From the Director: Learning and Inclusion

Dear St Mary’s College

What do we do when things are hard, or we feel stuck? 

This is something we all experience throughout life. Within the classroom context, we call this being in the learning pit. Here, students are faced with a crossroads to either give up or accept the challenge to find a way forward.   

This type of thinking is grounded in the work of contemporary researcher John Hattie who states, “One year of input should equal one year of progress, for all students, no matter where they start.” (2016) With this in mind, we are working with Corwin Australia to implement a Visible Learning Program. Visible Learning puts students at the centre of the learning process, empowered with the language to talk about their own learning and the tools to move from one goal to the next. Learning is flipped from a passive thing done to students, to an active process of student engagement.   

A change of this nature depends on growing our community culture around learning, grounded on measurable impact. Our baseline evidence comes directly from our students. We asked a randomly selected cross-section of students from Reception to Year 12 the question, “What makes a good learner at St Mary’s College?” Interestingly, almost 70% of our students believed their behaviour leads to good learning, while 30% spoke about learning strategies as ways to ensure good learning.  

Our starting point is with the language we use every day in the classroom. We aim to develop a shared language of learning dispositions that are unique to St Mary’s. Rather than students talking about “getting something wrong,” they will speak about how they are using feedback to improve a skill they want to grow. Rather than students feeling teachers “give them a good mark,” they will have the language to evaluate how they are progressing and what strategies are working for them. 

This is an exciting space for our school community. Our teachers are all committed to this professional learning and research. As we track and measure intentional language in the classroom, I look forward to sharing the progress we make and the launch of our very own St Mary’s learning dispositions at the beginning of 2023. 

Warm regards,

Tracey Thursby

Director: Learning and Inclusion

Immersion: Oak Valley and Iga Warta

Across the next three weeks, a group of Year 10 and 11 students will leave for indigenous immersion experiences. The first group will head to Oak Valley, Ernabella and Uluru. Situated at the edge of the Great Victoria Desert, Oak Valley was established in 1985 as a community for the Anangu people displaced after the British atomic tests. The students and staff learn about their culture and community life, while building relationships with the Anangu people of Oak Valley, particularly with the students through involvement with the school. 

In an added experience for 2022, students and staff will travel with the Oak Valley community to Ernabella for Ernabella Dance. The invitation extended to our community to join this important cultural event is testament to the relationship built with the community over many years. 

A second group of students and staff will head to the northern Flinders Ranges for a pilot Biodiversity & Conservation Immersion. Students will have the opportunity to experience Adnyamathanha culture and learn more about their story and their history, while working in partnership with the Adnyamathanha people to contribute to biodiversity and conservation on their country. This is an exciting new initiative with the potential for a long-term partnership and connection, where we can contribute to building sustainability and ecojustice. 

Success at ABODA

The Australian Band and Orchestra Director's  Association (ABODA) provides in-service and support for music educators, instrumental music teachers and band & orchestra directors. Each year, St Mary’s College participates in the annual band festival. 

It was great to be able to involve four of our Concert Bands and Stage bands in the 2022 ABODA Festival after COVID disruptions last year. Students love the opportunity to perform and the atmosphere of the festival is a great live music experience for them.  Congratulations to the students involved from Year 7 - 12 for their preparation in the lead up and their professionalism and good humour throughout the two days of performances. We extend thanks and congratulations to Mr Jimmy Deslandes who directs all four of these ensembles. 

Along with the gold for our Senior Concert Band, the Middle School Band received silver. Stage Band One and Stage Band Two were awarded a silver and a bronze.  

Circle of Life - Dance Performance 

On a recent Sunday evening at The Parks Theatre, 11 Year 7 Dance students performed in ‘Circus of Life’, a voice concert for Kensington vocal school,  VoiceStyle Studio.  

Seeking more experience in co-curricular Dance, our students were excited to perform for family and friends who were able to witness the talent and passion of these dancers. Students performed three routines which combined dancing and circus ‘tumbling’, with one of the singing pieces featuring a talented St Mary’s vocal student.  

Though one student fell ill the day before their performance, this group showed great resilience, teamwork, and professionalism. They were able to replace sections of the performance and rechoreograph dances to ensure a seamless routine was presented. Three St Mary’s students also offered their time to support the show through backstage assistance, and all students were supportive and encouraging towards the other acts on the night.   

It was an exciting and unique experience in which students were able to practice their performance skills and observe and learn from the professionals around them. They represented St Mary’s College with pride and look forward to more opportunities to share their talents with our community. 

The rehearsals were done in their own time with the support of Rhiannon Davis, our Dance teacher, who also committed her lunch times to the project. On the night students were well supported by their families. This is an example of the commitment of our staff and students and a great way to showcase our community to a wider audience. 

Reception to Year 10 Parents & Friends: 

REGISTER HERE

Attention Classes of 1992, 2002 and 2012!

SAVE THE DATE: Friday 25 November 2022
Veritas Centre 5.30-7.00 pm - Drinks and nibbles provided (Invitation to follow)

CONTACT US

enquiries@stmarys.sa.edu.au
stmarys.sa.edu.au
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