Steve Jobs concept school opens on the West
Children set six weekly learning goals, with the help of their parents and core coach.
Recently named one of the most innovative schools in the world and boasting 49 schools internationally, the SteveJobsSchool concept is set to take off in South Africa.
Rolling out at flagship campuses in Ruimsig and Randburg, registration is now open for the 2016 curriculum.
For many years, educators believed the ‘assembly line’ method of education was the only way. However, the world is evolving rapidly and a new era of thinking is starting a learning revolution.
In 2013, seven SteveJobsSchools serving 1 000 four- to 12-year-olds opened in Amsterdam and Almere. Because of their focus on learning through iPads, these institutions, pioneered by market researcher and entrepreneur Maurice de Hond, became known as the SteveJobsSchools, trading locally as SteveJobsSchool Avalon.
The internationally acclaimed SteveJobsSchool model is based on every child having an Independent Learning Plan (ILP), centred on their own way of learning, their strengths, preferences and choices. In these schools children have daily choices i what they learn and the workshops they attend. The school is available 24/7 and the learning plan, educational programs and millions of educational apps can be accessed from any smart device such as an iPad or a smartphone.
Children attend 30-minute workshops on various subjects. There are no seating plans and 45 per cent of learning takes place on an iPad, which every child is given when they join.
Children work on learning projects of their choice such as creating a real small business, cultivate vegetables in their own patch or take part in group projects such as building a shelter or working towards an art exhibition. Children are encouraged to choose a daily physical activity or sport such as soccer, and to make time for activities such as art or quiet time in the Silent Square.
The concept is supported with adaptive math and language programs that adjust to the child’s level, as well as child specific teacher support and workshops on a variety of topics. Teachers or rather ‘coaches’ are linked via their devices to all students and keep track of their learning with analytics and diagnostics. They provide individual help to students who need it and monitor others who are progressing well.
Children set six weekly learning goals, with the help of their parents and core coach.
Jenny Retief, a teacher who taught in public and private South African schools for 15 years added, “Many schools try to fix the broken system by introducing tablets and other devices into schools. The ‘blended learning’ system, however, hasn’t been very successful and has been criticised for not changing anything at all, besides moving from hard copy textbooks to device textbooks. The whole system needs to change, not just the format of the textbook. SteveJobsSchools offers a whole new approach.”
Open days at Tres Jolie, 81 Pierre Road, Roodepoort from 10am until noon are:
• 5 December
• 9 January
For further information on the schools, visit https://stevejobsschool.world/south-africa or call 0860 282 566 to register for an Open Day.
