Life and Learning at Dharma
A rich approach that supports students and teachers
Our teachers and staff are well trained and developed to support our integrated wellbeing approach that is founded on Buddhist principles, and our whole School follows the Australian Curriculum, with a strong focus on inquiry-based learning. Classes to explicitly develop Literacy, Numeracy, and Humanities skills and understandings are embedded in learning experiences throughout the day. As a school, we are well underway in our Science of Reading approach to support our students in their literacy development. We consistently score above the National Average in our NAPLAN results.
Each school day begins with an immersion to develop student Awareness, through our school’s Australian Dharma Curriculum. This important curriculum and scope of lessons is aligned to the Australian Curriculum General Capabilities and supports our teachers to guide the children to develop their understanding and practice of mindfulness, compassion, empathy, and universal responsibility. Teachers guide students through their daily learning program of Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Humanities, Health and Physical Education and Technology. Students move fluidly in and out of the classrooms to engage in ‘brain breaks’ and place based learning. Inquiry explorations are centered around the term themes of Social Harmony, Well-being, Cultural Diversity and Environmental Balance. Investigations are tailored to the developmental needs of each year level whilst also engaging student curiosity and interests to develop student led learning.
Weekly classes of Chinese language, Physical Education, Visual Arts and Performing Arts are timetabled with our specialist teachers. Performing Arts classes integrate Literacy and Music and culminate in a term 3 learning celebration performance. Visual Art classes support the term themes and develop specific artistic skills and experience in different media. Our Dharma Art Show in Term 4 provides our young artists a chance to exhibit their creative and technical skills to a wider audience each year.
Special event days are held regularly where students engage with each other
and the local community on key topics related to their learning themes.
The Lunar New Year Festival is a major celebration for children at our school in
Term 1 as our older Noble Guides students awaken the school’s own Dragon. Our senior students lead the whole school dragon parade as parents and friends bang pots and pans to bring in the Autumn change of season.
Daily program
Our daily program offers Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Humanities, Health and Technology.
Literacy
Literacy learning is infused into many areas of our learning day.
At the Daylesford Dharma School we have shifted our focus in our literacy program to draw on the current evidence to guide the way we structure our learning. This new approach in education is based on the body of evidence that draws on the understanding of the cognitive processes of how children learn. Reading research indicates that there are 6 key areas that need to be developed for proficient reading. These are often referred to as ‘The Big 6’ and include: Oral Language, Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension.
This Science of Reading approach embraces what is called Simple View of Reading. It requires us to base literacy teaching on evidence, rather than what we ‘think’ works or by following practices that have no evidence to support their effectiveness. Simple View of Reading starts from the premise that if kids can’t decode and have low fluency, then their comprehension is compromised. It’s that simple. Teachers who use this approach to teaching literacy are guided in how to use decodable texts, phonics and phonemic awareness through the early years. We also engage with comprehension in the early years which becomes a greater focus in Yrs 3-6. Continuing with integrating evidence based approaches to literacy as a whole school, we extend this also into our Spelling program. We use the Components of Spelling program to enable teachers to effectively use student data to guide planning that will improve student outcomes. In 2024 our teachers worked with Dr Tessa Daffern to deepen their understanding of this approach to teaching spelling in the classroom.
Our teachers are also guided by Scarborough’s reading rope that breaks down all the different components of both reading and comprehension. Teachers use this to ensure that all of these components are being taught and strengthened in their program. When we approach teaching literacy based on the brain science of how children learn versus how we think it is nice for them to learn, we have the opportunity to support students to move their learning into long term memory and understanding and experience success.
Numeracy
Our maths approach stems from a focus on creating a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and how they might apply to the world around us.
Lessons involve a mixture of explicit teaching, aimed at addressing specific needs of individual students as well as opportunities for students to explore mathematical concepts using visual and tactile materials or ways to apply it in context.
‘Number Talks’ are used daily in our classrooms to support mathematical thinking at all stages and to encourage strong conceptual understandings of patterning and place value. Maths experiences throughout the day support the development of four key proficiencies which include mathematical understanding, fluency, reasoning and problem solving. These proficiencies enable students to respond to familiar and unfamiliar situations by employing mathematical strategies to make informed decisions and solve problems efficiently.
Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of our teaching and learning process.
Assessment and Reporting combine to support students to achieve their best and to provide the basis for guiding further learning. It also provides an opportunity to inform parents about their childs’ achievement.
Children are encouraged to set goals related to their own learning needs throughout the semester and our student led learning conversation model provide opportunities for children to demonstrate the learning process related to these goals. Portfolios include snapshots of the whole learning picture ie, drafts, re-drafts, thinking processes (concepts maps etc) and published work.
Inquiry
Inquiry Learning integrates the areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Humanities, Technology, Civics and Citizenship and Health.
Children ask questions and delve deeply into the various aspects of the topic they choose to explore.
Students engage in four key themes across the year; Wellbeing, Social Harmony, Cultural Diversity and Environmental Balance.