Length:

24 Months

Subjects:

Module Names:

Teens Modules 1-20

Equivalent school years

Australian years 8 & 9 / New Zealand year 9 & 10

Overview

This Junior Secondary program is designed to cater for students in their first two years of Secondary schooling. At the completion of Classes 8 & 9 the students will be academically prepared to enter a variety of educational options including; enrolling in a regular school to complete their NCEA qualifications, enrolling in an online correspondence school (such as Te Kura, which is free for 16-year-olds upwards) for NCEA, bridging courses at Polytechnics, apprenticeships and other such options. This course is also aligned with the Australian education system at the same level. Classes 8 & 9 differ slightly from the earlier years in Functional Education that have followed a purposefully designed sequence of learning providing a strong rhythm and routine. These classes, aimed at the teenagers, still contain rhythm and routine, but in a way designed to more accurately meet the needs of this age group. The Functional Education program has been designed to begin the early educational years (ages 5-8) with a strong parent/teacher led presence to develop a firm foundation upon which to grow independent learners. Over time the control and responsibility gradually handed from the parent over towards the student. Now we have arrived at the tail end of the program (ages 13-15) where the learning is largely student led with a strong emphasis on flexibility, independence and the ability to direct the course of learning into areas of interest for the student for maximum engagement and enjoyment. Teenagers often crave the ability to work in groups and in an environment with live interaction to have robust discussions with peers. Our Junior Secondary program has been designed specifically with this in mind. There are three live online classroom sessions per week to allow for explicit teaching, discussion, shared ideas, cooperation and collaboration, feedback and group projects. If students prefer to learn independently at home without this component, that is also an option. We have spent two years trialling, moulding and shaping this program with a group of pioneering teenagers before bringing it to you. We know they loved the topics and helped form it into something other teenagers would engage with.

Project Based Learning

The world is a rapidly changing and ever developing environment. The jobs our children are being educated to move into may not have even been created yet. The speed of technological and AI advancements by far outpace the speed at which we can train teachers, write and deliver curriculum in classrooms to keep up with the skills that will be required in the workforce. But this is a good thing. It frees us up from having to rote learn, remember and regurgitate vast amounts of content. The focus can now be on developing the Executive Function skills that can be universally applied to the vast array of new work opportunities heading the way of our learners. Projects will cover subject areas including: Geography, History, Science, Technology, Media Studies, Arts, Maths, Economics and Health.

English and Maths

Alongside the Project Based Learning we are offering an optional program in English and Maths. These classes are designed to provide a steady rhythm and routine to the daily lessons and build up the required skills for the Junior Secondary age group who are preparing to head into further academic learning in the future that requires NCEA (or Australian equivalent) levels. We have chosen to use Sigma Publications as our work book provider for both the English and Maths component of our program. This is a New Zealand based company producing Ministry of Education approved resources for this age group. Their workbooks can be purchased as a hard copy or as a digital, write upon version. https://sigmapublications.co.nz/ Maths instruction will be delivered using both their ‘On Track’ and ‘Fast Track’ Level 1 & 2 maths workbooks (in separate videos). Students who are achieving AT their expected age level will follow the ‘On Track’ books and students who are achieving ABOVE their age level will follow the ‘Fast Track’ books. English instruction will be delivered using the ‘Action English’ levels 7 & 8. Daily instructional videos will be available that have been pre-recorded and explain how to complete the days exercises. The students will use the videos to understand the concept and then complete the worksheet in the book in their own time. The workbooks are designed, that after completion, the students are prepared enter a NCEA class at the correct skill level.

Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, Music Appreciation

From January 2024, we are including 4 new subjects in the Teens course: Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, and Music Appreciation. These subjects are an essential part of developing a well-rounded education, and we're excited to offer these new subjects as part of our class 8 & 9 program.