Learning

Learning at Humanitas

In support of our Guiding Principles, especially Self-directed learning, Democracy, Joy, and Every student making progress, our school is structured to give young people active input into what, how, when and why they learn, and who they learn with. Students work with their designated Learning Coach to co-design a timetable each term to meet the curriculum requirements in ways that best suit their interests and needs.  Daily Intentions and Debrief groups; weekly Learning Coaching; and quarterly Celebrations of Learning support students to set SMART goals, reflect, problem solve, and celebrate their learning. Our Guiding Principles of Community  and Kindness -- strengthened by our small size, flattened hierarchy, open plan workspace and engagement with families further -- enable this individualised, supported, self-directed learning.

Curriculum

In Years 7 to 10, learners at Humanitas access the full Australian Curriculum by selecting, initiating and/or co-designing learning within three main components:

In Years 11 and 12, these three components feed directly into the senior pathways at Humanitas. As both an IB World School and an RTO (Registered Trade Organisation) dedicated to personalising learning, we are excited to offer a broad range of senior pathways co-designed with each individual. You can learn more here about the senior pathways on offer at Humanitas.

Curriculum Offerings

There are myriad ways a young person can meet their Australian Curriculum requirements. Supported by Learning Coaches who help track engagement across Learning Areas, students at Humanitas select from an enticing array of learning experiences each term. Teachers design some offerings in response to students' interests, passions, needs or requests.  Others are sparked by someone bursting to share their contagious enthusiasm for a topic, whether this is a student, staff member, or member of the community -- be it professional or amateur enthusiast -- keen to share their knowledge. Our curriculum offerings take many forms, ensuring we cater to a wide range of learning preferences. Options include a mixture of in-class, flipped and online learning, supported by digital portfolios, online classrooms, and access to a vast network of resources beyond the walls of our school building.

Individual Projects

Every term, each Humanitas student designs an in-depth project in response to an intriguing question or alluring area of interest that is meaningful to them. Learning Coaches map the projects to relevant areas of the Australian Curriculum. They support students to craft SMART goals, and connect them with key resources to meet their goals. These often include community mentors and experts who serve as learning guides. For many students, these projects are a source of joy, motivation and pride. They can also present challenge, frustration and a chance to pivot or problem-solve, and reflect on the process. At the end of each term, all students present on their projects to an audience that includes their peers, parents, learning coaches and community mentors.

Community Projects

All students at Humanitas are engaged in collaborative community projects. In these, students work with peers to solve a problem or create a positive change in the world. These projects are based on questions the students are interested in, or needs they have noticed, and involve work with the community, both within and beyond the school. Community projects usually last for one term, but may go longer depending on the nature of the project. Working collaboratively on these projects involves all students in communication and teamwork skills, and expands their experience of being engaged citizens and members of their local and global communities.


So what might a day at Humanitas look like?

Flexible! Each day may look different for different students, and the key component is time given deliberately to meet their needs. We are conscious of the fact that deep learning occurs when students are working in a state of ‘flow’. This phrase, coined by positive psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, describes a state of energized focus, enjoyment and full involvement in their tasks. When learners are in a ‘flow state’, they are likely to achieve more, retain their learning, go deeper and be more engaged. At Humanitas, our flexible timetabling allows students who are positively engaged to continue working on their projects, lessons and learning experiences. 

We believe that students are capable of making decisions about their time, and prioritising their time in order to meet all their needs - intellectual, social, physical and emotional.  Staff at Humanitas are skilled and experienced in supporting students to do this well. 

Our days starts with Intentions groups, where students share their specific intentions for their day and align themselves with learning that is being offered that day (e.g. a literature circle might be meeting in one space, a science workshop will be happening in another, and a group of students might have booked a performance space to work on a dance). Our days end with Debrief, in which students come together to evaluate their learning and progress, to share thoughts and plan for further action. Community meetings generally happen once a week, where all students and staff create an agenda to discuss and vote on issues that affect the school. 

In between, teachers and students offer classes that students may have signed up for (e.g. a CAD building unit covering maths, history and engineering; a philosophy elective analysing the philosophy of Bluey; design workshops with local artists, etc.)  Students meet with their Learning Coaches to check-in on their wellbeing, plan their individual deep learning projects, and track their engagement in curriculum offerings. Collaborative community projects are planned and enacted. Students and teachers laugh, eat, talk, discuss, work in teams and work separately. Often, students and teachers travel off-campus to attend real-world learning events, visiting museums, libraries, workshops, and generally interacting inquisitively and respectfully with the world outside the school. In brief, learning happens!

A recent biology excursion to complement our Climate Change and the Ocean offering.  

We believe the whole city of Brisbane is our campus, and we have opportunities to get out and about every single day. 

Humanitas High School Graduate Profile

Communicator

Humanitas High School students are able to use a range of communication tools and modes suited to a variety of tasks. They are comfortable communicating with peers and a wide range of people across the community.

Decision Maker

Graduates are able to make balanced decisions based on criteria, priorities and objectives. They choose pathways with purpose and can justify the choices that they make. They can plan tasks and take action to realise individual and community goals.

Ethical Leader

Our students practice quality leadership by making choices that benefit and support, and do not detract from, their wider community. Students consciously make ethical decisions when they are directly leading, researching and innovating, volunteering or advocating for a cause.

Skilful

People leave Humanitas with the ability to critically think about information provided to them. They are literate, numerate and can use technology to research, communicate and produce resources. They know how to engage with their community and the world.

Informed

Humanitas graduates have a broad body of knowledge about their immediate community and environment, and of global connections and the environment. They understand how and why things have been done in the past and use this knowledge to inform their futures. 

Happy

Our students are aware of the health of their minds and bodies. They are connected with their environments and are reflective about their lives, emotional health and the wellbeing of those around them. They value relationships and care about people including themselves.