Wantirna College Newsletter

Middle Years

Digital Communication and Responsibility in the Cyber World

As we move into the holidays and students are at home more and spending more time online, we feel it is a timely reminder to share with you some of the important messages shared by Brett Lee, who came and spoke with our Year 8s at a Family Evening last term. 

 

These messages are designed to empower students to make good choices online, and show parents how to support them in doing this.  Despite playing such an important role in their lives, students do not necessarily understand the impact that digital communication and an online identity can have so it is important to work together to educate young people in developing this understanding.

 

Some of the key messages that Brett had to give to parents are listed below:

 

  • The cyber world is a great and safe world; it’s how people use it that creates issues
  • No program or app that a child wants to use is essential to their development; treat all programs as an added extra and a privilege
  • Encourage the use of technology in a public environment; issues are more likely to happen in private
  • Don’t be fooled into thinking that actions online are private or anonymous as they never are and nothing that disappears is ever deleted
  • Parents don’t have to be internet experts to help their children, only diligent, loving and sometimes strict
  • Parents should remember that sons and daughters need equal support and guidance online
  • Rules and boundaries are not necessarily about stopping children from using technology, rather it is about using it and avoiding all the bad stuff
  • Being an involved parent reduces the risk of potential issues
  • Online issues are not about technology, they are always about people
  • Online education should start the second a child types a key

Personal Best

A big congratulations to all of our Year 8 students that completed their Personal Best project presentations on Wednesday 31st August.  It was a whole day to celebrate the achievements of our Year 8 students, and they were so absolutely proud of how they had gone, but also of how those around them had gone in completing their ‘big, hairy, audacious goal’.  Below are some comments from students on how they found the Personal Best experience.

 

I thought of Personal Best as a great opportunity for you to show the areas that you are good at and to also show your interest in the things that you love to do. I chose to build the drift trike because it was something that I had on my mind that for when I first saw it I really wanted to build it and having Personal Best was an awesome opportunity to do it. I build the drift trike to show other people what I can do and to show how creative I am. I learnt about myself that I am actually able to present to my class and to overcome any worries about public speaking.

 

For the next year 8’s to come the best thing to do is to start thinking about what your would like to do before Personal Best starts so you get a head start for when you go to do it. Also do what you are really passionate about so do what you love doing.

Jordan Mulholland   8G

 

I thought of the program as a great way to show your passions and what creative things you can do that a lot of people don’t know about you. It’s a great way to boost your confidence and learn what you can do and learn about what other people can to.  For my Personal Best project I chose to practice a song and have the courage to sing in front of my class on a backing track. I chose this because my biggest passion is singing and I love performing but it’s also challenging because it was a hard song to sing and I was really nervous when I got up there to sing.  I learnt that I did have the courage to sing this difficult song in front of my class and that people really appreciated it.  I would tell the Year 8’s to just believe in themselves and don’t give up on what they have chosen, put yourself out there. Most of all DON’T LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE.

Olivia Walter 8E

 

I think the Personal Best is a great program. I know it shoed my many amazing things that I did and I never thought I could do. This program gave me the ability to do the best I could do without bad judgement from my peers. The idea of making a bookshelf came to me after talking to my parents about it. I wanted to make something great that I could use. I’ve always liked woodwork and books so I chose a chair-bookshelf. I uncovered many surprising things about myself during my project including how fast I am at learning to do woodwork and that I can be very patient when I want to be. The project was challenging but fun. I would tell next years Year 8’s to chose the most challenging project they can and stick to it, don’t change halfway through. It doesn’t matter if you are not good at doing your project yet that is why you do it, to get better at whatever you’re doing. Your should have a plan that you follow to get your project done.

Adele Hall 8B

 

Personal Best is a great program which challenges yourself to accomplish a goal bit or small. I chose to make a video game called haunted for my project and I chose it for my love of technology and coding. I learnt by doing the project that I can quickly understand how to use a program to make another one and I can write code and understand what I am actually writing. For next years Year 8’s, I would say push your limits. I struggled with this, but I kept pushing and accomplished my goal.

Isaac Lokot 8H

 

Year 7 Kindness Project

Our Year 7 students have recently started work on their Kindness Project. The project was launched at a recent year level assembly, where students heard from former school captain Micah Maglaya about her extensive involvement in community projects and why we should show kindness to others. In addition to this, 53 Year 7 students received Kindness Awards through nominations from their peers for consistently showing kindness to others in the school community.

 

The Kindness Project involves all of our Year 7 students carrying out an act of kindness in the local community. The only limitation that students face with their project is that they are unable to fundraise, which has encouraged students to think creatively about different ways they can show kindness. The planning of the project has occurred during mentor group time, however students need to action their plan in their own time, with many students planning to begin their project during the school holidays.

 

There has been an overwhelming response by the Year 7 students towards the Kindness Project, with all students setting themselves high expectations. We have over 90 projects that have been established in the cohort, with many students already approaching primary schools, local sporting clubs, animal shelters and local charities to offer their support. Some examples of Kindness Projects that are currently running in the year level include:

  • Volunteering at Salford Park
  • Soccer boot drive for local soccer club
  • Walk of Kindness
  • Collecting blankets and towels for animal shelters
  • Rainbow Day
  • Tinnies for Vinnies
  • Toiletries for the homeless
  • Donating items to local kindergarten
  • Operation Furries

Our students will continue work on their Kindness Project in term 4 and will present their projects to their peers during mentor group on October 26th. We wish them luck with their Kindness Project over the school holidays and can’t wait to see what they have achieved next term!

 

Courtney Fraraccio and Darren Hoogkamer

Year 7 Level Leaders