St+Bernadettes+Milestone+5


 * St Bernadette’s School **
 * Principal - Jan Taylor **
 * Lead Teacher Gerard Shaw **


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This term has been all about Inquiry Learning. We have had a deliberately conservative and cautious approach to our first inquiry unit. Rather than rush in and attempt a unit without thorough preparation we decided to stage our first inquiry unit in term 2 of 2008 and hold a series of in- school professional development workshops ensuring we were fully prepared. As a staff we took advantages of cluster workshops on inquiry learning and visited schools with inquiry experience to see it ‘in action.’ We made sure that we were familiar with the particular Kath Murdoch model, by all reading Murdoch’s book. We worked out a programme of 10 staff workshops scheduled throughout term1. A summary of these workshops and content outline is attached. We progressed step by step through the six stages of the Kath Murdoch model before starting to plan out unit. In the last 3 weeks of term the whole staff collectively planned the overall objectives and outcomes for the various levels. We have included key competencies in our planning. We carefully structured a topic that would fit in with curriculum areas scheduled for term 2 of our school curriculum programme for 2008. A summary page of the Level 3 plan is attached for your information. Throughout the term we have kept the Board of Trustees and the parent community familiar with our objectives and the purpose, advantages and nature of inquiry learning. The board has had regular feedback from staff and the community is kept informed through weekly Friday newsletters. I have also attached sample articles from this newsletter. On the wall of the staffroom we have our inquiry model displayed for teachers to remind themselves of stages and planning, and also to provide information to visitors, parents/caregivers and teacher trainees of the focus for term 2 at St Bernadette’s. We have just completed the first two weeks of term 2 and the first St Bernadette’s inquiry unit is in full swing. The topic is Communication and the question we are asking ourselves is, ‘Get the Message?’ Everyone is either Tuning In or Finding Out and very enthusiastic about what is happening in our classrooms. Please find attached: · In-school Term 1 ‘08 Inquiry PD log. · Level 3 unit overview. · Sample Newsletter articles. Gerard Shaw