What is learning? (Strengthening parent and school partnerships to support student learning)

Partnerships with parents and legal guardians benefit the students and value the perspectives they bring to the learning community. The partnerships between home and school provide the foundation to support students’ learning, growth, health and well-being and agency. - (Adapted from The Learning Community 2018, International Baccalaureate)

In breakout groups, parents and guardians discussed the question: WHAT IS LEARNING? WHAT DOES LEARNING LOOK, FEEL & SOUND LIKE?

Parent & Guardian Responses Included:

- Learning should be fun! (This comment was made multiple times.)

- When we are learning we are also learning how to communicate with each other and the world

- If learning is fun, then it is engaging 

- Learning must be applicable to the real world we live in

- Learning should be useful

- Learning happens when there is a safe environment so children feel better about raising their hand, making mistakes and taking risks

- When we learn at school, it can be black and white, we need to apply these strategies to everyday problems

- Learning involves all environments, so it happens in the house, with friends and family too

- We learn by making mistakes

- We learn in an interactive way and when there is interconnection between school, family and friends

- Learning has changed to needing to be more interactive in order to absorb it, the new generation moves from one thing to the next quickly and is constantly changing, therefore for students to absorb learning it needs to be interactive, engaging and fun. 

- We need to learn how to learn

- A big focus should be on critical thinking skills

All of these parents comments led seamlessly into our discussion around having a shared vision and understanding for the entire Learning Community on what learning is. This led into the presentation which explored; Our Definition of Learning at Seisen International School & ways in which we might work together in a home-school partnership to support learning. 

If you missed the workshop; please find the slideshow attached below

SLIDESHOW

Let's keep the conversation going. Please be in contact if you have any questions or would like to discuss anything further with us: 

Ms Sandra: siselem@seisen.com

Mr Lewis: jlewis@seisen.com 

Ms Smyth: ssmyth@seisen.com

SAVE THE DATE - Our next PYP Morning Tea Workshop is on Friday 19th November.