Class 12

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Thinking

In class 12, outstanding students will demonstrate original, independent, sophisticated and creative thought processes, and will explore a subject with determination and tenacity. 

Class 12 students can use their faculty of thinking in many ways. In all subjects, the focus is on the student being dynamically involved in thinking and using its creative potential. They now have the ability to look at an issue from many points of view, and compare a range of models or theories that are used to explain the same phenomena. They can engage in Western Philosophical thought as an activity, and have an awareness of the nature of perception and the nature of thinking, and their relationship. They can be challenged to be involved in the worldview, language and specific thought processes of a range of subjects, and be a creative, original and independent thinker within each subject’s frame of reference. 

They can understand that scientific theories are models of reality, not Truth, and that there are: 

• Diverse world views, 

• Several models for one set of phenomena, for example phenomenological and conventional scientific views, that explain what is observed, but are not really provable, 

And that highly respected theories are disposed of or changed over time. 

Through this, they will look at: 

• Belief systems, 

• Connections and inner links, and the connection between moral and scientific viewpoints, 

• The evolution of human consciousness. 

They will begin to become aware of the nature of perception and the nature of thinking. They will: 

• Develop acute observation skills and phenomenology, and understand how the mind influences observations, 

• Predict what will happen under various conditions, 

• In each subject, enter deeply into it, get under its skin by using the appropriate world view and language. 

They will analyse and synthesise thoughts: 

• Analyse in detail using data, statistics, reasons, logic, 

• Synthesise and create a framework on which to hang things, 

• Challenge their own world view, question the assumptions of themselves and others, and remain open-minded. 

In their thought activities they will increasingly: 

• Enjoy being mentally challenged, gaining confidence, enjoyment and intellectual satisfaction, 

• Work at thinking, which requires effort and commitment, 

• Be open, mobile, push ideas and balance critical thinking with playing. 

They will be able to: 

• Create new ideas, truths, pictures and models and form own opinions, and experience discovery, 

• Synthesise and think comprehensively and perceptively, 

• Organise carefully, and reflect on the process thoughtfully and with mobility. 

Managing Self 

In class 12, outstanding students will demonstrate courage, passion, integrity, originality and creative flair in expressing their own individuality. 

In class 12 the student is able to work with their own individual self-knowledge and demonstrate who they are to a wide audience. They can express well developed moral, ethical and personal standards, and carry themselves with physical self confidence, self knowledge, and a sense of aesthetics and style. They can work independently and show initiative through all the stages necessary to produce a polished finished product / task completion, and demonstrate self motivation, personal application, time management to overcome obstacles and meet goals and deadlines. They are challenged to identify and set their own goals, direction and expectations, including risk-taking, exploration, experimentation and resolution as well as realistic boundaries, good initial planning and preparation. They will be able to demonstrate a fully developed sense of spatial awareness which comes during the year, with the ability to carry themselves with physical self confidence and self knowledge. 

They will: 

• Use self reflection, having developed it during Class 11, 

• Look deeper into themselves and their place in the world, 

• Observe everything including their own emotional and psychological impedimenta, 

• Make sense of their own lives, and feel a certain mastery of their future direction and destiny, 

And thus express well developed moral, ethical and personal standards. 

• Refine their strengths and find appropriate ways to of dealing with their weaknesses through acknowledging their learning style and capacities, 

• Stretch and challenge themselves, 

• Demonstrate risk-taking and resolution as they explore, experiment, test, push their abilities to the limit, try out wild directions and overcome fear. 

• Demonstrate deep emotional engagement, participate and be attentive and work accurately, 

• Think for themselves and act out of their own insight, 

• Use individual decision making skills, 

• Be able to stand by the fruits of their own creativity/productivity. 

Through the discipline of independent study, they will 

• Identify and set their own goals, direction and expectations, including realistic boundaries, good initial planning and preparation, 

• Choose their own topics and explore things they are passionate about, 

• Develop their own voice and a personal sense of aesthetics and style, 

• Show what they can really do as an individual, be true to themselves and express it to others, 

• Work independently and show initiative, 

• Manage time and meet goals and deadlines, 

• Overcome obstacles, using initiative, self motivation, personal application and good self-management, 

• Monitor own work carefully, through all the stages necessary to produce a polished finished product. 

Relating to Others 

In class 12, outstanding students will demonstrate inspired perception and responsive, sensitive discernment of others. 

For students in class 12, the awareness and understanding of the other individual is clear and strong, whether that is in the context of the study of other peoples, or in their interactions with their classmates. They can act with empathy, compassion and social awareness and work collaboratively within a team, allowing the individual skills and attributes of themselves and others to produce the best possible group result. 

When involved in any group or team work, they will: 

• be prepared to do things they don’t actually enjoy for the sake of the social aspect or needs of the group, 

• take responsibility for the whole, and realise how efforts towards a common goal can bring about more than the sum of individual capacities, 

• be involved in the social arts that collectively are invaluable in developing the skills of working as a member of a team, 

• individualise skills within a team, recognizing the skills of everyone in an unselfish way with the goal of producing the best possible result, 

• celebrate the group’s achievements. 

In considering the individuality of others, they will: 

• Explore in-depth biographies, looking for the individual personality that lies behind the life’s events , 

• Use empathy and compassion in dealing with others, 

• Look beyond the superficial in relating to others, 

• Interview other people to facilitate their own search for answers to questions. 

Participating and Contributing 

In Class 12, outstanding students will demonstrate detailed knowledge, wide ranging awareness, high aspirations, and the ability to act on these. 

This year is the culmination of the education, and students move towards being able to experience what Rudolf Steiner was referring to when he said: “Knowing the world, the human being finds himself and knowing himself, he finds the world.” They are involved in considering our responsibilities in our small cultures of family, school and city; and our global responsibilities as a country and the human race. They themselves carry out important leadership roles, demonstrating appropriate social awareness as well as developing and exhibiting a well-integrated ethical approach to global social and environmental issues. They are increasingly aware of themselves as citizens of the world, and the ethical, moral and social implications of this.  

In the communities they live and work in, they will: 

• Reflect on themselves in relation to the community, 

• Speak in public , 

• Demonstrate an area of interest, present work and perform to a wide community audience, 

• Encourage, support, help and coach others, 

• Be a good role model. 

They will develop: 

• World consciousness which is global, current and topical and demonstrate caring for the world based on knowledge and understanding, and 

• Awareness of the world around them: aesthetically, contemporary issues, ethical issues, current affairs, modern / post-modern and the future. 

They will consider: 

• Humanity’s ethical relationship to matter and nature through considering the following questions: What does it mean to be human?  What is our purpose?  Why are we here? 

• The interdependence of phenomena, processes and human endeavours so that they have an integrated view of the nature of the human being, human society and nature. 

• Social and historical contexts and contemporary practice / experience, 

• Responsibilities for the future. 

This is their last year in school, and their experiences this year will enable them to: 

• Become a participant in life, not a spectator, 

• Open the window to life, 

• Put life skills in a real context, 

• Be able to work for others, 

• Ignite their aspirations, 

• Give commitment to the task in hand, 

And act as a preparation for the real world and tertiary and professional environment. 

Using languages, symbols and texts 

In class 12, outstanding students will demonstrate original inspiration, depth and breadth of knowledge, passion for the subject and meticulous precision united into a fully realised piece of work. 

In class 12, specialisation occurs in all Steiner High Schools to a greater or lesser extent, but all students are still required to spend more than half of their time on a comprehensive range of core subjects. In addition, all students devise a demanding self- created Class 12 project which they work at independently with supervision, completing quality work which meets the original objectives, and exhibiting it in a variety of ways, demonstrating advanced presentation skills. In a broad range of subjects they can demonstrate the controlled use of a range of high level subject-specific skills, combining creativity and analytical thinking to arrive at the final piece of work. Much of the work of class 12 students is on independent topics and/or tasks, often sparked by their own interests or questions. They can refine the design and complete the production of a piece of artistic work / portfolio, producing good documentation on the creative process. 

Students will: 

• Carry out independent research to get the depth and substance, 

• Conduct a thorough investigation, 

• Work in a practical, experiential, exploratory, experimental way, 

• Keep a record in a workbook / diary. 

They will: 

• Interpret and differentiate layers of meaning, 

• Shape, plan, edit, rework, process, put it all together, develop themes, generate, analyse, clarify and regenerate ideas, and seek the advice and resources needed, 

• Explore themes, 

• Use the discipline imposed by the skill, audience, task, materials, 

• Explore new techniques, strengths and abilities, 

• Produce good documentation, 

• Communicate to others clearly and convincingly, 

• Articulate, explain and relate their own views, 

• Present a visual display, 

• Refine design after playing and exploring, using design as a conscious activity, 

• Consider function and purpose. 

They will synthesise: 

• Putting together different experiences and contexts, 

• Amalgamating many different skills,  

• Combining creativity and analytical thinking to arrive at the final piece of work.