Deputy Principal

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of spending time in Mrs Vescio’s Year 6 Mathematics class, where students were exploring the concept of calculating the area of complex shapes. It was wonderful to observe the care, clarity, and enthusiasm with which Mrs Vescio guided the lesson, breaking down challenging ideas in ways that were engaging, accessible and meaningful for the students.

I took the opportunity to work individually with students as they embraced this new concept and tried to work through examples. While some students grasped the concept quickly, others needed more help. They never gave up and I saw first-hand the confidence that grows when students are given the time, support, and encouragement to make sense of new concepts. Learning is not simply about reaching the right answer; it is about working through a process to develop skills, build understanding and helping each student discover that they are all capable. Some students need a little more time to grasp these concepts and that is okay, it is important we always encourage our students to never give up and keep trying to ensure they gain the skills to solve problems for themselves.

This experience was a powerful reminder of our Touchstone of Liberating Education. At St Patrick’s College, Strathfield, liberating education calls us to create learning experiences that empower students to think deeply, engage courageously, and grow in confidence as learners and young men. To witness students learning new concepts and being taught new skills in such a supportive environment was inspiring. It reminded me once again of the reason I went into teaching in the first place. Not for the money, not for the emails, not for the position. Just to be able to make a small difference in a student’s life. That is why I went into teaching. I thank these students for welcoming me into their classroom and look forward to going back to see them soon to witness their progress.

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal