The Concept Program runs from Year 7 to Year 9 and is designed to cater for students who have a love of learning. The program is designed to extend and challenge these students, whilst engaging with the mainstream curriculum. Students develop their skills and knowledge by exploring content at a conceptual level, emphasising depth of understanding. Students are expected to make links between the key learning areas through the areas of interdisciplinary learning; Relationships, Health, Sustainability, Community, and Information Communication Technology.

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By taking part in Concept, students learn to take responsibility for their own learning and develop life-long learning strategies.

Students must provide their own iPad or tablet for class-based learning.

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How is Concept structured?

Learner characteristics – At the center of the program is ‘The Learner’. Drawing from the work of Art Costa and his ‘Habits of Mind,’ we have a set of learner characteristics that we believe will create lifelong learners. These are:

 

• Mindfulness

• Persistence

• Flexible, deliberate thinking

• Empathy

• Inquiry and curiosity

• Independence

• Interdependence

• Humor

 

Throughout the program, students will engage in learning that explicitly refers to and develops these learner characteristics.

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Interdisciplinary learning – There are six areas of interdisciplinary learning. These areas - combined with the learner characteristics - provide Concept with its core focus. Teaching subjects through these areas allows learning to focus on attitudes, values and skills.

• Learning to learn – develops understanding of the available strategies and when to use them. Students are enabled to take responsibility for their own learning.

• Community – considers how students interact with their immediate family, classmates, local and global communities.

• Health – considers physical, social and emotional health and key aspects of human development.

• Relationships – students initiate, maintain and manage positive social relationships with a range of people in a range of contexts. Through relationships individuals become linked to society, develop a sense of belonging and learn to live and work with others.

• Sustainability – develops the knowledge, skills, values and world views necessary for people to act in ways that contribute to more sustainable patterns of living.

• ICT – focuses on providing students with the tools needed to transform and enrich their learning environment.

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Subjects

The Concept Program has a strong subject focus with students studying English, Mathematics, Science & Digital Technologies, Languages (Italian) and Humanities. Food Studies, The Arts & Design, and Physical Education will be delivered through our mainstream program, but students will remain in their Concept class group while undertaking study.

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Applications for the Year 7 2024 Concept program are now open.  Application downloaded from here.  If you have any questions please email Ryan Millar.