Teaching and Learning

Big Write and VCOP Talk Homework

There will be no Big Write next week due to Cross Country.

Soccer Clinics

On Monday, we were very lucky to have Coach Michael from Football Victoria come to our school and run a soccer clinic with each class. The students were taught important skills, such as how to move with the ball, turn, and kick. The students also had the opportunity to participate in a small soccer match, where they worked in teams to score goals. All the students had a blast during this activity.

Walker Learning in Grade 3-6

Walker Learning and Cross Curriculum are combined in Grades 3-6 to meet the criteria of all subjects throughout the year. Walker Learning is a pedagogical approach to learning created by Kathy Walker. Each term the classes have a subject focus, such as history or design, in which they spend the first half of the term learning content and skills for the subject. The second half of the term is spent on Educational Research Projects (ERPs). ERPs are differentiated inquiry projects, where students work either individually or in pairs to identify one of their interests and connect it to the chosen subject area. 

They engage in research to answer questions that they have developed and form some type of written presentation on the subject. Criteria for the ERP can slightly differ each term depending on the skills of the subject. All the work that the students complete culminates into an Expo, where the students present their projects to the school and their families. Throughout the project the teacher checks in with the students and helps them find differentiated reading resources and provides different levels of scaffolding depending on the students ability and confidence. 

The primary purpose of this pedagogy is relationship formation, increasing autonomy,  life skill development and genuine inquiry.

Clinic groups are a feature of Walker Learning that allow for the students to engage in small group explicit teaching that meet their needs. Clinic groups can be optional or compulsory for students to attend and do not go over 6 students.

Focus students are another component of Walker Learning. This is a strategy of teaching that develops English and capabilities skills. Students are given individual time with the teacher to help build relationships and identify support needed.

Class meetings are the final component of the Walker Learning/Cross Curriculum approach. It involves a class meeting together to discuss worldly events. Students take turns being the chairperson and minute taker. The students choose topics of their interest that relate to the wider world to share and discuss.

NAPLAN

Congratulations to all the Grade 3 and Grade 5 students who participated in NAPLAN over the past two weeks. Your effort and commitment to have a go is invaluable. NAPLAN results will be received later this year and sent home to the relevant families.