The Essential Learnings and Standards

A Pullenvale Storythread Unit can provide a powerful, real-life context for learning that can significantly enhance students’ ability to ‘wield the knowledge, understandings and ways of working in key learning areas to make sense of, participate constructively in, and reflect on their role in the world’ (Essential Learnings and Standards: Position Paper, p.7).

The key concepts of the Storythread Framework are complementary to the four constructs underpinning the Essential Learnings and Standards for the QCAR Framework:

 

Storythread Framework

QCAR Framework


Chapter One: Think Deeply

Chapter Two: Make Connections

Chapter Three: Reflect and Communicate

Chapter Four: Respond through Action

Knowing (and understanding)

Inquiring

Reflecting

Responding

Significantly, both the Pullenvale Storythread Approach and the Essential Learnings aim to empower students to become active, responsible citizens who think critically and creatively, interact with others, respond to diverse perspectives, communicate ideas and create solutions(Essential Learnings and Standards: Position Paper, p.14).

Phases of Learning

PEEC is committed to providing Storythreads that are responsive to the distinct characteristics and needs of students within each phase of learning.

In the Early Phase of Learning, Storythreads focus on the active engagement of children inhands-on, sensory learning (Chapters One and Two) as well as the importance of student involvement in curriculum decision-making (Chapters Three and Four).

Middle Phase of Learning, Storythreads provide opportunities for authentic and relevant learning experiences that promote deep understanding, intellectual and emotional engagement, and student investigation of the world around them (across all Four Chapters).

The Productive Pedagogies

All PEEC Storythreads support commitment to the Productive Pedagogies both at the Centre and within the school environment. We provide opportunities for teachers to experience this first-hand on the excursion day and encourage the implementation of a range of Productive Pedagogies as part of an extended Storythread Unit.

In particular, the Pullenvale Storythread Approach promotes:

• The power of narrative pedagogy; and

• Engaging students in active citizenship through investigation, deep reflective responding, emotional and intellectual engagement, and above all, connectedness to the world.

Reference: Queensland Studies Authority (2006) Essential Learnings and Standards: Position Paper, Spring Hill, Qld: The State of Queensland (QSA).