Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG) were invited to speak at the Sharing Best Practice event held at Corrimal High School, Illawarra on 29 April, highlighting the impact of an evidence-based approach.
Patrick Ellis, Education Lead, was joined by Principal Luke Donnelly, and Year 3/4 Teacher Andrea McQuirk to speak to the impact of Catalysts’ approach to teaching and learning for system, school and classroom improvement.
Patrick provided a summary of evidence-based change at the system level, followed by Luke who discussed change at the school level, and lastly, Teacher Andrea provided an overview of implementation outcomes at the classroom level. Each reflected on their experiences in the Catalyst journey so far, and outlined their own next steps.
Year 3/4 Teacher Andrea McQuirk
Luke said “the educators in the room were impressed by Andrea’s passion for achieving outcomes for her students and her knowledge of high impact teaching practices. Well done Andrea, we are so lucky to have you at our school!”
One attendee said “what a fabulous day we had at SBP Illawarra yesterday! The vibe and chatter was incredible and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. Thank you to everyone who gave up their Saturday to present and attend.”
CECG were joined by presenters, including Dr Deslea Konza (Associate Professor Language and Literacy at Edith Cowan University), Professor Stephen Dinham OAM PhD (Emeritus Professor in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne), Brendan Lee (NSW Primary School Assistant Principal), Jo-Anne Dooner and Justin Caban (Training 24/7), Danielle Colenbrander and Veronica Alexander (SPELD NSW), and Anna Desjardins (MultiLit).
“We are delighted to have been asked to speak at this terrific event and network with likeminded educators. Thank you to Luke and Andrea for joining me and talking candidly about their experiences and sharing their learning. I look forward to future Sharing Best Practice events,” Patrick said.
Over 300 educators from across Australia gathered in Hobart to learn from leading researchers and experts in the Science of Learning at the inaugural Teaching Matters Summit, hosted by Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG) and Catholic Education Tasmania.
CECG Director Ross Fox headlined the opening address alongside Dr Gerard Gaskin, Executive Director Catholic Education Tasmania. With a shared belief in the power of the Science of Learning, the importance of high impact teaching practice and a knowledge rich curriculum, each leader articulated their vision, goals and approach to achieving system-wide change, based on the evidence.
Ross Fox shared key beliefs that underpin the Catalyst teaching and learning approach, which is now widely adopted across the Archdiocese. He presented the ‘8 Big Ideas’ of the Science of Learning, informed by research, evidence and insights from global experts in education, including the work of ED Hirsch Jr, Barak Rosenshine, Dylan Wiliam and Emeritus Professor John Sweller.
School is where we learn biologically secondary information
Learning is a change in long-term memory
Teaching is a profession that should be informed by the evidence
Knowledge matters, it’s what we think with
The most efficient way to teach knowledge is to teach explicitly
High quality whole class instruction will help all students learn
Reading is essential for students to acquire knowledge
Curriculum should be ambitious, coherent, sequential and cumulative
Dr Gerard Gaskin shared how curriculum and education practices have influenced student outcomes over time, and what he believes works best in practice – Explicit Instruction.
Ross Fox and Dr Gerard Gaskin were interviewed by ABC Hobart during the summit, highlighting recent research on effective teaching approaches. Read the transcript from their interview.
The Summit brought together teachers and leaders from every state who had the opportunity to hear from some of the nation’s most significant Science of Learning advocates, including
Professor Pamela Snow, Professor for the School of Education at La Trobe University Dr Lorraine Hammond AM, Associate Professor School of Education, Edith Cowan University The Hon. Jeremy Rockliff, Premier of Tasmania Dr Jenny Donovan, CEO, Australian Education Research Organisation Noel Pearson, Founder of Good to Great Schools Australia and Cape York Partnership
As one of the delegates commented,
“I loved the passion that each speaker brought and the emphasis on evidence underpinned by effective and efficient teaching. I value the notion that to educate our teachers is to educate our learners better, enhancing not only educational outcomes but also social/emotional wellbeing.”
Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn’s Director, Ross Fox, was recently interviewed by Kim Napier for ABC Hobart, alongside Executive Director of Catholic Education Tasmania, Dr Gerard Gaskin.
Discussing the Teaching Matters Science of Learning National Summit held across 2-4 April, Ross highlighted recent research on effective teaching approaches. Further elaborating on the importance of understanding the latest insights from Cognitive Science, Ross celebrated teachers’ eagerness to learn and the impact of teachers being the expert learner in the room.
A recent survey of over 1,100 Secondary school students in the Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese, saw over 700 respondents identify they recognised a change in behaviour in the classroom when teachers use High Impact Teaching Practice (HITP).
The unique report, undertaken by HITP in Action provider TeachWell, asked for student feedback and reflection on how the way their teachers taught them has changed since their teachers have participated in the system wide HITP professional learning as part of Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn’s Catalyst program. The report aimed to gain insights into the impact HITP has had in the classroom.
Catalyst, grounded in Science of Learning, has been translated into classroom practice through HITP, with almost 80% of students reporting there was a distinct change in the way their teacher was engaging them in learning, following their participation in the HITP in Action professional learning.
“Class is very engaging, and I feel comfortable contributing to class discussions because of the environment in the classroom and the teaching style of [my teacher],” a Year 12 student responded.
The report also asked the 90 participating teachers to reflect on their learning and how it helped them to change their teaching practice. All teachers confirmed their commitment to consistently incorporate High Impact Teaching Practice in the classroom, as they observed the positive impact it has on students’ behaviour and learning ability. Further, almost all respondents said they would recommend what they have learnt in HITP In Action to their peers.
“Thank you for strengthening our teaching practices. The reason why we teach is to make an impact on student learning and sharing the successes in the classroom,” a HITP in Action participant said.
Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG) were delighted to speak alongside representatives from St Thomas the Apostle, Kambah at the Sharing Best Practice event held in Geelong.
Patrick Ellis, Education Lead, teamed up with Ursula Jamieson, Principal, Monique George, Year 3/4 Teacher, and Lauren Jameson, Kindergarten Teacher from St Thomas the Apostle to discuss Catalysts’ evidence-based approach to teaching and learning for system and school improvement.
Lauren Jameson – Kindergarten Teacher, Ursula Jamieson – Principal and Monique George – Year 3/4 Teacher.
The presentation captured the day’s intention to share best practices in education. Reflecting on their Catalyst journey thus far, Patrick, Ursula, Monique and Lauren outlined the next steps for them in their context.
Patrick provided a summary of evidence-based change at the system level, followed by Ursula who discussed change at the school level, and lastly, Teachers Monique and Lauren who provided an overview of implementation outcomes at the classroom level.
Attendee Lachlan West, Teacher at Good News Lutheran College applauded Patrick and the St Thomas the Apostle representatives for facilitating a “very valuable discussion of Catalyst and best practice.”
CECG were joined by keynote presenters, including Professor Stephen Dinham OAM (Emeritus Professor at University of Melbourne and Author), Lyn Stone (Clinical Director at Lifelong Literacy and Author) and Tanya Serry (Associate Professor at La Trobe Melbourne). Breakout sessions were held with various experts in their field, topics included building a Knowledge Rich Curriculum, early literacy instruction, how cognitive science can assist with teaching and learning, behaviour management, writing instruction and assessment, instructional coaching models and more.
“It was great to discuss evidence-based change at the system, school and classroom level alongside the wonderful Ursula, Lauren and Monique from St Thomas the Apostle, Kambah. I look forward to future Sharing Best Practice events,” Patrick said.
Attendees at the Sharing Best Practice event in Geelong March 2023.
This must-attend professional learning event provides the opportunity for educators across Australia to learn from internationally recognised education experts and expand their network with collaboration opportunities.
CECG Director Ross Fox will open the Summit alongside Dr Gerard Gaskin, Executive Director of CET. The pair will talk to the importance of evidence-based teaching practice, and what it means to implement this across a school system.
CECG Education Lead, Patrick Ellis, will present a keynote alongside CET’s Project Lead of Insight, Jennifer White, on the collaborative journey the two systems have embarked on to embrace a Science of Learning approach – Catalyst and Insight.
Jessica Colleu Terradas, CECG Senior Officer Teaching and Learning Literacy, will also present on Literacy Intervention.
The high-calibre of guest speakers include
Peps Mccrea, Dean of Learning Design at Ambition Institute and Director of Education at Steplab
Noel Pearson, Founder of Good to Great Schools Australia and Cape York Partnership
Dr Lorraine Hammond, Associate Professor for the School of Education at Edith Cowan University
Professor Pamela Snow, Professor for the School of Education at La Trobe University
Jordan O’Sullivan, Teacher and Director at Shaping Minds Australia
Michael Roberts, Managing Director of Mastery Schools Australia and the Executive Director of COGlearn
Toni Hatten-Roberts, Director and Lead Consultant for COGlearn and the Executive Director of Education and co-founder of Mastery Schools Australia
Reid Smith, Founder and Co-CEO of Ochre, Teacher at Ballarat Clarendon College and Member of the La Trobe University’s Science of Language and Reading (SOLAR) Lab
Dr Nathaniel Swain, Instructional Coach, Researcher, and Senior Lecturer at the La Trobe School of Education
Glenn Fahey, Program Director of Education Policy at the Centre for Independent Studies
Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG) were delighted to speak about Catalyst at the second Science of Teaching & Learning Australia: Leading Change event held in Sydney.
Patrick Ellis, Education Lead, presented on the Catalyst journey from 2021 to now, and the learnings and successes experienced at the level of the system, the school and the classroom.
Patrick presented alongside esteemed teaching and learning experts including, Daisy Christodoulou (Director of No More Marking and Author), Dr. Lorraine Hammond AM (Associate Professor at ECU School of Education), Ray Boyd (Foundation Principal of Dayton Primary School) and Michael Roberts (Executive Director of COGlearn and Co-founder and Managing Director of Mastery Schools Australia).
“It was great to share our Catalyst journey and connect with likeminded people. I look forward to future SoTLA events,” Patrick said.
Patrick Ellis, CECG Education Lead, leading the session on CatalystRay Boyd, Foundation Principal of Dayton Primary School, delivering a session on Leading Against the WindDaisy Christodoulou, Director of Education and Author, presenting on Why Knowledge Matters and How to Make it Stick.
Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG) was delighted to have one of UK’s most sought-after education authors, Daisy Christodoulou, to present on the Principles of Assessment and Comparative Judgement, with more than 75 teachers attending in-person and online.
Daisy Christodoulou is the Director of Education at No More Marking and author of 7 Myths about Education, Making Good Progress and Teachers vs Tech. She is an avid supporter of evidence-based teaching practice and the Science of Learning.
Feedback from participating teachers was positive and affirmed how valuable this session was.
Watch Part 1 – ‘What make an Effective Assessment?’
Over 2,300 educators from across the Archdiocese gathered to hear from 25 national and internationally recognised education leaders at the annual System Day. This year’s event was held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra, and the atmosphere was brimming with excitement as staff connected in person for the first time in several years.
Event Highlights
Archbishop Christopher Prowse addressed the audience with a welcoming presentation reflecting on the theme for 2023, Walking Together, and how it strongly links to the work of Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn (CECG) through Catalyst.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse
Director Ross Fox presented the long-term direction of teaching and learning for CECG. He also announced the direction of Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn’s Strategic Plan – Faith in Learning – a focus on providing both faith and learning opportunities for our students and our staff.
Director Ross Fox addressing attendees
“We have exactly the right teachers, Principals, classroom support and learning assistants to be one of the best education systems in Australia, if not the world. We can do that through a focus on learning and our faith – Faith in Learning,“ Mr Fox said.
“To be the best system, we endeavor to have a common approach across all our schools, grounded in the evidence of the Science of Learning, to ensure we provide the best learning outcomes for students, and a great place to work.”
Good to Great Schools Australia founder Noel Pearson was invited to share his experiences with Explicit Direct Instruction in schools in Cape York. His stories provided key evidence and insights on why this approach is the most effective way of teaching.
Noel Pearson delivering his keynote presentation
“This is the most important thing I have seen in education in the past 20 years. For 30 years I have seen so many children fail to reach their potential. We have a juvenile justice crisis in this country, and it starts with the failure to read.”
Catalyst was recognised by the Federal Government. Senator Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Education expressed his interest in the impact of Catalyst’s approach to developing teachers to deliver evidence-based teaching practice to improve student learning outcomes.
Educators were given the opportunity to select three breakout sessions from a selection of over 20 topics, to further enrich their Science of Learning knowledge. Session presenters included Dr Lorraine Hammond, Ollie Lovell, Michael Roberts, Toni Hatten-Roberts, Ingrid Sealey, Reid Smith, Dr Tim McDonald, Professor Tom Lowrie and many more.
System Day 2023 presenters
Participants also heard from Ross Fox, Noel Pearson, Professor Pamela Snow, Dr Jennifer Buckingham, Br David Hall and Dr Ben Jensen in a panel discussion, moderated by Australian Education Research Organisation’s CEO Dr Jenny Donovan.
Each panellist provided their unique perspective on the Science of Learning, the evidence and why Catalyst is so important, not just for CECG but for others to learn from.
Media coverage following the event has been widespread including –
Thank you to all those who attended and contributed to making System Day 2023 such a success. Feedback from both staff and presenters in attendance has been uplifting and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year.
Over the past two years, teachers at St Bernard’s Batemans Bay have been transforming their teaching practice.
On a visit to the school, journalist Lucy Carroll from the Sydney Morning Herald, experienced high impact teaching practice and explicit instruction in Rebecca Brady’s kindergarten classroom.
Rebecca said “as a school, we’ve changed our whole approach to teaching. We use a lot of repetition, fast-paced learning and intense explicit instruction; behaviour is improving, and the children are so engaged. It’s been a huge turnaround. Kids don’t have time to disengage.”
