Curriculum Opportunities

We pride ourselves on a wide range of curriculum opportunities for our students

Jesus taught us to love others as we love ourselves, St. Martin’s provides an environment where individuals are valued unconditionally and have respect for self and others.

St Martin’s school provides an inclusive, differentiated curriculum empowering all members of the community to be curious, self motivated learners and critical thinkers in an ever changing world.

St. Martin’s provides a challenging and safe environment where individuals work together as active members of the community, fostering respect, equity and empathy for all.

The success we attain is not only evidenced by the assessment data – but it’s seen through the smiles and joy we see on our student’s faces as a concept is grasped. This is the indefinable element that drives us as teachers to produce and grow our own teaching skills year in, year out.

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Religious Education

Finding and experiencing God in our every day is the reason for our existence at St. Martin of Tours Parish school. As a Catholic school; our vision and mission statement reflect Catholic traditions, beliefs and spirituality inside the framework of our contemporary world.

Student Wellbeing

The physical, intellectual, moral, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing and development of our students at St Martin’s is extremely important to their success both now and in the future.

Literacy

At St Martin of Tours we nurture a love of literature through sharing quality books and stories. We collaboratively plan and implement a structured and comprehensive literacy program across the entire school with explicit teaching of knowledge and skills in Reading, Writing and Oral Language.

Numeracy

The Mathematics Program provides students with access to important mathematical ideas, knowledge and skills that they will draw on in their personal and work lives.

Inquiry

At St. Martin of Tours, we focus on Contemporary Learning to provide a broad, challenging and inclusive curriculum for 21st Century learning. Our school aims to provide rich learning experiences to allow children to succeed and develop an interest in lifelong learning.

Physical Education

Students participate in weekly Physical Education classes with our Specialist Physical Education Teacher.

Visual Arts

The St. Martin’s Visual Art program covers a wide range of activities aimed at building a greater understanding of art concepts through creative exploration of historical and contemporary art, elements and process!

Performing Arts

Students participate in a music, dance and drama lessons taught by the Performing Arts teacher.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths

Students participate in S.T.E.M classes led by our Specialist STEM Teacher. These classes are problem solving classes where students get to explore the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths in a collaborative, hands-on environment.

Languages (Italian)

Students are immersed in the language and culture of Italian during their weekly Italian lessons with one of our Specialist Italian Teachers.

Library

The LRC aims to be a welcoming space for our school community, where they are free to come, read, explore, discover, learn and relax. Our LRC collection is always evolving and the joy and value that comes from reading books is something that is celebrated in this space.

Digital Technologies

St Martin’s is committed to providing a technology-rich environment to support our students as contemporary learners in the 21^st century. Technology is viewed as a tool which is integrated across all curriculum areas allowing our students to both develop their technology skills and experience learning in a genuine contemporary manner.

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Upschool

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Religious Education

Recontextualising these important foundations of faith within our knowledge and understanding of a wider world is an important ingredient of our children's learning and development.

Our program reflects the learning foci as outlined in the Archdiocese of Melbourne text; To Know Worship and Love but is integrated with children's inquiry learning. This strategy enables children to see that God; their relationship with him, with others and the wider world, is relevant and provides important guiding principles for their lives now and into the future.

Prayer and Christian Meditation

Children enter into a prayer life with their class through daily prayer, reflection and Christian meditation. They join with their school and parish family through class masses, school masses, family masses with parish and prayer services to celebrate the Church seasons and classroom units of work.

Sacraments

The Parish and School actively engage with the children's preparation and celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.

The Sacraments are celebrated in these year levels

- Reconciliation Year 3
- Eucharist Year 4
- Confirmation Year 6

We hope to create for each child a sense of belonging to our school, our Faith Community and above all to our God.

For more information, please contact our Religious Education Leader by emailing re@smrosanna.catholic.edu.au.

Student Wellbeing

The physical, intellectual, moral, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing and development of our students at St Martin’s is extremely important to their success both now and in the future. At St Martin’s, we highly value the wellbeing of our students and provide a safe and supportive environment which celebrates inclusion and models values which are consistent with the Gospel teachings of Jesus. We see wellbeing as fundamental to successful learning.

Children and young people who are happy, confident and able to establish meaningful relationships are better placed to achieve positive learning outcomes.

Student Wellbeing in Action

Social and Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which we learn to recognise and manage emotions, care about others, make good decisions, behave ethically and responsibly, develop positive relationships and avoid negative behaviours (Elias et al. 1997)

The Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) Program is used to teach the five core competencies of SEL:

Self awareness
Social awareness
Self management
Responsible decision making
Relationship skills

Positive Behaviours

Teachers at St Martin’s acknowledge positive behavior and apply set protocols across the school for inappropriate behaviour. Students know both the expectations and consequences of school and class rules.

Restorative Practices

At St Martin’s we use Restorative Practices as part of our philosophy of promoting positive behaviours. The philosophy and practice of restorative justice is to promote resilience in both the one who is harmed and the one who causes harm. It is about helping young people become aware of the impact of their behaviour on others through personal accountability and being open to learning from conflict situations. (Marist Youth Care, Sydney 2004)

Student Action Teams

The purpose of the Student Action Teams is to ensure every student at St Martin’s has a say in making our school a safe and better place.

Better Buddies

St Martin of Tours became a Better Buddies School in 2010 with the focus on a buddy system for Prep and year 6 students. It is now a whole-school initiative designed to teach and reinforce the positive behaviours and values which underpin social competency. The Better Buddies Program is an initiative of the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation.

Literacy

At St. Martin of Tours we:

Nurture a love of literature through sharing quality books and stories.
Collaboratively plan and implement a structured and comprehensive literacy program across the entire school with explicit teaching of knowledge and skills in Reading, Writing and Oral Language.
Integrate literacy where possible in our inquiry units to ensure our experiences are real, hands-on and challenging for our students.
Use ongoing assessment to inform and plan for individual student needs.
Believe that growth in literacy is achievable through a whole school approach which ensures all students make progress and achieve success.
We provide learning and teaching initiatives to meet the individual needs of students.

The Literacy learning of all students is supported by the Library Resource Centre (LRC).

learning@smrosanna.catholic.edu.au

Numeracy

The Mathematics Program provides students with access to important mathematical ideas, knowledge and skills that they will draw on in their personal and work lives.

Our teaching of Mathematics demonstrates an understanding that all children are diverse and on their own learning journey. The use of student data ensures that the Mathematics program is tailored to meet every student's specific needs.

At St. Martin of Tours our math lessons include:

A short warm-ups or tools sessions that focus on number and the many ways that it can be represented
Whole class/small group/ individual activities that include concrete materials, for example dice, unifix cubes, cards etc.
Exposure and continued use of the language that is used in relation to a mathematical concept.
Consolidation of understanding through open-ended tasks that pose real-life situations – this allows children to work at their own level and investigate problems they can relate to
Use of digital technologies to complement the Victorian Curriculum.

Mathematics at St. Martin of Tours follows the three inter-related dimensions of the Victorian Curriculum;

Number and Algebra
Measurement and Geometry
Statistics and probability.

Mathematics is brought to life in our STEM program and in our Digital Technology program through ‘coding’.

St. Martin of Tours Mathematics leaders collaborate with teachers to create data-driven lessons as well as provide professional development to ensure St. Martin of Tours is using current best practice.

At St Martin of Tours we aim to foster a positive attitude and growth mindset toward mathematics. Empowering our students with the belief we are all capable of learning and improving our mathematical understanding.

Remember Maths is fun and with us everyday!

https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

learning@smrosanna.catholic.edu.au

Inquiry

At St. Martin of Tours, we focus on Contemporary Learning to provide a broad, challenging and inclusive curriculum. Our school aims to provide rich learning experiences to foster engagement and an interest in lifelong learning.

Through the Inquiry approach, opportunities are provided for students to pose questions about their world. Within a Contemporary learning framework, there is an emphasis on group interaction, questioning, reflective thinking and taking action. Student voice is also encouraged to enable richer learning experiences to occur. The areas of Indigenous Perspectives, Asian Studies and Sustainability are integrated within Inquiry learning topics.

Our current curriculum is based on the Victorian Curriculum, the guiding document for all Victorian schools. The Humanities, Science and Technologies curriculum provide students with a framework for their investigations. The cross curriculum priorities of ‘Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia’, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures’ and ‘Sustainability’ are also embedded in the curriculum. They give students the knowledge and skills to engage with and better understand their world.

The school community are invited to join in 'Celebrations of Learning' where students can showcase their learning. The classrooms are open for parents and families to engage with the students.

For more information about Inquiry Learning, please contact our Learning and Teaching Leader at learning@smrosanna.catholic.edu.au.

Physical Education

Students participate in weekly Physical Education classes with our Specialist Physical Education Teacher.

Along with their weekly specialist PE classes, students also participate in a Sport lesson with their classroom teacher. These lessons incorporate a variety of skills including throwing, catching, running, jumping, following game rules and being a good sportsperson.

Inter-School Sporting Opportunities

Throughout the year students in years 3-6 are given the opportunity to try out to represent the school in a variety of sports including Athletics, Swimming, Cross-Country Running, Basketball and Soccer.

Year 6 Weekly Inter-School Sports Program

Most Fridays in Term 2 and 3 all year 6 students participate in an inter-school sports program. Students compete against local schools in Football, Soccer, Softball, T-Ball and Netball.

Visual Arts

At St Martin’s all students are encouraged to develop their confidence, curiosity, imagination and artistic abilities in Visual Arts class.

The young artists engage in art appreciation sharing their opinions and understandings through their developing awareness of artworks from social, cultural and historical contexts.

In art practice they apply and manipulate the elements of colour, form, line, shape, space and texture through the use of various art media.

Performing Arts

Specialist Music Classes

Students participate in music, dance and drama lessons taught by the Performing Arts teacher.

Choir

Due to overwhelming demand, the school currently has a Junior and Senior Choir. Participation in the Choir is voluntary. The Choirs meet during lunchtimes and are led by our Specialist Choir Teacher. The Choirs perform together at school Masses, the annual Christmas Carols at the local Nursing Home and other events.

Instrumental Lessons

An option for those students wishing to pursue further musical experiences is available in the form of private or small group instrument lessons. Lessons are currently offered in Woodwind, Brass, Percussion, Stings and Piano. Please note some instrumental lessons may have a waiting list.

School Band

Those students currently enrolled in Woodwind, Brass and Percussion lessons at school are also encouraged to join one of our two school bands. The bands rehearse on a Wednesday before school. Our Senior Band competes in the Boorondara Eisteddfod each year and also performs at various events and concerts throughout the year. This year students have also been given the opportunity to audition for our new Jazz Band

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths

A specialist room has been dedicated to S.T.E.M learning and with this space, the specialist teacher is able to introduce a wide range of robotic and coding technology to the curriculum. This includes using Edisons, Beebots, Makey Makey and Spheros which assists in developing problem solving and critical thinking skills and a 3D printer to enable students to visualize their ideas.

At the beginning of 2020, the St. Martin’s community donated a vast amount of resources through the ‘Your trash could be our treasure’ initiative. This provided more resources for students that encourage creativity, design, persistence, problem solving, teamwork and reflection.

Languages (Italian)

The students at St Martin's are immersed in the language and culture of Italian. All students participate in a 40 minute weekly lesson of Italian with one of our specialist language teachers in our dedicated language room, which is well equipped with resources.

Learning a language other than English helps us become conscious thinkers, listeners and problem solvers.

During our Italian classes, students actively participate in interactive dialogue using simple language to talk about themselves, their family, friends, hobbies, interests, school life and routines.

Each week there is a focus on oral language to practice pronunciation and fluency. By using familiar language and structures, students create short written texts and role plays which they are encouraged to share with others.

We encourage all students to use as much Italian as possible in the classroom, when sharing ideas and thoughts with each other.

Incursions and cultural immersion activities such as Italian days and drama performances are also part of the curriculum.

We recognise the dynamic nature of language and culture. Through their immersion in the Italian language, students increasingly notice the many similarities and differences that exist between Italian and Australian cultural practices as well as helping them understand their own cultures.

Together the students learn to recognise, appreciate and respect these cultural differences as they grow in their understanding of each other and society.

Library

The LRC is staffed by our two passionate Library Teachers, our Library Administrator and our Library Assistant. All students have weekly specialist classes and are encouraged to visit the library before and after school and during break times.

We welcome student input in the purchasing of our ever-expanding collection, ensuring they have voice and choice in this learning environment. Authors and illustrators often join us in the LRC to share their passion for literature and the skills they have attained on their journeys.

Students at SMOT are invited to become library monitors, giving them the opportunity to help maintain the library space - completing tasks such as processing returns, shelving and assisting other students in the library.

Book week is always a big week in our school. This year, our students were asked to think creatively and submit book responses to their favourite books. We received many fabulous entries, including this one from one of our Year 5 students.

The LRC aims to provide resources that empower our students to develop 21st-century learning skills such as respect, collaboration, creativity, empathy and problem-solving. We see the value in exposing our students to a variety of information literacies and support them to be self-directed as they practise these skills in the LRC.

Our Library is open every day before school from 8.30am. We are also open during most lunchtimes and most days after school.

For more information about our LRC, email library@smrosanna.catholic.edu.au.

Digital Technologies

At St Martin of Tours we believe technology is an integral tool for learning. We are committed to providing students from Prep to Year 6 many learning opportunities that allow for them to both develop their ICT skills and have experience at problem solving to become producers of technology; moving students from being technology consumers to technology creators.

At St Martin of Tours all classrooms are equipped with a range of digital learning tools to enhance and support learning across all areas of the curriculum. Each learning space is equipped with an interactive whiteboard or TV connected to a computer and students have access to Google Chromebooks and iPads. The school wireless network allows access to technologies across all school buildings. Students and teachers also have access to green screen studios for movie making.

Technology is ever changing. At St Martin’s we monitor the developments in this area and ensure that we are providing opportunities for students to learn with the advance of technology. Students use a variety of apps and tools to enhance cooperation and collaboration. We believe technology offers opportunities for children to create, edit and share their learning across mediums and platforms. Students are taught about online safety and cyberbullying as part of the curriculum.

In the Junior Schools students are encouraged to use technology as a tool to assist learning in both Literacy and Numeracy. However, students will spend most of their time learning with books, paper, pencils and more tactile learning experiences.

As students progress to Middle and Senior school, they will begin to work collaboratively online using Google G-suite products. Students in Years 4 -6 are involved in a 1:1 Chromebook Program, providing students with exclusive use during school time and are taken home each night to complete any home practice tasks.

The Chromebook Lite Program is a 1:1 program for our Year 3 students. Offering our students the same at-school convenience provided to our senior students without the responsibility of taking the devices home. This program was designed to prepare students for their ownership of a device the following year.