At Collegiate, we believe students learn best when they are active participants in their learning.
Agency in Learning is one of our core pedagogical pillars, encouraging students to take increasing ownership of their learning, make decisions, articulate their thinking and understand themselves as learners.
Across the School, we see this in many different ways. Recently, three Collegiate experiences have provided wonderful examples of students taking the lead in their learning and applying their skills beyond the classroom.
Student-Led Conferences
Over recent weeks, students across our Junior and Middle Schools have taken part in Student-Led Conferences, inviting their parents into School to hear directly about their learning.
Rather than having learning simply reported to them, parents are guided through their child’s work by the student themselves. Students explain what they have been learning, demonstrate their understanding, reflect on their progress and answer questions about their experiences.
From Kindergarten through to Year 7, students have had the opportunity to put their own knowledge into practice by explaining what they know and how they know it.
This is a meaningful example of assessment as learning. The process of preparing to explain their learning encourages students to reflect, make connections and develop a deeper understanding of their own progress.
Year 1 students become the teachers
Agency looked a little different in Year 1, where students recently welcomed their parents into their classroom for a Habitat Walk.
Throughout their learning, students had explored different habitats and created their own habitat displays. During the walk, they became the experts, taking their parents around the classroom and explaining what they had created, how they had made it and what they had discovered along the way.
It was wonderful to see our Year 1 students confidently share their knowledge and take ownership of their learning. Teaching someone else requires students to organise their thoughts, recall their learning and communicate it clearly—and our young learners embraced the opportunity.
Collegiate After Dark
Agency in Learning extends beyond academic work. Collegiate After Dark provided another opportunity for our senior students to take ownership and turn an idea into action.
The event was largely planned and orchestrated by our senior student leaders, who took responsibility for organising an evening that brought the Collegiate community together while raising funds for The SHE Foundation.
From planning and organisation through to helping bring the event to life, students had the opportunity to work collaboratively, make decisions, solve problems and see the results of their efforts.
Learning that belongs to students
These experiences look very different, but they share something important: students are not simply recipients of learning—they are active participants in it.
Whether explaining a habitat to a parent, reflecting on their progress or taking responsibility for a community event, students are developing the confidence to make decisions, communicate their ideas and take responsibility for what they do.
This is what Agency in Learning looks like at Collegiate: giving students meaningful opportunities to take the lead, while providing the guidance and support they need to do so successfully.
