Learning and Teaching News

The biggest influence on student progress is the teacher.

In fact, Professor John Hattie from Melbourne University describes teacher knowledge and expertise as one of the highest influences on student learning. He breaks it down even further and names it as 'collective efficacy'; that is the shared belief by a group of teachers that they have the skills to positively impact student outcomes.

At St Martin's, we invest in our teachers and provide lots of quality opportunities for them to learn together to grow as individual teachers and as collaborative teaching teams. This is how we grow our learners and ensure they are being taught very well.

Recently our Year 3/4/5/6 teachers concluded a year-long professional learning journey focussed on improving writing with Misty Adoniou, professor from ANU, Canberra. 

They presented their findings at a symposium involving 30 schools and explained the importance of developing writers who have the "thrill, skill and will" to write. 

At SMPD we want all students to love writing, have the skills to write and want to write. 

Our students have been learning that every word they choose to write is important and has a purpose. These words impact what the reader sees, thinks or feels. They have been analysing the way authors write and explaining the impact their writing has on the reader; what it made them feel, think, understand and see. 

We all know an engaging and entertaining piece of writing when we read it. 

What makes you want to pick up a piece of writing and read it? 

Is it the suspenseful plot, is it the beauty and emotion found in poetry, is it the stories that transport you to a different world or reconnect you with an experience, or nudge forward a memory? 

These two texts were written by Ciara and Aoife and were shared, with their permission, at the Symposium.

Denise Kelly

Co-Deputy Principal | Learning & Teaching Leader

Elise Coghlan

Co-Deputy Principal | Literacy & Numeracy Leader | Visible Learning Leader