Ten Framework Points
There are ten framework points in all, some relating to beliefs about how children learn while others indicate how we as teachers need to act to put them into practice. Although listed individually all are obviously integrated.
(For each Framework Point the school developed a set of actions under the heading of 'Therefore we will...'. These acted as points for staff self-reference and alignment.)

Framework Points:

1. We belief that all learners make their own meanings from any learning situation - each learner constructing his/her own reality.
   This idea is best outlined in the findings of the Learning in Science Project Waikato University and forms the basis for all school programmes. Essentially this approach requires teachers to discover the students prior views and to provide experiences to challenge them to extend their concepts It is important for teacher's to believe that all children can learn if given appropriate tasks time and help. As teacher's our role is to do all we can empower learners to be their own 'meaning makers'. Our beliefs as teachers, conscious or otherwise, influence our teaching and in turn student success and thus it is important for us to consider our assumptions about learning carefully.
   
   
2. It is important to value the children's attitudes and feelings in all we do.
   If there is a crisis in education we believe it is one of motivation. Too many learners leave our schools 'turned off' learning. The key is tap into students personal concerns and interests and to value their ideas and questions in all studies. Students will be come motivated by teachers ensuring all students feel the pride that comes through achieving something well done. For some students we need to need to deliberately help learners develop appropriate social skills and co-operative learning skills. Students need to be able to be able to make the 'right choices'
   
   
3. We believe it is important for our teaching to build on the prior ideas and skills children currently have.
   These are the findings of the Learning in Science Project already referred to. True equity is valuing others' ideas. If we can do this we will help develop in our students a sense of self, or identity. Essentially, a Learning in Science approach asks us to find out from children their questions, their current answers and then to challenge, refine and extend them. Successful classrooms should reflect children's questions and ideas.
   
   
4. We believe that the key to motivating students is to present interesting learning opportunities to challenge and extend them.
   Developing a problem centred curriculum based on authentic learning tasks becomes is the teacher's challenge. This best done by teachers collaborating and contributing ideas. To be 'owned' learning tasks are also preferably negotiated with the students. The various Learning Areas provide the contexts for selecting studies although many will naturally be integrated. The immediate environment of people, places and things offer the potential for a range of studies. The creation of such an 'invitational curriculum' harnesses the often neglected power of personal motivation and supplies a realistic context for the introduction of 'learning how to learn' strategies. By providing students with success in a range of areas we give them the best chance to uncover and extend their personal talents and intelligences.
   
   
5. We believe we need to explicitly teach generic 'learning how' to learning dispositions and also the specific learning strategies involved in any activity.
   Challenging topics provide the why and the 'what' of learning, teaching thinking skills, the 'how'. The process of learning 'how to learn' may well be as important as the product itself. This is not new but too often in our classrooms many children do not either see the point in their learning or understand how they are supposed to do it. If students do not have any idea of how to go about an activity they soon become 'off task' and often disruptive. If students haven't been taught the appropriate strategies 'faulty' learning behaviour is not their fault. For students to take advantage of their own potential they need to become aware of their own thinking - metacognition, and as well to be helped to see connections between areas of learning (integration).

   There are plenty of ways to help students develop their 'thinking power.' For example:

   • Negotiating learning (content, outcomes and skills) with learners which develops a sense of 'ownership'.
   • Discussing with students to develop understanding by challenging their ideas and to 'fix' insight following activity.
   • By keeping in mind the need for a 'do-talk-record' cycle. Do the activity, ask what happened and why and finally record the ideas.
   • Teaching research skills, mind mapping etc so the students can articulate the process in their own words.
   • Encourage students to take risks and 'have a go' and to learn from their attempts. Encourage them to approximate and then check.
   • Teach visualisation - get them to imagine what they are aiming for in their mind. Rehearse thing mentally before a task. E.g. guided imagery to develop a positive pattern.
   • Encouraging students to stop and think of possible options and alternatives before making a choice to develop reflective thinking.
   • Developing in the students the skill of observation by helping them focus and attend to the main aspects of any task.
   • If teachers think 'out loud' by while demonstrating a task this gives students access to the thinking processes you want them to acquire.
   • Encouraging slowing the pace of their work and help students learn to value perseverance and effort - too many students spoil their work by rushing in a desire to be first finished.
   • Get the students to realise that that real learning often involves hard work and effort and at the beginning is often 'messy'. Encourage them to persevere so they gin the satisfaction of doing something well.
   • Get them to appreciate that it is when you are stuck that you start to learn - the test of a true learner is what you do when you don't know what to do.
     
     
   Many of the ideas listed above such as valuing effort and perseverance are traditional values but none the less important in this age of instant gratification. Certainly children who don't know how to do what is asked of them can't be blamed for their lack of quality involvement. Quality is another good old-fashioned concept that we need to instil. A growing sense of personal excellence is something all children should gain from their education.
   A phrase that is often used to assist students is 'scaffolding' - the help you give that is taken away as students internalise the necessary skills. A well known quote from Vygotsky says, ' What a child can do with help today she can do by herself tomorrow', sums up the teachers role as a 'thinking' coach.
   
   
6. We believe in the importance of the expressive arts.
   Students learn best when they are helped to interpret experience in as many ways as possible, for example after visiting a piece of bush, children talk, ask questions to research, write (both factually and poetically), create music, movement, draw from observation and imaginatively. The more 'frames of references' available the more chance there will be of learners making creative connections. It is in the areas between subjects where the greatest advances are to be made
   Valuing the expressive arts requires an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to learning, which is not possible, if subjects are taught independently of each other. The creative arts also provide fertile ground for teaching important attitudes such as pride of achievement - old fashioned values again. Any true creative activity teaches children the 'messiness' of the creative process as well as the discipline and perseverance needed to complete a task.
   Craftsmanship is to be encouraged in all aspects of learning. Students need to be taught the skills of presentation, layout and design to ensure the work they produce is of the highest quality. Craftsmanship and pride of achievement are other traditional concepts we value. To achieve a quality result requires considerable skill and effort and when these factors are present student's creativity can be celebrated by displaying them well.
   
   
7. We believe that teachers to achieve quality results need have a diagnostic mind set continually assessing what children can do and considering what skills could be introduced to ensure further growth.
   This means teachers have to be aware of the ideas and strategies they want children to achieve in any task if their student are to achieve quality results. Teacher's have to become 'kidwatchers'. Every task is in essence a diagnostic/assessment opportunity. When teachers work with students they should be continually asking how can I help this student develop greater skill or understanding? How Can I encourage him or her to develop greater quality? What is their attitude towards the task? What options and choices might I suggest? Which other student might I ask to show the student how to improve an aspect of the student's work? Is the student aware of the criteria involved in completing work of quality? Does the student have a focussed goal to achieve? Do I need to gather up a group of students to provide some focussed help? One way to gain an idea of what is expected in any task if not known by the teacher is to discuss with and observe other teachers. To develop a sense of quality can be best gained by visiting expert fellow teachers.
   
   
8. We believe that the key to quality are the interactive skills of the teacher to help all students develop a greater sense of control over and responsibility their own learning and behaviour.
   Teachers provide the necessary 'feedback loop' in learning. A teacher in many ways is like a coach, able to visualise what the possibilities are and then to set about to help children achieve necessary skills in meaningful contexts. The teacher's role is one of helping children visualise what they are trying to achieve and then to help them focus, define and extend their skills.
   Already mentioned has been the importance of slowing the pace of work to allow 'space' for the teacher to introduce the necessary strategies to assist the learner. Teachers need to 'put the teacher back into teaching' because in many classrooms teachers seem reluctant to take real initiative for fear of interfering with the students creative process. This reluctance is a legacy from a more 'romantic child centred era' which has left many students leaving without the necessary learning skills in place. It is now felt important for teachers to play an active 'coaching ' role by scaffolding whatever help is required in meaningful contexts by 'thinking aloud; demonstrating, modelling, sharing ideas, challenging students views and when necessary telling, if students are to gain the necessary 'know how'.
   
   
9. We believe teacher's need to provide secure and predictable class organisations/environments
   We believe earlier 'child centred' developmental programmes encouraged teachers to give children too much choice when in reality children did not have the skills to use the choices offered wisely. We may have erred too much in trying to individualise learning in the past. Without returning to the fragmented timetables of an even earlier era we need to consider carefully how time is used in the classroom. To achieve personalised learning there is a need to emphasise group organisations with most children working independently in co-operative groups allowing teachers work with children who need help. This is most successful if tasks are negotiated with the students and written on the blackboard/whiteboard for them to refer to. A simple four-group rotation system provides a secure predictable structure. We believe that too little help has been given to teachers on how to plan the day's activities. It is important to start the any or any learning session with a whole class introductory session outlining the main ideas of the lesson, any new vocabulary and the tasks to be covered etc. At the conclusion of each lesson, and at the end of the day, it is advisable to have a short reflective session to discuss learning points covered etc. Once again, successful teachers who are good class managers, have the key if we can identify them and get them to share their ideas.
   
   
10. We believe it is vital for teachers to collaborate and to use all the help they including fellow teachers, students, parents, advisers and the wider community if quality learning is to be realised. We believe learning is a partnership.
    The future for teachers will depend on how well we articulate this more informed vision of learning and teaching. The ten framework points above we believe create a vision that combines the best of past 'child centred' learning, with the 'rigour' of 'traditional' teaching and also includes new ideas about how people learn. If educators are to add their 'voice' to the current educational debate we will not only have to be able to articulate our beliefs but will have to share them with other school schools and the wider community.
    It is our belief that the future direction of education lies not in the current obsession with defining curriculum and ticking off endless learning objectives but rather in the provision of learning environments that releases the potential of both teachers and learners. If we do this we can realise a vision of not only high quality achievement for all but more importantly focus on the realisation of whatever dispositions and talents every students has within them to allow them to thrive in a very different future.