Learning about the way we learn at Wesley

We recently invited parents to attend workshops in our Junior and Middle Schools to gain a better understanding of how their children learn at Wesley.

Junior School parents explored the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) learning framework which emphasises inquiry-based, concept-driven, transdisciplinary learning. This interactive session promoted critical thinking and discussion, enhancing parents' understanding of their children's experiences at Wesley.

In the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) workshop, parents were led through a thinking routine which focused on one aspect of the IB Learner Profile. In small groups, they were asked to draw connections between abstract concepts to build an understanding of each other's perspectives and ideas. For many, this was the first time experiencing learning the way their children do every day.

Parents were then encouraged to reflect on how learning at Wesley College compares to their own time at school and what they hope their children will experience as part of their education.

Gretchen, mother of Stella (Year 8) said, ‘This is more like the way of learning I experienced at university and is similar to the style of strategising used in real-world workplaces.’

‘There is a real benefit to my children learning a method that is similar to adult learning. Content is widely and easily available now; it doesn't need to be memorised in the same way as before.’

Future workshops will focus on assessment, giving families an insight into our approach and the role feedback plays in shaping learning.

The IB is an internationally recognised curriculum framework for primary, middle and senior school students and is delivered in over 5,000 schools in more than 150 countries worldwide. Wesley is an IB World School and is one of just 14 schools in Australia to offer the three-program IB continuum through which to deliver the Australian curriculum.