Sport
Year 9 Outdoor Education Canoe Day
With the forecast of 30 degrees, the day took on a whole new meaning... in Semester 1 we had a cold day of 10 degrees and rain! 19 Year 9 enthusiastic students arrived early ready to paddle. A short bus ride to Jumping Creek Reserve saw us meet the instructors, gear up, pair up, and practise the basic strokes. A morning skills session followed by a capsize drill led to an early lunch.
After lunch we headed off on a journey through many rapids with a fast flowing and high water Yarra River. Each canoe patiently waited their turn to attack and safely manoeuvre each successive rapid!
The learning in the morning session ensured that there were no capsizes ... well done team! A few races, a bit of splashing and sightseeing of the natural environment soon came to an end just west of Warrandyte at Taroona Reserve.
All students learnt new skills, developed team work and explored their comfort zones. Our next trip is surf kayaking, walking waterfalls in Lorne and then on to some indoor rock climbing.
Well done to our Year 9 Outdoor Education class.
PETER TOREY, Year 9 Outdoor Education Teacher
Year 10 Skills For Life - Water Safety Workshop
At the conclusion of Term 3, students in Year 10 Skills For Life engaged in a Water Safety Workshop whereby they learnt key knowledge and practical skills linked to first aid incidents and major emergencies in aquatic environments, as well as practical strategies and techniques linked to how to help someone in trouble in the water.
Throughout this unit of work which focused on aquatic safety skills, students were introduced to a range of concepts linked to aquatic safety principles such as types of aquatic environments, different risks/hazards present in these types of environments, and risk assessment and management strategies in aquatic environments. This Water Safety Workshop was a summative practical experience to conclude this unit of work as part of this elective in order to give the students the opportunity to learn and develop practical life skills linked to water safety.
As seen in the photos attached, students had a fantastic day and enjoyed the opportunity to learn valuable theory and practical concepts delivered from highly experienced staff from the aquatics area at the Eltham Leisure Centre. Specifically, students engaged in a theory component whereby they learnt about the current statistics behind major emergencies in aquatic environments such as drowning rates and practical techniques such as how to perform a three-person spinal rescue using a rescue board, followed by engaging in a practical component involving learning how to perform basic rescues such as a throw bag rescue and how to maintain their own personal safety when rescuing a swimmer in trouble by using a ‘break-away’ method.
This day program provided the students with valuable life skills to help them keep themselves and others around them safe when engaging with bodies of water in environments with varying levels of risk.
These are just some of the fantastic experiences which build life-long skills that students at Eltham High School can receive by electing to undertake Year 10 Skills For Life as part of their Year 10 studies.
DYLAN MEDDINGS, Year 10 Skills for Life Teacher