At the beginning of each school year, I draw the attention of staff and students to the following statement: ‘The limits of my language are the limits of my world.’ This assertion by philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein has become an important mantra at Mount Carmel and many teachers and students have come to appreciate its truth. The one hundred Year 7 parents and carers who attended our first literacy conversation last Wednesday morning, were also privy to this critical message.

Language shapes our understanding of ourselves and our world.  Literacy – the ability to use and interpret language – is fundamental to a student’s ability to learn at school and to engage productively in life beyond school. As well as fostering personal enrichment through literature, culture and social interaction, literacy provides access to material advantages through further education, training, and skilled employment. Conversely, low levels of literacy have negative effects on an individual’s psychological, economic, physical, and social wellbeing.

Parents are a vital part of the literacy learning process. Parent engagement in learning is known to lead to improved outcomes for students of all ages. The role of parents and other adult carers is therefore critical. The Mount Carmel Home-School Literacy Partnership program is a commitment to joint action in which parents and teachers work together to maximise student learning outcomes. This partnership recognises that parents and carers are the first and continuing educators of their children, that learning is life-long and occurs in multiple settings, and that schools and communities flourish when the diversity and strengths of families are valued and privileged. As part of this literacy partnership, Mount Carmel is committed to engaging with parents and carers to explore ways to support learning at home, offering development and training opportunities that bring teachers and parents together, and providing resources to support and facilitate home-based learning.

I look forward to working with parents and carers throughout the year and am confident this partnership between home and school will result in positive and beneficial outcomes for students, parents, and teachers alike.

Clare Murphy

English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach