From the Acting
Teaching & Learning Coordinator P-6 One of my favourite quotes comes from Dr Seuss’s wonderful and thought-provoking book, ‘The Lorax’: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not!” I think this is a wonderful reminder of the role that each individual plays in impacting our world through the talents, skills and passions that God has created them with.
At Redeemer Lutheran College our purpose is to empower curious, courageous, Christ-led learners who co-create and serve God’s world. There is a lot in this statement but, at its core, it encompasses our desire that our students don’t just know things but that they ‘care a whole awful lot’ about important issues AND have the curiosity, courage and drive to take action to solve those issues. In a constantly changing world, the abilities of our students to find innovative solutions to problems, think creatively and work collaboratively with others are fundamental to future success – as individuals and as a society. This is what drives us to continue improving in our teaching and learning practices in the Junior School and to constantly seek out research-based best practices that foster deep learning and student agency. As John Spencer states, “Our job is not to prepare students for something; Our job is to help students prepare themselves for anything.” With this in mind, in the Junior School we strive to create opportunities for students to be challenged while also having an active voice in the learning process. Not only that, but our teachers seek opportunities to connect students with the broader world around them. This is achieved through a range of methods, including the influence of Reggio Emelia principles in Prep and Year 1, a journey we are only just beginning but which fits beautifully with the purposes set out above. Along with this, teachers in Years 2-6 continue to develop highly engaging projects which provide opportunities for students to be empowered as active citizens and agents of change in their class, school and wider community. So, what has this looked like this year? It has looked like Prep students exploring habitats in the environment to identify the basic needs of living things. They were then able to respond to this learning through writing, imaginative play and craft activities. Year 1 students ran their own ‘Redeemer Eats’ program where they generated a menu and prepared pizzas and drinks for staff at the College. Then in Year 2, students participated in a range of projects, including a project in which they became experts in the Olympic Games, organising a torch relay with a model torch moving from class to class throughout the term. Our Year 3 students
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connected with members of our local Aboriginal community, creating an amazing book, showcasing indigenous artworks they created alongside each student’s understanding relating to the traditional custodians of the land we are on. In Year 4, students had the opportunity to connect with experts from our local community and Brisbane City Council to propose and discuss ideas for improving sustainability in our local area. Year 5 students took on the role of scientists, investigating a specific animal and what can be put in place to assist that animal in adapting to a new environment. Finally, this approach looks like our Year 6 students doing their bit to promote tourism in Queensland by running a travel expo with visitors from across the school being inspired to visit the wonderful destinations in our state. These are just some examples of the ways that our students have been able to be co-creators through engaging with others and the wider community. As teachers in the Junior School, we are continuing to explore how we can enable students to be active participants in the learning process and to provide them with opportunities to develop the range of skills required to be effective, empowered co-creators, able to make a positive impact locally and globally. 2021 has been a year of challenges, successes, struggles and, most of all, opportunities to work together to make the most of every situation. I have been constantly blessed and amazed by our wonderful Redeemer community and I look forward to seeing our students continue to grow into active, informed and empowered citizens. As teachers, we are very proud of them and we seek to provide them every opportunity to prepare themselves for the future they are growing into. John F Kennedy famously stated, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” If this statement is correct, I believe we are in for a bright future thanks to the amazing young citizens we are blessed to have in our community at Redeemer Lutheran College. MR ADAM AYLING ACTING TEACHING & LEARNING COORDINATOR P-6
