14 June 2023
Enriching Students' Learning With 'Passion Hour'
At Calderwood Christian School, we recognise that all students have gifts and individual learning needs. Our school's Enrichment Program is designed to cater to students with advanced academic learning needs.
In doing so, we can equip students to develop their giftings further and use them to give glory to God. We also recognise the importance of family collaboration to enhance growth and achievement for all high-potential and academically gifted students.
Passion Hour is one of the many ways we can support our students with academic giftings. In our Junior School, selected academically talented students from Stages 1-3 are nominated by teachers to engage in this program.
Passion Hour encourages and fosters students’ sense of curiosity, ownership and empowerment over their learning, both in and out of the classroom. Students engaged in the completion of an individual inquiry-based learning project. This inquiry project allows students to work on an idea they are passionate about.
Through the Passion Hour process, participating students learn to:
- Link their ideas and research to express feelings and opinions
- Create texts, presentations and/or products for familiar and unfamiliar audiences
- Contribute ideas and opinions to class discussions
- Engage in processes of collaborative learning, e.g. brainstorming, negotiating, problem-solving, taking action, task completion and evaluation
- Investigate successful solutions to problems and explore how these solutions can be applied to their personal, school or community context
- Take responsibility by initiating interactions with others
Students in Stage 1 participated in Passion Hour for the first time this year under the direction of Mrs Lise Newing. The inquiry theme was Australian Animals. Students chose an animal they wished to investigate.
All enthusiastically met each week, shared ideas, and focussed on their research and creation of their projects. Students were excited and a little nervous about presenting their completed projects to peers and teachers. At the end of their time in Passion Hour, Mrs Newing asked them to reflect on this learning opportunity. A recurring question was, “When can I do this again?”
Mrs Catherine O'Doherty
Head of Junior School
