Melbourne Girls' College

Principal's Report

Learning @ Melbourne Girls' College

Last week I thoroughly enjoyed three days on the Year 10 Surf Camp with our girls and excellent Outdoor Education teacher, Amanda Lucas. We kayaked and surfed at Anglesea, Urquhart’s Bluff and Lorne. It was a joy to get to know the girls more closely and be out of the Principal’s office. Thank you to Emily, Petrica, Ruby, Amelia, Mikki, Lucia, Jess, Alexandra, Sophie, Victoria, Sophia, Grace, Courtney, Meghan, Lilly and Annie for making it so enjoyable. You all did really well standing up on the board, I intend to have more surfing lessons in January!

 

A key outcome of the Victorian “Education State” is the introduction of the new F-10 Victorian Curriculum framework.

 

An important aspect, which aligns with the 75 minute period model, is a reduction in the content to be delivered with the intention that schools focus on depth of study (engagement and application in concept based learning) rather than content breadth.

 

A significant change which aligns not only with our 2016 Wellbeing Program, but also the philosophy that wellbeing is everyone’s responsibility is that schools must design curriculum and assess students against four general capabilities. The capabilities are derived from the “Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians”. These are:

  • Critical and creative thinking
  • Intercultural understanding
  • Personal and social capability
  • Ethical understanding

Positive Psychology

Professor Lea Waters, Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology, Centre of Positive Psychology

 

Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne gave a positive psychology TED talk last month. Lea was our keynote speaker to start the school year on 28th January this year. Positive Psychology research underpins the 2016 wellbeing program.

Finally, what a fantastic win for Michelle Payne in the Melbourne Cup. She will go down in history as the first woman to win the race that stops a nation in 155 years. More importantly however, Racing Victoria CEO Bernard Saundry has sought a meeting with her, to discuss her experience and impressions of sexism in horse racing. Supporters of Michelle’s included the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission boss, Kate Jenkins, who has called for the industry that she suspects suffers from what she termed "deep-seated sexism" to be reviewed. 

 

Karen Money

Principal

A reminder  of 2016 Timetable Arrangements