Learning Advisers

Purpose

At Ballarat High School we have a shared learning framework that has allowed us to put the learner at the centre and develop a shared vision for learning within our school community.

As a learning community we value all learners and believe that a Learning Adviser model is the best way to ensure all learners are provided with maximum opportunities to succeed and personalise learning.

Every student having a Learning Adviser will allow us to improve student outcomes by ensuring that relationships with both adviser and subject teacher are positive and enduring.

Such an approach fosters personal responsibility for learning as well as providing each student with the necessary balance of support and challenge to allow for personal growth as a learner. A Learning Adviser model also ensures each and every child has a teacher looking out for their best interests.

Implementation

The school has a dedicated time for Learning Adviser activities every Monday immediately after recess for all students and staff.

In Years 7, 8 and 9 one of the students’ core teachers is their learning adviser which builds on the already established relationship they have in the classroom.

In Years 10, 11 and 12 students are grouped in program areas of Arts, HAPE, Humanities, Maths/Science, and Business/Technology. They have a Learning Adviser who is a teacher within the same program area and they are in groups of 13 students.

The Learning Adviser is the person in the school who really gets to know, understand and assist the student in their learning. They will provide students with the necessary balance of support and challenge to enable them to grow as a learner and ensure that they are achieving their goals.

Where possible students will have the same Learning Adviser in year 7 & 8, year 9 they have their core teacher from the ARCH program and in Years 10 to 12 students will generally stay with the same Learning Adviser for the three years, enabling the further development of relationships between the school, the student and their parents.