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Developed by researchers at Harvard University, Project Zero Thinking Routines are simple sets of questions or steps that making thinking visible and encourage deeper understanding. They are flexible tools designed to be used across any age group and subject matter to help students observe carefully, organise ideas, reason carefully, and reflect on their learning. This resources includes a selection of thinking routines which I have used with students at the Junior School this year in our Digital Technology program.

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In Year 5, we explored the planets in Science and extended this learning into Writing using the MERGE Cubes. An exciting AR tool that brings digital creations to life. Students worked collaboratively in groups using Delightex Edu to design interactive 3D models that could be viewed through the MERGE Cube with a smartphone or tablet.

By holding the cube in their hands, students could move, rotate, and interact with their holographic creations — placing content on, inside, and around the virtual cube. This hands-on experience allowed them to visualise their learning, engage creatively with technology, and even play educational games that connected directly to their Science and Writing projects.

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Celebrate diversity and facilitate inclustivity 

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Authentic Learning Journey Trial for IEP HASS Students

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Authentic Learning Journey Trial for IEP HASS Students

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Each student on an IEP now accesses a personalised SEQTA dashboard that explicitly outlines teaching and learning activities tailored to their unique learning profile. This approach ensures:

Differentiated learning pathways that reflect student strengths, needs, and goals

Targeted feedback aligned with individual ability levels

Authentic engagement through meaningful, student-centred tasks

Progress tracking that supports growth and celebrates achievement

This trial promotes inclusive education by embedding differentiation into the digital learning environment. It empowers students to take ownership of their learning while receiving support that is both responsive and intentional.

Next Steps
We’re gathering feedback from students, parents, and staff to refine this approach.

Areas for Growth
To strengthen the impact of this initiative, suggested focused on:

Improved collaboration with the Diversity Team and Wellbeing Teams to ensure messaging and support are aligned

Clear and consistent communication from and to all stakeholders, including families and support staff

Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of teaching staff and relevant teams in delivering and monitoring differentiated learning through SEQTA

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Our students have demonstrated engagement and achievement in co-curricular activities that complement their HASS studies and prepare them for future pathways.

WA Law Society Mock Trials

Three teams represented the College with distinction

A phenomenal win in the Grand Final.

UN Evatt Competition

Five teams participated in the UN Security Council mock sessions, debating global resolutions on climate change and security.

One team progressed to the Semifinals, showcasing exceptional diplomacy and critical thinking

Why Co-Curricular Matters in HASS?
Participation in these programs:

Deepens understanding of legal, political, and global issues studied in HASS

Builds skills in advocacy, negotiation, and collaboration

Opens doors to further studies and careers in law and international relations.

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Use Evidence to Inform Practice and Champion Student Agency and Voice

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Report on HASS Survey Findings and Impact of Non-Streaming

Executive Summary

The 2024 HASS survey revealed significant disparities in student engagement between standard and advanced classes in Year 10. Key indicators such as creativity, critical thinking, independence, and feedback connection were markedly lower in standard classes. In response, non-streaming was introduced in 2025. (based on educational research) Subsequent survey data and academic performance metrics indicate substantial improvements in engagement and achievement, alongside increased Year 11 enrolments for 2026.

2024 Survey Findings

Creativity & Critical Thinking

Standard: 38%

Advanced: 71%

Independent Learning

Standard: 45%

Advanced: 77%

Reaching Full Potential

Standard: 29%

Advanced: 73%

Feedback & Goal Setting

Overall low connection reported in standard classes

Interpretation:
Students in standard classes reported significantly lower engagement and opportunities for higher-order thinking compared to advanced classes.

Impact of Non-Streaming (2025 Survey)

Encouraged to be Curious: 75%

Creativity: Increased to 58%

Critical Thinking: 67%

Reflection on Feedback: 81%

Targeted & Clear Feedback: 68% (up from 38%)

Interpretation:
Non-streaming has fostered a more inclusive and engaging learning environment, with notable gains in creativity, critical thinking, and feedback responsiveness.

Academic Performance Trends

Year 11 HASS Enrolments (2026): Increased by 47%

Grade Improvements (Year 9 → Year 10):

A: 15 → 26 (+11 students)

B: 38 → 40 (+2 students)

C: 77 → 55 (-22 students)

D: 20 → 28 (+8 students)

E: 4 → 2 (-2 students)

Interpretation:
Significant improvement at the top end (A grades), reduction in C and E grades. However, D grade increase suggests a need for targeted intervention strategies.

Recommendations

1. Targeted Support for D Grade Students: Implement mentoring and differentiated scaffolding.

2. Continue Feedback Focus: Maintain emphasis on clear, actionable feedback.

3. Professional Learning: Equip teachers with strategies for mixed ability classrooms to promote equity and inclusivity.

4. Monitor Long-Term Trends: Track Year 11 and Year 12 performance to assess sustained impact.

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Infographic - Streaming vs. Mixed-Ability Grouping

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Create vibrant lessons and build pedagogical capacity of each other

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The Power of Sharing Quick Strategies for Collaboration and Vibrant Lessons

In our fast-paced teaching environment, small, practical strategies can make a big difference. Sharing these ideas among staff promotes:

Collaboration – Building a culture where teachers learn from each other

Efficiency – Quick wins that save time while improving lesson quality

Engagement – Strategies that spark curiosity and creativity in the classroom

Consistency – Aligning approaches to support student success across subjects

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Reflecting on Collaboration in Year 8 HASS Elections

This year’s Year 8 HASS students engaged in elections providing a dynamic, real-time learning experience across the entire cohort. Students stepped into the world of politics by:

Forming political parties

Establishing political platforms

Campaigning for their elected candidate

The activity explored how government is formed and preferential voting.

Technology to Enhance Learning:
Students collaborated using Padlet, sharing:

Newspaper articles

Polls and campaign posters

Interviews and videos

This approach promoted collaboration, creativity, teamwork, and digital literacy while improving student understanding in the democratic processes.

Reflection for Improvement

How can we further enhance collaboration across the cohort?

What additional tech tools could amplify engagement?

How can feedback loops be strengthened during real-time activities?

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Just Start It- Year 10 HASS Business and Enterprise

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Just Start It- Year 10 HASS Business and Enterprise

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Introducing Just Start It in Year 10 HASS Business & Enterprise

This year, I launched the endorsed program Just Start It into the Year 10 HASS Business and Enterprise elective, giving students the opportunity to experience entrepreneurship in action.

Students worked in teams to under the guidance of Lainey Weiser and Mr Brown:

Develop innovative business ideas

Build creativity and critical thinking skills

Collaborate effectively to solve real-world problems

Cultivate curiosity and independence

Form partnerships with the community

Student Outcomes

Two teams progressed to the Gala Event, ranking among the Top 10 teams statewide taking home winning from the $5000 in prize money.

Students demonstrated growth in creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration

Strong connections were built between classroom learning and authentic industry experiences

This program not only aligns with HASS curriculum goals but also prepares students for future pathways by fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and community engagement.

Success of the program has culminated into two classes for 2026

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Use Assessment for Learning, Provide Targeted Feedback, Use Evidence to Inform Practice

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Learning Area Planning Day: Maximising Feedback for Student Success

During recent HASS Learning Area Planning Day focused on strengthening collaboration among Year 11 and 12 HASS staff to improve student outcomes in Semester Two.

Key actions included:

Assessing, reflecting and recording on marks book data to identify trends in mark ranges

Aligning exam marks with other assessment types, similar to WACE ATAR moderation and scaling

Meeting individually with each students to:

Upload feedback snapshots to progressive scores

Set personalised goals

Highlight areas for improvement

This process ensures students receive clear, targeted feedback and understand how their performance across different assessments contributes to overall achievement.

Benefits of Reflection and Goal Setting

1. Improved Self-Awareness
Students gained a clearer understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement specific to course skills, knowledge and understanding

2. Ownership of Learning/Student Agency
Setting personal goals encouraged students to take agency for their progress.

3. Motivation and Focus
Revisiting goals helped maintain motivation and provided a clear direction for effort = outcome.

4. Enhanced Feedback Utilisation
Students learned to interpret feedback and apply it to improve future performance.

5. Improved Time Management
Students planned their study strategies more effectively to meet their targets.

6. Continuous Improvement
Progressive tracking allowed students to monitor growth and adjust strategies as needed, reviewing their PROGRESSIVE SCORES

7. Alignment with Assessment Expectations
Understanding how different assessments contribute to overall achievement helped students prioritize tasks.

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Focus on aiding the students who already have advanced sewing skills. Some Year 7’s have already learned to sew-This year was particularly successful as my classes sewed their PJ quickly and that gave them time for extra projects to further extend their skills. The students absolutely loved using their sewing skills to work independently on these extra projects. Some even made another pair pf PJ shorts too.

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Learn how to transfer my OneNote notebooks over to the following year. This way I do not have to build the Class Notebooks from scratch- Marissa Pirie, taught me to go into TEAMS and to duplicate my OneNotes. This is going to make setting them up for next year so much easier.

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This term I have given the year 6 students the opportunity to write their own Rap songs. We have looked at the History of Rap, the prinicples of rap and the techniques needed to write in this genre. They will be allowed work in small groups to create their composition.

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The inquiry topic was Once upon a time - the children created a mini project - researching weddings.  We have designed and made a recycled material cake. We are designing and making a wedding dress and we have brainstormed how to decorate the venue and who to invite to the wedding . 

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The inquiry topic was Once upon a time - the children created a mini project - researching weddings.  We have designed and made a recycled material cake. We are designing and making a wedding dress and we have brainstormed how to decorate the venue and who to invite to the wedding . 

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JS Music - Year 5 Boy who Loved the Moon Task

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JS Music - Year 5 Boy who Loved the Moon Task

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The Students heard the story of the Boy who loved the Moon, explored creative ways to move on the moon, taught the parts of the song and the xylophone parts and were tasked with creating a B section for this class performance with the whole class playing the A section together in Rondo form.

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This year in PE lessons we introduced the BAM Video Delay app which is a powerful teaching tool that provides instant visual feedback to students. It allows teachers to record movement and replay it after a short delay, so students can see their performance in real time without stopping the activity. This immediate feedback helps students identify technical errors, refine their skills, and better understand correct movement patterns.

The app is particularly effective because it promotes self-assessment, peer feedback, and visual learning, which enhances skill acquisition and engagement. By allowing students to see what they feel, it bridges the gap between perception and performance—making it an excellent resource for developing technique, improving confidence, and fostering a deeper understanding of physical skills.

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Year 11 Careers Task - Personal Branding

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Year 11 Careers Task - Personal Branding

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In the new Year 11 Careers course we have been working through creating Career Portfolios. We have a guest speaker come in and speak to the students about personal branding and how she has had to change hers over the course of her business growing and developing and morphing into a slightly different format.

The students were tasked with creating a personal brand profile that was a snapshot that could be shared on platforms such as LinkedIn. They were told the Personal Brand Profile should represent who they are, what their career goals are and what you have to offer a prospective employer. This is an example of one piece of work submitted.

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Check out this Presentation designed by Susan Cayago.

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The Year 11 and Year 12 Economics students were able to make 1-2-1 or small group appointments to discuss content, practice questions and real-life examples throughout the year. These appointments could be made at any time during the week when both the students and I were free. Rather than picking one point in the week, this flexible approach fostered a much better sense of support as the students were aware that they could access what they needed at various times. After an initial period of buidling trust and rapport in early 2025, this option was utilised extensively throughout the remainder of the year. This culminated in an excellenet set of assessment and exam results leading in to the final WACE exam.

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One of my aims at the start of 2025 was to incorporate as much relevant and engaging ICT activities into my Year 7 HaSS class. This was a particular area of focus as it is something that I really need to work on to become more familiar with the options in this space. Over the year we have used: canva, padlet, blookit, kahoot, chalkie, microsoft office, atomi, education perfect and imovie. All of these ICT options have complimented the more traditional elements of teaching and also the question and answers we incorpoarte into every class.

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This year, I used a variety of engaging learning activities to develop and expand my pedagogical approaches, aiming to create vibrant, hands-on lessons that immerse students in their learning.

One example was the ‘Who Dun It’ Case Files activity, where students acted as detectives, analysing evidence, suspect profiles, and case notes to determine causes and consequences linked to key historical or geographical concepts. This approach encouraged critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity, while making complex ideas accessible and exciting.

Another example involved students building model trenches using Playdough and toy soldiers to visualise the trench designs and how they benefitted for active warfare. This kinaesthetic and hands on activity allowed the students to move beyond conceptual understanding, and watch it expand with real world application.

Both activities exemplified my goal of designing engaging, experiential learning opportunities that foster curiosity, problem-solving, and genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter. It also helped gage student understanding in a unique and visual way.

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At the commencement of the year, I asked each Year 11 student to complete their goals. This included not only their ideal mark and what they would do to get there but also what would stand in their way and how they would mitigate this. This appraoch often gets students really focusing on what will be facing them over the following 12 months.

During the year, we worked on making the group more collaborative so they could leverage off each others knowledge and expertise. Tasks that were utilised included: peer marking, group completion of essay answers, MCQ's where they are completed alone, in pairs and then as a whole group.

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Create a buyer and seller game with Yr 8 students to teach Demand and Supply by buying and selling food items in a stall in the classroom. We had various rounds which changed the demand and supply of items.

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My goal was to learn the Year 12 Specialist Course. I think I did a good job.

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Hands-On, Inquiry-Based Learning

I trialled more investigation-based lessons, allowing students to design their own experiments within structured parameters. In another unit, students “ran” their own mining company using cookies to represent land and choc-chips as resources. Both approaches encouraged problem-solving, creativity, and deeper understanding of scientific and ethical decision-making.

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Build my capacity to use a range of resources to promote engagement within the classroom

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Build my capacity to use a range of resources to promote engagement within the classroom

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Throughout 2025 I trialled a range of evidence-based strategies and digital tools (e.g., Quizizz, Blooket, PhET simulations) to enhance student participation. I kept a tally of new strategies implemented and reflected on their effectiveness after each lesson. I did notice that student engagement improved when lessons included visual tools, gamification (of course), or collaborative structures such as think–pair–share and inquiry tasks.

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11 ATAR English - Padlet to Facilitate Group Discussions 

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11 ATAR English - Padlet to Facilitate Group Discussions 

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Students were assigned a character from our novel study, and posted evidence for that character in the Padlet. They had to analyse their evidence using course metalanguage. This collaborative activity allowed students to work together to have a well-rounded analysis of all key characters in the novel, and created accountability as the students didn't want to let down their peers.

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Created two separate booklets for year 8 HASS students depending on their ability. This was to meet different styles of learning and needs.

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During Robotics Club, we experimented with robotics coding, creating a racetrack in the classroom with obstacles where students were required to code their robotic car to manoeuvre around the track to the finish line within a specific time. The track and obstacles were students designed, and they were given opportunities to extend themselves as their coding skills improved throughout the semester.

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Our little Faith & Fellowship Co-curricular group has been a source of joy in 2025. It has grown from an idea in 2024 and continued to grow. I wear and use the little items provided by the student leaders as a sign of solidarity and enthusiasm. I look forward to the continued growth of this Co-curricular group in 2026.

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Year 4 Reading/Design Integration Project

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Year 4 Reading/Design Integration Project

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A design project based on our class novel. Students used the design thinking process to create an animal sanctuary for the characters in the text. They then created their sanctuaries in Minecraft Education.

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I created interactive notes to support and engage students. Students were able to use their iPads to complete notes and questions. Initially my goal was to use OneNote - however I found notability more use friendly for students.

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We will be taking Year 9 HASS students to Parliament house and the Electoral Office to assist in the understanding of government and elections.

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CHRIS GIRANDO :

through the use of a hands on task students will be better placed to create a mental model of net for a 3D solid.

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I achieved using engaging ICT in ATAR English. When we The Truman Show, I gave groups key scenes to analyse and the students posted this to share with the class.

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Studying at the hotel in Sydney! It wasn't pretty, but it was effective!

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Making National Finals in Future Problem Solving required students to research independently and to work collaboratively to cover major thematic concerns for this global issue. Our teams did so well with this, meeting before school and lunchtimes to strive for excellence.

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Y11 Hbio Notability integration to allow for student engagement during the lesson and revision at their own pace

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Y11 Hbio Notability integration to allow for student engagement during the lesson and revision at their own pace

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Throughout the year, I successfully integrated Notability into my Year 11 Human Biology ATAR class by providing comprehensive Notability notes for every topic. These notes included diagrams, key concepts, and prompts for reflection, which allowed students to engage actively with the material. By using Notability, students were able to organise their learning digitally, annotate diagrams, and review content at their own pace.

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Celebrating International Fairy Day, inspired by Susan Axelson, invited children to explore imagination, creativity, and a sense of wonder while connecting with nature. Through creating fairy gardens and stories using natural and recycled materials, children learnt to care for the environment and see the magic in sustainable practices. This celebration links to the EYLF by fostering identity, wellbeing, creativity, communication, and social responsibility, helping children discover that caring for our Earth keeps the magic alive.

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Available and approachable for students (Chanelle Spark)

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Available and approachable for students (Chanelle Spark)

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Focusing on open lines of communication with students in terms of feedback, engagement and support, which led to maintaining quality working student-teacher relationships

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Using OneNote for my daily reviews, getting students to complete these on their iPad's has been a game changer. No more collecting books and dragging them to and from home!! Feedback is easy to do, students are able to reflect on their practice and I can keep tabs on who needs more assistance or extension tasks.

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Promoting Visual Art - CEWA Angelico Visual Art - 1st Place Emilia Baxter Yr 1

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Promoting Visual Art - CEWA Angelico Visual Art - 1st Place Emilia Baxter Yr 1

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Collaborate with colleagues - Jonathan taught me & helped me through specialist content and writing tests

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Repurposing morning time to target mathematics to strengthen retention and understanding. 

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A lesson involving an online escape room addresses the school focus area of ‘engaging’ because it promotes active, student-centred learning that motivates participation, curiosity, and collaboration.

1. Active participation
Students are not passive recipients of information — they must interact, solve puzzles, and make decisions to progress through the escape room. This hands-on element keeps learners cognitively and emotionally invested in the task.

2. Collaboration and communication
Students discuss, share ideas, negotiate roles, and build on each other’s thinking, fostering engagement through meaningful social interaction and cooperative problem-solving.

3. Purposeful challenge
The structure of an escape room — with time limits, clues, and achievable goals — creates a sense of urgency and excitement. This taps into students’ intrinsic motivation and promotes perseverance and engagement through challenge.

4. Relevance and novelty
The novelty of the format captures attention and sustains engagement across the lesson.

5. Critical thinking and creativity
To solve each task, students apply content knowledge, reasoning, and creativity. They engage deeply with the learning material, promoting higher-order thinking rather than rote learning.

Students loved the activity and verbalised on their way out of the classroom how much they enjoyed the lesson!

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This year as HOY I have tried to build within the Year 12’s an open door policy. The aim of this was to create a place where the Year 12s could come and discuss with me anything they needed, positive or negative, to workshop with them and problem solve. I wanted to help them develop socially and emotionally, to think and plan before acting, to promote wellbeing in the hope of supporting them in their learning journey.

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The Kindergarten Children have been busy practising sorting rubbish for our upcoming adopt a spot initiative. They have made posters to invite their families to help. The posters highlight rubbish items that are hurting our sea creatures and we are learning that small hands can make a big difference.

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Leveraged technology to enhance learning. Used Plickers app as a form of formative assessment. Students are each given an individual QR code, teacher uses an iPad to scan room for answers in response to questions posed on the board.

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Year 9 Camp - Pastoral Care and Connection

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Year 9 Camp - Pastoral Care and Connection

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The Year 9 camp was a resounding success in fostering pastoral care and creating meaningful opportunities for students who often fly under the radar. Through intentional engagement and proactive support, these students were encouraged to step outside their comfort zones and embrace new experiences.

It was incredibly rewarding to witness students thrive in unfamiliar settings, interacting positively with peers and staff, building confidence, and forming genuine connections. The cohort came together beautifully, demonstrating teamwork, empathy, and resilience. The memories made during camp will no doubt leave a lasting impact and strengthen their sense of belonging within the school community.

This experience reaffirmed the power of inclusive pastoral care and the importance of creating spaces where every student feels seen, valued, and supported.

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Effective Peer Marking in the ATAR Classroom

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Effective Peer Marking in the ATAR Classroom

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Goal was to seek to facilitate meaningful peer feedback for ATAR students. This would reduce teacher workload yet still provide meaningful formative feedback to inform student progress, champion student agency and develop student understanding of key syllabus concepts.

The steps to complete this task were:

1. Students to sit an unseen task under test conditions. Teacher to assign 'code names' or numbers for each student.

2. Collect student responses.

3. During the following lesson, complete a marking moderation activity with the class. Responses to be produced by the teacher and should reflect a range of abilities.

4. Hand out student responses to randomised peers.

5. Students to mark the papers and provide feedback using the feedback bank provided. This will be a hard copy that is then attached to the student response.

6. Teacher to collect and return responses to students.

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Adjusting approaches and ensure student engagement and learning

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Our Year 12 students proudly represented our school at the Evatt Competition held in Fremantle council (chambers). The event provided an invaluable opportunity for our girls to engage deeply with global political issues, refine their debating and negotiation skills, and experience first-hand the dynamics of international diplomacy. Their level of engagement throughout the day was exceptional, demonstrating critical thinking, confidence, and collaboration under pressure. Participation in this competition also highlighted the strength of the HASS collaborative culture, with staff working together to mentor and prepare the team. Beyond the competition, this event fostered networking and connection with students from other schools, allowing our girls to expand their understanding of political systems and global citizenship.

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Wild Robot novel study using Science of Reading principles.

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Creating a new science elective to meet the incredible interest in the medical and health sciences has been exciting. We have focussed on making the course interactive, practical and as relevant to actual practice as possible. This will run for the first time in 2026 and has had significant support from students to date.

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DRAFT Year 9 Medical and Clinical Health Sciences Course Outline

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Growth in Choirs (Promote Co-curricular activities)

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Growth in Choirs (Promote Co-curricular activities)

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In the last year, the College Choir and Chorale have grown in numbers due to building community in classrooms, the visibility of the Music program at events and word of mouth to other students.

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Encouraging my Academic Captain to promote Academic Excellence while also striving to consider how we can contribute. Hence, our free rice competition which raises money for the UN Food Program. Win-win :)

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In the English Department, we have been sharing targeted feedback charts to facilitate targeted, consistent feedback that gives students specific action to take to improve their work.

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Year 12 PE Studies students used PE equipment to build a large-scale model of a sarcomere, then physically moved the pieces to demonstrate the sliding filament theory. This hands-on activity made abstract PE Studies concepts more tangible, boosted engagement through movement and collaboration, and helped students connect physical learning with scientific understanding in a memorable way.

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In Year 7 & 8, prior to our French assessments, we considered different learning styles. Students were asked to think about which group they most identified with and we then tried to work out how they would most appropriately revise for their upcoming test. I continue to remind students to apply this to their everyday learning and to their revision.

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Promoting Visual Art - CEWA Angelico Visual Art - 2nd place Charlotte Dopson Yr 2

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Promoting Visual Art - CEWA Angelico Visual Art - 2nd place Charlotte Dopson Yr 2

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"I'm a real artist!"

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Year 7 math help sessions Monday Morning

Held Math Help every morning where any students can come

Year 7-9 math help sessions every lunc h

OLNA help sessions

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After creating the foundations of content knowledge, students collaborated with each other and myself to create both the assessment and marking key. Students selected where and how they wanted to show their acquired knowledge. This led to a greater sense of pride over work and more accountability in the lead up to the task.

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Year 12's have a platform to succeed in their ATAR exam.

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My "ray" was "create vibrant lessons". I discovered a whole new set of numbers: P-adic Numbers. I decide to share this set of numbers with my Year 12 Methods class. They were in awe of the apparent impossibilities that are created with this set of numbers and with the fact that, although the numbers behave in a crazy way, they have many applications.

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In number theory, given a prime number p,[note 1] the p-adic numbers form an extension of the rational numbers that is distinct from the real numbers, though with some similar properties; p-adic numbers can be written in a form similar to (possibly infinite) decimals, but with digits based on a prime number p rather than ten, and extending to the left rather than to the right.

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Students in Year 10 foods collaborated in groups to designed and produced a High Tea. This showcased their practicals skills whilst learning how to engage in conversation with their guests. They thoroughly enjoyed this challenge.

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I've implemented a class economy system for Years 7–9 Economics. It uses digital bank accounts to introduce students to concepts like taxation, saving, and responsible spending.

Students earn or lose money each lesson based on their behaviour and participation in class and around the College, encouraging positive engagement. Their goal is to save as much as possible to spend at the end-of-term auction.

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My goal was to utilise more diverse learning resources to enhance engagement in my science lessons. I have used physical resources both through conducting experiments and using models. I have also made an effort to integrate more digital resources such as online simulators, interactive games and Pages documents. I have also empowered my students to create their own digital resources to both learn the content and to make revision resources.

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In preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, I planned an artistic activity for students to review and interpret the story of Pentecost. However, after discussing the task with the class, the students expressed a strong preference to present their understanding in a format of their choosing. Embracing this opportunity for student agency, I set clear parameters, requiring a video tour with dialogue addressing key reflective questions while allowing freedom in the mode of creation. The majority chose to design their responses in Minecraft Education, crafting symbolic and detailed virtual representations of the scene of Pentecost. The end results were creative, insightful, and deeply meaningful, demonstrating both their theological understanding and their engagement when given ownership over their learning. I was incredibly impressed by the quality and thoughtfulness of their final presentations.

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Utilising different platforms to transform content into creation. In year 7 science we were looking into renewable resources and the 7’s were tasked with creating a minecraft town made of completely renewable resources. They had to come up with their power supply, housing, food, transport etc. and create it to present to the class at the end of these sessions. This was highly engaging and challenging in a fun and productive way for the students

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Ella Wyllie (10), winner of the Secondary Student Art Award at the Emerging Art Competition in South Perth. 

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Supported students in the Practical Arts with entering selected artworks into external art competitions and exhibitions. Their involvement, exposure and success in these additional opportunities often leads to students being more confident in their abilities, dedicated to their studies and passionate about the development of their skills. Students are able to share their talents and passions with the wider community.

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This year I completed training through Bigger Better Brains, studying with Dr Anita Collins. The study involved deep understanding of the Neuroscience of Music learning. I have been particularly interested in the impact and effect for students with ADHD. I have since been working to implement strategies that can help these students and give them skills to assist in wider learning.

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This year in my role as Head of Year my goal was to form positive relationships with my cohort. We have focused a number of YLA and Homeroom activities on building a strong cohort and encouraging positive connections between students and staff. Over the course of the year I have noticed a significant increase in the number of students approaching me for ongoing support, and the number of positive interactions versus negative

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This year, I developed a Year 3 unit of work, along with a corresponding PowerPoint, to teach Sizzling Starts in narrative writing. I explored the Seven Steps hub and drew on its resources to design engaging and purposeful activities. Each lesson was structured with a clear learning intention, success criteria, explicit teaching using modelled examples, and opportunities for guided and independent practice. Using the gradual release model, students were explicitly taught a range of techniques and explored real-world examples from stories and advertisements, which they found highly engaging. I also displayed modelled texts in the classroom as reference points to support their writing.

Through this process, I became more confident in teaching narrative writing and saw a noticeable improvement in student engagement and writing outcomes. Students are now able to confidently transfer these skills across other genres of writing.

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This year I undertook professional training on how to use the television studio. This training was extensive and built upon my prior industry experience. With this new knowledge, I was able to equip Studio Hub (co-curricular group) with the necessary skills required in order to produce Iona News for 2025. I have also implemented a studio production assessment for my Year 10 course.

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Build the pedagogical capacity of each other

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Build the pedagogical capacity of each other

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I met with Pat Pettigrew for advice on a key Syllabus point of the ATAR English syllabus.

She sat with me to co-construct a lesson on Voice. This collaboration built my confidence and provided useful strategies to teach the concept to my ATAR class.

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During study for exams I like to create a variety of ‘Study Games’ for students to engage in as a way of building on their knowledge and applying to different contexts/questions that may come up in the exam. Students needed to look more at the material culture and visual language in mediums and materials. I used AI to help create some fun interactive study games and them utilised AI to create a matching PPT presentation. This resulted in a great resource that saved me time in creating from scratch but also great results and responses from my students.

The Meaning Swap Challenge

Focus: Analysing how material choices alter interpretation

🎯 Learning Intentions

Students will:

Explore the relationship between material, meaning, and audience perception.

Develop comparative analysis skills by reimagining famous sculptures in new materials.

🏺 Example Artworks

Auguste Rodin, The Thinker (1904, bronze)

Venus of Willendorf (c. 25,000 BCE, limestone)

Jeff Koons, Balloon Dog (Orange) (1994–2000, stainless steel)

Fiona Hall, Tender (2003–05, shredded US dollar bills)

Cornelia Parker, Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View (1991, found materials)

🎮 How to Play

1. Show the original sculpture and describe its material and meaning.

Example: The Venus of Willendorf symbolises fertility, crafted in limestone to suggest permanence and reverence.

2. Ask students:

“What if this were made of glass? Fabric? Ice? Plastic?”

“How would its meaning, weight, and audience response change?”

3. Discuss as a class or in groups. Encourage links to material properties — fragility, weight, texture, transparency, decay.

💬 Example Discussion

The Thinker in glass → Reflects vulnerability of human thought, no longer immortalised strength.

Balloon Dog in clay → Becomes fragile, temporary, more human and less industrial.

Venus of Willendorf in resin → Loses sacredness, becomes a modern imitation of ancient ideals.

💡 Extension

Link to artists who challenge traditional materials:

Cornelia Parker – transforms destruction into fragile beauty.

Fiona Hall – transforms consumer waste into commentary on ecology and value.

Robert Smithson – uses earth and entropy to critique permanence in art.

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Students were encouraged and guided through the acquisition of meta-language to talk about grammar and language components. This was done to support them in reflecting on the purpose of grammatical elements, find patterns and differences and achieve a deeper understanding of the language and its meaning. Students were encouraged to be less reliant on memorising scripts and by reflecting on grammar be more independent users of the language

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This year, I have implemented the Bond Blocks Maths Intervention Program to address deficits in foundational number skills in low-progress middle-primary students. 

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Break Out Boxes

An active, game-based learning platform where students work collaboratively to solve puzzles and unlock a physical or digital box using a series of clues, locks, and codes. Students use critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity to solve tasks aligned to their term content.

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I gave the Year 12 ATAR Music composition student a task of writing for a string quartet. They had to:

Write a piece for a string quartet and the instrument they play (for this student, it was voice)

Have a rehearsal with this group of professional musicians, giving feedback to the musicians about how to play the piece, and receiving feedback about how the players parts are written

Perform this composition with the string quartet at Willetton Senior High School's Music graduation night.

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CHRIS GIRANDO.

after listening to the Maths podcast by Craig Barton, select one strategy to illicit a higher rate of feedback to inform me of student understanding.

I selected the strategy of mini whiteboards.

For some classes I had prewritten questions to ask students. Prewritten questions allowed me to more quickly analyze the responses and plan the next steps of the lesson.

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Enjoying meaningful conversations with my peers around differentiation: Teaching to the Top.

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This term, Elaura, Tom and I in our Year 10 PE classes facilitated a Volleyball SEPEP season. It was a a fantastic display of teamwork, leadership, and skill development from all students involved. Students took on roles such as coaches, umpires, scorers, and media crew, running their own competition while building confidence and collaboration. The season wrapped up with a high-energy finals series, showcasing the progress and passion of every team involved.

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Real Learning. Real Stories. Real Giving. Young Pressies make their mark!

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Real Learning. Real Stories. Real Giving. Young Pressies make their mark!

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🌟 In Young Pressies this year, our Year 7 - 12 students have deepened their understanding of marginalised groups, learning from real-life stories, engaging with experts, and leading their own outreach initiatives to make a difference.

As part of this journey, they explored fundraising strategies, volunteer management, and the pastoral care considerations within hospital settings, gaining valuable insights into how compassion and practical support go hand in hand.

We’re proud to have established a new community partnership and made an annual commitment to ongoing learning and giving. 💬💡💛

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Collaborate with Colleagues to Promote Open Classrooms:

After joining the College in Term 4, my colleagues shared with me a way to give feedback for assessments through a structured feedback chart for students. It was shaped to expedite marking through highlighting what went well, rooms for growth, and activities for improvement based on a Professional development session completed by my colleagues earlier in the year.

Following this model, students have to buy into receiving their mark. When they are handed back their assessment it has comments and annotations, but no mark. After completing one or more activities for improvement, they then make a prediction on their mark before getting it back in person. Students are then held accountable for uploading their feedback to SEQTA, so parents are included in the feedback loop.

This process makes marking focused and as a department we have much clearer moderation across the assessment. As a result, there is much more student buy in for seeing and applying feedback over, and application of learning in future tasks.

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Lots of great things happening this year in the world of mock trials! The program has been so popular and now we have massive intake for the mock trial/law electives for next year

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After completing their class novels, students transformed their book reviews into engaging podcasts, showcasing both their comprehension and creativity. They recorded their voices and added sound effects and voice-overs to match the mood and theme of their chosen book, making each podcast unique and captivating. Students then created QR codes so listeners could easily access their work, turning the classroom into an interactive listening gallery.

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Created a presentation relating to the ways feedback can delivered and the effect this can have on results.

Feedback that moves learning forward.

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Moving our high end achievers to continue to grow in the understanding of concepts.

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Feedback that moves learning forward.

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I created resources for my Year 11 and 12 students to practice listening skill aspart of their practical.

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Goal:
Support students in developing critical thinking by encouraging deeper reflection on their design choices through focused prompts and feedback.

Action Taken:
I introduced targeted “trigger questions” to guide students in evaluating their design goals and decisions. By using visual aids and reference materials, I’ve helped clarify expectations and encouraged more thoughtful reflection throughout their design process.

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Working with two other teachers in my Year 12 Small Group Moderation team to program, create assessments and assess our students. Our double marking has been affirming; I have learnt much from these teachers, particularly with assessing :) 