Message From The Principal, 20 April 2018

Dear Parents

It was wonderful to see the students return in high spirits following spring break. We have had a highly productive week and I very much enjoyed the final of the interhouse debating won by Wilberforce in a very close contest with Da Vinci.

Given we are at the start of another term I would like to share some thoughts about students and their approaches to learning.

All students have their own individual learning style. Techniques that work for one will not necessarily work for another. Aptitude is clearly an important factor in how well a student achieves but it is not the only important factor.

I like to tell the students that “I Can” is more important than IQ. By this I mean that if a student accepts that it is their responsibility to master their coursework and puts the time required to do this then they will inevitably achieve well.

One of the biggest challenges parents and teachers face is teaching our young people that learning is not about a series of tasks that need to be completed. Even students who do not achieve well are often kept busy performing tasks.

Successful students on the other hand persist until they have mastery, they seek to understand and apply not to merely complete and in so doing are compelled to seek help when they cannot master something on their own.

At the start of every term it’s important to take stock. Our exam class students had a lot to do over the break and should review their routines to ensure they are ready for the last push. Other year levels should focus on quickly re-establishing their study program and extra-curricular schedule to make a fast start.

Warm regards

Stephen