English 

As we pass the halfway point of Term 4, the English faculty look forward to spending the remaining weeks of the year assessing and celebrating the achievements of JFC students in 2020. 

In particular, we would like to congratulate the Class of 2020 on their completion of the VCE English exam that took place on Tuesday 10th November. We are proud of the way you have conducted yourselves during this particularly challenging year and wish you all the best now that you have completed your high school English education. 

This term, the English curriculum from Years 7-10 examines texts which explore the way humans from all walks of life can overcome struggle to improve themselves, their circumstances, and their wider communities. The texts explore homelessness, poverty, racism and prejudice, but all contain a similar message: people are capable of incredible growth when they show resilience in the face of conflict. 

The Term 4 text list includes:

Year 7: Holes by Louis Sachar

A wrongfully convicted boy is sent to a brutal desert detention camp where he joins the job of digging holes for some mysterious reason.

Year 8: The Pursuit of Happyness directed by Gabriele Muccino

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.

Year 9: When Michael Met Mina by Randa Abdel-Fattah

When Michael meets Mina, they are at a rally for refugees - standing on opposite sides.

Mina fled Afghanistan with her mother via a refugee camp, a leaky boat and a detention centre.

Michael's parents have founded a new political party called Aussie Values.

They want to stop the boats.

Mina wants to stop the hate.

When Mina wins a scholarship to Michael's private school, their lives crash together blindingly.

Year 10: 

What's Eating Gilbert Grape directed by Lasse Hallström

A young man in a small Midwestern town struggles to care for his mentally-disabled younger brother and morbidly obese mother while attempting to pursue his own happiness.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 

A nomadic farm worker looks after his dimwitted, gentle-giant friend during the Great Depression.

We expose our students to these stories in the hope that they can be inspired to think creatively about the problems which they encounter in their lives. Students are able to empathise with people from circumstances, cultures and times different to their own. It is our hope that students understand that the stories of all people, regardless of their race, socio-economic status or gender, are valuable and contain important lessons from which we can all learn. We hope that students draw on these stories for inspiration in the face of hardship. Mostly, we hope that our students use their voice to tell their own stories, share their knowledge and express their opinions.

As we head into the final stretch of 2020, I encourage all students to maintain their focus and actively engage in their studies in English. They should use these final weeks to refine their skills and consolidate their knowledge before heading into 2021. English teachers will be using the assessment tasks from this term to determine their progress for the year, so it is important that students continue to complete all tasks to the best of their ability.

Once again, congratulations to all of our students on their progress this year despite the difficult circumstances. The teachers of JFC have been thrilled to have our students back in classrooms and the school alive and buzzing with activity again!

English Domain Leader