Leadership Communication

Dear Families,

Daily Review - Student and Staff Feedback

This year, we introduced a daily review element to each of our English and Mathematics lessons. Daily review, based on Barak Rosenshine's principles of instruction, involves students spending time each day revisiting previously learned material to reinforce their understanding and retrieval of prior learning. Rosenshine, an educational psychologist, emphasized the importance of daily review for effective learning and teaching.

We recently gathered feedback from our staff and students about their experiences with daily review and its impact on student learning. Our staff reported a significant increase in their confidence in delivering daily review since the start of the year.

These professional conversations have also helped teachers identify areas for professional development in Semester Two, focusing on enabling and extending students in their learning tasks.

Students rated their learning experiences based on daily review and in areas such as reading and mathematics. Their responses showed that they feel more confident in English compared with Mathematics.

We will continue to develop our approach next semester to respond to our student's feedback in order to build their confidence as learners.

A quote from one student through this process...

"If you’re thinking that this will improve us... it worked because I've improved my vocab and maths impressively since the day we started daily review."

Semester Two Integrated Curriculum

Next semester, students will be engaging in learning in the area of The Arts: Dance, Drama and Music. The Arts curriculum offers students a wealth of learning opportunities in Dance, Drama, and Music, fostering creativity, self-expression, and cultural awareness. In Dance, students explore movement, rhythm, and choreography, developing physical coordination and an appreciation for diverse dance forms. Drama encourages students to engage in storytelling, character development, and performance, enhancing their communication skills, empathy, and ability to collaborate. Music education exposes students to various musical genres, instruments, and composition techniques, promoting auditory skills, discipline, and a deeper understanding of different cultures. 

Together, these disciplines nurture critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts, preparing students for both personal and academic growth. 

The teaching team has planned a number of rich learning experiences to provide students with diverse opportunities for growth and development in these areas of learning. Last night the students in Year 5 attended an excursion to see the performance 'School of Rock' at Bunjil Place to launch next term's learning focus.  Despite the late night there are many enthusiastic staff and students at school today, already eager to dive into this learning next term.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,

Peta Overbury

Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning