Dear Parents and Carers,

Over the past week I have had the pleasure of working very closely with students in their classrooms. On Monday I taught a lesson for Year 1 where several of our teachers critiqued the lesson. A lesson study such as this aims to support teachers in improving their planning and delivery of learning for their students.

At Good Samaritan we strategically map the improvement agenda of the school based on what we already know about the way that children learn and also what we continue to learn about the most efficient way of learning. This year we are taking a particular focus on the teaching of reading.

Teaching of any subject area is more than the delivery of skills. Primary school is a time for building socialisation and it is through this socialisation that children are able to express themselves as individuals. In order to socialise successfully, children need to master the shared conventions of the English language. This means that they have a shared knowledge, shared approach to reading, spelling, vocabulary and pronunciation. 

As we delve deeper into the research of the teaching of reading, we are coming to further understand the science behind how a person learns to read. Currently, there are researchers releasing papers and information that are informing our practice. Hence, the necessity to look very closely at our lessons with lesson studies. As teachers, we continue to thrive on building up the critical knowledge of language and literacy that is needed to take our students on the amazing and life changing journey of becoming effective and efficient readers.

With any learning, comes elements of change. As a Catholic school community we look to the lives and role models throughout the history of the church to help guide and understand the necessity for change. St Benedict is one such model.

Throughout his life, Benedict faced many challenges where he had to adjust to a new reality. Benedict’s skill lay in the ability to bring new voice, new life, new direction. St Benedict’s life shows us that challenges can be unsettling but must be confronted; that change is hard and can be slow; a new vision is required for change to manifest itself and that change comes, not by hoping for it, but by doing it.

Our work at Good Samaritan can be challenging but we hold a vision that:

Through our Catholicity we will inspire excellence in learning and teaching so that the school’s culture will allow all to flourish within our school community.

The teaching of the English language - reading & writing - aims to ultimately ensure that our students are able to actively participate in a society where they can flourish as an individual who shares a common language with those around them. Our continuous school improvement plan supports the introduction and implementation of the new English and Mathematics syllabus in 2022/2023. Our school plan will continue to support the implementation of the full curriculum by the end of 2024.

As we journey together through the week, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal