Teaching & Learning News

Hello everyone,

After only four days at St Martin de Porres, I have been touched by the warm welcome, smiling faces and strong sense of community that have assisted my smooth transition into a new school. I look forward to getting to know all members in our learning community so please say hello and assist me achieve my goal of knowing 5 or more new names every day!

I come to St Martin’s after 8 years at St Augustine’s in Keilor and before that, schools in Yarraville, Braybrook, Strathmore, Gladstone Park, Hobart as well as some time teaching in London.

I was particularly attracted to St Martin’s for it's reputation of being a school that is on the move, learning focused and a positive and respectful place to be.

As we begin Term 3, I join St Martin’s at a very exciting time. Learning is front and centre as the school embarks on a journey of ensuring each student achieves their best. We have identified what we believe to be the most important characteristics of learning success. Called ‘Visible Learning’ this model is the result of the research undertaken by Professor John Hattie to understand what provides the most success in learning. It is based on over 68,000 studies and 25 million students.

Visible Learners are students who can:

• Articulate what they are learning
• Explain the next steps in their learning
• Set learning goals
• See errors as opportunities for further learning
• Know what to do when they are stuck
• Seek feedback

At St Martin’s you will hear the L word (learning) everywhere; learning intentions, learning conversations, learning success. We are committed to maximizing learning and ensuring learners can articulate what they are learning and why they are learning what they are learning. We aim to ensure learners know what is needed in a task to make them successful. This is the reason we teach using learning intentions and success criteria.

You can support your child in this joint enterprise by asking them:

• What did you learn at school today? (rather than what did you do?)
• How did you learn?
• Were you successful - how do you know?
• What do need to do/know next?

I asked Sashwath in Year 2 what he was most proud of and he told me “I am proud that I write paragraphs using cursive writing.”

Lisa said “The best thing about my school is writing and the second best thing is the playground.”

And Vidhussha said, “Denise, you are going to love the kids the most. They do good learning.”

I look forward to learning with you all.

Regards,

Denise Kelly

Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning Leader