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- Year 9 2010 Elective Preference Handbook now online. Click link to download or view
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Year 8 2010 Subject Preference Handbook now online. Ciick link to download or view
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Approach to Middle Years
Catholic College provides a distinct middle schooling program for students in Years 7–9. The learning environment aims to meet the many and varied needs of every student.
The Middle School program, based on sound educational research and Australian and international best practice, recognises that learning is most effective when it is relevant and purposeful and that the learning needs of student in these important years of schooling are specific and different from younger and older students.
Learning in the middle years is supported by specialised Middle School teams of teachers who are experienced in meeting the learning needs of younger adolescents and bring curriculum expertise to engage students in real and relevant learning experiences within and beyond the classroom.
The College has developed a Middle Schooling Framework to underpin educational programs in the Middle Years. A copy of the Middle Schooling Framework is available in the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning documents section of the website.
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Years 7 and 8 Inquiry Learning Program
A key feature of the Years 7 and 8 Program is the integrated core curriculum. The core curriculum is made up of two integrated subjects: Communication and Culture, principally integrating the learning areas of English, Humanities and Religious Education; and Numbers and Logic—principally integrating the learning areas of Mathematics and Science;
Year 7 and 8 students spend the majority of their learning time in core class groups with core teachers who have expertise in these learning areas and the learning needs of this age group of students. Knowledge and skills are developed using the inquiry model, which provides opportunity for student centred inquiry-based learning, skill development in numeracy and literacy and the development of high order thinking skills based on the respected Habits of Mind program.
In addition to the integrated core curriculum, students also work with subject specialists for studies in the Arts, Languages other than English (Japanese and French), Physical Education and Design, Creativity and Technology. Both programs also include features to further enhance student learning and interest.
The Year 7 Curriculum includes a Teacher—Advisor program and an Activities Program. The Teacher—Advisor program allows the core teacher and the students to meet together on a regular basis to discuss learning, issues concerning learning and strategies for improving learning. The Activities Program allows students to select and get involved in a number of activities that they are interested in and would like to learn about.
The Year 8 Curriculum includes opportunities for Gathering, Move-2-Learn and Challenges. Gathering provides an opportunity for the students to gather, celebrate and showcase their learning on a regular basis. Move-2-Learn provides opportunities for enhancing learning through kinaesthetic activity. Challenges, provides students with the opportunity to select and participate in an activity that places them out of their comfort zone. The Challenges program involves students in a range of Faith, Academic, Community or Extra-curricula activities.
Students in Years 7 and 8 also undertake studies in the key learning areas of Arts, Design, Creativity and Technology (ADCT), Languages Other than English (LOTE) and Physical Education. Arts, Design, Creativity and Technology is taught in intensive blocks of learning time in which students rotate through and build a range of skills in various specialisation. In the initial stages of LOTE students in Year 7 study a semester of French and a semester of Japanese before electing to study one of the options for a full Year in Year 8.
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Year 9 Discovery Learning
From 2010 Catholic College Wodonga will be the sole provider of Catholic Education for Year 9 students in the Wodonga region. The curriculum will be based on the unique Year 9 Discovery Learning program - a learning program designed to make learning more relevant, challenging and rewarding for Year 9 students.
The Discovery 9 Planning and Implementation Team have been meeting on a regular basis during Term 1 and Term 2 and are close to finalising the program for 2010. Feedback has been sought from parents, students and teachers and this material has been used to influence the design of the program.
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