From the Head of Senior School

Getting intelligence right

There is a wonderful sense of purpose on campus this term.  Our students are excited to be in class learning and embracing new opportunities. Handball is once again in full force across the school and the laughter and banter that this simple activity provides is rather endearing. Not only are our sports in full swing but so too are our music ensembles, cattle team, TWIG group, chess club, musical, Cadets and Round Square initiatives. 

The opportunities for our students are clearly extensive but also quite deliberate. Each activity plays a unique role in creating a Kinross Wolaroi School graduate.

One of the things I love about Kinross Wolaroi is the opportunity for all students to find their ‘thing’. We have heard that some psychologists describe four different measures of intelligence:  

1. Intelligence Quotient (IQ): this is the measure of your ability for reading comprehension and solving mathematical problems, as well as memory and recall. 
2. Emotional Quotient (EQ): this is the measure of your ability to maintain peace with others; keep to time; be responsible; be honest; respect boundaries; be humble, genuine, and considerate. 
3. Social Quotient (SQ): This is the measure of your ability to build a network of friends and maintain it over a long period of time. 
   
   The most recent addition to these quotients is; 
    
4. The Adversity Quotient (AQ): The measure of your ability to go through a rough patch in life, persevere through difficult challenges and come out with an improved sense of understanding and reasoning. 

 I recently read an article that described the possible relationships of these measures: it explained that people who have higher EQ and SQ tend to go farther in life than those with high IQ but lower Emotional and Social rankings. A person of high IQ can end up being employed by a person of high EQ and SQ, even though the employer may only have what rates as an 'average' Intelligence Quotient.  

Your EQ represents your character; your SQ represents your charisma. 

The point of all this? It is important to give time to activities that help develop a student's EQ and SQ, as this provides the foundation to develop the others.   

AQ is the key to being able to navigate challenges and difficulties in our lives.  At Kinross Wolaroi we refer to this as Grit.  We love ‘gritty’ learners.  These students persevere, problem solve and work collaboratively when they are faced with obstacles, not only in the classroom but when they are learning a new piece of music in band, dealing with a difficult customer in TWIG or handling a new animal at Windermere.  

The diverse range of activities we offer allows our students to develop and explore each of these types of intelligence. Importantly, it gives our students the opportunity to work on areas of personal development that they feel may need to be strengthened.  

Our students are asked to identify and work towards goals each term with the guidance of their mentor.  This may include the goal of auditioning for the school musical, trying a new sport, improving the quality of their homework or classwork, or completing their first abseil at Cadets. Each new experience gives them the opportunity to develop these intelligences.   

Our Kinross Wolaroi offering creates opportunities for our students to develop their whole person, with the aim of encouraging them to become multifaceted human beings who can do things independently. We do not want to prepare the road for our children but prepare our children for the road.