Year 7-9 Learning Community 

90 students + 9 staff + 160 acres of stunning natural bushland in the Macedon Ranges = a whole lotta fun!

On Wednesday 29 March two bus loads of excited Year 7 students and teachers set off to spend two nights and three days at the adventure camp run by PGL at Campaspe Downs.  We had two major goals in mind.  The first one was to become better acquainted with one another and to spend time outside the classroom mixing, mingling and building relationships.  The second goal was to expose ourselves to situations in which we’d be best placed to practice our Term 1 focus of ‘Growth Mindset’.  I am thrilled to report that we smashed both our goals and the camp was a huge success!

Over the three days, both staff and students pushed themselves physically and mentally to conque a series of challenges including riding the giant swing, climbing the tall caterpillar, canoeing, and swinging on the possum glider.  Before each activity, students were asked to set a goal for themselves to achieve.  Many students smashed their goals and used their growth mindset strategies to push themselves just that little bit further – more often than not surprising themselves at what they could do.

We participated in other activities during camp that encouraged students to work in teams to accomplish tasks, solve riddles and compete with other groups.  It was during these activities that both staff and students learned to trust one another, communicate and cooperate – all fantastic skills to bring back to the classroom!

During the day the groups of students rotated through the different activities and then after tea PGL staff ran extra activities to really ensure we collapsed into bed exhausted both nights.  It was during one of these evening activities (I think it was during an infamous activity requiring students to throw their whiffy shoes around the room) that staff got to talking and comparing stories from our own experiences at school camps.  As we discussed our own antics and childhood camp experiences we reflected on just how special it was to be a part of this cohort’s memories to last their own lifetimes.