This term, 11 teachers from across four Archdiocese schools commenced a pilot writing project.

The project, ‘Writing Teachers, Teachers of Writing’ for K-6 aims to explore and evaluate the effects of implementing and supporting an innovative, comprehensive writing project. Its purpose is to improve the quality of students’ writing performance and increase capabilities of writing teachers.

Teachers from St Clare of Assisi Primary School, Calwell; St Anthony’s Primary School, Wanniassa; St John Vianney’s Primary School Waramanga; and St Joseph’s Primary School, Grenfell have been selected to monitor and guide project implementation.

The project will support class teachers to focus on student data, the Australian and NSW Curriculum, ACARA’s Literacy Learning Progressions and evidence-based professional literature. Student data and data on teachers' practices, beliefs and skills will be collected, tracked and analysed over the period of the project.

On Friday, 9 August, the committee gathered for their first professional day. Catholic Education Senior Officer Literacy Specialist Colleen Caddy was impressed by the dedication of the team.

“The commitment, enthusiasm and delight expressed in being part of the project from teachers and school leaders has been inspiring,” she said.

“There is an obvious commitment from all the teachers to be readers and writers themselves as well as being teachers of reading and writing.”