Professional Practice at MLC School

Helene Schmidt (Year 12 French IB)

In Helene Schmit’s Year 12 IB French class, the atmosphere was alive with purposeful energy. Students were deeply engaged in rich comprehension tasks, and what stood out most was the way learning felt collaborative and joyful. There was clear success criteria on the board, and the simple act of ticking off completed learning experiences gave students a sense of progress and validation.

‘Turn and talk’ moments were rich with active listening and fluent language speaking, and Helene’s laser sharp hearing, a superpower which allows her to listen into multiple conversations at once, and warm humour created a safe space for ideas to flow. There were visible ‘a-ha’ moments, those sparks of insight that make learning memorable.

The carefully curated tense ‘cheat sheet’ was a hit, with one student declaring, ‘I’m going to stick this on my mirror!’ It was more than a tool; it was a confidence booster. Movement-based activities like chat stations kept the energy high; Helene continued to raise the stakes by adding new challenges which extended our girls and also brought excitement. The collaborative photo analysis task drew smiles and comments like, ‘This is good Miss!’ – a clear sign of engagement.

Even the brain break was purposeful: idiom practice gave students a burst of energy and renewed focus. Later, the image analysis activity invited depth and collaboration, perfectly aligned with slowing down learning to ascertain greater depth and detail. Students worked through steps together, building cognitive stamina and making meaning from visuals.

The synonym prompt was another useful touch, helping students consolidate vocabulary and make connections to word roots, especially when linking English and French origins, which sparked genuine curiosity.

The lesson closed with an exit quiz on Canvas, a purposeful way to check understanding and affirm progress. What truly made this practice shine was the harmony between structure and spontaneity: clear goals that anchored learning, scaffolds that supported challenge, and those unexpected sparks of curiosity that transformed the classroom into a space of discovery. It was a lesson where rigor met joy, and where every strategy worked together to keep students thinking deeply, moving purposefully, and feeling empowered.

Chapter Collective

Our Week 4 and Week 5 Chapter Collective, led by James Adams, High Potential Learning Leader, and Felicity Cassidy Powell, Science teacher, invited us to grapple with two big ideas: the complexity of High Potential Learning and the challenge of creating classrooms where thinking is the norm.

The Gordian Knot in Gifted Education

Gifted education is often described as a Gordian knot – complex, tangled, and resistant to quick fixes. The article highlights persistent challenges: inconsistent identification practices, lack of diversity and equity, and theoretical tensions around what ‘giftedness’ truly means. These issues are deeply interconnected, making them hard to resolve without systemic change. The authors call for clearer frameworks, stronger teacher training, and inclusive practices that ensure gifted programs serve all learners equitably. It’s a reminder that progress in this space requires both courage and collaboration.

The Thinking Classroom: Moving Beyond Passive Learning

Peter Liljedahl’s Thinking Classroom approach flips traditional instruction on its head. Instead of students sitting passively, they work in randomly assigned groups at vertical whiteboards, tackling rich, non-routine problems together. This method is built on 14 research-based practices designed to foster engagement, risk-taking, and deep thinking. By reducing anonymity and encouraging mobility of ideas, the approach transforms classrooms into dynamic spaces where students learn by doing, and thinking becomes the norm. While it originated in mathematics education, its principles are adaptable across subjects, offering a powerful model for active learning.

Why These Ideas Matter

Both pieces challenge us to look beyond surface-level solutions. Whether it’s untangling systemic issues in gifted education or creating classrooms that prioritise thinking over rote learning, the message is clear: meaningful change requires intentional design, equity, and a willingness to innovate.

– Amy Murphy
Director of Professional Practice