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FUTURE OF LEARNING
CHURCHILL FELLOWSHIP
In 2017 Desilee Tait, Loreto Kirribilli’s K-12 Gifted & Talented Coordinator, was awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship. Churchill Fellows have the opportunity to travel overseas for four to eight weeks to explore a topic or issue they are passionate about. In Desi’s case, her project was to ‘Research and deliver a direct and positive impact on high potential students across Australia’.
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In February 2022, Desi presented a summary of her trip via Zoom to an audience of 200 future Churchill Fellows. “The audience was interested to hear about the application process, what a fellowship means, and how it can change your life,” explained Desi.
Desi’s presentation focused on her research, and how it has been implemented on her return. In her travels Desi visited the ‘rock stars’ of education in Singapore and the United States. “Something surprising that happened on my trip was meeting influential researcher and educator Dr Ron Ritchhart, famous for his work in ‘visible thinking’,” enthuses Desi.
“On my return from my Fellowship, I have implemented some of the things I learnt from being in experts’ classrooms. Most importantly is the crucial role of Professional Development for teachers catering for the high potential student. In conjunction with large group Professional Development, there is the need for a program of coaching for teachers.”
Desi concluded her talk by thanking her mentors, including Loreto Kirribilli Principal Anna Dickinson, Chair of the Loreto Kirribilli Board 2016, Kathryn Greiner AO (Callaghan ’64), Trent Zimmerman MP, and Janet Freeman, Trustee Mary Aikenhead Ministries.
AIS COMPASS WELLBEING INITIATIVE
Our whole school wellbeing working party, representing both Junior and Senior Schools, attended the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales (AISNSW) Compass Network meeting, hosted by esteemed educator and applied researcher, Professor Donna Cross. The session focused on strategies to improve social and emotional learning and wellbeing for students and staff. This is the first session of a 12-18 month professional development program entitled Compass: Navigating Whole-school Wellbeing, designed for independent schools to review and renew whole-school wellbeing.
