EDUCATION MATTERS: Science of Learning key to success in our CET schools

By Dr Gerard Gaskin, Executive Director of Catholic Education Tasmania

As we welcomed the return of our school students for 2024 on Wednesday 7 February, our CET educators had already undertaken specialised training that will benefit their teaching practice.

On Friday 2 February, educators attended a Science of Learning (SoL) All System Day, which takes educators on a thought-provoking journey through presentations to deepen their understanding about the SoL and evidence-based practices.

Around 1500 educators from across the state attended sessions at five different venues. The day was focused on the pedagogical skills of questioning and checking for student understanding, all heavily informed by Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction.

Educators also had the opportunity to attend sessions tailored to different stages of student learning: early years, primary and secondary.

Educators heard from keynote speakers, attended curated masterclass workshops and interactive panel sessions. There were opportunities to observe, reflect upon and practise high impact teaching strategies. With rehearsal and refinement, these strategies will translate directly to classroom practice.

It was a pleasure to welcome guest speaker Tom Sherrington from the UK, who is a former Head Teacher with over 30 years of experience and today runs a successful education consultancy.

Tom presented virtually on the key components of questioning and how it can apply in the classroom setting.

Another guest speaker presenting virtually was Natalie Wexler from the USA, who is a well-known education writer and the author of The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—And How to Fix It.

Both guest speakers addressed live questions from participants on the day. Their responses were concentrated on the following key areas: writing across all year levels, all subject learning areas, and the commitment to knowledge and excellence that all teachers need to have in this space.

Another highlight for educators was a dynamic virtual workshop series curated by Dr Nathaniel Swain. Dr Swain is a teacher, instructional coach and researcher, and his workshop series was based on practice in checking for understanding. 

The three workshops were: Early Years – Expanding Sentences, Primary – Subordinating Conjunctions, and Secondary – Appositives.

Two other in-person presentations included Rebecca Birch, a leading English teacher and the Director of Research and Practice at a top 20 independent school in Sydney, and Toni Hatten-Roberts, a leader in the Science of Learning on bridging the gap between theory and classroom practice in Mathematics. 

Educators also heard from Shaping Minds Director Jordan O’Sullivan, who spoke about the CET Mathematics Curriculum, the release of explicit lessons, and access for all CET educators to the digitalised Daily Review Maker.

After an enriching and thought-provoking day of learning, our CET educators are ready for the year ahead.