We had over 100 students involved in a 3 week project which was designed to capture their creativity. The project was run by Frank Newman, Creative Learning Specialist, and his team from the Sydney Opera House. Frank was also assisted by our head teachers who gave up their regular timetable and duties to solely focus on Take Over. The students were given opportunities to express their interest in the project with the understanding that this will “take over” their timetable and be all they focus on for the next 3 weeks. Going into Take Over, much was a surprise to students. On the first day they crawled through a makeshift tunnel into the transformed Block A and that's where it all begun.
We suspended the traditional timetable to allow the boys to just concentrate on learning one thing. They were responsible for their own learning, making them deeply accountable. They were responsible for producing a final product in just three weeks, that was displayed in front of peers, families and teachers.
Across the first week the boys were challenged to think of a driving question that they wanted to explore and to create a final product to be displayed at the festival on the last day. Throughout the next couple of weeks boys were mentored by our staff and Sydney Opera House specialists to create their products. We also welcomed Tahir Bilgic who joined us to provide workshops and 1:1 mentoring and guidance to students.
The projects were a range or art, film, music and technology. We had students write scripts, act, record, and edit films, some students also recorded their own music, created video clips and performed their own tracks... So much learning and experience within a short period of time.
On the day of our Big Day In Festival students showcased their products and it wasn't via a simple exhibition, it was BIG! All those who attended went through multiple sensory experiences. We had re designed Block A once again to include lights, smoke machines, stages, food stalls, colour and sound. Each visitor wore a set of headphones as they wandered the halls, listening to live interviews from those involved in Take Over, they also received instructions and further information on projects and the process of Take Over.
The festival was an incredible success, as was the entire Take Over project. So much risk and time went into this. Our teachers embraced this and pushed their own boundaries all to assist the boys with re-imagining what school could be.
At the end of this journey we thank all the students who took everything on board and made every effort to succeed, our staff who at many stages were at their wits end and our Sydney Opera House team who's motivation and energy never seemed to crumple! This was a mammoth project and one we are so proud to be a part of.
We have uploaded many of the photos to our website and have begun uploading student videos to our youtube channel.
https://liverpoolb-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/gallery.html
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1vhTatEFdXIbU02Fo7Mn7A
You can also view these published articles and videos by various media:
