Connecting to Learning in the DP: ESS, Business Management

and Mathematics

Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS)

Moving into the future

Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) is a study of how we as humans interact with our environment and the global community; how we could, should or want to achieve sustainable practices through the careful balance of environmental action, economic policies and social wellbeing; a study that includes many charged debates, raucous laughter, feelings of despair and of hope; a study that shapes students into young citizens that will enter the world with new ideas and the energy to contribute to our global community in ways they do not yet see. 

This semester I had the pleasure of finishing the year with the 2021 ESS cohort and it was amazing to see how much they had all grown. I had taught many of the kids in this class during their MYP years and now, here they were, only weeks away from their exams and they were already trying to solve the problems of the world. While trying to teach the ins and outs of surviving their ESS exam, there were still debates over various environmental issues, critical discussions of world governments… and soil. Oh, the moans at the mention of the word, though I am still unsure why soil had become such a dirty word in this class.

At the time of publication of this newsletter, the ESS exams will be complete and I would like to thank the Year 12 ESS class for accepting me as their teacher through these final weeks, you were an amazing class and I hope that you get the chance to unleash the powers of ESS on the world in your own way and make a difference in the future. I would also like to thank other teachers, support people and parents as it is your presence in the background that has helped each and every student in this class complete their final year.

“I measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her fellow human beings.” ― Margaret Mead 

Felicity Robinson

teacher of DP ESS 

felicity.robinson@preshil.vic.edu.au

Business Management

During Term Four, Business Management students continue to engage with aspects of strategic decision-making in our unit "Financial Control and Management", focusing on sources of finance, costs and revenues, break-even analysis, final accounts, profitability and liquidity ratio analysis, cash flow and budgets.

Students were able to use their work with case studies and examples in their assessments. Their familiarity with the case study approach was important for a successful treatment of the pre-seen case study and of stimulus materials given in the examination paper conducted this term. 

Anthony Cavagna

teacher of DP Business Management

anthony.cavagna@preshil.vic.edu.au

Mathematics

Year 11 AA HL students have been studying calculus this whole semester. Calculus was invented by physician Issac Newton and mathematician Gottfried Leibniz separately in the 17th century. The word "calculus" is a Latin word referring to the small pebbles used for counting by the ancient Romans. Modern physics is underpinned by calculus, which enabled Issac Newton to calculate the orbits of the planets by using his theory of gravity. In the class, students recognised the importance of calculus after they had demonstrated the derivation of formulae they learnt in Year 10 measurement.

Robin Wang

teacher of DP Mathematics

robin.wang@preshil.vic.edu.au