At the beginning of the year, we spent some time with our staff reviewing our important motto to support teaching and learning: Lourdes Learners are CALLed to Think as both a Learner and a Global Citizen. This provides us with a lens to develop the traits of both a learner and a global citizen. We aim for our learners to have the dispositions and competencies that help them navigate a complex, fast-changing ‘globalized’ world and for students to see themselves as learners who know how to learn. 

Exploring themes such as identity and diversity, poverty and wealth, sustainability, and social justice, engages students in real-world issues through the curriculum. When collaboratively planning, teachers consider what is important to be learned, how to foster learning and how we measure success.  

The traits of a learner and of a global citizen are exemplified with the acronym CALLed to Think. To be a Lourdes Learner, students need to Communicate, Act, Look, Listen and Think. The following table illustrates how staff can break this down for students.  

Aspiring to build the Lourdes Learner culture across the school, teachers in year level teams were given time at the beginning of the year to consider what each of the traits of a learner and a global citizen would mean for their year level.  

Year 1 and Year 2, for example, have developed their own language to begin developing the traits of a learner. They have a classroom display where they focus on different elements (see image below of a Year 1 classroom display). Year 6, on the other hand have begun to look at the first element of our CALLed to Think acronym by focussing on the traits of a learner and global citizen who Communicates. This tied into the teaching and learning within a Health lesson.  

Hopefully, parents and families will start to hear this language at home and children will be able to articulate this with more intentional meaning as the year goes on. If you would like any further information, please talk to your teacher or feel free to contact me.  

Miranda Murray

Asistant Principal

miranda.murray@twb.catholic.edu.au