Principal's Report

STUDY LANDSCAPE

What constitutes a positive learning environment?

What does it mean, as a student, to be in a space of learning?

The scope for learning and the scope for teaching involves a partnership between the teacher and the students. In my last newsletter, I spoke about positive learning behaviours and I reiterate that our community needs to be invested in the energy that is in our classes, every lesson, every day.

Parents can support the learning journey at home by being proactive in the educational landscape for your student; gentle reminders about homework, completing outstanding work, and supporting at home by making the occasion of learning one of a shared partnership. We have all heard of the age old saying that it takes a village to raise a child and during these testing times this saying takes on more importance than ever before.

Our teachers are wholly committed to all our students to ensure that they are well resourced, there is explicit teaching in the lesson plan and a high level of expectation that our students are challenged to do their personal best, as much as possible.

Parents can check in by:

1. Checking in, rather than checking up
2. Is the work station in an open, well-lit area?
3. Distractions through social media need to be tempered during an agreed homework time – unless it is a study group through group chat or Teams
4. Some light refreshments, to keep up energy levels (I find that TimTams work very well!)
5. Study times are broken up into 20 minute blocks with a short break between the next level of study – this timeframe has been proven to work for optimum memory recall and cognitive engagement

Families are busy, students are busy…I get that... But, as we settle into our life patterns and structures and ‘normalities’, we will all reconnect and respond to each other in an environment of respect, kindness, understanding and harmony.

TEACHING and LEARNING TOGETHER

Teachers have been working in groups and observing each other’s classes in a collaborative space, to learn off each other and continuously reflect on their own practice. They are observing how students learn, relationship building and assessment strategies. Students will need to get used to having other teachers visit the classroom in some of their subjects.

We are all a community of learners!

The Academy of Learning (the old name for Bastow) offers ongoing Professional Learning for all teachers, and at Emerald, we have been heavily invested in studying the latest research on practices that build capacity in the teaching and learning focus, for all our students – they will be the beneficiaries of all this extra study.

Yours truly, Mrs Tanja Korsten and Mrs Emily Hay have been involved in the program of Leading Pedagogy, with the focus on classroom observations and differentiation.

Mrs Janine McMahon, Mr Brad Gibbs and Mr Will Creagh are currently undertaking a learning module in Leading Curriculum Assessment, with the focus on best practice in designing curriculum, student feedback and clear, focussed assessment, to establish learning growth in all our students.

This work benefits our college and our students.

VACCINATION POP UP BUS – IN CONJUCTION WITH DET and MONASH HEALTH

….will be available to the entire community on Wednesday, 23rd of March. This is completely a walk in, walk out arrangement, no booking required. 

The administering of vaccines will start at 2.00pm for all our staff and students, opening to the community at 3.30pm.

This is a community service (see attached flyer) and our college will be hosting the Vaccination Pop Up Bus, which will make it convenient for our community to take advantage of the service.

James Barut