To be successful both within school and within the community, our students need to develop learning dispositions that equip them to meet and overcome new challenges.
Our teaching and learning programs are designed to build student capacity using 5 Key Learning and Teaching Principles:
Explicit Instruction
Our teachers clearly outline what students will be learning, explain new content and concepts and check that students understand what they are learning. Explicit instruction also involves students asking questions and being asked challenging questions by the teacher. Teachers provide criteria to help students know if they have successfully understood a new concept or skill. Students are given opportunities to practice new skills and commit new content to memory.
High Expectations
Our teachers communicate and sustain high expectations of all students who are expected to learn to the best of their ability and behave responsibly. Students receive consequences for inappropriate behaviour to help ensure that they maximise their learning opportunities.
Effective Feedback
Students receive feedback while they are completing learning tasks. Feedback can be given in a variety of ways. For example, an English teacher reads a paragraph a student has written and then personally explains how the paragraph could be improved. A Maths teacher may show a group of students how to answer a question they answered incorrectly in a test. Some feedback may be given to a student in writing.
Data Informed Practice
Students produce academic work which teachers assess. This process produces qualitative data e.g. written comments about student progress and quantitative data e.g. marks and grades. Teachers use this data to inform their teaching practice and to help students improve. Teachers in leadership positions assess data to determine the most effective professional learning programs to practically improve professional teaching practice.
Relational Teaching
RHAC is committed to professional teacher/student relationships. This involves creating a positive environment of routines and expectations. Teachers seek to be thoughtful, kind and encouraging so that students will have the confidence to learn and achieve. Our teachers are committed to working warmly with parents in the best interests of all students.
