ruMAD? at Gagebrook Primary

A special ruMAD? Project is unfolding at Gagebrook Primary School.  Since the beginning of 2008, the Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning and the school have worked to implement ruMAD? throughout the school. This is supported by a Gagebrook teacher who has relief one day every week to act as ruMAD? coordinator, focussing on the program and assisting other teachers. A trial of this arrangement was made possible by a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund in 2008. In 2009, the program was funded by a partnership between the school, the Department of Education, Brighton Council and a private philanthropist. The program is now set to continue for the next 2 years thanks to the ruMAD? partnership between the Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning and Gagebrook Primary winning a national $50,000 Schools First Impact Award!

Gagebrook suburb is a broad acre housing estate that was developed by the housing commission in Tasmania during the 1970s. It is an extension of the Bridgewater area which was another housing estate that was established approximately 25 years prior. Gagebrook is relatively isolated. It is approximately 30 km in distance from Greater Hobart. It is also isolated from its municipal centre at Brighton and the services at Bridgewater because of the Jordan River. This is an effective barrier because of the irregular bus service, and the fact that many people have no transport of their own, only their own feet.

In the census taken 5 – 6 years ago Gagebrook was revealed to have an average age of 18 and that the annual incomes of the people in the community were among the poorest in Tasmania. Unemployment rates are very high and there are no major employers in the area. These factors combined to give the community a poor profile in the wider community.

Gagebrook Primary School had issues with the behaviour of students. The literacy and numeracy levels, although not the lowest in Tasmania, were quite low and of great concern. The ruMAD? Program is now a part of the change, along with the enGage Program.
 

$50,000 will Make A Difference

The students of Gagebrook Primary School have been ‘Making a Difference’ to issues that  concern them for 4 years now. They have taken on everything from waste reduction to bandicoot breeding to assisting children in Cambodia affected by landmines - all under the banner of the ruMAD? Program. Finding funding to support the program has been difficult, but thanks to winning a Schools First Impact Award, Gagebrook Primary has $50,000 to keep Making a Difference in their community and the world they live in.

The national Award, one of only two in Tasmania, was a joint application by the school and the Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning. The Schools First funding will enable Gagebrook students to continue running intensively supported MAD Projects for at least 2 more years, with Gagebrook teacher Petrina Randazzo coordinating ruMAD? for one day every week. Teachers at the school are highly supportive of the program as is the Brighton Council which has assisted in a variety of significant ways over the past 4 years.
 
Steve Robinson, who previously acted as Gagebrook Primary's ruMAD? coordinator, will now be supporting other Southern Midlands schools to implement the ruMAD? Program. In 2008, Steve won a National Excellence in Teaching Award (ASG Inspirational Teacher State Award) for his work on ruMAD?

Photo: Gagebrook Primary teacher, Steve Robinson, receives the Schools First Award cheque from National Australia Bank’s, Corey Bygraves.



How Gagebrook went completely MAD...

Gagebrook Primary first became involved with ruMAD? in 2006. Principal, John O’Rourke, and teacher Steve Robinson were instrumental in bringing ruMAD? to Gagebrook Primary School. Initially, Steve’s grade 3 students took on a small change-making activity – beautifying the local sports ground by painting sheds and planting trees donated by the local council.

In 2007, the whole grade 3/4 team (4 classes) undertook to make a difference. This time the students looked further afield to understand and help children in Cambodia affected by landmines. An inquiry approach was used and work integrated across the curriculum – interviewing people, creating artworks, writing letters, circulating a petition, recording a song, organising an art auction, attending a conference and speaking publicly.

Photo: Gagebrook Primary stall at the 2009 Youth Action Conference.

In 2008, the whole school became involved with the ruMAD? Program. As a result of a grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund, Steve was given one day relief per week to focus on the program and assist other teachers in its implementation across all grades. The main focus was on increasing student engagement through positive social action. Students were encouraged to take more responsibility for their learning and thus come to deeper understandings of the community issues they tackled. The process enabled students to develop leadership, life and critical thinking skills. They became active change agents in their own community. Read more about Gagebrook's experience of ruMAD? in 2008 here!

In 2009, Gagebrook students chose to make a difference for people who are less fortunate, and for animals – both native and pets. (Read more about Gagebrook students' 2009 MAD activities here!) While students focussed their passionate attention on these topics, teachers concentrated on using MAD activities to improve learning outcomes across the curriculum, with a specific focus on literacy (read more about this below).





The school also produced PowerPoints detailing how the ruMAD? Program was implemented in each grade group - see examples in photos above.  View or download these PowerPoints here:

Implementation of ruMAD? in grades Prep-2 (PowerPoint)
Implementation of ruMAD? in grades 2-4 (PowerPoint)
Implementation of ruMAD? in grades 4-6 (PowerPoint)

How ruMAD? can be used to achieve literacy outcomes...

Extract from Literacy Learning Sequence compiled in 2009 by Gagebrook Primary teacher, Steve Robinson.

The following examples of literacy outcomes have been produced with the kind permission of Gagebrook Primary School, Unit E students (grade 2/3) and their teacher Mrs Didham. It is important to note that this is not a learning sequence that has been planned in advance and delivered by the teacher. The following aspects of literacy have been interwoven into the ruMAD? Program as the need arises. Whilst there were many more instances of literacy being used in the program, the following examples serve as good examples with photographic evidence. This is literacy for a real purpose which has been identified as being needed by the students and teacher.

In 2009, students from Units E and H democratically chose the topic; ‘We would like to help injured native animals that have been impacted upon by human beings,’ for their ruMAD? Program...  Download the full Learning Sequence
 

Photo: Design for pamphlet on caring for injured wildlife, an example of how literacy learning was incorporated into the grade 2/3 ruMAD? Program.
 

From the teachers...

"This was my first year of being a part of ruMAD? and I have found it to be a great way of helping students connect with the outside community. I have really enjoyed it and look forward to doing it again."

"I have found it much easier this year to implement ruMAD? into my day to day class program. It has been fantastic and the children have loved every aspect of it."

"The students seem to have enjoyed working in the area and I believe it has been a positive."

"An excellent program that students really enjoy."

"It provides a nice focus for work across 3 classes."

"Initially I was unsure about the capacity of very young students to understand the concepts involved in ruMAD? but I underestimated their pride in, and sense of ownership of, their community. The students genuinely care about their environment and clearly want to make a difference. Families report that students are applying their learning at home and gathering more recyclable materials than they can presently deal with! One student and her Mum have started their own worm farm. I believe that even if we were to stop at this point, the project has developed enough of its own impetus to make a big difference in the local community of Gagebrook."

"Rich, real and relevant learning experience, our kids need to see a purpose to their learning and this program achieves this."

 

From the students...  

"At our school I think ruMAD? is fantastic because it gives us a chance to think about others not just ourselves and to make a difference to the world."

"I think ruMAD? is good because I know we are helping others and that a lot of other schools do it as well, and we try exciting new things."

"Doing ruMAD? is good because you work with other people and doing hands on things."

"Wicked because in ruMAD? I learn more and it’s very fun."

"I thought [the Youth Action Conference] was interesting and exciting because I learnt a lot and I know that we are also helping other people. I also made a lot of friends."

"The ruMAD? [Youth Action Conference] was great. I learnt about homelessness and what it would feel like if you were homeless."