SCHOOL NEWS
YEAR 12 THEATRE STUDIES PERFORMANCE
The Year 12 Theatre Studies class will be performing 'Jasper Jones' on Wednesday 2 May, Thursday 3 May and Friday 4 May (Term 2, Week 3).
It’s summer 1965 in the small, hot town of Corrigan, Western Australia. Overseas, war is raging in Vietnam, Civil Rights marches are on the streets, and women’s liberation is stirring...
Charlie Bucktin is a fourteen year old bookworm, a good boy who never puts a foot wrong. One night Jasper Jones, the “worst kid in town”, appears at his window. The events that follow flip Charlie’s world upside down...
Cost: Students $8.00 (15 - 18 inclusive). Adults $10.00 (18+)
Ticket sales are every lunch time this week at the Theatre (cash only) and are available by following this link:
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=365848
WARNING: This production contains strong themes and is recommended for those 15 and over.
CATERING FOR HIGH ABILITY STUDENTS
McKinnon offers an innovative curriculum designed to develop deep thinking skills, encourage creativity and personalise learning. Extension and enhancement opportunities are available as part of the classroom experience as well as part of a comprehensive co-curricular program. A college focus is investigating how to best realise the potential of our high capacity students.
In the past two years, McKinnon has privileged professional development that investigates models of differentiation to support planning for curriculum to address the needs of our diverse student body but especially target the needs of highly able students. Approximately 130 teaching staff have attended workshops on The Maker Model and worked in groups to develop differentiated curriculum and trial this in their classes. A series of Peer Observations monitoring the success of these trials was undertaken and staff met to share their experiences.
A key learning area initiative has been the development of tiered tasks and extension tasks across all curriculum areas. Learning areas are documenting ways to identify gifted and talented students in their subject area and develop strategies to engage and extent these students.
In 2017, the college participated in an action research project with Melbourne University to investigate strategies to help students achieve appropriate growth trajectories that reflect their learning potential. Teachers involved in this project undertook extensive professional development to gather information and practical resources focused on catering for high ability students. Areas investigated included identifying high ability students, targeting teaching strategies for these students, teaching self-regulated learning skills, writing assessment rubrics and using progressions to track student progress. This rich learning has been shared will all college staff and these strategies are now being embedded in our teaching.
Some of our teaching staff are currently undertaking work with the Education Faculty at Monash University to investigate the development of gifted potential. We look forward to sharing these ideas with all staff and considering how they may inform our practice in this area.
Harriet Barrow
Gifted and Talented Coordinator
PEER SUPPORT
Peer support was an incredibly rewarding experience for both Year 7s and Year 11 mentors. Year 11 mentors are able to closely relate to the Year 7’s experience of starting their secondary schooling journey, having gone through the same only four years ago.
Over the nine sessions, peer support proved to be a unique platform for students to learn skills that are not taught inside the classroom, in a supportive environment. These life skills such as resilience, assertiveness, decision making, problem solving and leadership equip every Year 7 to effectively approach their individual learning experiences and contribute to a positive school culture. The skills learnt over the experience are not only relevant now but will hopefully be applied in their future lives. Peer support leaders develop close bonds with their groups providing them with someone to talk to about any issues that might arise during their schooling that they might not feel comfortable talking about with other people.
Year 10s participate in two training days at the end of the year to workshop communication, group management, organisation and empathy skills in small groups and from there, can apply to become a peer support leader. I highly recommend applying to become a peer support leader or at least approaching the training days with an open mind to develop the life skills learnt during these sessions.
Myles Kelemen (Year 11)
This year, the Year 7s and Year 11s took part in a program called Peer Support. This program was set to give the Year 7s a chance to learn new skills and make new friends. Throughout this program, the Year 11s taught us about bullying and how to solve conflict, making friends, but most importantly they helped us understand what it is like being part of the McKinnon Secondary College community. Before this all started, I was excited and eager to start, and now as I look back on this amazing experience, Peer Support has definitely exceeded my expectations. There were 30 groups of approximately 12 students, so it was astounding how only around 90 Year 11s took charge of 360 Year 7s. My peer support leaders were Lucy, Estella and Myles, and I could not have possibly asked for more enthusiastic, funny and caring leaders. This experience has taught me how to help my peers if they are in a conflict and Peer Support has advanced my social skills. I have had a fantastic and extremely enjoyable time at Peer Support.
Bianca Sguario, (Year 7)
GOLDSTEIN YOUNG LEADERS BREAKFAST WITH THE HONOURABLE CHRISTIAN PORTER (ATTORNEY GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA)
On Thursday 15 March, a group of Year 11 Legal Studies students participated in the Goldstein School Leaders breakfast with the Honorable Christian Porter (Attorney General of Australia) at the Brighton Town Hall. Students had the opportunity to listen to both the Federal Member of Goldstein Tim Wilson MP and the Honorable Christian Porter discussing key issues facing our community and to ask any relevant questions.
Students’ reflections on their experience are below:
"The wise words given by both Tim Wilson and Christian Porter were very inspirational. We discussed the significance of Australia's affairs with other countries in relation to its security, as well as the relevance of technology in the contemporary education system.
Above all, Mr Porter and Mr Wilson left us with a longer lasting sense that we must strive for innovation in society, and push the boundaries of what is already known to us."
Daisy Assauw
Year 11 Student
“I thought this was an amazing opportunity and once in a lifetime experience as we got to listen to the opinions and experiences of those that lead our country. I learnt so much about our nation's issues and how I can get involved and become a possible future leader of this country and contribute to make it the best place it can be.”
Romy Greenberg
Year 11 Student
“We learnt about problems facing the Australian government and how technology is aiding the government and being used to oppose it.”
Diomedes Kyrou
Year 11 Student
"I found the event very informative and interesting. It was a great opportunity to be able to hear members of government answer our questions as well as provide us with their own opinions and views. Overall, I very much enjoyed the morning and would love to go again.”
Gizelle Sakr
Year 10 Student
Sophie D’Ambrosio
Year 11 Legal Studies Teacher