Through the Window

Today, the school heard an announcement over the PA. The voice was not Mr Pollard’s, but a student’s: “Good afternoon, everyone. Knitting Club will be held today at 1.25pm in the library.”

And this is what you might have seen if you’d walked past the library at 1.40pm.

At first glance, it looks like a group of students conducting a presentation supervised by classroom teachers. However, the entire club is run by Year 6 students, who have planned an entire term’s worth of knitting activities for their peers. They’ve also purchased wool and knitting needles, devised rules for the club to keep it running smoothly, created digital presentations to help with explanations, and collated folders for each Knitting Club member. The teachers in the back of the room are interested onlookers and supporters, and not facilitators.

Our school very much values student voice and choice. We explicitly teach collaborative learning skills where students actively participate in negotiating roles, responsibilities and outcomes. Our teachers know that students who are given voice also learn how to be agents of change in their communities. Amazingly, students who believe they have a voice are seven times more likely to be academically motivated than students who don’t believe they have a voice. Lastly, at St Matthew’s, we know that when students plan educational activities, their investment, ownership, and consequent learning is greatly increased.

Yes - through the window, you thought you saw a group of students presenting to their peers, but it really was so much more than that.

Petra Cole
Assistant Principal
Petra.Cole@cg.catholic.edu.au