Learning & Teaching

Hello Everyone,

Many of you may have seen my name in emails or heard it around the yard and wondered: “Who is this person? What do they actually do? Are they an extra teacher?” Even if you know my role involves Learning and Teaching, the specifics can sometimes feel a bit "behind the scenes." I’d like to pull back the curtain on what my role as Learning and Teaching Leader means for your child and our school community.

The Mission According to the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), my role is to be a "pivotal school-based leader focused on driving evidence-based, high-quality, and faith-filled education."

What This Looks Like Daily

 To put it simply: As a school, we will ensure that the curriculum your child/children engage with every day isn't just a list of topics, but a carefully crafted plan, connected to modern research. St Mary's School goal will be to ensure our teaching is purposefully taught, reinforce skills and caters to every student as an individual learner.

What’s New This Year? 

We are excited to implement programs specifically designed to help students not just "hear" information, but truly acquire and consolidate knowledge. Key features include:

• Intentional Explicit Teaching: Clear, direct instruction that aims to remove the guesswork from learning new concepts.

• Daily Review Lessons: Regular "retrieval" sessions that help move new knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.

   

Looking Ahead 

This is just the beginning. As we build these new practices at St Mary’s, I will share weekly updates to give you a clearer window into your child’s classroom. My hope is that these posts will show you how we are building solid learning foundations right here in Castlemaine.

Warmest regards,

Mr. David-Brian Carter

Learning and Teaching Leader