Junior School
Pursuit of ‘Excellence’
The pursuit of excellence can be found around every corner in the Junior School. It is behind every door I open and every room I walk into; every class I pass by; it is on every field being played on; every music rehearsal room being occupied; every meeting I sit in on; and every discussion I am fortunate to be included in.
Yet it is an unfortunate reality of our ever more competitive and comparative world, a world that is a direct product of a society where social media and constant communication that is largely not-face to-face exists, where if one fears they (or theirs) are not ‘the best’ then they (or theirs) are missing out, and therefore, will not ultimately triumph.
It is easy to fall into the trap of making snap judgements about children, in a finite and matter of fact way, rather than acknowledging that one’s childhood is a process of growing, changing, and becoming.
The reality that those who can appreciate the notion of a child’s holistic educational journey and development understand to be true, is that it is vitally important for us to see excellence beyond the ultimate number one, ‘on top of the pile’ type of scenario. It is possible to be excellent at each level of our current stage, and that excellence is as much about attitudes, behaviours, and interactions as it is about academic outcomes and learning progressions.
In fact, even more important than ‘being’ excellent, is seeking excellence, in all that we undertake each day. One who is seeking excellence, understands that mistakes will be made, lessons will be learnt, and that those lessons, when dealt with carefully, thoughtfully and with consideration, lead to improvement and eventually, with persistence, excellence.
Throughout the course of Semester 1, I have seen the pursuit of excellence everywhere I look, and it is this pursuit that I value most highly. It is in our students and our staff, as I watch the learning process in action. As the first half of the year draws to a close, I encourage all parents/carers to celebrate that incremental improvement towards excellence that our boys are making, in all of its forms!
Year 6 Powerhouse Museum Excursion
Last week, the Year 6 students visited the Powerhouse Museum to explore different exhibitions linked to specific units of work which have been taught in class so far this year or are due to be covered in Semester 2. The boys were enthralled as they investigated topics related to Earth and Space, climate solutions and forces. They even studied the experimentations hall which provided students with hands-on examples of technological breakthroughs that have changed many of our ideas about everyday phenomena, such as sound and light waves.
Below are a number of student reflections written by selected boys from each of the Year 6 classes about the recent excursion students participated in.
Anthony Malek (6 Black)
The Powerhouse Museum was an excursion the Year 6 boys thoroughly enjoyed. Although the day started off with our bus arriving late, we soon excitedly arrived at our destination. To begin with, we had a chance to explore some of the amazing exhibitions that were on display in the museum. We then broke off into smaller groups and had a tour guide teach us about some of the more fascinating collections housed in the museum such as the Catalina flying boat and how it operates. Following this, we looked at other amazing areas and much to our delight, we studied what it was like to live in a ‘zero gravity’ environment. We all thought we would end up floating it the air, but thankfully the room only had the interior of a spaceship rotating around us. To end our exploration of the museum, we had lots of fun in the experimentations room where we investigated various interactive exhibits related to everyday phenomena such as sound and light waves. This part of the day was my favourite experience because we had the opportunity to play with an ‘electricity ball’ that would generate tiny electrical shocks! Overall, I had a great time during the excursion and will never forget the experience.
Thomas Petracca (6 Blue)
We visited the Powerhouse Museum last week. We had the chance to interact with our fellow classmates on a noisy, but entertaining bus ride to the city! We learnt more about the Catalina flying boat, the most powerful rocket engine ever, and also how astronauts live in space. We were lucky enough to also access the experimentation room, which was filled with intriguing activities for us to participate in. The electric globe, which allowed energy to be transferred from one person to another was extremely interesting. My favourite part of the day was learning about how astronauts’ function without the aid of gravity while exploring space!
Noah Richards (6 Gold)
The Powerhouse Museum, with its vast collection of artifacts and interactive exhibits, is an educational destination that enlightens you about the world of science, technology, and design.
Stepping into this remarkable institution and hearing the jaws drop of the fascinated boys reminded me of how lucky I was to be a proud St Patrick's College boy and have the chance to go on this excursion. All of us were waiting eagerly for what the day would bring. Throughout the excursion, we were split into groups and led around the huge building.
My first and favourite exhibit was the Catalina flying boat, which was an amphibious aircraft. From vintage steam engines to zero gravity machines, the museum showcased a diverse range of objects that have had a significant role in shaping our society. The interactive displays also allowed us to engage with scientific and technological innovations. Sharing lollies with mates and making moments where we laughed until our bellies hurt was unforgettable. It was a delight to learn a wide range of facts in a fun and simple way and I highly recommend others to visit the Powerhouse Museum as it offers a memorable journey for curious minds of all ages.
Christian Azzi and Anthony Petrino (6 Green)
6 Green had a wonderful experience at the Powerhouse Museum. We started off in the interactive room. It was cool because whatever you did, the screen would copy your moves. Then we went in the electricity room where we got a chance to try all sorts of things that required electricity. Some of our favourites were the electric chair and the static plasma ball. Whenever we laid our hands on the ball it would light up and react. Then we went into the most interesting room…the space room! We got to experience what it was like inside the International Space Station including looking at the old rockets and rocket engines. Our next stop was the steam room. This is where we got to see all the old train features including the old music player and old steam engines. In that room, we also saw the old horse carriages. We then finished with looking at all the old trains and the train timetables. We never could’ve guessed what a train timetable looked like back then! This is why 6 Green had a great time at the Powerhouse Museum as we all got to learn and experience something new.
Benjamin Donna (6 Orange)
Last week, students in 6 Orange, 6 Green and 6 White had the privilege of attending an excursion to the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. This excursion took place to enhance and expand our knowledge on topics such as space travel, everyday experiments, and aviation. To begin the day, we were allocated a tour guide and first visited the spectacular replica display of the Catalina flying boat, which was used in World War II. We were then asked questions about the different parts of the plane and how the Catalina would be able to take off in the water. This was a very helpful activity that assisted us in expanding our knowledge of aviation. After this, our tour guides led us to the magnificent exhibition on space travel. This display was very interesting and gave us an insight into the everyday lives of astronauts. We were able to learn about the first people who went up into space and the ‘space race’ battle between the Soviet Union and United States. Soon after, everyone was able to explore the steam engine and electricity displays at the Powerhouse Museum. This provided us with some very interesting facts about the history of steam engine usage, and students were also able to partake in different hands-on activities by using physical movement to generate electricity, among many other experiments. These practical tasks helped us to expand our knowledge in an engaging way. This was a fun and enjoyable way to finish off our day, and we all had a blast in this room. Soon afterwards, our magnificent day was sadly over. We all had such a good time and were all extremely thankful for this opportunity.
Maximilian Catalano (6 Red)
Our day started off with a meeting in the Powell Pavilion and then the four classes attending were split up into groups before we boarded the bus. The ride took about 45 minutes, and it was great talking to our mates and the teachers. Throughout our excursion to the Powerhouse Museum, we were presented with amazing pieces of history and exhibits about a variety of different topics. One such display was the Steam Revolution exhibit where we learnt about the use of steam engines during 1750 - 1850, and how the use of engines and modes of transport have changed dramatically over time. We then experienced the interactive exhibit called The Lab before taking a step inside the educator-led program where we got to see the Catalina flying boat, which is a massive war plane that was regularly used during World War II. We also learnt about the race to the moon and even viewed the Lunokhod 2 Rover, while also experiencing what a zero-gravity chamber looks like. We were very grateful for all the St Patrick’s Junior School staff for making this amazing day possible. This excursion was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I am extremely lucky to have experienced.
Zach Charlwood (6 White)
The Powerhouse Museum was a wonderful place to discover lots of different things! Even though it was a long bus drive to the city it was still enjoyable because we could just talk to our friends. At first, we were guided by an employee of the museum. We learnt about different materials used to construct rockets, how astronauts survived in space and what it was like to live in a ‘zero gravity’ environment. We also studied the Catalina flying boat which travelled at a top speed of 314 kilometres per hour! Furthermore, we learnt about steam trains, how they worked and what the steam does when it is being processed. Finally, we explored the hologram and experimentations rooms! There were so many interactive experiments to have a go at which we loved trying out, especially those that taught us more about electricity. The excursion was fantastic, and it should definitely be a yearly event for students to attend!
Finally, I look forward to seeing those Junior School parents/carers who are able to attend the upcoming Parent/Teacher Interviews that are being held later this week in our classrooms.
I trust that all boys and their families will enjoy a relaxing break over the holiday period before students return to school for the second half of the year on Monday, 17 July.
If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (glenn.stephenson@spc.nsw.edu.au) or phone (8705 9247) and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.
May God bless you,
Glenn Stephenson
Director of Junior School