John Dewey, a highly-regarded educational philosopher, suggests ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself’.
Education does not operate in a silo, and learning crosses many boundaries.
The dispositions that are explicitly nurtured at school and supported by families enable students to flourish and achieve at the highest levels.
Never have the dispositions children bring to learning been so important.
In education, we appreciate the development of foundational literacies.
However, the pandemic and its impact has highlighted another core element to a successful journey through school, and indeed, through life.
At St Michael’s Grammar School, we have identified core learner dispositions that are explicitly developed through our learning programs.
Being self-regulating, confident, tenacious, curious, motivated, just, reflective, and agile is critical to being able to thrive in a dynamic, complex world.
Effective learners who have well developed dispositions are better equipped to ably manage multi-faceted problems in evolving contexts.
They will be able to sustain, apply, and adapt their knowledge and skills beyond the school walls.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international assessment that
measures 15-year-old students’ reading, mathematics, and science literacy every three years. Some of the research undertaken by PISA shows that drive, motivation, and confidence in oneself are essential if students are to fulfill their potential, both personally and academically.
At St Michael’s Grammar School, through its signature programs, the school supports its learners to use the dispositions to be confident, just, and forthright citizens.
The changing nature of the workforce, the global impact of technology and appreciating its students will have multiple career changes makes a compelling argument for why St Michael’s needs to develop these dispositions throughout the learning journey in a very intentional, authentic way.
