Silverdale School Learner Assets
Creating a Shared Language of Learning
Like all communities, people in schools have a language they use to help everyone feel connected and to enable consistent and clear communication. As educators, we know that the words we use have a great deal of power. What we say and how we say it helps shape a child’s view of themselves as a learner and their understanding of learning itself. Much of the language we use at Silverdale School relates to our KERI Values (Kindness/Atawhai Excellence/Hiranga Respect/Whakaute Integrity/ Ngākau pono) and The Resilience Project (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy). We are excited to add to this by launching a new shared language of learning relating to our “Learner Assets”.
In preparing students to become active citizens in the 21 century, we need to do more than provide students with information. Knowledge by itself is insufficient. It is the skills and dispositions that students learn that will transfer across learning areas and into the future. Different learning situations require different skills and attitudes which, when mastered, can be considered to be assets to us as learners. Silverdale School has identified four learner assets which will be explicitly taught and focused on to aid in this. These are;
Self Manager / He kaiwhakahaere i a koe anō
Collaborator / He Hoa Mahi Tahi
Innovator / He Tangata auaha
Communicator / He Kaiwhakawhiti Kōrero
Being a Self Manager / He kaiwhakahaere i a koe anō is an important asset. Some of the skills you need include being able to stay focussed, manage your time and be organised. This is also about being a responsible and resilient person, reflecting and learning from mistakes. Also important in this area are the skills of regulating emotions and taking responsibility for your own learning and behaviour.
Being a Collaborator / He Hoa Mahi Tahi includes being able to compromise, take turns and take on different roles in a team. You will need to be inclusive, culturally aware, reliable and a team player. It helps to be empathetic so that you can understand others’ points of view.
Being an Innovator / He Tangata auaha requires creativity, curiosity and having an open mind. It will be important to be resourceful and have a range of problem solving skills. You will also need to have research skills as you observe and investigate.
Effective Communicator / He Kaiwhakawhiti Kōrero is an essential asset for learning. We need to learn to listen actively, respond appropriately to others and get our message across in different ways. Good communicators are responsive and respectful. A key focus here is to develop confidence and encourage contribution.
Each term we will have an explicit focus on a Learner Asset to introduce the language and focus on the necessary skill set. This term all classes will be learning about being a self manager. Learner Assets are not just for our children or specific to home. You can try modelling the language in relation to yourself or when you observe an asset in action, for example; praising your child if they self manage and get themselves organised in the morning for school.
“When we consciously engage young people into inquiring into how they learn, we are developing skills and dispositions that act as important assets to them as learners – across the curriculum, in school and beyond” Kath Murdoch
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