Learning at St Clare's
Visible Learning
St Clare’s learning and teaching model is based on the research of John Hattie around Visible Learning.
This means that our practices are based on a body of solid evidence and we constantly monitor the impact our teaching is having on student learning.
We want everyone to see clearly what teachers are teaching and what the students are learning. We ensure that this happens in every classroom by displaying Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for each lesson. After each lesson the teachers and students engage in conversation to check how successful they were with their learning and what to focus on next.
At St. Clare’s we recognise that successful learners need to have five important learning assets. We teach these learning assets from Year Prep through to Year 6. We encourage and teach our students to be good Thinkers, Investigators, Communicators, Collaborators and Self Managers.
These learning assets are displayed prominently in all of the classrooms and learning spaces. We have even designed our own super heroes around them. We believe that these are important if we want to learn well in a rapidly changing world.
This means that our practices are based on a body of solid evidence and we constantly monitor the impact our teaching is having on student learning.
We want everyone to see clearly what teachers are teaching and what the students are learning. We ensure that this happens in every classroom by displaying Learning Intentions and Success Criteria for each lesson. After each lesson the teachers and students engage in conversation to check how successful they were with their learning and what to focus on next.
At St. Clare’s we recognise that successful learners need to have five important learning assets. We teach these learning assets from Year Prep through to Year 6. We encourage and teach our students to be good Thinkers, Investigators, Communicators, Collaborators and Self Managers.
These learning assets are displayed prominently in all of the classrooms and learning spaces. We have even designed our own super heroes around them. We believe that these are important if we want to learn well in a rapidly changing world.
Technology
Computers and digital technologies are essential to the development of 21st Century learners. St Clare’s recognises the importance of teaching our students crucial multidimensional Information and Computer Technology (ICT) skills, including how to navigate and critically evaluate new modes of communication, the media and vast amounts of unfiltered information.
From Prep to Year 6 we encourage our students to become critical and confident users of technologies through a broad range of digitally based learning experiences which encourage problem solving, communicating, designing, creating, researching and managing learning and information.
iPads are used selectively in Prep for particular tasks in Investigations and through Apps that help consolidate learning happening in Literacy and Numeracy
In the Junior school students use a mix of iPads and laptops to access various online programs and Apps to help supplement their learning.
From Year 3 students have their own dedicated laptop or Chromebook, at no extra cost to families. These devices help teach students responsibility and cybersafe practices, as well as helping to provide a personalised learning experience.
From Prep to Year 6 we encourage our students to become critical and confident users of technologies through a broad range of digitally based learning experiences which encourage problem solving, communicating, designing, creating, researching and managing learning and information.
iPads are used selectively in Prep for particular tasks in Investigations and through Apps that help consolidate learning happening in Literacy and Numeracy
In the Junior school students use a mix of iPads and laptops to access various online programs and Apps to help supplement their learning.
From Year 3 students have their own dedicated laptop or Chromebook, at no extra cost to families. These devices help teach students responsibility and cybersafe practices, as well as helping to provide a personalised learning experience.
Multi-age classes
From Year 1, our classes are multi-age structured. This means that our Year 1s and 2s are in mixed classes, as are our Year 3/4s and 5/6s.
The multiage classroom has often received negative publicity, however, this is often due to ill-informed opinions and misunderstandings. Multiage classrooms are not to be confused with composite classes where students are often separated according to their year level and exposed to separate curriculum content.
At St Clare’s, we recognise that age is irrelevant when it comes to child development and achievement. Regardless of your child’s age, we use many assessment tools and measures to establish what each child knows and needs to know in order to structure their learning accordingly. Students are placed in fluid groups across many subject areas in order to better target their next learning steps.
The multiage approach also has many other benefits beyond the academic. Because of the mixed age group, the younger children benefit from the positive models of older children, often aspiring to their levels of capability. At the same time, the older children rise to the expectations of the younger children and teacher, being very responsible and having opportunities to lend and use their expertise.
The multiage classroom has often received negative publicity, however, this is often due to ill-informed opinions and misunderstandings. Multiage classrooms are not to be confused with composite classes where students are often separated according to their year level and exposed to separate curriculum content.
At St Clare’s, we recognise that age is irrelevant when it comes to child development and achievement. Regardless of your child’s age, we use many assessment tools and measures to establish what each child knows and needs to know in order to structure their learning accordingly. Students are placed in fluid groups across many subject areas in order to better target their next learning steps.
The multiage approach also has many other benefits beyond the academic. Because of the mixed age group, the younger children benefit from the positive models of older children, often aspiring to their levels of capability. At the same time, the older children rise to the expectations of the younger children and teacher, being very responsible and having opportunities to lend and use their expertise.
