Learning & Teaching 

“The mission of schools and teachers is to develop an understanding of all that is good, true and beautiful”.         Pope Francis 2014a

On Friday 26th April, on our Whole School Closure Day, our staff at St. Anthony’s School were immersed in Professional Learning with a focus on ‘Learning and Teaching’. 

“Learning is a change in long term memory…….. The aim of all instruction is to alter long-term memory. If nothing has changed in long term memory, nothing has been learned”. 

Dr. Simon Breakspear who has been working with MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools) has the vision that “schools can become self-improving learning organisations with the ability to keep getting better”. 

• It's a long term journey to make changes to learning.
• This is the extraordinary task of teaching 

“Research can never tell teachers what to do, but it can point to the “best bets”                               Professor Steve Higgins Durham University

Our staff has been enhancing their understanding based around the Science of Learning. 

This is a summary of existing research from cognitive science related to how students learn and how it connects to the practical implications for teaching and learning. Its focus is based around the best scientific understanding of how learning takes place.

This has been instrumental in changing our thinking in regards to the way students: 

• Understand new ideas
• Learn and retain new information
• Problem solve
• Use new learning in situations
• Motivations for students of today

All staff were engaged and excited about using what we have learnt and continue to learn through our Professional Learning days to use this with the students at our school in the classroom each and everyday.

Belinda Hesse

Learning and Teaching Leader 

Learning Diversity Leader