Teaching and Learning

Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.

Brene Brown

Brene Brown is a research professor who has spent the last two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. As I reflect on our collective efforts in Term 2, I am aware that many of us – as parents, students, and teachers – have felt vulnerable to the rapid change around us. No one was prepared for the global pandemic; no individual could have anticipated what living in ‘unprecedented time’ would feel like and be like. And yet, we have as a College worked through eight full weeks of continuous Remote Learning and in that time, we have experienced some amazing new ways of thinking, working, and doing life together.

Today I would like to say thank you.

Thank you to the amazing team of expert teachers that I work alongside here at The Hamilton and Alexandra College. You have shown commitment to innovation and best practice during this last term. You have adopted technology out of necessity but played with it like professionals, proving that as a tool it can enhance teaching and learning.

Thank you to our students, who have added words like flexible, innovative, and responsive to their list of key attributes. This term has been an opportunity for many of our students to step up and take responsibility for their learning, build confidence to study independently, manage their time and monitor their use of technology. They have been able to prioritise self-care and their own physical and mental wellbeing. Throughout this time students have remained connected to one another and have learned to build and extend relationships in an online world.

Thank you to our parents who have embraced their children, cleared out spaces at home for study, juggled their own work life demands to be more present and available to oversee the continuous remote learning at home. Your regular feedback and support of each new movement on the RLP journey has been welcomed by our staff. We could not have delivered our academic program to our student body without the commitment and confidence of you, our parents.

The recent disruption to our ‘normal’ way of learning made many of us feel ‘vulnerable’ as change encroached from every side. But our students and teachers were able to experience deep and independent learning in the face of such change. The challenge for us as a College is to move forward being open and prepared to weave this new knowledge into our future practice. And my hope is that we will see much innovation, creativity and positive change for our students.

Teaching and Learning News: End of Term 2 2020

Learning enhancement and support: Fran Agar who heads up the learning support program at the Senior Campus will be on long service leave in Semester 2. The College welcomes Mrs Erin Parker who will work alongside Mrs Valetta Bolton to continue delivery support to our students.

Mrs Parker can be contacted on: eparker@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au

VCE Subject Selection for 2021

Thank you for the students and parents who have visited the VCE Information TEAM and explored the course overview videos and VCE Curriculum Handbook. Year 11 students submitted their subject selection online this week. A reminder that current Year 10 students will need to submit their course online by the end of Week 1 Term 3, 2020. Each student will have the opportunity to attend a course interview with Head of VCE Studies, Head of Careers and a parent/guardian. If you have any questions, please contact:

Mrs Bonnett Head of VCE Studies: rbonnett@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au

Mrs Louise Manifold Head of Careers: lmanifold@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au

Mrs Susan Bradbeer

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning