Breadth & Depth of Learning
NAPLAN results have recently been released to schools with the expectation of parents receiving their child’s data next term.
What they tell us, beyond the variation between one year group and another, is the continued strong performance of Calvin students relative to the state and national mean. We take great pride in the growth of our students and the work of our teaching team to support this.
As we gather and share data on our students at the end of this Term, we look for signs of growth and areas of challenge with a focus on the individual. With programs such as NAPLAN, there can be a tendency to think that all that matters are mathematical and English skills. “You measure what you value” it has been said. And whilst we are clear-eyed on the vital importance of numeracy and literacy as the building blocks for access to the whole curriculum as well as being critical life skills, it is also important to note that learning occurs across a broad range of areas where students find expression, passion, and have opportunity to explore these areas in depth.
“Having access to the Arts, Languages, Technologies, and Physical Education is part of a rounded curriculum that engages students in areas of interest whilst developing their foundational skills.”
Numerous studies have shown that Music and Music studies have a positive impact on student performance in Mathematics. In a meta-study, recently published in the journal Thinking Skills and Creativity, the authors note that “…musical training has shown to boost spatial-temporal reasoning, a skillset overlapping with mathematical abilities” (Wang et al., 2024). With that in mind, it was exciting yesterday to walk into our Senior Campus Library at lunch time and enjoy the music of our Concert Band and to visit the Multi Purpose Hall yesterday afternoon to hear Mrs Vonk’s piano students performing. Incredible to think that they were working on their mathematical skills as they studied and played.
This is just one example of the influence of a broad curriculum on the development of our students. Having access to the Arts, Languages, Technologies, and Physical Education is part of a rounded curriculum that engages students in areas of interest whilst developing their foundational skills. These subjects do not operate as silos where students carefully segment their learning, rather we are providing opportunities for our students to grow and learn, with learning in each subject informing the other.
It is a reminder of the wonder of learning. Our understanding of God through Scripture, tells us that He is interested in all aspects of our lives and learning and that there are no silos. The Apostle Paul reminds us to consider “…what is the width and length and depth and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passes all knowledge, that you might be filled with all of the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Have a wonderful term break as you celebrate the learning and growth of your child.
Scott Ambrose - Principal
Wang, Zhang & Mao (2024); “Harmonising mathematics: Unveiling the impact of music integration on academic performance – A meta-analysis”, Thinking Skills and Creativity, Volume 52
