Year 7 News

Congratulations to Mikayla Williamson

Mikayla Williamson finished 29th at the All Schools Cross Country at Bundoora Park. Mikayla completed the 3km course in 12:15, and her 29th place is a fantastic result, as a bottom age athlete in the U14 women’s event, up against a students from private and public schools from across the state. Mikayla also competed in the SMR Cross Country at Ballam Park and came 2nd which means she will now go on to compete at State cross country in the first week of term 3. Good luck!!

EPP workshop and team building

Year 7’s EPP and EPP+ students are around the corner of presenting their showcases based on their passions and ideas to change the world step by step. The 22nd of June, Friday afternoon, students were required to perform many difficult challenges, this enable them to think outside the box of what it takes to be a good team member. To complete these tasks, students needed to demonstrate the skills of communication, strategy, resilience, cooperation, teamwork and persistence. But what did these students do to accomplish such skills? Well let me tell you. They weren’t easy.

As students were welcomed into their workshop, settled and ready to work, their guides to success, Ms Bucher and Mr Dawson, introduced them to their topic for that afternoon - Teamwork. The first challenge our year 7’s faced was called the Human Knot. This is when students get into small groups and stand in a tight circle. Once they were in the position, they placed their left hand in the middle, then hold the first team members hand they touch. Then they repeat with the right hand. The first stage was to untangle or unknot their arms without letting go, so when they untangle their human knot students end up standing in a circle. They found this very difficult as one commented, “It was hard because we all tried to put all of our ideas together by yelling on top of all the noise, but it was difficult to understand one another.” At least one of the groups succeeded in this challenge, they worked together and for the help, there was one or two people who stood up and helped guide the group along. But when everyone thought the difficult stage finished, a new challenge came for a battle.

 With the same aim but using different strategies, students were faced with a new challenge. The downfall of this stage was they could not communicate! No talking at all. As they were a bit unsure if they could complete it, they were ready to face the new obstacle.  Once they were all set up, they began .Groups tried and tried but even when they didn’t succeed, they tried again. This time, most of the groups succeeded! They said, “It was easier as we put our ideas step by step. Pointing, head signals, it was a lot more easier to achieve than we expected.” As these groups had success, this boosted their confidence for the final stage of this challenge. The strategy was to nominate someone and only themselves had to guide the group to unknot the team. The guide couldn’t be part of the circle, and no one else could talk. How do you think they went? Well, this time, students didn’t find it easy as some people, who were nominated, found it difficult to see to find a way to solve this so they tried again. As these guides ponder of what to do, Ms Bucher and Mr Dawson announced the time, DONE. As an reflection of Challenge 1, students realize what needs to be done in a team so far. If no one talks or puts in ideas, the project won't go anywhere but if there is too much talking then no one is actually communicating properly. So once all the “Fun” was over, the students thought , once again Ms Bucher and Mr Dawson had one last task for these EPP and EPP+ students.

This very last challenge was to partner up, choose a listener and speaker and sit back-to-back. The listener has a piece of paper as well as a pencil. The speaker has a card in their hand. The speaker has to explain what to draw, BUT they can’t say draw a stem, draw a square. More like, at the top of your page, draw a line going to the opposite corner of the page, or something like that.The aim of this challenge was to demonstrate if people don’t use their words properly, sometimes the plan doesn’t go to work. Once everyone was set up, Ms Bucher and Mr Dawson, handed out the speaker’s cards, trying not to let the listener see. The card was a guitar, the speaker would be thinking, How in the world am i going to explain this? As soon as everyone got their card, they were ready to start. All you could hear is talking, talking , talking and a bit of yelling. Imagine what it would be like for the listener! Probably wondering what their partner is saying in all this racket! But when the first round was finished, everyone did really well! So close to what the card was! With that, they were all ready for the last round but the listener became the speaker and the speaker became the listener. This one was a Flower! The end result was really close for some people but you know what it was when you are halve way. This challenge was hard but good for the students to reflect what it takes to be a good team member.

With all these challenges, the Year 7’s realized what it really means to be a good team member. You need resilience, patients, cooperation, communication, strategy, resilience, persistence and team work. Everyone walked out with the strength they’ve discovered that afternoon. Ready to use these skills for their Showcase Projects.

                                                                                                                                Written by Leteasha Teao, 707

The third workshop that was held for EPP and EP+ students was based around how to make an effective team and how to work in an effective team. The students of 705 and EPP groups were part of two activities that took place to help all students of EPP learn about working together in a group.

The first activity that we participated in was a human knot, where we all had to make groups and then grab someone else's hand, then everybody would work together to untie the knot and make a circle. The human knot taught us to communicate and support each other when wanting succeed in reaching our goal, which in this case was untying our knot.

In the second activity everybody had to find a partner and sit back to back from one another. There was then a speaker and a listener, the speaker got an image of an object and had to instruct the listener to draw the object without telling them what the image was of. This task was difficult but many people were successful in drawing and guessing what the image was of. This taught students how to listen to other students and classmates, it also taught us how to trust each other. The class then went through many different skills that help build an effective team some skills were: Support, problem solving skills, collaborative skills and communication skills.

Overall everybody was taught how to create an effective team when working together and different skills that can be used in an effective team.                                           

Written by Emily Nation 707

Semester 1 Year 7 Awards Assembly

Deserving Year 7 students will be awarded academic achievement, academic growth and personal learning awards during this week’s assembly. These awards recognise the exceptional work of individuals in Year 7 who have shown not only outstanding achievements in their subjects but also students who have shown growth in their progress over the semester.  Well done to all Yr 7 students who have received awards. 

Lost Property

It is a timely reminder to all parents and guardians of Yr 7 students to check for lost property for misplaced items of uniform before the end of term.  The lost property container in the Year 7 MAX is full with unnamed school uniform items and other personal equipment.  Please ensure your child attends school with the correct uniform and their names clearly labelled on all pieces of clothing.