Principals Message
Time to Celebrate!
Dear parents and carers,
We ask our students “The Five Questions” when we visit classrooms. They are;
- What are you learning?
- How are you going with it?
- How do you know?
- How can you improve?
- Where can you go for help?
The staff are also asked the following questions regularly;
- How are we going?
- How do we know?
- How can we improve?
- Where can we go for help?
This continual reflection enables students to own their learning and allows staff to have deep discussions about their teaching and learning.
Recently we had the Principals from all over the Diocese, CSO staff, Bishop Kennedy and members of the Armidale Catholic Schools Board participate in a two day conference here at St Xavier’s.
The first morning saw everyone participate in a Learning Walk through our classrooms. The students were asked the Five Questions as part of the Walk. The feedback session was so positive and included comments such as those below;
- Adults in each room working professionally
- Students engaged
- Hum of “on task” behaviour from students
- Students were well directed-self and by teachers
- Beautiful learning environments
- Helpful adults
- Learning space flows
- Students were focussed and were not easily distracted
- Sense of purpose and learning
- Engaged learners
- Super calm setting
- Calm and engaged learning spaces
- Team focus
- Balanced use of various technologies
- Balance of group and whole class activities
- Students could explain how they use the walls to help their learning
- The flow is amazing encouraging curiosity and exploration
- Very welcoming environment
- Lovely design and active learning environment
- Amazing sense of educational purpose
- Wall displays directly related to learning
- Use of colour and stimulating spaces excellent
- Key emphasis on handwriting
- Engaged students, third teacher, beautiful learning spaces
- Small groups targeting students needs (co-teaching)
- High engagement in learning and teaching
- Calm engaged staff and students
- Students were keen to answer the 5 questions
- Loved the welcoming feel of the History of our school-foyer
- Love the garden, chickens, quiet area
- Calm atmosphere, spacious and welcoming, productive
- Liked the cohort and co teaching set up
- Contemporary design conducive to learning
- The Library is open and central, reading for pleasure
- Lots of adults working with different students
- Organisation of the breakout rooms
- Highly focussed students
- Skilled adults working with students in the rooms
- Good use of Third Teacher(the walls)
- Students articulated their learning through the 5 questions
- High quality explicit teaching visible
- Visible differentiation taking place
- Students really engaged
- Ambience of the learning spaces
- Industry of the learning community
- Key learning differentiation
- Calm teachers, EA’s and students
- Great use of learning spaces inside and out
- Students engaged in learning tasks
- The learning environment supports and enhances learning
- Students calm, focussed, engaged, active learners
- Excellent learning and teaching
- Great classroom spaces-being used very well
- Calm classrooms
- Engaged, enthusiastic and happy learners
- Well designed foyer, link from LWLW to character strengths
- Students engaged
- Partnership between teacher and student evident
- Committed staff who had eyes on students
- Calm classrooms
- Positive relationships
This feedback indicates that our clear mission and vision and our unconditional high regards for our students provides a strong foundation for a successful school. This work we do in teams includes you! We strive to work with you, alongside you, for the one purpose-happy children who are learning. No concern is too small to us. Keep the communication open and together we can continue to grow and thrive.
Kind regards,
Jen