Dear Parents and Carers,

This week I have been in Bowral with the principals from our archdiocese for Catholic Leaders’ Day and for the Principal retreat. There are 56 schools in the archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn and it is always beneficial to meet with one another and to share about our schools and communities.

Out and about playing

What do St Pat’s kids do at playtime? Sometimes a formal game: cricket, soccer, league tag. Sometimes a student passion club or a visit to the library. On PE days they may be involved in the hall competition of the day – at the moment handball. And then there is the playground, the Beyblade arenas, the creative play, the chasing games, and all manner of fun!

Writing was featured in these recent celebrations of learning from the classroom. The kinder students were creating montages about themselves, Braxton was sharing part of a narrative that he is writing.

Catalyst: High Impact Teaching Practice

Principle 5 - Practise using the new material.

Practice makes perfect right? Rosenshine states that this is true of physical, vocal and mental practice. He suggests that successful teachers allow more time for guidance, questioning and repetition of processes. The phrase “Practice makes Progress” is a supportive way to speak to students on the journey to automation of new learning.

Principle 6 - Check for understanding frequently and correct errors.

Regular asking of direct questions (rather than “does anyone have any questions?”) allows teachers to check a classes/student’s understanding and catching misconceptions, therefore informing the teacher whether any parts of the topic need reteaching.

Blessings for your weekend, see you in Week 7!

Jo

BehaveAbility

Ian Luscombe’s next visit is in May, the parent session is Wednesday 5^th May from 5-6pm. PUT THE DATE IN YOUR DIARY!