Staff News

Professional Learning and Development

Building Expert Teachers

Last year our governing body, DOSCEL (Diocese of Sale) produced a document for all DOSCEL schools in the Diocese called Learning and Teaching Expert Teacher Practice. Every teacher is an expert teacher is part of our Diocesan strategy but also a strategic intent for Marist-Sion College. The word “expert” can be off putting. We have teachers that range from Permission to Teach (not yet graduated) to Highly Accomplished with a leadership position who has been teaching for over 30 years. So how do we know what “expert” means?

An expert teacher is formed through dedication, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of understanding how students learn. This expertise is centred on what the expert teacher does to ensure students achieve their learning potential. In the Catholic school, an expert teacher is also one who fully understands the work of the school in support of the mission of the Church. In all they do, expert teachers work to make real the Kingdom of God in their classroom and school community.

This means that we are all working towards becoming expert teachers, regardless of how long we have been teaching and that learning, just as it is for our students, is life-long for teachers as well.

So how will our teachers achieve this? By doing the following:

Planning collaboratively and enacts student learning based on knowledge of curricula and evidence-based student data.
Differentiates instruction and learning experiences based on comprehensive knowledge of students and their contexts (including culture, background, and disability).
Leverages evidence-based strategies to improve academic, and social emotional learning.
Sources and utilises information to create planned adjustments that directly support students.
Creates safe and predictable learning environments and adapts classroom practice to meet the needs of individual students and cohorts.
Utilises school process as a framework that enables proactive planning and responds to student learning and wellbeing needs.
Builds respectful working relationships with students, colleagues, families, and external professionals.
Reviews and updates pedagogical and professional practice to meet the learning needs of students.
Maintains up to date knowledge of legislative requirements and enacts school policies and processes that support the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy, DSE, DDA, NCCD, Child Safe Standards and EAL Curriculum.

As a college, our role is to guide, support and provide the processes and frameworks that will allow each of our teachers to become expert teachers to ultimately be able to support each student in achieving their best.

Staffing and Recruitment

New Staff Welcome

We welcome Mr Tim Charles who is currently replacing Mrs Monique Segafredo who is on a period of leave until the 27 October. Tim will be taking Monique’s science classes. Welcome Tim!

Staff Spotlight

This is an opportunity for our staff and community to get to know each other by way of asking each staff member to answer a few questions about themselves. I would like to share these with our community as I believe the partnership we have with our parents/guardians/carers is a valued and respected one and I am sure you would like to get to know the staff of your child’s school as a way of building these positive relationships and partnerships.

This month I would like to introduce to you Mr Harsh Bhayana – Business Management and Food Technology Teacher.

Harsh is an early career teacher having worked in the Northern Territory and Korromburra prior to him starting with us this year. Harsh has a background in hospitality and then pivoted to teaching.

A few things about Harsh:

Born in Delhi, India, and moved to Australia more than nine years ago.
Went on a school camp to the Himalayas during childhood.
Favourite food: Grilled chicken burger with chips.
Loves supporting young people in their journey to becoming better people as they grow up.
If stranded on a desert island, he’d want close company around him.
Self-care: hitting the gym.
Most inspired by his dad.

Mrs Georgie Beekhof

Deputy Principal – Professional Culture and Growth