STELLA MARIS SCHOOL
Teaching and Learning Policy
1.
RATIONALE


To equip students with skills for life-long; teaching them how to learn.
To promote learning and teaching practices that will improve the quality of education for all
students in our school.
To provide each student with a range of learning experiences which will:
o Assist them to improve their own learning
o Promote excellence in learning
o Develop self-esteem, confidence and independence
To provide a range of personnel, services, resources and facilities to enhance teaching and
learning practices.
To promote teaching and learning as a partnership between home and school and the local
wider community.



2.
SCOPE
This policy applies to the whole Stella Maris School community and will be made available to
others on request.
3.
POLICY AIMS

To promote active learning, which provides opportunities for pupils to pose their own
questions, investigate issues and take increasing responsibility for what they do
To encourage discussion between pupils and their teachers about learning programmes, about
expectations, targets, choices and decisions within them.
To ensure that there is continuity of learning so as to ensure progression within a class, between
classes and at transition between schools.
To provide a variety of learning experiences using various teaching styles and appropriate
assessment methods that the pupils can understand.
To provide working contexts which offer a range of opportunities for participation individually
and co-operatively in groups of various sizes.
To ensure that learning programmes contain knowledge, which is relevant to each pupil’s needs,
interests and abilities giving emphasis to its practical application.
To encourage pupils’ families and wider community involvement enabling pupils to contribute
to the community and use it as a resource for learning.
To give opportunities for pupils to reflect upon and appraise their own work, to identify goals
for further progress and to make appropriate choices.
To guide and counsel the pupil, involving parents wherever practicable, to help pupils to
recognise and assess their particular strengths and potential.
To ensure that assessment and recording of attainment is an integral part of the learning
process.









4.
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW- VELS
Stella Maris is making a strong commitment to bring the current school curriculum in line with the new
Victorian Essential Learning Standards introduced to Victorian schools in 2005. Through access to
a wide range of learning experiences in the areas of Physical, Personal and Social Learning, Discipline
based learning and Interdisciplinary Learning, we expect that students will develop breadth of
knowledge, skills, understandings and values
Strands
Physical, Personal and Social
Learning
Domains
Health & PE
Interpersonal Development
Personal Living
Civics & Citizenship
Discipline Based Learning
Religious Education
The Arts
English
Humanities
LOTE – Japanese
Mathematics Science
Science
Interdisciplinary Learning
Discipline Based Learning
Religious Education
Communication
Dimensions
Physical activity & health
knowledge
Working in teams
Managing personal learning
Community engagement
Religious Knowledge and
Understanding
Religious Reasoning and
Responding
Personal and Communal
Engagement
Creating & making
Reading, writing & speaking
Historical & geographical
knowledge
Intercultural knowledge and
language awareness
Number, space, measurement,
chance, data, structure, working
mathematically
Science at work
Listening, viewing, responding,
presenting
Design, Creativity & Technology Investigating, designing,
producing, analysing, evaluating
Information & Communication ICT for visual thinking, creating,
Technology
communicating
Thinking
Reasoning, processing, inquiry,
creativity, reflection
The Religious Education program and lessons are based on the "Texts and Guidelines For Religious
Education" of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Religious Education curriculum aims to
complement the family in developing the total child in the life of faith.
Education in Faith happens when we are:




Forming Christian attitudes
Developing children's consciences
Handing on factual knowledge
Celebrating liturgy and worship
We share with parents the responsibility of educating children in Faith. Together we pray and support
each other in the precious but awesome task.
English
In English students learn to appreciate, enjoy and use language and develop a sense of its richness and
its power to evoke feelings, to form and convey ideas, to inform, to discuss, to persuade, to entertain
and to argue. They study language in the variety of texts and contexts in which it is spoken, read,
viewed and written. English involves students in reading, viewing, writing, comparing, researching and
talking about texts. Students explore the meaning of texts and how that meaning is conveyed. They
develop a critical understanding about the ways writers and speakers control language to influence their
listeners, readers and viewers. Students develop an understanding of the way purpose, audience and
situation influence the structures and features of language and learn to apply their knowledge in their
reading, viewing, speaking and listening. They learn to control language by applying grammatical
structures, spelling accurately and using punctuation effectively and by imitating good writers and
speakers.
Our junior literacy program (P-2) is based on the methodology of CLaSS (Children’s Literacy Success
Strategy). CLaSS strives to raise the levels of literacy attainment in young children in the early years of
schooling to give them a solid foundation for success in later learning. It is based on the belief that
improvements in literacy are achievable through a whole school approach, which ensures that all
students make progress and achieve success in the early years.
The middle school (3-4) follows the 'Early Years Building Literacy' program which focuses on the
consolidation of junior years literacy learning. This takes into account the increasing need to focus on
comprehension strategies, research skills and developing a critical analysis of reading materials.
The approach to Literacy in the senior school (5-6) is based on the 'Middle Years Literacy Project'. This
looks at developing students' literacy skills beyond the decoding aspect of reading, emphasising the
need for students to develop self-management strategies. Instruction is based on guided reading;
reciprocal teaching as the main approach.
After the preparatory year at school, children assessed by the school as ‘at risk’ at reading, participate in
a Reading Recovery program as well as their class reading lessons. They receive individual, daily
teaching for an average of about sixteen-twenty weeks. During this period the teacher aims to address
each child’s specific confusions and raise and accelerate the child’s reading ability to the average for the
class before individual teaching is discontinued.
Mathematics
Students learn to demonstrate useful mathematical and numeracy skills, solve practical problems with
mathematics, see mathematical connections and be able to apply mathematical concepts, skills and
processes in posing and solving mathematical problems. They develop an understanding of the role of
mathematics in life.
Stella Maris follows the SINE (Success in Numeracy Education) Numeracy Initiative. Key features of
this program include:



Daily one hour numeracy block
Comprehensive numeracy assessment for the numeracy benchmarks
Identification and intervention strategies for students at risk
Through the maths program students develop a powerful means of communication which helps to
represent, explain and predict events within our world, whilst gaining an appreciation for the social and
cultural significance of mathematics.
Humanities - Economics, Geography and History
Students study human societies, people and their cultures in the past and the present, learning about
human behaviour. They learn to understand how and why groups of people have settled where they
have, organised their societies, developed means of generating and distributing wealth, developed
codes, laws and belief systems and related to other groups of people.
Economics:
Students study how different societies allocate scarce resources to satisfy the wants and needs of its
members and address the requirements for human survival and sustainability. They learn how wealth is
generated and distributed, enabling them to understand the importance of acting rationally and ethically
when making economic and personal financial decisions, and influence others to do likewise.
History:
Students study the past in order to understand themselves and their world. They learn about cultures,
ideas and values that are important to other societies as well as their own. They learn that all history,
including Australian history, reflects multiple influences and connections to an array of other countries,
cultures and times. Students learn about the key events in the history of the Australian nation and how
it has evolved over time. They learn that Indigenous history is an integral perspective within Australian
history.
Geography:
Students study physical and human environments from a spatial perspective. This provides them with
the knowledge and skills to observe and describe places on the surface of the earth.
The Arts
The Arts involve Art, , and Visual Communication. Engagement in the Arts involves the inspired and
passionate exploration of ideas and the resultant products and performances. Students experience
learning in Visual (Art, including 2-D and 3-D, ) disciplines and forms.
Arts specialists take weekly lessons across the school. In Visual art students experiment with a variety
of media including painting, drawing, construction, modelling and collage. Students from 3-6 have the
opportunity to join the School Choir.
Science
Through Science, students learn to appreciate, understand, control and manage their world. They learn
respect for the environment (living and non-living) and the opinions and ideas of others, honesty in
collecting and presenting data and evidence and acknowledgment of the work of others. Student’s
understanding is extended beyond what effects them to include what they can’t see, feel, hear or touch
but can only imagine
Students explore the two Science dimensions of 'Science knowledge and understanding' and 'Science at
work' through the disciplines of biological, chemical, earth, environmental, physical and space sciences.
L.O.T.E. (Language Other Than English - Japanese)
Japanese is the language studied in the L.O.T.E. program at Stella Maris.
Learning a second language at primary level is a cultural experience, exposing students to another set of
beliefs, customs and lifestyles. With these experiences comes a spontaneous desire for students to learn
to communicate (speak, write and read) in that language.
Learning a language other than English helps to increase the children's awareness of the multilingual
and multicultural nature of Australian and world societies.
Interdisciplinary Learning
Interdisciplinary Learning focuses on ways of thinking, communicating, conceiving and realising ideas
and information. It assists students to develop the capacity to design, create and evaluate processes as a
way of developing creativity and innovation.
Communication
Communication helps to construct all learning and is central to the capacity to demonstrate and convey
what one has learned in different contexts and to different people. This domain assists students to
understand that language and discourse differ in different disciplines and that there is a need to learn
the particular literacies involved in each.
Design, Creativity and Technology
Students investigate and design using appropriate planning processes and design briefs; creating and
developing ideas, applying information, and seeking and testing innovative alternatives; producing,
including the selection and safe use of appropriate tools, equipment, materials and/or processes to
meet the requirements of design briefs; analysing and evaluating both processes and products including,
where relevant, any broader environmental, social, cultural and economic factors.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Students use ICT to access, process, manage and present information; model and control events;
construct new understandings; and communicate with others. Students use ICT and strategies to
monitor learning patterns, to process data to create solutions and information products that
demonstrate understanding, and to share their work with others in ethical, legal and respectful ways.
Thinking Processes
Thinking encompasses a range of cognitive, affective and metacognitive knowledge, skills and
behaviours which are essential for effective functioning in society both within and beyond school. The
study of thinking enables students to acquire strategies for thinking related to inquiry, processing
information, reasoning, problem solving, evaluation and reflection.
5. CURRICULUM OVERVIEW-AUSVELS
AusVELS is based on the VELS triple-helix structure of three interconnected areas of learning called
strands.
The three strands are as follows:
Physical, Personal
and Social
Learning
Students learn about themselves and their place in society. They learn how to
stay healthy and active. Students develop skills in building social
relationships and working with others. They take responsibility for their
learning, and learn about their rights and responsibilities as global
citizens.
Discipline-based
Learning
Students learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours in the arts, English,
humanities, mathematics, science and other languages.
Interdisciplinary
Learning
Students explore different ways of thinking, solving problems and
communicating. They learn to use a range of technologies to plan,
analyse, evaluate and present their work. Students learn about creativity,
design principles and processes.
Domains are distinct bodies of knowledge, skills and behaviours within each strand.
The domains within AusVELS that are drawn from the Australian Curriculum learning areas (English,
Mathematics, Science and History) are organised into Content Descriptions and Achievement
Standards.
Content descriptions specify what teachers are expected to teach. The Achievement standards describes the
quality of learning (the extent of knowledge, the depth of understanding and the sophistication of skills)
that would indicate the student is well placed to commence the learning required at the next level of
achievement.
Content elaborations are included for these domains. These elaborations are intended to provide
additional clarity by way of illustrative examples only. They are not statements of mandatory content.
The other domains within AusVELS that are drawn from the existing Victorian Essential Learning
Standards (VELS) are organised into learning focus statements and standards. The standards outline
the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours students are expected to demonstrate within each
domain. The learning focus statements suggest learning experiences that are based on the standards.
All the domains are written for all students. Advice is provided on how programs can be modified for
students with English as an additional language or dialect here and students with special education
needs here and here.
Content descriptions/Learning Focus statements and Achievement Standards/Standards for each
domain are organised into dimensions. For example, the Arts is a domain organised by the Creating and
making and Exploring and responding dimensions.
The domains and their dimensions are listed below. The domains that are drawn from the Australian
Curriculum are marked by the symbol AC.
PHYSICAL, PERSONAL
AND SOCIAL
LEARNING
DISCIPLINE-BASED
LEARNING
INTERDISCIPLINARY
LEARNING
Civics and Citizenship
The Arts
Communication


Civic knowledge and
understanding
Community
engagement


Creating and making
Exploring and responding


Listening, viewing and
responding
Presenting
EnglishAC
 Reading and viewing AC
 Writing AC
 Speaking and listening AC
Design, Creativity and
Technology
 Investigating and
designing
 Producing
 Analysing and
evaluating
Interpersonal Development
 Building social
relationships
 Working in teams
The Humanities
 Humanities knowledge
and understanding
 Humanities skills
Information and
Communications
Technology
 ICT for visual thinking
 ICT for creating
 ICT for
communicating
Personal Learning
 The individual learner
 Managing personal
learning
The Humanities – Economics
 Economic knowledge and
understanding
 Economic reasoning and
interpretation
Thinking Processes
 Reasoning, processing
and inquiry
 Creativity
 Reflection, evaluation
and metacognition
Health and Physical Education
 Movement and
physical activity
 Health knowledge and
promotion
The Humanities – Geography
 Geographic knowledge
and understanding
 Geographical skills
The Humanities – HistoryAC
 Historical Knowledge and
Understanding AC
 Historical Skills AC
Languages
 Communicating in a
language other than
English
 Intercultural knowledge
and language awareness
MathematicsAC
 Number and Algebra AC
 Measurement and
GeometryAC
 Statistics and ProbabilityAC
ScienceAC
 Science Understanding AC
 Science as a Human
Endeavour AC
 Science Inquiry Skills AC
6. IMPLEMENTING THE CURRICULUM AT STELLA MARIS SCHOOL INVOLVES:
The teacher is clearly a key person in facilitating learning. He/She has responsibility for the learning
that takes place in the classroom and ensuring that it is effective for all pupils. Each teacher’s classroom
needs to reflect the school’s aims and values and so offer a consistent approach to the development of
the children’s learning. The characteristics of the classroom environment are a vital element in support
of this. It has a fundamental influence on the way teachers and pupils work, think, learn and feel.

All teachers participating in Professional Learning Teams (PLT’s) to support the whole school
implementation, on-going monitoring and development of the Australian Curriculum
[AUSVELS].

All teachers adhering to the Principals of Learning and Teaching (POLT’s) Appendix 1

Teaching, planning and evaluating in Level Teams

Teachers participating in ongoing Professional Development in line with School Improvement
Plan.

Teachers embracing the wide range of support programs within the school. This includes, but it
not limited to You Can Do It, Reading Recovery and Maths Intervention.

Teachers acknowledging and respecting the diversity of the school community.

Teachers incorporating ICT as an integral part of teaching and learning.

Teachers acknowledging and considering individual differences in ability, prior experiences,
interests, learning styles, ethnicity and gender.
This policy was ratified in November 2008
This policy will be reviewed annually
This policy was last reviewed in February 2012
Appendix 1
The Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and their Components
Students learn best when:
The learning environment is supportive and productive.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
1.1) builds positive relationships through knowing and valuing each student
1.2) promotes a culture of value and respect for individuals and their communities
1.3) uses strategies that promote students' self-confidence and willingness to take risks with their
learning
1.4) ensures each student experiences success through structured support, the valuing of effort, and
recognition of their work.
The learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self motivation.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
2.1) encourages and supports students to take responsibility for their learning
2.2) uses strategies that build skills of productive collaboration.
Students' needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
3.1) uses strategies that are flexible and responsive to the values, needs and interests of individual
students
3.2) uses a range of strategies that support the different ways of thinking and learning
3.3) builds on students' prior experiences, knowledge and skills
3.4) capitalises on students' experience of a technology rich world.
Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
4.1) plans sequences to promote sustained learning that builds over time and emphasises connections
between ideas
4.2) promotes substantive discussion of ideas
4.3) emphasises the quality of learning with high expectations of achievement
4.4) uses strategies that challenge and support students to question and reflect
4.5) uses strategies to develop investigating and problem solving skills
4.6) uses strategies to foster imagination and creativity.
Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
5.1) designs assessment practices that reflect the full range of learning program objectives
5.2) ensures that students receive frequent constructive feedback that supports further learning
5.3) makes assessment criteria explicit
5.4) uses assessment practices that encourage reflection and self assessment
5.5) uses evidence from assessment to inform planning and teaching.
Learning connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom.
In learning environments that reflect this principle the teacher:
6.1) supports students to engage with contemporary knowledge and practice
6.2) plans for students to interact with local and broader communities and community practices
6.3) uses technologies in ways that reflect professional and community practices.