Academic Excellence 

ULTRAWILD!

On Thursday 28th November, our Year 8 and 9 SEAL students were invited to in a workshop with Steve Mushin, award winning industrial designer and inventor.

The day commenced at the Bluff Road campus in the auditorium, where Steve explained his background, who he is and what he does for a living. He told students about his engineering design projects and how his book – which aims to solve big issues by “re-wilding” the earth – came about. Students were enthralled as he described ideas that he had generated with scientists to solve perplexing problems - like how to make bikes fly or how to make cities transform into jungles as fast as possible. He explained how quickly technology had progressed in the past 100 years and posed the question around what life might look like 100 years from now. Students learned that some of the 'crazy' or ‘futuristic’ ideas are already being piloted and that technology is developing so rapidly that all of Steve’s inventions were scientifically possible.

Students began to engage in complex thinking about global issues – particularly around sustainability and climate change - by considering some of the big problems facing our society. They were encouraged to imagine what inventions could be created, and how technology could be harnessed, to solve these issues. 

Then, students relocated to the large open spaces in our discovery centre and Steve took them through a series of rapid design sketching exercises and demonstrated 3D drawing techniques. In this session, students developed ideas on how to ‘rewild’ cities and pitch their ideas to the class. Steve was thoroughly impressed with the ways our high ability students could harness their imagination, generate possibilities, and brilliantly articulate their design concepts to their peers. 

The final part of the workshop was model-making, where students took their ideas and rough sketches and turned them into models, using simple cardboard and hot glue. Things got messy and the creativity was dialled up a notch! Students produced wonderful work and at the end of the workshop,  Steve invited some students to present their models to the class, drawing on design language to explain their finished work. 

This is what they had to say:

I found the incursion interesting as the ideas Steve presented to us seemed crazy and unbelievable. Steve's inspiration and hope for the future environment made us feel empowered to help make change. Later in the day, we made models of our crazy ideas that we jotted down in 15 seconds! I made a balloon that you put in food and plant waste into, so that it turns into compost to spray in your back yard. There were so many amazing designs, some of which include a bird that could save baby animals by Lily Prentice, a flying device that waters dying grass by Anya Killick and, Franklin Meng who created a system for humans and animals to walk together. Overall, it was an inspiring day where we got to think outside of the box. 

- Charlotte Cowen

In this incursion, we explored the idea of rewilding the world and coming up with sustainable ideas no matter how far-fetched. After we came up with the ideas, we were able to construct them and bring them to life. Everybody had such great ideas, and I decided to create a machine where carbon dioxide could be converted into oxygen. The incursion was so much fun!’

- Kaitlyn Carstens

Special thanks to Steve Mushin for inspiring our SEAL cohort, and to the supporting Sandringham staff who fostered student creativity and supervised the practical workshop.

HEADSTART in the SEAL PROGRAM

Introducing the SEAL teachers for 2025: 

All teachers in the SEAL program are deeply committed to educating high-ability students and continually enhancing their expertise in teaching within gifted classrooms.

In early 2025, these teams will collaborate to deepen their understanding of high-ability education, share best practices, and refine their approach to designing engaging and rigorous curriculum for their students. Staff will continue to operate within our pedagogical framework, focusing on teaching strategies that empower SEAL students to expand their perspectives through real-world applications, strengthen literacy and numeracy skills, foster a sense of agency, and build meaningful connections to transfer knowledge across disciplines. We are fortunate to have such a wealth of expertise in this program, and I thank the 2024 teachers for this year, and extend my gratitude to the 2025 teams who will continue in their work to support our SEAL students in their academic endeavours. 

Change and the brain of a gifted student 

It’s been a busy time as we finish the academic year and as students complete their HeadStart program. It’s been wonderful to see students embracing this change and striving to begin their new courses with curiosity and enthusiasm. Naturally, the notion of change can create anxiety in some students. Research has indicated that gifted students can experience anxiety in a different way to their peers due to their heightened abilities to process information. 

Students with high abilities often are ‘hyper-aware’ of their surroundings, possessing increased emotional processing. This is what makes some gifted students very empathetic and resilient during times of change but also means they may experience strong emotions when faced with the unfamiliar. This is not an either/or situation - these responses can occur simultaneously!

You might find your young person came home from school at the conclusion of HeadStart feeling extra tired or perhaps a little short-tempered. This is due to the wealth of new information they have been experiencing and processing during the school day. Staff have worked tirelessly to support students as they undergo change. For instance, to support Year 8s and 9s in their transition to Year 9 and 10 at the Holloway campus, there have been familiar members of staff move with them and they have the same access to wellbeing staff and various teachers. 

As students located new classrooms in different buildings, navigated changing social dynamics and established new networks, they were also forming new neural pathways as they began to explore different subject matter and new concepts. One significant advantage to a program such as HeadStart is that students are prepared for the new school year and the level of things 'unknown' is reduced, so they can return in 2025 with a clear understanding of the new routines, ready for academic success. 

An opportunity to build resilience

Perhaps most fascinating is research that indicates gifted students can thrive in times of change as they build resilience. Students will high abilities often have a unique set of characteristics and cognitive skills that prepare them well for periods of transition. These can include: task commitment, enthusiasm for learning new skills and content, an ability to use their imaginations (which means they can consider various possibilities when in a state of flux), a sense of self control, and the ability to reflect thoughtfully on their new experiences.  Parents can encourage this sense of resilience by talking through any issues, supporting students to problem-solve, and encouraging children to take responsibility for the ways they approach and adapt to new circumstances. This enables student agency and reinforces the idea that students are highly capable of navigating their way through periods of transition. 

As your child finishes the HeadStart program, talking to them about their experiences can strengthen bonds, as well as normalise any anxiety and help foster that sense of resilience as they move forward. We look forward to seeing everyone back in 2025.