ST MEL'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
St Mel’s Primary has introduced a new school-wide learning framework called Organic Learning. The thinking behind Organic Learning is that becoming a self-determined learner should not only be a goal of students, but also a requirement for teachers and leadership teams. As part of its implementation of Organic Learning, the school has developed Hexagonal Curriculum Mapping, which is a process that means every Stage Syllabus Outcome is printed on a hexagon and made visible on a shared learning wall. Teachers come together and collaboratively make natural cross-curricular connections of ideas, called ‘Outcome Clusters’. These are then fleshed out by the teachers, who create inquiry-based units of work that inspire both themselves as teachers and their students to grow as self-determined learners. There is ongoing critique and a culture of making great learning even better.
The school has attracted interest from educators across Australia after presenting Organic Learning at the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) conference in Melbourne last year. In 2018, it will share its work at the Hawaii International Conference on Education.
