Gracey is 12 years old and beginning her secondary education at an independent school in Melbourne. Gracey has been a member of the school since she began her education back in prep and already had a strong connection socially and culturally moving into Year 7.
Gracey was positive about her experiences in primary school and especially loved the upper years where she felt she had quite lot of control over her learning. She had lots of opportunities and time to follow through with things she was interested in and enjoyed. She reported that the choices she was given in her learning allowed her to work to her strengths and passions. She enjoyed the fact that their learning was scaffolded but within that the teachers gave them options to demonstrate ability in a number of ways. They were encouraged to be independent and curious.
As for most students completing their primary education there was a sense of excitement for the next stage for Gracey but also a feeling of trepidation for the unknown. She reported some of her fears were around friendships and connections – would she be separated from her current social group, would there be an overload of homework, would she find school too different from what she was used to and enjoyed, would she be bored?
However, Gracey’s transition proved to be a smooth one and she is enjoying the start of her secondary education. This is in part because of the overlap with some of the strengths from her learning experience at primary school: students are sometimes given options in their class work and offered a range of opportunities that students can access and enjoy. Best of all Gracey said lots of her friends were in her class. She described how they loved learning together and encouraged each other. She thought they would have a positive influence on each other throughout the year as they navigate the demands of the secondary setting together. She believed that it has definitely made school more enjoyable for her to have these important social connections.
At the beginning of the year students undertook significant standardised testing in Maths, English, storytelling and more. She wondered if that was going to be the emphasis from then on – more about testing and outcomes and less about enjoying their learning. But she says she soon realised that this data gave her teachers a good understanding of where their students are up to in their classes and assists to provide the necessary support if needed. The test scores and data did not define them!
She believed that the way maths is taught in secondary school is very different from what she was used to. The teacher refers to the textbook at the start of the lesson, then there is a power point and then they answer questions from the book. She thinks that students are definitely at different stages of understanding but they can learn at their own pace and are offered extra tuition in their own time if required. However, she also thought some students found this a boring way to learn.
Gracey is finding the range of subjects she is undertaking enjoyable. She declared that the hands-on learning was engaging and felt like she has already learnt a lot in a short time. One thing she was enjoying were the subjects like Food Technology where she is cooking a range of interesting foods. Drama, lots of practical work, was also a favourite. Gracey seemed very energised by her experiences so far and looking forward to more options in Year 9. She is actively engaged in outside school activities too which helps her balance her school/home life.
Gracey was keen to share an aspect of the school that she was most impressed with. She reported there was a strong Student Council that put out a regular survey asking students what they think about their learning, what could teachers do differently/better and what changes would they like to see. Gracey feels empowered by this student work and is impressed that even Years 7s are given the chance to have input. Did she think that it was making a difference? Gracey wasn’t sure what outcomes or changes came about following the surveys but she was confident that students were being listened to and felt that was important.
There are some very clear elements to Gracey’s story that highlight why her Middle Years experience so far has been a positive one: first and foremost was having agency in her learning. Gracey was reflective about the difference this makes to her enjoyment of school and learning. Having a strong connection with her peers was also top on her list. Evidence shows that having strong friendships with other motivated students is a positive influence on the emotional engagement that young people feel towards school. This is certainly the case for Gracey. Lastly, Gracey was also enthusiastic about all the new things that were on offer for her as she begins her secondary education. The more she tries new things, explores what’s on offer and pursues her own interests, the more engaged she feels at school.