Assessment Of, As and For Learning “When we recognise that true understanding of a discipline involves learning its processes and ways of thinking as well as its content knowledge, then we naturally create opportunities for developing those abilities.” Ron Ritchhart, “Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools”. Throughout this term, I have witnessed students across Early Learning to Year 12 presenting their learning progress in a range of ways, including through standardised testing (such as NAPLAN), vibrant expos and performances to parents and peers, publishing on apps such as SeeSaw and Showbie, in formal essays and research projects and through working collaboratively in teams. Year 10 and 11 students are about to undertake their mid-year examinations at this time and Year 12 students are preparing for their exams in the upcoming break. It is useful to remember that these sorts of tests are not the “end” but rather the beginning of a learning cycle. They will help students and their teachers identify areas of opportunity and growth in each of the subject areas; they can clarify areas for improvement and crystallise areas of strength. Throughout all of this, Subject Teachers, the Futures Coordinator, the Learning Area Leaders and Heads of House, Tutors and other staff will provide ongoing support and advice to all students in their reflections on their progress. Different types of assessment practices achieve a range of outcomes. Three most commonly identified are: Assessment OF Learning, Assessment FOR Learning and Assessment AS Learning. Assessment OF learning assists teachers in using evidence of student learning to assess achievement against outcomes and standards. This is sometimes referred to as ‘summative assessment’ and usually occurs at defined key points during a unit of work or at the end of a unit, term or semester. Its effectiveness as an opportunity for learning depends on the nature and quality of the feedback, as described in the examination example above. Assessment FOR learning involves teachers using evidence about students’ knowledge, understanding and skills to inform their teaching. Sometimes referred to as ‘formative assessment’, it usually occurs throughout the teaching and learning process to clarify student learning and understanding. The goal is to help students learn better, rather than just achieving a better mark. Assessment AS learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how to use assessment for new learning. This encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning and requires students to ask questions about their learning. At Pulteney, we use a combination of these assessment approaches to give students (and their teachers and parents) the best opportunity to develop a deep understanding of their progress over time. The aim of assessment is not to create a “high stakes” or “hot-house” environment whereby levels of student stress are counterproductive to them feeling positive about their capacity to learn; that is why we adopt a balanced approach that uses both formative and summative assessment and enables feedback to occur in a range of ways. Contents From the Principal Board of Governance Update What’s News? Performing Arts Community Reconciliation at Pulteney Sport Save the Date Friday 16 June Chic & Champagne Fashion Parade - Sold Out Friday 23 June Whisky Night Saturday 19 August 170th Gala Ball Friday 3 November Pulteney Golf Day Tuesday 5 December Pulteney Celebrates Review Weekly Term 2, Week 7, 15 June 2017 Pulteney Grammar Celebrating 170 years Gala Ball Tickets on sale now From the Principal The Pulteney Uniform Shop will be open during the following hours in Term 2 Tuesday: 11.00am – 5.00pm Wednesday: 12.30pm – 4.30pm Friday: 8.00am – 11.30am There is a selection of pre-loved uniforms, including blazers and sportswear, available for purchase in the shop.
Transcript
Assessment Of, As and For Learning“When we recognise that true understanding of a discipline involves learning its processes and ways of thinking as well as its content knowledge, then we naturally create opportunities for developing those abilities.” Ron Ritchhart, “Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools”.
Throughout this term, I have witnessed students across Early Learning to Year 12 presenting their learning progress in a range of ways, including through standardised testing (such as NAPLAN), vibrant expos and performances to parents and peers, publishing on apps such as SeeSaw and Showbie, in formal essays and research projects and through working collaboratively in teams. Year 10 and 11 students are about to undertake their mid-year examinations at this time and Year 12 students are preparing for their exams in the upcoming break. It is useful to remember that these sorts of tests are not the “end” but rather the beginning of a learning cycle. They will help students and their teachers identify areas of opportunity and growth in each of the subject areas; they can clarify areas for improvement and crystallise areas of strength. Throughout all of this, Subject Teachers, the Futures Coordinator, the Learning Area Leaders and Heads of House, Tutors and other staff will provide ongoing support and advice to all students in their reflections on their progress.
Different types of assessment practices achieve a range of outcomes. Three most commonly identified are: Assessment OF Learning, Assessment FOR Learning and Assessment AS Learning.
Assessment OF learning assists teachers in using evidence of student learning to assess achievement against outcomes and standards. This is sometimes referred to as ‘summative assessment’ and usually occurs at defined key points during a unit of work or at the end of a unit, term or semester. Its effectiveness as an opportunity for learning depends on the nature and quality of the feedback, as described in the examination example above.
Assessment FOR learning involves teachers using evidence about students’ knowledge, understanding and skills to inform their teaching. Sometimes referred to as ‘formative assessment’, it usually occurs throughout the teaching and learning process to clarify student learning and understanding. The goal is to help students learn better, rather than just achieving a better mark.
Assessment AS learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how to use assessment for new learning. This encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning and requires students to ask questions about their learning.
At Pulteney, we use a combination of these assessment approaches to give students (and their teachers and parents) the best opportunity to develop a deep understanding of their progress over time. The aim of assessment is not to create a “high stakes” or “hot-house” environment whereby levels of student stress are counterproductive to them feeling positive about their capacity to learn; that is why we adopt a balanced approach that uses both formative and summative assessment and enables feedback to occur in a range of ways.
ContentsFrom the Principal
Board of Governance Update
What’s News?
Performing Arts
Community
Reconciliation at Pulteney
Sport
Save the DateFriday 16 June Chic & Champagne Fashion Parade - Sold OutFriday 23 June Whisky NightSaturday 19 August 170th Gala BallFriday 3 November Pulteney Golf DayTuesday 5 December Pulteney Celebrates
Review Weekly Term 2, Week 7, 15 June 2017
Pulteney Grammar
Celebrating 170 years
Gala Ball Tickets on sale now
From the Principal
The Pulteney Uniform Shop will be open during the following
There is a selection of pre-loved uniforms, including
blazers and sportswear, available for purchase in the
shop.
Should you or your child have any questions around the different types of assessment, please do not hesitate to initiate a conversation with your child’s teacher, Tutor, House Head or Head of School.
Parking ConcernsI have received a communication from local residents and the Body Corporate Manager in relation to the townhouses and apartments in the area of Halifax Street, Gilles Street and Todd Place. They highlighted some ongoing difficulties with non-residents’ cars blocking the common driveway and parking on verges and kerbs, causing damage to lawns and irrigation systems. Please consider our neighbours. We recognise that parking spaces in and around the school campus are in high demand; we are a city school. We seek your cooperation to enable all who live, work and commute around Pulteney to do so safely and without incident.
Anne DunstanPrincipal
Board of Governance UpdateRecently, a representative group from the Board, with our Principal Anne Dunstan, attended the AISSA (Association of Independent Schools of South Australia) 2017 governance program titled “Strategic Foresight, Opportunities and Challenges for School Boards”, a week last Saturday at Pembroke School. Pretty much every Independent School in South Australia attended, and the key audience were Boards and Principals.
It was a terrific day, opening our minds to education as it may look like further into the 21st century and featuring a number of keynote speakers including Dr Ron Ritchhart from Project Zero, Harvard University. Dr Ritchhart talked us through and workshopped what contemporary education could look like. He came from a position that global change has a direct impact on what will happen in our classrooms, impacting on the needs of both pupils and staff and the broader community. A big take out was that knowledge, through easy access via the web, is not as remote as it used to be, and that understanding will be the key need moving forward.
Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training, talked us through what funding in the national education landscape will look like over the next 10 years and how the incumbent government plans to even out historic inequities that have exacerbated over time, state by state.
A strategic foresight workshop concluded the day, led by futurist Dr Kristin Alford from UniSA, who talked us through tools and processes that we can employ to help develop strategic thinking, which is exceptionally valuable as we as a Board continue to review and refine our strategic decision-making.
The insights gained on the day will be shared across the rest of your Board, as part of our drive to ensure we are up to date with contemporary educational research and are forward thinking about the future of Pulteney Grammar School.
Colin Dudley Deputy Board Chair
What’s News?Gifted and Talented NewsEvatt Competition 2017Thirteen teams represented Pulteney Grammar School at the preliminary rounds for Evatt, which is a model United Nations Security Council diplomacy competition. The students worked exceptionally well in teams and displayed exemplary behaviour throughout the day. The following students gained a place in the semi-final which was held at Prospect Town Hall on Sunday 11 June:
• Charlotte Moseley and Olivia Cameron• Elser Mitchell and Nicholas Hassan• Connor Fyfe and Coby Howell• Natasha Perrott and Anna Molony• William Rooke and James Burgess• Dyllan Zhang and Felix Jones
We congratulate the following teams who have won a place in the Grand Final which will be held on Wednesday 14 June at the Adelaide Town Hall. We wish them every success.
• Connor Fyfe and Coby Howell• William Rooke and James Burgess
Sue Mavropoulos Gifted and Talented Coordinator and Teacher Assistant Head of the Prep School
Performing ArtsGrammarphones at Coffee in the QuadOn Friday 9 June, The Grammarphones sang at the Friends of Pulteney Quad Cafe.It was fantastic to see and hear them sing two numbers which they will be performing at the Adelaide Eisteddfod on Thursday 15 June in the Adelaide Town Hall.We also had several soloists perform, accompanied by Meredith Wilson, Nicholas Hassan, Maya Clarke, Lucy Johnson and Jake Reedman.It was a great way to start the day, and was greatly appreciated by an enthusiastic audience. Please feel free to join us in the Kurrajong Courtyard on Friday mornings before school to enjoy the varied music offerings over a coffee and a chat.
Jonathon RiceLearning Area Leader Performing Arts
Quad CafeJoin us at the Quad Cafe to catch up with friends over a coffee.
Every Friday morning 8.00am to 9.00am in The Kurrajong Courtyard
Community Whisky Tasting - Friday 23 JuneThis will be an evening to remember. Enjoy fine whisky, fabulous food and lively conversation at The Pulteney Malt Whisky Dinner. Invite your friends to relish hearty wood oven, slow cooked dishes, learn about five iterations of Single Malt Whisky, enjoy the company of old friends and new. Limited seats available, $125 per head.Tickets available at https://www.trybooking.com/QKZY
On the menu...
Pulteney Gala Ball Tickets are selling fast at https://www.trybooking.com/PAIB. Now is the time to liaise with your friends and your class parent representative to organise a table. There is a limit of 10 guests per table. If you are going to the ball as a group, please be sure to book on the same table as your friends. We are unable to make changes to table numbers once they are booked. We have arranged one table per year level for those who don’t have enough in their group to make up a full table but would like to join other parents in their child’s year level. Please don’t hesitate to call Suzie Boyaci 8113 5670 or email [email protected] should you have any queries.
Have a Staycation! The InterContinental Adelaide is offering a special rate to guests wishing to stay after the Pulteney Gala Ball. Make your night even more memorable by booking your exclusive rate from $175 for a King Superior Room here. Book at https://aws.passkey.com/go/PulteneyGrammarGalaBall
Celebrating 170 yearsPULTENEY GRAMMAR
Call for Silent Auction ItemsWe are seeking donations for the silent auction to be held at our 170th Gala Ball. If you or a family member have any
products or services you are able to donate we are happy to promote your business. Alternatively, you may be happy to purchase something to donate; items that have sold well in the past include
cosmetic hampers, homewares, vouchers, food and wine hampers, jewellery and accessories, tools and exercise equipment. Every item counts, any donations are greatly appreciated.
Please contact Cate Boucher or Suzie Boyaci at the Community Relations Office if you have any queries. You can drop your items at Wheaton House from 8.30am - 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Without the generosity of our community these events would not be possible. Thanking you in advance.
Reconciliation Week celebrations occurred across all sub-schools during the past weeks. Ms Wearn’s Year 9 class visited 1 Yakku to share Kaurna history and language and to learn several Kaurna songs. Students shared their knowledge about what Reconciliation means and discussed contemporary aspects such as ‘Terra Nullius’ and Stolen Generation and how this has impacted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Ms Wearn filmed singing and discussions and students presented this at a Middle School Assembly.
Mr Oates’ Year 3 class played ‘Koolchee’ and ‘Gorn’, which are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander games that children play to practice hunting accuracy. In Kurrajong, on Grandparents’ Morning, parents and Grandparents printed their hands on a class mural in 1 Karku. Hand prints or painted hands are a symbol of Reconciliation. Students drew traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander symbols on sticks, collected from the parklands for message sticks, which were a traditional form of communication between language groups and would tell others about water sources and food availability as well as celebrations.
Pulteney Grammar School is committed to reconciliation and to supporting our community to build partnerships with Kaurna elders to promote our understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.
SportTraining and FixturesAll Match Reports, Training and Fixtures can be found at http://www.pulteney.sa.edu.au/community/sports-and-activities/
Rowing Pulteney Boat Club AGM The Pulteney Boat Club is holding its Annual General Meeting on Monday 19 June 2017 in the War Memorial Room, Allan Wheaton House.The meeting starts at 6.30pm. If you are interested in nominating for a position, please contact the Head of [email protected]
SoccerGirlsFirst XI drew with St Michaels College 1-1 Second XI were defeated by Wilderness Girls School 0-2Middle A game forfeited
Congratulations Pulteney congratulates Jemima Bell on her performance at the 2017 Australian Gymnastics Championships. She placed 11th in the Youth International Individual Trampoline competition and 18th in the Under 13 Double Mini Tramp competition. Her routines were the best she has done and, as an under 13, jumping with Under 15 competitors, bodes well for the future. Well done Jemima!
Prep Sport Notices - Week 5SAPSASA HockeyCongratulations to Liam Maguire, Xavier Bucciarelli and Ethan Menadue on being selected in the East Adelaide District Hockey team. They will play in a state-wide carnival in the last week of this term. We wish them well in the upcoming carnival.
FootballThe East Adelaide Football team finished top in their division in the state-wide carnival held last week. Pulteney had 3 representatives who acquitted themselves exceptionally well. Congratulations to Sebastien Brett, Austin Brooks and Cameron Kelly.
We will be tasting a variety of fabulous malts which will be accompanied by a sumptuous two course dinner with perhaps the odd drop of red on hand.
The cost of this event is $125 per head and we are restricted to 80 participants. Be sure not to miss this event – come straight from work or casually dressed (kilts optional)! To reserve your seats and make payment, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/QKZY by Wednesday 7 June June, but don’t delay as this is bound to be a sell-out evening.
Slainte Mhath!
I am pleased to announce that the 2017 ‘Pulteney Malt Whisky Dinner’ will be held in the Deverson GarageWorks Showroom, Studio 2/7 Osmond Terrace, Norwood.(Enter via Stephen St, adjacent The Republic Hotel) on Friday 23 June at 6.30 for 7.00pm.
Whisky to sample on the nightDeanston 12 year old Single Malt Whisky
Bunnahabhain 12 year old Single Malt WhiskyLedaig 10 year old Single Malt WhiskyanCnoc 12 year old Single Malt Whisky
Old Pulteney Stroma Liqueur
Pulteney Grammar
Celebrating 170 years
Please join us to celebrate.Saturday 19 August 2017, 6.30pm
William Magarey Room, Adelaide OvalWar Memorial Drive, Adelaide
Earlybird price $170 available until June 30Tickets available at
https://www.trybooking.com/PAIB
Please take noteThere is a limit of 10 guests per table.
If you are going to the ball as a group, please be sure to book on the same table as your friends.
We are unable to make changes to table numbers once they are booked.
We have arranged one table per year level for those who don’t have enough in their group to make up a table but would like to join other parents in their child’s year level.
