Award for writing

By Bridget Brady
COURTENAY Gardens Primary School has received state recognition for excellence in curriculum innovation.
The school’s teachers received a Victorian Education Excellence Award during a ceremony in Melbourne on Friday night.
The award recognised the teaching of the writing model adopted at the school. As part of the model, every student from Grades Prep to 6 completes the same model of writing for six weeks at a time.
Assistant principal Georgina Wilson said procedural writing, re-count or re-telling and personal writing were among the types included in the model.
Mrs Wilson said the benefit of the different styles of writing meant the students were engaged in writing because it was meaningful.
“The difference is that right from Prep to Year 6 all of the students focus on the one concept for six weeks,” Mrs Wilson said.
“We are very proud of this prestigious award in the field of education,” she said.
The school has shared the writing model with other local schools, including secondary schools. The school’s multi-media centre was also recognised as part of the award. The new centre allows students to create and broadcast live video to each classroom and teachers can download tutorial videos to assist student learning.
“The multimedia centre provides an authentic writing experience,” Mrs Wilson said.
Principal Loretta Hamilton suggested implementing the writing model after attending a conference overseas.
“Our principal is very much an outstanding leader. And it was a whole school effort to bring about the implementation,” she said.