Barry Smith - Learning about Learning

After having been inspired on Wednesday evening I had more good news today. In trying to put together an alternative curriculum provision for S3 students I met with Angie Davie from the Pennypit Outdoor Pursuits Service in Prestonpans who is keen to become involved in delivering part of the enhanced curriculum. I have also had informal discussions with a member of the East Lothian Integration team and the signs are positive that they too could have an input.

The idea for an enhanced curriculum is to re-engage youngsters who have ‘turned away’ from formal school education either by truanting school or in terms of their behaviour in class. I believe that concept of Extreme Learning could have a major role to play in the alternative curriculum as it taps into the passions of each youngster and ‘inverts the core’ to use the lingo.

I am excited by the prospect of learners taking a role in negotiating part of their own curriculum and directing their own learning. Extreme Learning (although I do admit I’m not 100% convinced by the name!) is a real step outwith our current frame of reference as far as delivering formal education is concerned and I am sure the more people who find out about it the more the idea will ‘take off’.