Learning and Teaching
🌿 Faith-Based Inquiry: Connections
This term at St Joseph's, students are diving deep into our Faith-Based Inquiry theme: Connections. This concept encourages our learners to explore how we are connected—to our families, to our community, to the land, and to God. Through big questions and meaningful reflections, we are building understanding of both our personal stories and the sacred stories of those who came before us.
Prep’s BIG Question is "We are all part of God’s big family, so how has my family changed and become who we are over time?"
Students are exploring their family history—where their family comes from, what traditions they follow, and how their faith and values have been shaped over time. This reminds us that family is not only about the people we live with now, but also those who came before us and the journey that brought us to where we are today.
1/2’s BIG Question is "How can stories, objects, and pictures help us learn about the past and understand how we and Indigenous people lived and connected with the sacred?"
Through this lens, students are learning to respect and value the stories of First Nations Peoples, whose deep spiritual connection to the land and Creator has been passed down for thousands of years. They are examining how objects like tools, artworks, and ceremonial items—as well as photographs and oral storytelling—carry sacred meaning and offer insight into how Indigenous communities live out their faith, identity, and community.
3/4 's BIG Question is "How does commemorating and sharing significant stories of the past help shape the character of local and wider communities?"
Whether it’s ANZAC Day, Sorry Day, or celebrating feast days of Saints, these moments help shape who we are as a people. They teach us about courage, justice, forgiveness, and unity. Students are learning that when we remember the past with respect and care, we grow into people who honour truth, build peace, and carry forward what is good.
5/6’s BIG Question is "In what ways did the arrival of the First Fleet transform life for all people, the environment, and faith in Australia—and how did these changes continue to shape the country in the years that followed?"
Through this inquiry, students are beginning to understand that the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 marked a dramatic turning point in Australian history. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who had cared for and lived on this land for over 65,000 years, it brought enormous disruption—loss of land, culture, and life. The sacred connection Indigenous peoples had to the land was deeply impacted, and the effects of these changes continue to be felt today.
Students are also learning that European settlers brought new systems, including farming practices that altered the landscape, new animals and plants that changed the environment, and religious traditions that introduced Christian faith in new forms. Our students are encouraged to consider how faith was already alive here in the spirituality of First Nations Peoples, who continue to pass on their sacred stories, symbols, and wisdom.
At St Joseph’s, we nurture our students to grow in faith, compassion, and understanding. As a school community, we journey together—united by faith, enriched by our stories, and guided by a deep respect for the land and all who belong to it.
Calling Young Writers: Mayor’s Short Story Writing Awards Now Open!
Do you have a story to tell? Now’s your chance to put pen to paper and let your imagination shine in the Mayor’s Short Story Writing Awards 2025!
This exciting competition invites young writers from the Mornington Peninsula Shire to share their fiction stories for the chance to win cash prizes, bookstore vouchers, and see their work published in MP Magazine.
Award Categories:
- Ages 8–12: Submit a fiction story up to 500 words.
Ages 13–17: Submit a fiction story up to 1,000 words.
No matter what your story idea is — whether it’s an epic adventure, a magical mystery, or a heartfelt tale — if you live in the Mornington Peninsula Shire and love to write, this competition is for you!
Key Dates:
- Entries open: 14 April 2025
- Entries close: Midnight, 30 June 2025
The competition is proudly supported by local bookstores and writing groups, including Antipodes Bookshop, Farrells Bookshop, Rosebud Book Barn, Petersen’s Bookstore, and Western Port Writes.
Ready to enter? Visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/writingawards or scan the QR code on the flyer to find out more.
Let your creativity take the lead — we can’t wait to read your story!
Kind regards
Megan Barber