ERIC Number: EJ1092211
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Mar
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1365-4802
EISSN: N/A
Perspectives on "Choice and Challenge" in Primary Schools
Bragg, Sara
Improving Schools, v19 n1 p80-93 Mar 2016
This article discusses "Choice and Challenge" as a tool for school improvement and as a "practicable pedagogy" that attempts to embody the principles of "learning without limits," rejecting ability grouping and labelling. As considered here, "Choice and Challenge" emerges specifically from practice at the Wroxham School, led by Alison Peacock, which is the subject of the books "Creating Learning Without Limits" and "Assessment for Learning Without Limits." The approach involves teachers providing children with a range of option set at different levels of "challenge" and allowing them to work through the activities themselves, in dialogue with teachers and peers. It aims to motivate children in more enabling ways than grades and ranking, facilitating children's own reflection on and awareness of themselves as learners in a collaborative and non-competitive environment. It can be seen as inducing change by giving educators a "hook" that delivers positive classroom experiences and thereby encourages openness to the broader philosophy and values on which it rests. The small-scale research project reported on here investigated the implementation of the approach in six primary schools around England. It aims to illuminate some of the issues encountered in doing so, thus stimulating reflection by those wishing to adopt similar approaches to improve schools and enhance social justice.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Program Implementation, Elementary School Curriculum, Educational Improvement, Educational Practices, Educational Strategies, Teaching Methods, Ability Grouping, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Active Learning, Program Effectiveness
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A