Students pitch their learning improvement ideas to Minister at end of NT Learning Commission

STUDENTS from 10 schools came together this week to share their experiences and successes at the NT Learning Commission. SEE WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY

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IMPROVING English and writing skills and tracking why students are doing better in maths are among the tasks set for the Education Department by NT kids.

It comes as students across the Top End gathered to celebrate successful changes in their studies at the conclusion of the 2020 NT Learning Comission.

The NT Learning Commission was established in 2016, and allows students to undertake research using longitudinal whole-school data to plan for school improvements alongside the teacher and principal commissioners.

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On Friday the NT Learning Commission ended for 2020 with a workshop to allow student and teacher commissioners to share their learning opportunities and evidence of impact from the last 12 months, and to pitch ideas to Education Minister Lauren Moss for ways to improve learning in 2021.

There are 15 learning commission schools, and this week students from 10 schools gathered to share and celebrate their progress.

Casuarina Street Primary School student William Stewart, 11, and his peers identified writing as an area for improvement at the school.

“We looked at some data, like PAT, NAPLAN, and we found that, on average, math was getting more A’s and B’s than writing was and we wanted to find out why,” he said. “So, then that led us to our question how do we amplify the success in math, in English.

Casuarina Street Primary School, William Stewart, 11, prepares to present his schools ideas to the Minister for Education Lauren Moss at the Northern Territory Learning Commission, Hilton Hotel, Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

“In 2021, our goal is either track information to find out why success in math is higher than writing.”

Casuarina Stree Primary teacher Damien O’Brien said it was critical to empower students to take control of their learning and identify areas for improvement.

“It’s so important that we get the students involved in what we’re doing because they’re our center, that’s why we do what we do,” he said.

“Hearing their voice and giving them the backup by using data and using the skills for doing that, makes their voice louder and louder and people are taking note.”

Earlier this year the commission asked schools to investigate how to give every student a voice.

As a result, Henbury School students and teachers worked throughout the year to look at ways they could do that at their school and one way was through communication boards.

The communication boards give students and teachers an alternative way to communicate through pictures and symbols so that no matter what each student has a voice.

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Education Minister Lauren Moss said students had gone to great lengths to pitch impressive ideas on how to improve their schools and learning.

“The theme, Students as Partners in their Learning, is so important as we look to engage our students further as we know there is a strong correlation between engagement and attendance,” she said.

“I was impressed with ideas presented to me on Friday and the work students had undertaken to prepare for their pitches, these Territory kids are our future and the future looks bright.”

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