BIG PICTURE

 ACADEMY

A New Beginning 

The Year 9 Advisory members are now well under way with their education in the Big Picture Academy. Every Big Picture student begins their journey with a project titled “Who am I?”. The concept is that this introduces them to the design of the program and helps them to discover more about themselves to inform future projects of their choosing. 

Nakiah has discovered a passion for architecture. Darcy is interested in pursuing agriculture. Leverett, Keegan and James are keen to discover more about mechanics. Annabel is looking towards a career in the police or the military. Shelby is interested in exploring childcare.  

Students are exploring their lives in a range of ways including creating family trees, writing autobiographies, recording food and sleep diaries, creating self-portraits amongst many other things. 

A key part of the design is to complete three journal entries each week. So far some of the tasks have included writing an obituary of Shane Warne, an investigation into cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), creating a visual description of themselves and a creative writing task about an impending asteroid apocalypse. 

Big Picture students are also required to read at least three books over the year, one must be an autobiography in year 9 to connect with the Who am I? personal interest project. We are reading Tim Winton’s “Island Home: A Landscape memoir” together as a class and this will culminate in students writing a summary of the book and a review of their thoughts about it. 

This work is collated in their portfolio and some of this will be presented in an exhibition towards the end of term 1. 

Year 10 Big Picture Academy Advisory 

We've made a great start to the term, welcoming some new students to our advisory in Year 10. We are continuing to build a positive culture within the group, and we are all excited to achieve our dreams. We have designed our new room in D46 and the students feel like it is their home. Term 1 passion projects will be heavily featured in the students’ first exhibitions for the year which will be occurring in Week 10.  

Some of the projects our students are doing this term include:  

Keara (beautician), Talon (motorbike mechanic), Ella (author), Hannah (box braiding), Zara (Air Hostesses), Tahlea (Primary Teaching), Miah (Child Care for kids with disabilities), Megan (Mental Health), Justin (Fishing), Ellie (Beauty), Bella (childcare worker and midwifery), Tiarna (Law), Lorissa (music), Torah (primary school teaching), Abby (gymnastic instructor), Samuel (engineer) and Cassie (model).  

Proud moment for our class, Lachlan Murray is the first graduate in the class. He has obtained an apprenticeship in fabrication which is a goal of his. We will miss him. All the best champion. 

We also have some students heading out for LTI’s. Samuel Tedd is going to HMRI, Keara is scrapbooking and Tahlea going to Weston Public. 

The start of the year has seen students in the Stage 6 Year 11 Big Picture Advisory begin the Senior Graduation Portfolio which will involve them identifying their passions and interests which will involve them completing a Senior Thesis Project which will take over 12 months of their senior years to complete. 

On Wednesday, the 22nd of February students in the advisory participated in a Zoom conference in relation to the International Big Picture Learning Credentials. These credentials enable them to go to University, TAFE, Apprenticeship or obtaining a Traineeship. 

Nikki Ladas and Ann Hill from the Big Picture network spoke with students from years 10-12 for over an hour. Nikki is Kurri Kurri High Schools Big Picture coach and Ann Hill oversees the IBPLC framework and assisting students who are wishing to obtain University entry through the International Big Picture Learning Credentials. Ann will assist students in finding a university and organising an academic mentor to assist them in being accepted into university. Students using the credentials will have their learning linked to the 6 Learning goals assessment framework over the next two years. They are then able to seek a place in over 15 Universities across the country through this process. Big Picture Education has 100% success rate of Big Picture students applying for universities. 

Year 11 students are also beginning to organise a Learning Through Internship in a placement that they are interested in gaining further experience. This is a mandatory part of the Big Picture Academy and by participating in an LTI they experience the roles and responsibilities involved in this occupation. By participating in this valuable experience, this enables them to gain a mentor within the community which reinforces Big Pictures ‘One student at a time in a community of learners’. By building their ‘community’ students become real world learners. 

Meg Robson 

Year 11 Big Picture Academy Advisor 

Year 12 Big Picture Academy Advisory 

Welcome to Taylah Grainger – Year 12 Big Picture Advisor for 2022. 

Year 12 have started off Term 1 with their heads down, with lots of research and passion project work happening. We already have students out in the work experience field, with one of our students on an Electronics Placement, which is related to their project of building a Wall Dodging Robot. Year 12 have demonstrated leadership qualities by assisting with the fundraising efforts for the Year 12 Formal and assisting with leading our Big Picture Academy’s Town Hall. They are looking forward to finishing the term with their exhibitions to showcase their work they have produced this term. In the final year of their schooling, Year 12 are also working towards attaining the International Big Picture Learning Credential. This credential will provide them with opportunities and pathways to university, TAFE, apprenticeships and traineeships.  

Big Picture Academy - Senior Transition  

2022 sees the return of the students in the transition program. This year we have a Year 11 and 12 class with Mel Thomson as Advisor. The Year 12 Big Picture Education class are also sharing the space. After a big move at the end of 2021 we have a pleasant Advisory space, and we are all welcoming the changes that 2022 brings. Mel is pleased to see some of Transition students have gained employment and we wish them every success for their future.  

Sophie-Lee Craig has gained a traineeship at Rutherford Dental 

Lilian Roberts is working full time in the kitchen at Heddon Greta Hotel 

Ky Haggarty has gained an apprenticeship at Symo’s Carpentry, Weston. 

Learning Plan meetings were conducted via phone this term due to restrictions, but we are looking forward to welcoming parents back on site for exhibitions at the end of the term.  

Advisory activities have revolved around students connecting with each other and getting to know our new ‘family’. Mel has been busy assisting students with writing or update their resumes and assisting some students who are applying for apprenticeships. 

 It is with great pleasure that Learning Through Internships (LTI) and TAFE courses have commenced again and students are beginning to seek shadow days or ongoing learning in the workplace.  

Shane Connell has had a successful start to his LTI at Maitland Power and marine and Lilly Robinson is enjoying the Community Services EVET course at Glendale TAFE. 

Jennifer Sellers-Fogarty the careers advisor is teaching in the Transition class this year and students have been completing their work ready modules and learning about communication in the workplace such as writing cover letters.  

Students have created their 2022 Digital Portfolios and have begun showcasing their learning.  

Melissa Thomson (Senior Transition Advisor)