A team from my school has joined the cross-sector AISNSW ELEVATE project, to support educators to collaboratively design and implement powerful practices to lift learning outcomes for high potential learners. The focus is on the teacher as pedagogical designer using design thinking methods to consider how ‘high potential’ is thought of and talked about in schools and which learners are thought of in that way. Which students are flying under the radar and how might we ignite their passion and engagement?

After the first workshop we were asked to begin crafting a case for change. Our Case for Change centres on our concern that our students are mostly consumers of knowledge and produce very little real knowledge that either engages their interests or reflects the world they live in. Inauthentic learning practices focus on exams, compliance, marks, and rankings, and we acknowledge that education for the future will require “the kinds of thinking and understanding that foster nimble adaptive insight in a complex world” (David Perkins). We have also identified the low expectations that surround some of our students, particularly our indigenous students. It feels radical to consider them high potential learners. Maybe our high potential learners are those with the most room for growth and the most potential to shift attitudes around them, and this is a real opportunity for us to be social justice activists. Much of our case for change revolves around the concept of bravery as we also acknowledge that students will only learn to take risks with their learning if their teachers have the vocational bravery to do the same.

We have undertaken ethnographic research with some high potential learners. I interviewed both a student and a colleague, and it was particularly interesting to hear about students being pigeonholed by teachers and struggling to break free from adult perceptions. When we reflected on our ethnography work, an emerging theme was that students want choice and the ability to learn differently, however our research suggests that teachers struggle to achieve this agility.

We did some horizon scanning of approaches to identifying potential and developing talent and considered the OECD innovative learning environment principles. We also brainstormed what we perceive to be promising practices at our school, like having students play a role in designing assessments, PBL, students leading social justice activities, student voice initiatives, making learning visible (Reggio-style documentation), one-on-one coaching conversations, Genius Hour, and our Year 10 film festival. We are also exploring possibilities with the revision of our Co-curricular/Activities programme.

David Albury from the UK innovation Unit has started talking to us about the process of scaling and diffusion in education systems. He pointed out that it is not about lack of information (attending conferences is not enough), it is not about transfer from one organisation to another (it is about gaining market share though takeover), innovation and diffusion are not separate (pilots and roll-outs are ineffective), more innovations does not increase the likelihood of scaling (dedicated resources and disciplined methods are required), and teachers are not the key agents of scaling and diffusion (students and parents can be key drivers of spread and adoption). More effective mechanisms for scaling and diffusion are: organic growth – building a community of practice, creating a compelling case for change (the future is going to be very different), mobilising demand/movement building – examining how social movements grow, considering coalitions between different professional groups (Greenpeace has lots of different ways to be involved from chaining yourself to a barricade to contributing in online forums), and finally enabling conditions – PD and new roles, physical structures, timetable, alignment with other plans, technology, Principal sponsorship, alignment with culture and values, resources.

ELEVATE is an incredible learning opportunity. All education leaders should be exposed to this thinking.