By connecting to the real world of students’ lives, authentic learning enables students to become lifelong learners who contribute to society and the wider world as active and discerning citizens. Authentic learning is central to our work as Catholic educators because it promotes the continual growth and wellbeing of the whole person — spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically.
Our school-wide pedagogy encompasses all that we do in our teaching and learning at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Primary School Arncliffe.
“We learn, engage and celebrate – nurturing confident and creative global citizens.”
At St Francis Xavier’s we believe that ‘engaging’ with others and the world beyond our classroom walls encourages students to be active in pursuing learning sparked by passion and purpose, guiding them to create new knowledge and to make sense of their world and the role they play as global citizens.
At St Francis Xavier’s we believe that ‘celebrating’ inspires an active response to our gifts and talents as a faith-filled community. Nurturing positive relationships, reaching out, and responding with empathy, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit to step up, speak up, and make a difference.
In order to act out our shared beliefs we:
- celebrate our faith
- collaborate
- engage with the world
- empower each other
- think critically & creatively
- encourage global citizenship
- inquire
- explore
A targeted approach to learning that balances both explicit teaching and inquiry-based learning is fundamental to the achievement of student outcomes at St Francis Xavier’s. We clearly understand the need to balance explicit teaching with inquiry-based learning – helping students to develop the body of knowledge that they need to know as well as inciting a passion for learning and the development of critical and creative thinking skills.