Project Application

A Brief description of the school:
Dargaville High School is a decile 3 school with students from Years 9 to 13. There are approximately 500 students with 40% identifying themselves as Maori and 60% NZ European; there are a small number of students who identify themselves as Pacific Islanders and Asian. Student intake is from Dargaville and the surrounding rural areas, and they predominantly come from homes where the average income is below the national average.

What are you proposing to do and how?
The project will look at how the visual arts can be used to improve areas of the school environment and produce dynamic and exciting work to engage with the whole school and wider community. Working with students to develop a creative and innovative approach to the project, to look at and develop practical applications of the key competencies outlined in the new curriculum.

Using a variety of methods including: drawing, painting, time based media and sound, students will produce a variety of maps of the school, which will form the initial information gathering stage. From this collected material students will develop more detailed studies of various areas of the school, which will be made into completed designs.

At this stage using the information gathered would form part of the consultation process, this will allow for comments and input from those using the school. It will also allow other students not working directly with the project to be involved, so that interesting ideas and suggestions can be incorporated into the final designs.

The scope of the project is wide, so after the final designs have been developed; work will begin on producing a selection of these images and concepts in the school. It is envisaged that the project will continue to run after the artist has completed their time in school, so that staff and students can develop and maintain the project further.

When and where will the project happen?
The project will take place at Dargaville High School and will be starting in Term 2. The project will be over 10 weeks with time set aside at the start for introductory workshops for students, staff and the wider community. The core work will take place over 8 weeks and again time set aside at the end to complete and present work and document the project.

How many students will be involved, and at what year level?
Initially 3 classes of Year 10 students, about 60 in all will work on the project. Opportunities will be developed for students and staff, from the rest of school, to contribute ideas and designs through a series of workshops run by Year 10 students. As the project is looking at the whole school environment, it is important that those using the school have an opportunity to be involved and comment on designs and ideas, which come up during the duration of the 10 weeks.

How will students benefit?
This project will allow students to work collaboratively, use creative problem solving, show and discuss their work with fellow students and staff through the design consultation process using visual imagery and signs to create an environment which all those using the school can contribute to and enjoy.

Use of digital ITC, Photoshop and other computer programmes will be explored throughout the project, along with other internet based tools such as websites, blogs and social networking sites. These will be used to communicate information about the project with others locally, nationally and globally.

How will teachers benefit?
The work the students will undertake for the project will not only have an impact on the Arts but also offer opportunities for cross curricular and departmental collaboration. Teachers from different departments will have the opportunity to contribute and participate throughout the project. For example in the initial stage of the project, data and information will be gathered from around the school; measurements taken, maps, plans and designs drawn up.

Collaboration with the Maths and Social Science departments can help in producing the information in a number of forms, such as combining statistical, geographical and visual information in ways that may not of been explored before. Students in Media Studies will record and document the project throughout and develop through interviews and video diaries various ways to present the information. Maori Studies will look at how maps have been used throughout their history of exploration and how this can be related to exploring the school.

The project will also allow teachers to see and experience other ways of working with the new curriculum document; these include inter departmental cooperation, opportunities to work beyond their specialist areas, work outside of the classroom and flexibility with project outcomes when students raise new ideas.

How will the project be incorporated into the school’s curriculum planning?
The realignment of learning programmes to meet new curriculum guidelines and integrate Key Competencies is a major focus for Dargaville High School’s planning and targets for 2009. The philosophy behind this project would support the idea of creating a learning culture where students see the results of their participation in the education process.
The project will directly involve students in implementing this new curriculum by encouraging enquiry, problem solving, cooperative and social skills. The potential cross curricular pathways will also bring a new dimension to the ideas of visual literacy and will enable students to encounter the work of artists in a relevant context. It is anticipated that this project will trigger creative and critical thinking from both students and staff to encourage shifts in educational practice.

Dargaville High School is a participant in the Te Kotahitanga project and has a strong commitment to both Maori achievement and community participation. This lies at the heart of all curriculum planning at the school. The project will further support the school’s initiatives by encouraging collaboration with local iwi and whanau groups who are linked to the school and inturn encourage students to consider the needs of society and the local economy.

Finally, by integrating the Arts, Media Studies, ICT and other departments the project will further develop the literacy demands of the new curriculum, which Dargaville High School maintains as an ongoing target to support individual student learning and engagement.

How will the project engage with the spirit of the New Zealand Curriculum (2007)?
The project will engage with the New Zealand Curriculum in a number of ways. Starting with the idea of developing students to be “confident, connected, actively involved and lifelong learners.” The project will give students the opportunity to be active in developing ideas for their school environment, giving them a say in how they envisage their learning environment will look, and being fully involved in the planning, design and implementation process

The project will develop with other departments in the school, opportunities to contribute and collaborate on cross-curricular activities across the Learning Areas.
They will, throughout the project, use the values set out in the NZ Curriculum as a guide to all aspects of their work. Using the values to underpin the work will enable them to see how they work in a practical way. The Key Competencies, alongside The Principles, will underpin our work on the project, help us monitor our progress and make sure that we are all contributing to our full potential.