Teaching and Learning

Do you have an Apple iPhone? Perhaps an old iPod, iPad or Apple desktop computer or laptop? Steve Jobs was an American Business success story, a pioneer of the Apple computer and responsible for transforming telecommunication as we know it. Many of the students at our College would not remember a time without an Apple product. So fast has the technology changed and the  look and design of the products that we can lose sight of the fact for each new iteration of an Apple product there have been hundreds and thousands of hard conversations and lots of trial and error to perfect a new product; to innovate.

But real lasting change and innovation requires more than time, energy, and resources to find the new product or idea. It requires the ability for us to say NO.

Did you know that according to Anne Lamott NO is a full sentence?

NO is the opposite of yes. It does not mean maybe, perhaps, sometime soon.

NO shuts the door. No is final and it requires us to pivot.

As we embrace all the challenges and demands of teaching and learning in this final term of 2020, I would invite students to say NO to the many things that will demand their attention and be a distraction.

Say NO to the temptation to give up, put off or defer time to study.

Say NO to mindless hours wasting scrolling on the phone.

Say NO to checking the notification, the text message.

Say NO to NETFLIX.

Say NO to procrastination.

Say NO to those old habits of wasting time in the classroom.

For us to rediscover who we are as learners and show up ready to do our best we need to say NO to 1000 things. Innovation and lifelong learning are possible when we put clear constraints on how we do life at school, at work and at home. What if you could be the next Steve Jobs? What do you need to say NO to to bring about your vision?

Susan Bradbeer

Deputy Teaching and Learning

USNW Reach Tests

Start time 8.50 am – 10.10 am (Mentor time and period 1)

Friday 16th October: English

Monday 19th October: Maths

Monday 26th October: Science

Please note some room changes will occur to ensure that year levels are located together.

Students must attend with their laptop fully charged and a pencil and paper for working out.

Please check room changes in SIMON.

Susan Bradbeer