Stepping Stones
Target Audience
Stepping Stones is an exciting new programme for the younger student. Written specifically for top Primary class or Intermediate School ages, Stepping Stones offers a novel, flexible approach to teaching and learning, giving comprehensive coverage and a framework to develop, record and accredit areas of personal development, social skills, health education and citizenship.
The programme enables students of all abilities to:
- Undertake activities, presented as challenges
- Record achievements in their own Book of Challenges
- Develop skills of action planning and self-review
- Acquire skills of peer assessment
- Compile a portfolio
- Receive a certificate of achievement
- Transfer a half-point for achieving the Diamond Award to the Bronze Award
One of the most appealing aspects of the teaching and learning of both Citizenship and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) for this age group is the flexibility it offers within a crowded timetable. The topics and skills that comprise these two areas can be covered as single subjects in their own right, as combined subjects, through other parts of the curriculum or through extra-curricular activities. Their value lies in the fundamental aim to develop life skills (Key Competencies).
Students are encouraged to:
- Develop their personal and social skills
- Become increasingly independent
- Develop self-confidence and maturity
- Take responsibility for their health and well-being
- Understand their rights
- Develop a greater understanding of society
- Value and respect others
- Develop communication skills
- Set goals
- Appreciate achievements and recognise mistakes
- Envisage the future
- Participate in decision-making
The ASDAN Stepping Stones programme provides an opportunity for pupils to acquire, develop and records all of these skills and others. Students are accredited with certificates spanning four Awards.
Although the programme is aimed at top Primary and Intermediate age, it is possible to offer this programme to Year 9 students, if appropriate. The flexibility of the programme allows for tasks to be differentiated and made age appropriate.
To achieve a certificate, students need to complete the required number of challenges: Emerald certificate requires the completion of 8 challenges; Ruby certificate requires the completion of 16 challenges (an additional 8); Sapphire certificate requires the completion of 30 challenges (an additional 14); Diamond certificate requires the completion of 40 challenges (an additional 18).
Students are taught to Action Plan and Review their challenges as part of the whole process. This in turn helps to develop self-management and the ability to reflect on how things went, which nurtures self-responsibility.
There are teaching notes available that have been developed by teachers in the UK. These should be used as a basis to develop or adapt lessons to meet your own specific requirements and should not be used as a scheme of work.
Registration Requirements
To use the Stepping Stones materials, a Primary or Intermediate school must become an ASDAN Registered Centre (see the Centre Registration section of this website). The cost of this is $450 (plus GST). The school must fill out and return a Registration Form. Forms which can be downloaded from this website include:
If you are a High School, you will need to fulfil the High School Registration criteria. Please contact the ASDAN office for details:
Email: info@asdan.org.nz
Phone: (06) 877 7403