What is challenge?

Challenge is to test yourself to work beyond your current abilities. In doing this, you will learn new skills and through practice, this challenge will become second nature to you. Challenge is essential to all learning. You cannot learn to ride a bike without the challenge of learning to pedal, balance and steer at the same time. You cannot learn to swim freestyle without learning how to move your arms, kick your legs and breathe altogether. And you cannot learn to achieve your very best without first learning how to risk effort, face failure and embrace challenge. 

​

Why is it important?

Challenge improves self-confidence and has been shown to influence children's learning and achievement in powerful ways.  It is a key factor in helping children to develop a growth mindset and extends children to explore a greater desire for learning. Challenge develops problem solving skills and creative thinking. Without challenge, there is no learning. 

​

How it used in the AG Class?

We challenge children to take on complex tasks that are detailed in nature and require a great deal of effort, problem solving and creative thinking to complete. We strive to push children out of their comfort zone and into the challenge zone - where true learning occurs. This also helps to develop a hunger for learning.

​

Challenge in the AG Class is created through 1 big challenge (generally 1 a term) that are set for the children to complete. The challenge is always broken down into smaller chunks to help the students with their organisation and to make it feel more achievable.

​

In the past they have included writing a 2000 word essay, making a 5 minute movie, creating a website, writing a short story, a science fair, night of the notables and participating in Tournament of Minds. This style of learning works to challenge the children academically and socially.

​

Tournament of Minds

We also participate in Tournament of Minds (ToM) which offers the opportunity to solve authentic, open-ended challenges that foster creative, divergent thinking whilst developing collaborative enterprise, excellence and teamwork. For more information on ToM please visit the ToM website.