Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning at St James
Dear Parents,
First and foremost I would like to thank you all for supporting the school and working collaboratively with the staff in a home / school partnership in providing continuity in learning. This is not an easy task. Each day we hear and read that we are in uncharted waters. Therefore it is so important that we all support each other during this time of new learning.
When learning learning remotely of utmost importance is ensuring that students are safe online. This is one of the main reasons for using the G Suite for Education. As a school we can put measures in place to provide online safe practices, however as we head into remote learning we require your assistance in creating a safe online learning environment from home. I highly recommend that all parents access the Australian Government eCommissioner webpage (links provided) and then together as a family set up a safe online learning environment.
At St James whether onsite or remotely, we endeavour to provide holistic, challenging and engaging learning experiences. Through deep learning and powerful teaching our students become animated learners. Students should; know themselves, flourish, demonstrate agency and make a difference. We are passionate about providing rich and authentic learning where students not only become informed, but active global citizens which is so important now more than ever.
Our school based curriculum provides opportunities for students to make connections with other learning areas in the Victorian Curriculum, creating authentic learning. As we move into Remote Learning we acknowledge that our school based curriculum will look, feel and be different and we acknowledge that it will look, feel and be different in every home. What will not change is the ongoing dedication of the staff at St James in planning and assessing according to the Victorian Curriculum. Teaching will look different. Already staff have been recording videos and exploring the various ways to teach the students in their respective classes remotely. Teaching and learning inclusive of intervention will look different according to each level based on the needs of the individual students.
Teachers have already planned the units of work which will be uploaded to this portal via links to Google Classroom, Seesaw, Goggle Slides or Google Docs etc prior to the beginning of the Term. Throughout the term teachers will continue to have remote level planning meetings and create resources to support the learning.
We will continue to embed a culture of ‘Growth mindset’ at St James and we value effort and growth in the learning journey of our students. This year we have planned to cover the following rich concepts; Relationships, Sustainability, Identity and Connections, all explored via student led inquiry. To assist with the Getting Ready to Learn at Home and transition to Remote Learning, we are extending our Term 1 unit which focuses on Relationships, so as to provide students with a familiar knowledge base from which to explore and develop skills in learning remotely.
This site has been designed to bring together Teaching and Learning at St James. These are new learning times for everyone, not just in Education.
On a personal note, I'm sure you can appreciate the significant amount of time spent consulting with staff and school documentation in order to set up the St James Remote Learning Portal. This is a new learning experience for all! This portal brings together and celebrates the admirable and ongoing efforts of all staff in planning remote learning experiences for the students.
If you encounter a technical difficulty or would like further clarification regarding the content, can I please ask that you fill in the Contact Us - Enquiry Feedback Form and I will endeavour to respond within 24-48 hours (Monday - Friday) to assist you with your enquiry.
Thank you kindly,
Carmelina Corio (Deputy Principal / Teaching and Learning Leader)
