Teaching and Learning

Marie Curie, the scientist famous for her pioneering work on radioactivity lived in the early part of the 20th century. As a woman and a scholar, she challenged the norm and she worked hard. Marie Curie was committed to the pursuit of knowledge. She is known for saying: Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.

And whilst I agree with the sentiment, in the 21st century, I think learning requires curiosity about ideas and rigor around learning in depth, but equally we are called on to form connections with people and the world around us.

At college we are building curiosity, connection and character. We believe that being the best you can be is about academic learning, but also about the ability to connect and communicate with our local and global community.

In the last week I have enjoyed walking around the school and observing the learning taking place. The year seven students navigating their way around the learning tools on offer on their new laptops, the year eight students engaged in the fast reading of Steven Herrick’s ‘By the River’, a verse novel, the buzz of the year nine students returning from a week long City experience, the year ten students starting conversations about work experience and our VCE students engaged in private study in the Winifred Berry Library.

At the same time, other students are preparing to start their learning off site with our partners RIST or through Virtual Schools Victoria.

In the school mentor program, students are talking about how to support others in the community and how we can make a difference and serve those who are in need. All of these conversations go a long way in building a collaborative, creative and engaging community. We are proud that at college we are enabling our young people to be curious, form real life connections and develop character.

Mrs Susan Bradbeer

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning

VCE Studies

Year 11 and 12 students studying a Unit 3 & 4 Subject were sent a VCE Assessment Calendar this week. This document provides an overview of the formal assessment students can expect throughout the year. Please talk through this document with your sons and daughters and note times of the year where they have multiple assessments. I have suggested to students they should personalise the calendar for their subjects and print the document. Perhaps this could be pinned up in the kitchen or other prominent place in the home.

If you or your child have any concerns about upcoming assessments, please seek out their subject teacher or mentor to discuss.

Study Tip:

Research shows that the average student can’t study intensely or memorise information effectively in the same subject for more than 4 consecutive hours – even with 10-minute breaks every hour. Long and/or intense periods of study depletes the brain of the neurotransmitters it needs to transfer information to memory, so change subjects every 2 – 4 hours.

Mrs Rebekah Bonnett

Head of VCE Studies & Head of Science

2020 Year 10 Central Australian Experience Important Information for Parents

We are fast approaching the due date (see below) for the second payment instalment for this amazing experience. Could I please ask that those families still owing the first instalment also attend to that ASAP. We need to finalise our exact numbers for the two groups and hope to advertise what these groups will be by the end of the month, so meeting these deadlines is very important as we need to pay deposits for various aspects of the journey. If you have any questions or your child’s circumstances in regards to attending this trip have changed, please contact Dr Hirst at the school ASAP.

2020 Year 10 Central Australian Experience Payment Dates

Instalment 1 $700 was due on Friday 13th December 2019
Instalment 2 $700 is due on Monday 17th February 2020
Instalment 3 Remaining balance due on Monday 11th May 2020

Leigh Alexander

Director of Sport and Outdoor Education Programmes