From the Deputy Principal - Head of Junior School

From Mr Coppin

Understanding the Point of Challenge

Last week our Hampshire House to Year 12 teaching staff once again had the opportunity to connect and learn with Kambala’s academic in residence Professor Ron Ritchhart.  

 

Ron Ritchhart, a Senior Research Associate at Harvard Project Zero, has dedicated much of his work to understanding how thinking routines can enhance learning. One of the key insights from his research is the importance of the "point of challenge"—the moment when a student encounters difficulty and must grapple with the material. It’s in these moments of struggle that the most profound and lasting learning can occur.

 

When children face a challenge, they are prompted to engage deeply with the content. They must think critically, make connections, and apply their knowledge in new ways. This is not just about finding the right answer but about developing the skills and mindset necessary to approach problems creatively and persistently.

 

Why the Point of Challenge Matters

 

Learning at the point of challenge is essential for several reasons:

  1. Promotes a Growth Mindset: Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset complements Ritchhart’s ideas. When children learn to embrace challenges rather than shy away from them, they start to see their abilities as something that can be developed through effort and persistence. This mindset is crucial for lifelong learning and success.
  2. Builds Resilience: Facing challenges helps children build resilience. They learn that it’s okay to struggle, make mistakes, and even fail. What’s important is how they respond to those setbacks. Over time, they develop the confidence to tackle increasingly difficult tasks.
  3. Encourages Deep Learning: Surface-level learning might help students pass tests, but deep learning—the kind that sticks with them—happens when they are pushed to think critically and engage with the material on a deeper level. The point of challenge is where this deeper learning is most likely to occur.
  4. Develops Problem-Solving Skills: Challenges often require creative problem-solving. When children are faced with a difficult task, they learn to approach it from different angles, try new strategies, and persevere until they find a solution. These are skills that will serve them well in all areas of life.

 

Supporting Your Child Through Challenges

 

As parents, it’s natural to want to shield our children from frustration and failure. However, it’s important to recognize that these experiences are valuable learning opportunities. Here are a few ways you can support your child in learning at the point of challenge:

  1. Encourage a Positive Attitude Toward Challenges: Help your child see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Praise their effort and persistence, not just the outcome.
  2. Model Resilience: Show your child how you approach challenges in your own life. Talk about the strategies you use to overcome difficulties and the lessons you learn from them.
  3. Provide a Safe Environment for Risk-Taking: Create a home environment where it’s okay to make mistakes. Encourage your child to take academic risks, knowing that they have your support regardless of the outcome.
  4. Celebrate the Process, Not Just the Result: When your child overcomes a challenge, celebrate not just the success but the hard work and determination that led to it. This reinforces the value of learning at the point of challenge.
  5. Engage in Reflection: After your child has faced a challenge, take time to reflect on the experience with them. Ask questions like, "What did you learn from this?" or "How will you approach a similar challenge next time?" This reflection helps solidify the learning and prepares them for future challenges.

 

Conclusion

 

Learning at the point of challenge is not always easy, but it is incredibly rewarding. By embracing these moments and helping our children navigate them, we are not only supporting their academic growth but also fostering the development of critical life skills. As Ron Ritchhart’s work shows, it’s at these points of challenge that our children truly become thinkers, problem-solvers, and lifelong learners.

 

Let’s encourage our children to face challenges head-on, knowing that these are the moments when the most meaningful learning occurs. Together, we can help them build the resilience, mindset, and skills they need to thrive in school and beyond.

Father's Day Breakfast Information for Parents (Preparation - Year 6) - Friday 5 September, 2025 at 7.30 - 8.30am

Dear Parents and Carers of Preparation to Year 6 Students

To acknowledge the special occasion that is our Father's Day Breakfast this Friday 5 September 2025 (7.30 - 8.30am) we ask all girls to wear full winter uniform (including tunic, blazer, yellow ribbons, polished school shoes and panama hat).

 

If your daughter has Sport/PE scheduled on Friday, please pack her sports uniform into her Kambala black sports bag for her to change into afterwards.

 

Upon arrival Junior School students are asked to take their bags to their  classrooms before attending the breakfast - the doors to both the Massie and EJ Watt Buildings will be open.

 

Students will say goodbye to Fathers at the conclusion of the breakfast.

 

Please also note, on street parking in the local vicinity will be very limited.

 

Thank you for your co-operation and understanding.

Preparation to Year 12 Father's Day Breakfast - Tivoli Lawn - Friday 5 September 2025

Junior School Semester 2 Parent Teacher Zoom Interviews - Monday 15 - Thursday 18 September 2025 - Booking Window Closes this Evening

Dear Parents and Carers, There is only one day left to make an appointment with your daughter's Class and Specialist Teachers for Parent Teacher Interviews. Online bookings close at 8.00pm Thursday 4 September. 

Click here to make a booking.

Kindergarten Swimming Lessons in PE begin Monday 8 September (Term 3)

Dear Kindergarten Parents,

 

It is with great excitement that I write to let you know that your daughter will commence swimming lessons during one of her PE classes each week from Monday 8 September.

 

KS - Mondays Period 3 

KU - Wednesdays  Period 4

 

These swimming lessons are part of the PE Curriculum and are aimed at assisting your daughter to build confidence and remain safe in an aquatic environment. Your daughter will be taught in small groups of approximately 6 – 8 students and each group will have their own teacher. Working in smaller groups allows the teacher to tailor lesson activities to the needs of the group.

 

* Important details to ensure your daughter is prepared for her first swimming lessons:

On the days when your daughter has her swimming lesson she should wear her PE uniform with her Kambala swimming costume underneath or bring it in her sports bag. All girls will also be required to bring a towel, swimming cap, goggles and thongs to wear to and from the pool and underwear for the end of the lesson. 

 

Kambala swimmers are now available at Outfitters however, if your daughter has another full piece swimsuit, she will be able to wear this but please be aware that she will require a Kambala swimming costume for the start of 2026. 

 

The Classroom teacher and/or PE teacher will walk the students to and from the swimming pool. After the lesson, the students will have a quick shower on the pool deck before being walked back to their classroom where they will change into their sports uniform under the supervision of the classroom teacher. 

 

If your daughter has had little experience in swimming, we would suggest additional swimming lessons at this early stage. The Tivoli Swimming School (at the Kambala Pool) offers a variety of programs to assist students develop their confidence and safety in the water.  For further details contact:

Tivoliswimming@kambala.nsw.edu.au     

 

We look forward to supporting your daughter’s development. Please email robyn_mcmillan@kambala.nsw.edu.au if you have further questions.

Year 4 Adopt a Koala

Dear Year 4 Parents and Carers, 

This term, Year 4 are learning about how the environment sustains the lives of people and other living things. They have been inspired to make a difference to endangered animals and will be ‘adopting' a koala through the World Wildlife Fund. 

 

The girls have been asked for a voluntary donation of $5 to be brought to school by Friday 5 September, 2025. The money raised will help wildlife carers and medical facilities care for sick, injured and vulnerable koalas as well as help to create safe wildlife habitat corridors. This experience will also enhance the girls' learning about endangered species for the rest of the term. 

Year 3 Sport Registration for Term 4, 2025- Soccer

Please click here to access all the information in regards to the Term 4 Sports Choice for Students in Year 3. 

 

Read the letter carefully as it contains information regarding the key dates for next term.

In Term 4, the Year 3 girls will play in a Soccer competition alongside Ascham and SCEGGS Darlinghurst. All games will be held on the Moore Park Synthetic Field, located on Lang Road Moore Park. 

 

Please note that registrations are due by Monday 15 September.