Building a Learning Culture- A Damascus College Approach to Learning and Teaching 2025-2029

Damascus College is embarking on a five-year journey aimed at enhancing its learning culture through strategic initiatives focused on instructional excellence and student engagement. A core aspect of this plan is the transition to a 60-minute period timetable in 2025, which will allow for deeper learning and reflection in each class. This adjustment is aligned with the College’s instructional model, which is built on the 5Es framework: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. These phases are designed to guide teaching and learning across the curriculum, fostering consistency and excellence in instructional delivery.

The five-year roadmap prioritises the gradual embedding of this model across all learning areas. In 2025, the focus will be on the first and final phases of the model—Engage and Evaluate—which emphasise activating prior knowledge, ensuring students are prepared for learning, and fostering a reflective practice that helps students assess their progress. By focusing on these phases, the College will support the establishment of strong entry and exit routines, essential for classroom management and creating productive learning environments.

Beyond 2025, the roadmap will introduce more advanced strategies, integrating Explore and Explain phases that centre on inquiry-based learning, chunking information, and ensuring students develop deep conceptual understanding. The Elaborate phase, planned for later in the roadmap, will support students in making connections across disciplines and applying their learning in real-world contexts.

Throughout this journey, Damascus College is committed to ensuring that its instructional practices remain innovative and accessible. The College’s strategic focus includes strengthening literacy through structured approaches, aligning with Rosenshine’s principles of instruction, integration of SEL competencies and ensuring that all curriculum is accessible and engaging for students with diverse needs.

In addition to curriculum changes, the College will focus on professional development for staff, ensuring teachers are equipped to implement these new instructional practices effectively. The shift to a 60-minute timetable will create opportunities for teachers to delve deeper into the subject matter, fostering richer discussions and greater student engagement.

By 2029, the instructional model will be fully embedded, along with the integration of Mercy Values and Damascus Attributes that reflect our Catholic identity. These foundational values guide our approach to education, ensuring that our students are not only academically equipped but also socially and emotionally prepared for the world beyond school.

This strategic focus on instructional excellence is supported by ongoing professional development for staff, ensuring they have the skills and resources to implement these practices effectively. The College is also dedicated to developing personalised learning pathways, catering to the diverse needs and aspirations of each student and fostering an inclusive learning environment.

The St Brendan's Year 8 Program: An Immersive Learning Experience

Starting in 2025, Damascus College will proudly launch the St Brendan's Year 8 Program at the Dunnstown campus. This initiative is designed to immerse students in a holistic educational experience that reflects the Mercy values of compassion, justice, hospitality, courage, service, and respect. With a strong focus on leadership, social responsibility, and personal growth, the program seeks to nurture students into well-rounded, responsible individuals.

Why Year 8 at St Brendan’s?

Year 8 represents a critical stage in students' development, and the St Brendan's Program is designed to address the unique needs of students at this age. By creating a learning environment that emphasizes respectful relationships and community responsibility, the program encourages students to become intrinsically motivated and self-directed learners. Immersing students in the rich community of Dunnstown will promote growth in both academic achievement and personal development, reflecting the Mercy values of service and hospitality.

Program Structure

The St Brendan's Year 8 Program will run for one term per group of students, starting in terms 2, 3, and 4 in 2025, expanding to all terms by 2026. Each term, 2 to 3 classes will participate, with students divided into smaller groups of 13, each led by a dedicated teacher. Students will travel daily from the Mt Clear campus to Dunnstown, ensuring they stay connected to the wider Damascus College community while experiencing the unique opportunities the St Brendan's Program offers.

Duration: Each group will spend 8 to 11 weeks in the program.

Structure: The program runs from Monday to Thursday, with Fridays dedicated to "Discovery Day"—a reflective day for learning, project work, and engagement with external speakers.

Curriculum and Key Projects

The curriculum is centred around two major projects that embody the Mercy values:

• Environment & Lifestyle: This project integrates leadership, stewardship, and environmental awareness, challenging students to take responsibility for creating sustainable futures. Rooted in the values of justice and courage, students will explore the impact of their actions on the environment and their community.
• Creative Cultures: This project focuses on social justice and community engagement, encouraging students to think critically about culture, creativity, and their responsibility to contribute positively to society. Students will live out the Mercy values of compassion and service as they engage with real-world challenges.

Fridays, or Discovery Days, are dedicated to fostering respectful relationships and offering students opportunities to learn from external speakers and work on collaborative projects.

A Day at Dunnstown

Each day begins with students meeting at Damascus College and traveling by bus to Dunnstown with two staff members. The structured daily schedule includes a combination of routine activities, academic sessions, and reflection periods. Shared meals and collaborative projects foster a sense of community and support the development of hospitality and respect among students.

The program is designed to foster personal development, offering opportunities for students to grow emotionally and socially through both academic and extracurricular activities.

Staffing and Support

The program will be supported by a dedicated team of teaching staff and a Program Leader. Each staff member will work closely with one group of students to provide personalised support throughout the term. External speakers and community partners will further enrich the students' learning experience, offering diverse perspectives and reinforcing the values of service and compassion.

Building Community and Lifelong Skills

The St Brendan's Program is designed to offer a unique learning experience that extends beyond the traditional classroom. By engaging with the Dunnstown community and working on real-world projects, students will develop skills in leadership, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship—all of which are grounded in the Mercy values.

These experiences will not only enhance their academic journey but will also prepare them for life beyond school, ensuring they leave Damascus College with a strong foundation in courage, service, and a commitment to justice and respect for others.