Deputy Principal News

Learning Exhibitions

As we conclude another successful and busy term at St Joseph's, it's important to reflect on the incredible amount of learning and teaching that has taken place. From detailed and informative student reports to parent-teacher interviews, assessments, excursions, leadership initiatives, clubs, and academic and sporting contests, this term has been filled with rich and fulfilling experiences for our students.

One highlight of the term was the Year 5/6 Topic Exhibition held last Friday. Focused on Geography, students worked in mixed-year groups to explore aspects of various nations, including climate, flora and fauna, natural geographical landmarks, and social, political, and religious demographics. They presented their findings to the senior cohort and participated in a St Joseph's mini World Cup of soccer, representing their nations in guernseys they designed as part of the project. The engagement and enthusiasm were a pleasure to witness, and we are incredibly proud of the students' diligent work and the teachers' efforts in planning such an engaging learning experience.

Presenting their learning to an audience is incredibly powerful for students. Connecting, sharing, and reflecting on their learning with an authentic audience empowers them and helps them understand that their learning has purpose beyond the classroom. At St Joseph's, we've had opportunities for students to present their learning through open-learning sessions and exhibitions in previous years.

This year, we have scheduled our open-learning session for the second last week of Term 3, on Friday, September 13th. This decision was to allow an additional opportunity to share learning that was separate from the parent-teacher interviews and Semester One reports. Hosting the session at the end of the term would allow students more time to reflect on their current learning and relate it to the goals they set at the end of Term Two.

At this year's open-learning exhibition, each student will present on two aspects of their learning. The first aspect is goal setting, where each child will set a goal in English and Maths and present their progress, sharing their learning and reflecting on their growth over the term using worked examples. The second aspect is a Topic learning culmination produced throughout the term. Students from Prep to Year Four will focus on History, while Year 5/6 students will investigate Business and Economics, presenting a business proposal in a 'Shark Tank' style stall.

Please save the date for our open-learning exhibition. It promises to be our best one yet and a wonderful way for our students and teachers to highlight the incredible learning happening at our school. We know this opportunity will be an incredibly rich experience for all involved and are excited to work towards this important event.

Tom Hartney

Deputy Principal and Teaching and Learning Leader