Catholic Outlook September 2016

www.parra.catholic.edu.au @CatholicEdParra CatholicEdParra
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
ABOUT THE
RE REVIEW
THE DEVELOPMENT of a new Religious
Education (RE) curriculum for the Diocese
of Parramatta is well under way following
the recommendations from the 2014 RE
Review.
Recently in Blacktown and Rooty Hill,
more than 90 participants, including
parents, students, clergy, primary and
secondary RE Coordinators and principals,
gathered over a series of four half-day
meetings to have the opportunity to
contribute to the Renewing RE project.
Led by Catholic Education’s Project
Officer for Renewing RE, Gerard Gaskin,
participants were presented with the
findings of the 2014 review and invited
to examine and respond to a proposed
model and seven broad objectives of the
curriculum:
1. Intent — that all participants (students,
teachers, parents, staff) sustain a deep
personal relationship with Christ;
2. An emphasis on the deep and
complementary relationship that
should exist between home, school
and parish;
3. The proposed curriculum will draw
deeply from the liturgical cycle — the
cycle of seasons, feasts and
celebrations of the Church’s year;
4. The core content of the curriculum to
be based on the Catechism of
the Catholic Church, providing a
comprehensive framework of belief for
every level of the school year;
5. Teachers to be encouraged to use best
theory and practice to engage students
in their understanding in order to cater
for the diverse learning needs of all
students;
6. In line with current curriculum
theory, the RE program will have a
spiral structure which re-visits,
More than 90 participants gathered over a series of four half-day meetings.
develops and deepens understanding
of all the essential ideas over each year
of schooling, ensuring that no central
teaching of our faith is left out; and
7. The curriculum will be easily accessible
online, allowing seamless access for
parents, teachers, students and clergy
— a particular innovation for the
curriculum and its resources.
The curriculum model builds upon the
Second Vatican Council’s call for the
integration of faith, culture and life in
education. Learning and teaching elements
of the curriculum will include:
• Studying the Sunday Gospel;
• Content statements derived from the
Catechism of the Catholic Church;
• Accessing the Church’s rich heritage of
culture, architecture, art and music;
• Understanding the distinctive language
used by the Church;
• The many applications of the Gospel’s
life-changing message as a call to a
deepening relationship with Jesus
Christ;
• Drawing inspiration from the example
of the lives of the saints and martyrs;
and
• Applying Christian ethics and morality
to the challenges of contemporary
society.
Gerard said participants overwhelmingly
supported the proposed curriculum and
expressed enthusiasm for the Renewing RE
project.
The RE Review was conducted
for Catholic Education Diocese
of Parramatta in 2013-14 by
The University of Notre Dame
Australia. In June 2014, the
then Bishop of Parramatta,
Most Rev Anthony Fisher
OP, formally adopted the 11
recommendations for the
development of a new K-12 RE
Curriculum.
Data was collected through a
survey questionnaire, through
interviews and by classroom
observation. Eight distinct
groups were consulted: school
principals, parish priests, RECs,
teachers, students in Years 5
and 6, 9 and 11, parents and
alumni.
“The acceptance and welcome given by
the participants could not have been
more encouraging,” Gerard said. “The
curriculum’s success will depend on the
degree of enthusiasm with which it is
ultimately taken up in all schools and
parishes of the Diocese.
“In the words of one secondary student, ‘I
would like religion in schools to be more
than a subject, but something students can
look forward to in order to live out the
Gospel.’”
The project will include trialling some
proof-of-concept learning sequences in a
number of schools in 2017, with a possible
roll-out of teacher professional learning and
a draft curriculum as early as 2018.
I think therefore iLearn: Using iPads
effectively in the classroom
SINCE 2014, eight primary schools in the
Diocese of Parramatta have participated in a
one-on-one iPad program to support student
learning. The project commenced with Year
4 students being provided with individual
access to an iPad Air for their educational
use at home and school and the program
continued into Year 5 and Year 6 with the
same group of students.
During the program, teachers were provided
with professional learning support and
resources to assist them to successfully
incorporate the use of the iPad into classroom
learning and teaching, including face-to-face
professional learning, in-classroom support
and an online course using iTunesU.
Parents also had opportunities to be engaged
with their child’s learning and how they
could support their child in using the iPad
appropriately at home.
Now in its final year, the program involving
500 students has enabled a personalised
approach to learning, provided equitable
access to technology and greater flexibility
with students learning anywhere and anytime.
To read more about the iLearn program
visit: www.parra.catholic.edu.au and watch
via our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/
u8tL5pqUcJI
Primary school students trialling a one-on-one iPad program.
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CatholicOutlook | SEPTEMBER 2016 15