Let Them Speak!

As a science teacher, I view a school as an ecosystem, rather a complex web with multiple individuals playing important roles. These individuals hold a stake in what happens in the school. They include parents, carers, students, school staff, and regulatory authorities. However, at the core of this ecosystem are students, whom I regard as the primary stakeholders, whose feedback, experiences, and input both verbal and non-verbal constitutes the spine of school innovation and growth. Considering their position in the ecosystem, the voice of students and all that is associated with it becomes crucial for the school. This is the reason why we encourage and celebrate student voice.

“...student voice cultivates and nurtures this environment.”

It is our belief as a school that as students raise their voices their confidence is enhanced, and they develop into active, informed, and articulate adults who are empowered in being effective communicators and critical thinkers. Promotion of student voice for us is a strategy for relevance and effectiveness. Student feedback provides us with insights on what works best and how to do what we do better. We strive to provide a safe and healthy school environment for all our students, and I believe student voice cultivates and nurtures this environment.

The creation of a school or home environment where our students feel comfortable in raising their voice is our collective responsibility. It is a partnership between the school and the home. Whilst the school opens spaces for students to activate their voice through Student Voice sessions, the Student Representative meeting, suggestion boxes and other multiple avenues embedded in our daily educational routines, parent community still has a role to play. We need our parents and carers to continue to have the important role of building and shaping children’s confidence. Within the home we need to keep encouraging open dialogues as the foundation for the courage to speak up in an open forum. I encourage discussions about the school experiences be they negative or positive to be a routine. The creation of such an enabling environment potentially paves the way for more open and respectful dialogues within the school environment.

We acknowledge and celebrate occurrences within our school where student voice has positively enriched us. We have factored their input into some of our policies, extra-curricular events, and many student-led initiatives. We continue to safeguard this voice through anonymous reporting systems which allow our students to raise their concerns without the fear of repercussions.

In conclusion, may I point out that recognition and promotion of student voice is not only a matter of best practice, but from a Christian school perspective, an acceptance of the reality that God also speaks to and through children. We are reminded of the story of Samuel who served Eli the priest and one day heard the voice calling out his name several times.  

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord yet been revealed to him. So, the Lord called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli discerned that the Lord was calling the boy (1 Samuel 3:7-8).

God spoke a message to Samuel that had implications for the nation. In the New Testament, children were brought to Jesus in order that He might lay His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said,

“Permit the children, and do not be forbidding them to come to Me. For the kingdom of the heavens is of such ones”. 

These instances attest to the responsibility that the school and community have in ensuring that students are heard, and their voice is acted upon. This is the present reality that we desire at our school to guarantee a brighter and more inclusive future.

Lifeas Kapofu - Principal

Professional Development and Lifelong Learning

Over this last term, the staff have had several opportunities to engage in professional learning. Why is continuous learning and self-development important? We live in an ever-changing world where teachers need to enhance and acquire new skills, especially regarding the changes in technology, and the way this impacts our classroom practice and how we prepare our students to engage with and live in the world.

“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented, in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

As teachers, we are encouraged to continually work on our professional learning to make us more effective in our classrooms. The world is continually changing, and the way students learn is evolving . Over the years, there have been many changes to how students are taught and how they learn; with the introduction of computers, smartphones etc. this has meant that teachers have had to change the way they teach. A famous quote by Richard Riley, former US Secretary of Education, is as follows: “We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that haven't been invented, in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet.” This had me thinking about how teachers equip themselves to prepare their students to be lifelong learners.

One area of this is professional development, and within our school we have had the opportunity to select an area for personal professional growth and improvement. The teachers had time to listen to webinars, do readings and then share collaboratively with other staff. The Bible states in Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”

and so we collaborated with one another in our endeavours to grow and develop professionally. Professional learning collaboratively has been vital as we learnt from one another and shared ideas to become better teachers. Students benefit greatly when teachers are constantly refining their skills. Our classroom environments have been changing daily, and by sharing best practices and discussing challenges, we are managing to come up with unique solutions. We work better together;

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Lifelong learning is something, as teachers, we want to instil in our students. By meeting collaboratively and reflecting on our practice, it enables us to provide opportunities for our students to grow and develop this mindset. By providing opportunities for students to explore new and interesting topics, it will enable them to become problem-solvers and they will also realise that they will not always be masters at everything. However, they will be equipped to know how and where to look for the answers, thus preparing them to be problem-solvers in the fast-changing world. It is our goal to help our students reimagine life’s possibilities.    

Janice Pieterse - Head of Teaching & Learning, Secondary

Thriving in the Digital Age - A Balancing Act

CST hosted the recent Christian Education National State Conference from July 23 to 24. The conference theme was Thriving in the Digital Age.

Some of the conference takeaways confirmed some of the statistics we are now familiar with, for example that more than 80% of Australian children are spending more time on the screen beyond the recommended levels. The conference also explored the possibilities and dilemmas of Artificial Intelligence. This digital age has the potential of leaving most of us in a paradox, with technology being the faithful enabler of human progress, whilst simultaneously presenting itself as a potential threat to humankind. Of interest to us as a school is navigating this dilemma in ways that enrich teaching and learning experiences whilst safeguarding our students from the unintended undeniable facts around cognitive, motor, and cognitive delays, associated with raised levels of screen time amongst infants.

As a school, we are not anxious about the boom in knowledge systems, and we believe we have and will always promote safe and progressive technology usage, inclusive of AI. We believe that it is very possible to harmonise safety, ethics, and progress in technology usage, guided by our core Christian principles and values. We believe that this is possible through:

Education: Our community needs to understand the current technological tools and their implications for safety, privacy, and ethical issues. Scripture warns us:

‘I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves’
— Matthew 10:16

Inspiration: Our community must continue to inspire the next generation in developing technological literacy within a framework of Christian values. We need to invest in them the principles of respect for the dignity of the human person, care for the common good, and responsible stewardship of technology.

Collaboration: In our school, we believe that ‘we are safe when all of us are safe’. Technology integration at a school level demands that we develop and foster open dialogue and collaboration. All voices matter and will be heard and respected as we embrace opportunities presented by technology.

e-Safeguarding: We have some proactive measures embedded in the devices that we avail to our staff and students. These measures protect our community from harmful content and online threats as they navigate the digital world in pursuit of education.

Innovation: My call for our community is that we need to innovate and support technological innovation in our school in ways that promote progress and continuous learning. As we Re-imagine Life’s Possibilities for our students in the technology space, we will do so without compromising our values and the safety of our community. We will need to balance protection and progress.

Lifeas Kapofu - Principal

Work Experience

As your child navigates their teenage years, it's essential to start considering their future goals and aspirations.

One aspect that holds significant value is gaining work experience. Work experience not only provides practical skills and knowledge but also shapes a child’s character and lays the foundation for a successful future. It also underpins support for our school values, as it reflects the virtues of courage, integrity, and respect.

Exploring different work environments allows you to uncover their interests, strengths, and talents. Work experience can also lead into part-time jobs, volunteering, or internships. Through work experience, you can discern their passions and discover the path God has designed for them. Embracing work experiences can help your child make informed decisions about their educational and career choices, aligning their passions with God's calling. If you have a child in Year 10, who is about to participate in work experience, I encourage you to spend some time in a conversation with them about what their giftings and passions are, as well as how they align with a vocation that they could see themselves in.

This is an equally important conversation to have with younger family members. Finding a reason to learn will engage your child more meaningfully in their studies as it connects them with a reason to learn. This can build passion and interest in school, when a child can see how they can apply their knowledge and experience in a practical manner.

“Work experience equips students with vital skills that extend beyond academics”

Work experience equips students with vital skills that extend beyond academics. Through interacting with work colleagues, employers, and customers, your child has the opportunity to practice serving others, being resilient, having courage in unfamiliar situations, and developing new skills and abilities.

These skills are not only essential for professional success but also for personal growth. By learning to serve others through their work, they have opportunity to develop empathy, compassion, and a strong work ethic, soft skills that are, nowadays, in as much demand as a qualification.

Our work experience is an important part of your child’s growth and development at Emmanuel. I encourage you to have a conversation with any of your children at home about what kind of work they would like to be involved in and start planning their future with them. They may often be unsure on what their future looks like and it may take time for them to understand themselves. A conversation can only hope to ignite the flame within them to lead them in the path God wants them to take.

Ed Moroni — Head of Students Secondary

Learning Through Play

Research over the past 30 years has shown that the most fundamental years in human development are from birth to age eight. Although learning takes place throughout life, in these fundamental years development matches the speed in which growth takes place. 

At Emmanuel, we value learning through play and its role in holistic student development. Learning through play allows children to develop different skills needed for lifelong learning. As described in the UNICEF article, learning through play allows children to develop their cognitive skills, emotional well-being, social competence and sound physical and mental health builds a strong foundation for success well into the adult years. 

“Play allows children to bring together their experiences and knowledge to help them create meaning and sense in their world. ”

Play allows children to bring together their experiences and knowledge to help them create meaning and sense in their world. 

Through play, students develop their problem solving skills, learn how to deal with conflict and how to communicate with their peers in meaningful ways. These skills allow further development in a child’s resilience and ability to cope with novel situations.

Although we read many articles about the importance of play in the early years and Primary school, we need to remember that this strategy can be applied in the middle and high school years as well. 

“Learning through play allows for adolescents and adults to demonstrate their learning in creative ways.”

Learning through play allows for adolescents and adults to demonstrate their learning in creative ways. Many high school teachers are now using such materials like sidewalk chalk, play doh, puppets and lego, as tools for students to demonstrate their understanding of content in lessons. Allowing students to use drama is coming across as another way for students to showcase their understanding in the classroom. As described in Edutopia, When teachers use an array of materials to encourage playing to learn, students tend to remember their learning better as they are called upon to use multisensory and self-directed means. This learning will stick with embedded reflective exercises as students consider the process of play in light of their learning. Such materials allow students to make their understanding or ideas come to life as they design by hand.

With so many tools directing students to be using technology to demonstrate their understanding, we should never underestimate the benefits shown in allowing students to learn through play and through creative modes. By using such tools students are able to develop an understanding of how they best learn and to take ownership of their learning in new and creative ways. 

Laura Ferguson — Head of Primary