at our school will have the opportunity to develop the skills to think systematically, to reason, to think laterally and creatively, to think caringly and ethically, and to think reflectively.

• The development of thinking skills will be interwoven into all curriculum areas with students being active participants in their own learning.

• Learning activities will be characteristically open-ended, based upon and developing multiple intelligences, utilising Blooms Taxonomy and incorporating thinking skills such as DeBono thinking hats.

• Students will accept greater responsibility for their learning goals and progress by increasing participation in individual learning plans, by increasing involvement in school direction, and by critically analysing their own learning.

• Students may be active contributors to their own half-year and end of year academic reports, which will include self evaluations, progress on the development of thinking skills, and the identification of future learnings.

• All staff will be required to undertake professional development related to the teaching of thinking skills.

• All parents will have opportunities to attend open sessions relating to the school's thinking curriculum.