Learning and Teaching
Tutor Learning Program at Marian
This year we are also fortunate to be able to provide additional targeted learning support. This additional support is available through the Victorian Government’s Tutor Learning Initiative, which supports schools to address disruptions to students’ learning as a result of COVID-19.
The Tutor Learning Initiative will assist us to engage qualified teachers as tutors to work with small groups of students and support their learning. The initiative is consistent with Australian and international evidence, which shows that small group tutoring is one of the most effective educational interventions available to support students to progress in their learning.
Based on progress and achievement data, and other measures of learning, students whose expected learning progress may have been significantly impacted by remote learning have been identified. Families of identified students will receive a letter this term. This letter will be provide information about the tutoring support being offered to the students.
The assigned tutor will work with the students’ regular classroom teacher/s to minimise disruptions, ensure the program complements the regular curriculum and supports the lessons taking place in the classroom. They will support students in a small group setting of up to five students, working both within and outside the classroom.
Students will be monitored as part of the program and updates about their progress will be available throughout the duration of the program.
We are very pleased to be able to support our students learning in this way and we encourage parents/guardians of identified students to partner with us in supporting the learning at school and monitoring success by reading reports and attending parent - teacher - student conferences.
The learning progress and wellbeing of every Marian student is our priority. In addition to the tutor support provided through the Initiative, all our teachers are working hard to provide a learning and teaching program that targets the needs of every student in the school.
Extra Classes, Tutorials and Homework Help
In the last edition of the Marian News, I wrote about all of the extra classes, tutorials and homework help that are available at Marian College. The full program for these has been published on the SEQTA Learn and Engage Welcome Pages. These are offered in addition to the Learning Diversity Department’s Homework Club, for selected students.
Parent – Teacher – Student Conferences
After successfully offering parent - teacher - student conferences remotely in 2021, we will utilise this option for our first subject-based conferences for the year. This will ensure that we are able to cater safely for the large number of bookings, whilst minimising disruptions to the student-learning program. It also supports both staff and students to maintain their remote learning skills, which have proven essential in these uncertain times.
To maximise booking potential, the interviews are being run over two days for different year level groups.
Day 1: 29 March from 2.00 – 8.00 pm for all Years 8, 9 and 12 (including all Unit 3/4 Studies)
Day 2: 22 April from 2.00 – 8.00 pm for all Years 7, 10 and 11
On each of these days, four remote academic classes will run until 1.00 pm before a lunch break and the commencement of the conferences.
Jane Goddard
Assistant to the Principal - Learning and Teaching