Catalyst

What is 'Catalyst'? 

Informed by the Science of Learning and Science of Reading, Catalyst has developed excellent Principals, Leadership Teams and teachers in all Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn (CECG) schools through evidence-based professional learning programs, including our school, St Thomas the Apostle. 

Catalyst provides support for schools through high-quality resourcing in Curriculum – what we teach, Pedagogy – how we teach and Assessment – how we know. 

Catalyst provides professional learning for teachers in High Impact Teaching Practice and Systematic Synthetic Phonics. 

Why do we need Catalyst? 

Catalyst ensures every student in every classroom across the Archdiocese has access to high-quality teachers who deliver engaging and impactful lessons. 

Catalyst provides a consistent approach to teaching and learning across our Archdioceses, making the movement between schools in our system for teachers and students seamless. 

The teaching and learning approach is based on the best available research on how best students learn. Leveraging this research ensures our approach and the way we implement it in our classrooms provides the best possible learning outcomes for students. 

What does mean for my child? 

Catalyst ensures every student in every classroom across the Archdiocese has access to high-quality teachers who deliver engaging and impactful lessons. 

Catalyst provides a consistent approach to teaching and learning across our Archdioceses, making the movement between schools seamless. 

How will it improve teaching and learning outcomes for my child? 

Catalyst has been developed to provide your child with the very best opportunity to learn and thrive in a positive, safe, and supportive environment. Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn’s system goals are: 

• Every child is a competent reader 

• High Impact Teaching Practice is evident in every classroom. 

The teaching and learning approach is based on the best available research on how best students learn. 

Leveraging this research ensures our approach and the way we implement it in our classrooms provides the best possible learning outcomes for students. 

A key focus of Catalyst is on early literacy. Research has shown the importance of early learning to future academic achievement in later years. Our literacy focus for the early years (K-2) will provide all students with the foundational skills for future learning. 

Where can I find out more about Catalyst? 

How we teach at St Thomas the Apostle 

TAPPLE 

TAPPLE is a teaching strategy used to check for understanding during lessons, based on DataWORKS' approach to effective instruction. It stands for Teach first, where the teacher explains and demonstrates a concept clearly. Then they Ask a question to check if students understood the material. Next, students are asked to Pair share by discussing their answers with a partner, which encourages collaboration and thinking. The teacher then Picks a non-volunteer, calling on a random student to answer, ensuring everyone stays engaged. They then Listen carefully to the student's response, and finally, provide Effective feedback, correcting any mistakes and praising accurate answers. This method ensures all students are involved and helps teachers gauge how well the class is grasping the lesson. 

High Impact Teaching Practices (HITP) 

Low Variance Curriculum 

At St Thomas the Apostle, our teachers use Ochre CECG curriculum materials in Mathematics and English. This curriculum is low variance as it has a scope and sequence or a clear outline of specific content to be taught. Our teachers know what they are going to teach, the order that they’re going to teach it in and how. The instruction used in this curriculum has predictable routines that are used from day to day and week to week. The benefit for teachers means that their focus and mental energy is directed towards maximising student engagement. The benefits of a low variance curriculum for our students mean that every day they come into the classroom, they know what is going to happen. As a result, they can spend their cognitive energy focusing on learning.  

Cognitive Load Theory 

Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process and retain information. When students are overwhelmed with too much new information at once, it can be difficult for them to learn effectively. Teachers use a method called Explicit Instruction to manage cognitive load by breaking lessons into smaller, clear steps and guiding students through each one with examples and practice. A key part of this approach is Daily Reviews, where teachers revisit previously learned material to reinforce understanding and ensure students retain key concepts. This helps reduce cognitive load by strengthening their foundational knowledge before introducing new topics.