Teaching and Learning

Our School Philosophy

At Flinders View Primary School, our Approach is built around the beliefs that “Every child can be a High Achiever” and that “What happens in the classroom, matters”. Research has proven, that the single most important factor impacting student learning outcomes - is the quality of our teachers. We value our teachers and recognise the complexity of their work. Our focus is on collaboratively and collectively building teacher capacity to enhance teaching and learning. Our staff show a high level of commitment to improved teaching and learning through intensive Professional Learning programs and instructional coaching. Our committed and high-quality teachers provide a teaching and learning program centred around evidence-based practice and high-impact teaching strategies (with an emphasis on Explicit Instruction and the embedding of Aboriginal Perspectives and Pedagogies), that aims to accelerate student learning growth and improve student learning outcomes. We have worked hard to develop a systematic and Explicit Approach to quality instruction. We plan our lessons using the Explicit Teaching Model (I do, We do, You do) which centralises around the gradual release model. We continue to work on this as we strive to be better and do better - every day. Teachers do indeed make the difference.

Whole School Approaches

Literacy

At Flinders View Primary School, we recognise that a whole school approach to English and Literacy learning is necessary to support and challenge all students. Our Whole-school English Literacy Agreement provides an outline to the agreed commitments for teaching and learning in the areas of English and Literacy, to ensure all teachers are confident, competent and consistent in teaching English and Literacy across the site. Every student has the right to at least one year of growth in English for every year of learning. Students should be supported to develop a broad range of literacy skills that will enable them to be literate, productive and active citizens. To ensure this happens, our school is committed to using High Impact Teaching Strategies with a focus on the Explicit Instruction Model (I do, We do, You do) to ensure students maximise their learning potential and growth. As a school, we have a strong commitment to improving students English and Literacy skills in the areas of: ORAL LANGUAGE READING WRITING To do this our Teachers:  Intentionally plan for oral language development, scaffolding the language required to access the curriculum.  Establish daily reading programs that explicitly teach the Big Six components of Reading, including a strong program of explicit synthetic phonics.  Establish clear routines for writing and incorporate daily writing activities to enable learners to practise and build automaticity. They also ensure the explicit teaching of at least two extended written texts per term

Numeracy

At Flinders View Primary School, we recognise that a whole school approach to Mathematics learning is necessary to support and challenge all students. We aim to teach Mathematics explicitly and in a variety of contexts to allow for a deep, rich and meaningful understanding of language, concepts and development of skills. To be Numerate is to have the capacity, confidence and disposition to use mathematics in daily life. Being numerate means being able to problem solve and reason with mathematical concepts and to fluently apply these in a range of contexts. We believe that all students can be powerful, successful lifelong learners of Mathematics. Every student has the right to at least one year of growth in Mathematics, for every year of learning. Students should be supported to develop a broad range of Mathematics skills that will enable them to be numerate, productive and active citizens. Our school is committed to building the capacity of all staff as a result of high quality learning, collaborations and the development of quality teaching and learning programs. At Flinders View Primary School, Mathematics lessons are centred on the Explicit Teaching Model (I do, We do, You do), with a focus on developing the foundational skills of mathematics including the Big Ideas in Number (Di Siemon and Tierney Kennedy). Teachers’ use High-Impact Strategies to support the accelerated growth of student learning outcomes and implement programs based on the evidence of Visible Learning Research (John Hattie). To help support this we:  Use data to plan a whole-school response that includes the development of self-regulated learners and clear expectations for teacher and team planning time.  Ensure all teachers have the pedagogical content knowledge to support students to build on number ideas and concepts developmentally.  Develop priorities to align beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics.  Establish the expectation that all teachers provide clear learning intentions for students that foreground the numeracy success criteria as part of their learning design.  Make explicit connections between colloquial and formal mathematics language.  Develop teachers’ understanding of productive struggle and deep learning.  Ensure opportunities for students to experience and create multiple representations of numeracy.

Social and Emotional Capabilities

Technologies

All students have access to ICT equipment as tools for learning, which include laptops, chrome books and Ipads. Students are able to access the network of computers in the Technology Room at least once per week during ICT lessons. Students will also have exposure to a number of up to date software programs and equipment such as Beet bots, Spheros, Lego Technic etc... All junior primary students have access to a set of IPads through the library, Middle Primary students have access to laptops in their classrooms while Upper Primary classes have access to individual chrome books in the classroom. Every classroom has an interactive whiteboard in order to access learning using technology and the internet. All students, staff and volunteers are expected to use ICT equipment in a manner that ensures safety for the wellbeing of all others. Strict protocols apply to computer use as per school policy and ICT agreement. Misuse may result in restrictions or in severe cases, reporting the incident to the police. Students are not allowed personal mobile devices at school (see anti bullying & cyber bully policy). If a student brings their phone to school it is to be confiscated and returned at the end of the day. At enrolment permission is sought from caregivers for students to have their photograph on the school website, SeeSaw and Facebook page.

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