Churchill Avenue News

Pedagogy: How Our Teachers Teach

Visible learning goals, modelling of new concepts, demonstration using worked examples, teachers actively roaming around the classroom, responses being held up on mini-whiteboards, questions being asked, and immediate feedback being exchanged from teacher to student; this is what you would see and hear when stepping into a Caroline Chisholm Catholic College classroom today. Much like the progression and growth of our students, the teaching practices and instruction in our classrooms continue to evolve over time. As we learn we evolve, and in doing so we create a classroom designed to maximise student learning.

One of the key influences behind our evolving teaching practices is a growing understanding of cognitive science; the science of how students learn. Evidence explains that there are two types of memory that process information; working memory and long-term memory. Working memory has a limited capacity and acts as the ‘mental workspace’ involved in thinking. It is where students actively engage with new pieces of information, concepts and procedures. (Australian Education Research Organisation, 2023). Long term memory is virtually limitless and is where knowledge and information are stored. For learning to occur, new information must first be processed in working memory before ultimately being transferred to long-term memory.

Previous teaching practice focussed towards a model of inquiry, where students engage with a problem or question and use investigation to explore and construct their understanding of a concept. Whilst these strategies remain present in our teaching, the fundamental understanding of how students learn, alongside the guidance from MACS 2030 Vision for Instruction, has seen the emphasis shift towards an explicit instruction teaching model.

So, what is explicit teaching?

It is a method of instruction that focusses on much more than simply delivering and presenting information, instead it is a highly interactive process that is responsive to the individual needs of students. Lesson delivery involves a step by step approach where new information is first introduced and demonstrated by the teacher, with clear links being made to prior learning across the curriculum. Opportunity is then provided for students to practice applying the new skills and knowledge alongside their teacher. During this guided practice, questions are frequently posed to check for student understanding before moving on to a new concept or idea. Once mastered, students engage in independent practice where they receive regular support and feedback on their progress. Learning is made visible through setting clear learning intentions and students are provided with criteria on what success looks like in each lesson.

At our College, our pedagogical evolution is a commitment to ensuring our students experience the best possible instruction. By aligning our teaching with the way the brain actually learns, we are removing the barriers to achievement. Together, as we embrace these evidence-based practices, we ensure that every student—regardless of their starting point—has a clear, visible pathway to mastery and the confidence to succeed.

Maxine Duffield
Pedagogical Coach

References:

• Australian Education Research Organisation. (2023). How students learn best. https://www.edresearach.edu.au/resources/how-students-learn-best
• Goold House, J., East, V. and Vic, M. (2024). Vision for Instruction Flourishing Learners position statement Coherent, knowledge-rich teaching and learning programs Acknowledgement of Country. [online] Available at: https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/MelbourneArchdioceseCatholicSchools/media/Documentation/Documents/Vision-For-Instruction-Position-Statement.pdf.