Signs of Progress II - Waverley College

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Religious Education at Waverley College Curriculum • Every student in Years 11 and 12 has a copy of Living Religion (3rd ed.) the most comprehensive Studies of Religion Text available • Every student in Years 7-10 has the relevant copy the Religion Text To Know, Worship and Love • The 7-10 Religion Curriculum has been updated to include To Know, Worship and Love Texts of the Sydney Archdiocese • The Social Justice program has been integrated within the Years 7-10 Religious Education Program • Year 11 Social Justice Service Program is now embedded in the curriculum. • 2 Unit Studies of Religion has increased threefold in Years 11 and 12 • Studies of Religion Excursions include St Mary’s Cathedral, Auburn Gallipoli Mosque and the Great Synagogue. • Every Religion teacher receives a copy of the Catholic Weekly each week Special Events • Weekly Wednesday Morning Mass in the College Chapel 8.15 am (Classes prepared and assist on a rostered basis) • Commencement Mass • Anzac Day • Easter Liturgy • May Procession • Edmund Rice Feast Day • Assumption Mass • Day of Prayer for Year 12 Students • Graduation Mass • Archbishop’s Award Retreats • Year 10 Reflection Days • Year 10 Excursions: The Holocaust Museum, Mary MacKillop Place, St Mary’s Cathedral • Senior Retreat for three days each year • Year 8 Camp: Outdoor Mass • Cadet Mass at Douglas Park Renovations & refurbishment Year 12 – Parent / Student Seminar This Seminar Title was ‘Improving your Results’. The main areas covered: • Getting organised for exams • Making study notes • Studying strategies and techniques • Planning study time • Examination techniques • Painting of western Sacristy in Chapel • Refurbishment of Stained Glass Windows and Sound System in Chapel • Renovation of Crucifix in foyer • New thurible • Every classroom has a crucifix and picture of Mary, the Mother of God • Beautiful portrait of Mary of the Southern Cross placed in the Br Skeeham room Year 12 – Student Seminar Post Trial Exams This Seminar Title was ‘HSC Countdown’. The main areas covered: • Setting goals for success • Managing workload • Chunking and prioritising – techniques to make time use more efficient • Planning and allocating study time • Overcoming distractions and procrastination Ms D Grigson DHM Curriculum World Youth Day 2008 • A Waverley College Pilgrim Group was coordinated by Waverley College Staff over the entire week. • Waverley College was a venue for over 300 Overseas Pilgrims for the week • Students from Waverley College were sponsored by the College for attending World Youth Day activities Mr P Davis DHM Religious Programs
Social Justice at Waverley College Why we have Social Justice at the College • Waverley College is a school in the tradition of Edmund Rice the founder of the Christian Brothers and he dedicated his life to helping those on the margins of society. • The Charter for Edmund Rice schools speaks of many areas that the Social Justice program attempts to fulfill. • Waverley College is attempting to get our students to ‘think of others’ and to ‘serve others’ • We are raising awareness about local and global justice issues and giving our students the tools to respond and make a difference. • We offer practical help to the community while challenging stereotypes students may hold about certain groups. What do we do? The “3 A’s” ACTION AWARENESS ADVOCACY Action – Service to others… All Year 11 students complete a Service Work component. Many staff give of their time to facilitate: • Night Patrol – feeding the homeless in Sydney. • Coaching sport and assisting mentally and physically disabled children. • Running activities such as Bingo in Charingfield Nursing Home. • Visit detainees in Villawood Detention Centre. • Sharing stories and offering friendship during Street Retreats in Kings Cross. • Running Buddies Days for children from domestic violence refuges. • Blood donation. • Winter Sleepout with the homeless in Darlinghurst – showing solidarity with the marginalized of Sydney. • Supervise a playgroup in a refuge for homeless families. • Charity – raise money for various organizations – Salvation Army, CanTeen, Caritas, St Vincent de Paul. Year groups have a charity they fund-raise for each year. Awareness • Curriculum – All Year 7-10 students complete a unit of Social Justice in their religion class each year. • Guest speakers are invited to College Assemblies and to individual classes. • Waverley is part of a pilot project to raise awareness about Aboriginal issues amongst students. • Year 10 Activity Days – Red Cross, Vision Australia, St Vincent de Paul, Amnesty International send representatives to present to the boys. • Campaigns run by Amnesty International • Students attend Social Justice Forums hosted in local schools aimed at raising awareness about certain issues. Advocacy • Teaching students how to write letters or sign petitions in response to an Amnesty International campaign. • Teaching students how to write letters of support on behalf of the detainees visited in Villawood Detention Centre. • Advise students how to contact their local member to register a complaint about an issue. • Make students aware of advocacy groups such as “Get Up” that push for positive change at Government level. • Empower students to feel they can make a difference through their actions. The Future Our hope is that the outreach branch of the Social Justice program will continue to make a significant impact on the lives of Waverley boys in their Senior school years. The service work program options have recently been expanded. From Term 4 this year the College will support two teachers undertaking Social Justice as their regular co-curricular activity. There is a lot of research to suggest that integrating social issues into key learning areas gives students a better grasp of these problems. If a student’s assignment allows him to help resolve the problem, he will feel that they can be part of the solution. This will require a shift in how teachers present and assess their subject matter. It is our intention to explore how service learning can be further incorporated into the curriculum at Waverley College. Geraldine Cullen Social Justice Coordinator
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Signs of Progress II - Waverley College

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