iServi News | 4 June 2021 | Term 2, Week 7
The Servite Way of Learning
As many families are well aware, the last two weeks have been a very busy, challenging and rewarding time for our senior students as they navigate their Semester 1 exams and participate in their workplace learning placements. The different learning programs on our calendar highlight the multiple pathways available for students as they progress through the College.
Our continued focus on personalising learning has facilitated the development of learning pathways that suit the individualised needs of our students. We aim to differentiate within the curriculum through rich tasks which promote creativity, critical thinking and the capacity for students to develop their own solutions to problems. Students are encouraged to work to their strengths and are supported by our Berry Street Education Model curriculum which promotes self-regulation and resilience – core attributes to assist students’ readiness to learn.
We are excited about the continued development of learning programs to fully harness the attributes of our secondary campus at Nannup. This 65 acre property will be utilised to allow students to engage in authentic learning opportunities with each other and members of the Nannup community. It will afford students the chance to fully engage in the local environment and expose them to new learnings and growth experiences that will help shape them as whole persons. It will also allow them to work to their strengths in the exploration of learning opportunities that can positively impact the surrounding environment in a positive and authentic way.
A number of staff recently attended the site to meet with members of the Nannup community and develop curriculum opportunities that harness the natural attributes, resources and connections in the surrounding area. Some of these initiatives will be introduced into Year 9 in Term 4 and also into our iCurious Gifted and Talented program. We will continue to develop programs across the other years into 2022 and beyond.
Our vision for personalising learning and promoting life-long learning skills is a driving factor in the development of our campus spaces. We want students to engage with the curriculum and each other in a genuine way, hence classrooms are set up to support the sharing of ideas, peer collaboration and quality communication. We utilise technology to make learning available 24/7 in support of students managing their own learning and connecting with their peers and teachers.
Our vision for personalising learning supports the development of senior school pathways that meet the needs of our students. We understand that each of our students have different learning strengths and therefore aim to provide opportunities that best support their transition to life after Servite. Our 4+ ATAR pathway promotes academic rigour in an exam environment which opens up the full suite of university options for students. Our FlexiTrack and UniReady programs connect those students who prefer a collaborative and research-style environment to selected university courses. Our Vocational pathway meanwhile supports students in accessing ongoing educational opportunities in the industry of their choice or continued learning at TAFE.
Selecting a pathway can often be a daunting experience for students and so we support them through Career Education classes in Years 9 and 10. We have a dedicated Pathways team who work with students to connect them to pathways that suit their interest and capacity.
We have appreciated the opportunity to work with families over the years in establishing our Servite Way of Learning which focuses on the strength of our students. We see them as unique individuals and celebrate the gifts and talents. We look forward to ongoing conversations with families, particularly into next term as we progress into our 2022 subject selection processes.
Mr Jeff Allen
Principal