Teaching and Learning

At Aunty Agnes Shea High School, our teaching and learning are firmly grounded in the Australian Curriculum, ensuring alignment with national academic standards. Guided by our school's Positive Education framework, our instructional model follows a cyclical process that fosters dynamic, ongoing learning and reflection for both students and teachers, supporting continuous growth and achievement.

It begins with a 'Hook' to engage students, followed by explicit teaching, opportunities for practice and application, and reflection on the learning.

Throughout this cycle, teachers employ a range of strategies to support student learning, including:

• Universal Design for Learning to cater for diverse learner needs.
• Co-teaching model to provide collaborative and differentiated instruction.
• Metacognitive thinking tools, protocols and routines to make student thinking visible.
• Formative assessment, quick checks, and common formative assessment tasks to monitor progress and inform teaching.
• Summative assessment to evaluate student understanding.

The school's Positive Education approach is central to the teaching and learning practices. This is evident in the focus on creating a kind, inclusive, and nurturing environment that supports students to thrive and reach their full potential.

Teachers work collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to plan units of work, adjust pacing based on student needs, and engage in the PLC Cycle of Learning to continuously improve their practice.

At Aunty Agnes Shea High School we use a co-teaching model. The co-teaching model is designed to enhance the educational experience for all students through collaboration and support among teachers.

In a co-teaching environment, two educators work together in the same classroom. This allows for diverse teaching strategies and perspectives, which can cater to the varied learning needs of students. For example, one teacher might lead a lesson while the other provides support to students who need extra help or enrichment.

The co-teaching model at AASHS is centred around collaboration, inclusivity, and support for all students. By working together, teachers can provide a richer educational experience that adapts to individual strengths and needs, fostering both academic success and positive social-emotional development.