NEWS FROM
THE HEAD
MS J GILLICK
5 November 2009
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What would Socrates Say?
In his recent ASCD journal article focusing on ‘Teaching for the 21st Century’ (September 2009), Peter W Cookson Jnr (Professor of Educational Administration at Arizona State University) offered a challenge to Schools regarding how we see teaching and learning today and in the future. He wrote: My greatest fear about 21st century education is that Socrates’ humility will be turned on its head. The noted philosopher once said, ‘I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.’ My fear is that instead of knowing ‘nothing’ except the fact of our own ignorance, Google has given us the world at our fingertips, but speed and ubiquity are not the same as actually knowing.
Socrates believed that we learn best by asking essential questions and testing tentative answers against reason and fact in a continuous circle of honest debate. Cookson proposes that we need to approach the contemporary knowledge explosion in just that manner, otherwise the great knowledge and communication tsunami of the 21st century may drown us in a sea of trivia instead of lifting us up on the rising tide of possibility and promise.
Educators are immersed in debate that includes an argument between advocates of the benefits of constant connectivity - that we learn best through data collection without the burdens of judgement and discernment and the opposing view that the current growth of incessant communication is really a complex manifestation of miscommunication that does not lead to intellectual growth at all. Cookson explores the debate and concludes by answering the question: What Would Socrates Do? and his answer captures the thinking underpinning significant elements of our approach to the teacher/student relationship and to future possibilities through the creative use of information communications technology. Cookson replies: Socrates did not teach in a conventional classroom; his classroom was wherever he and his students found themselves. His was the first ‘personal learning network’, and he taught with the most enduring tool of all time - the purposeful conversation. He called himself a citizen of the world because the questions he asked were universal....I think Socrates would embrace the new learning era with all the energy he had. We need that same embrace today to move beyond the false dichotomies and tired education disagreements and to engage joyously with the future. Parents and teachers obviously play a vital role in teaching through ‘purposeful conversation’. |
Acknowledgment to:
- Ms Elisabeth Nagel for her long association as weaver and teacher at Sturt, highlighted at the recent day-long celebration held in conjunction with the current exhibition Threads of Influence;
- Evening With… presenters for their inspirational talks to Year 11: Ms Kirree Jenkings (1999) who spoke on life as Landscape Architect and Mrs Trisha Dixon (1971) who spoke about garden/landscape photography;
- The Frensham Gymnastics Team which was placed 3rd in Division 3 and 14th overall at the recent IGSSA Gymnastics Competition;
- The Year 11 Young Achievement Australia Team for their success at the regional YAA awards and progress to the State YAA finals (see details in this Newsletter). Frensham would like to thank again Mr Chris Pearsall, Mr Terry Mortensen, Mr Nick Padol, Mr Trevor Fair, Mr Lloyd Barwell for their guidance and to Allison and Graham Marcolin for their sponsorship of the YAA Business Skills Programme;
- Gib Gate and Frensham students for their achievement at the recent ICAS Mathematics Competition. Full results are printed in the relevant reports;
- All those involved in the planning and preparation of the WWS Foundation / Frensham Fellowship Generations’ Lunch that saw more than 400 former students gather in Clubbe Hall and on the front lawn for an ‘extended family’ Reunion last Sunday;
- The Gib Gate Transition-Year 2 Fun Carnival organisers for a successful event;
- The Gib Gate Gymnastics Team who were competing for the first time at competition level at the IPSHA Gymnastics Competition and to the parents who assisted at the event;
- Gib Gate Year 5 for their very well prepared presentations at the recent Performance Assembly;
- Gib Gate parents and students who rose to the canoe challenge that was a central focus of Outdoor Education Group’s Family Day;
- Recent Duke of Edinburgh’s Award recipients: Bronze – Madeleine Bowdern, Lucy Hay, Tatiana Kiewa, Rachel Latimer, Sophia Macken, Emily Marsh, Emily Milne, Anne Moser and Madeleine Quinn and Silver - Guislaine Allen, Isabel Faulkner, Clara Lamond and Alice Lee-Warner;
- HSC Visual Arts students who successful submitted works for a Regional Body of Works Exhibition in the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery: Adriana Bond, Emily Cameron, Constance Mort, Rebecca Sampson, Sarah-Jane Smeeth.
- Musicians Mary Bokey (violin), Adriana Bond (violin) and Catherine Corbet (cello) who volunteered to perform with Mrs Christine Jarczewski as a String Quartet in support of the recent Southern Highlands Philanthropy Awards presentations in the presence of Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of New South Wales and Patron-in-Chief of The Southern Highlands Foundation;
- Eleanor Leeming (Year 12) who joined with Emily Milne and Charlotte Midson (Year 11) and Mr Spencer to present Pie Jesu as part of the Generations' Lunch Welcome in Clubbe Hall.
Ahead:
Important Community Dates:
Gib Gate: Kindergarten Orientation – Thursday 5 November, Gib Gate welcomes students and parents;
Frensham: Overnight Orientation for New Students – Thursday 5-Friday 6 November, Frensham looks forward to welcoming 2010 students and their parents;
Sturt: An Evening with Caroline Jones at Sturt - Friday 6 November, ABC TV presenter Caroline Jones will talk about her new book: Through a Glass Darkly: a journey of love and grief with my father;
Gib Gate: Senior Musical (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) – Friday 13 November;
Frensham: Confirmation Service – Sunday 15 November, prepared students will be confirmed by the Right Reverend Alan Stewart, Bishop of Wollongong;
WWS Foundation: Foundation Centenary Appeal Luncheon (Yass) - Friday 20 November, Foundation Centenary Appeal Dinner (Canberra) - Friday 20 November
Ms J A Gillick
Head of Frensham
Head of Winifred West Schools
Information / Forms sent via Email
Frensham is now sending Information Notices and Forms via Email and the following have been sent this week:
• End of Year Programme
• Year 10 Sturt Workshop programme
AHEAD:
Change to Term 4 Calendar -
Sat 7 Nov: End of Year Production, there is no rehearsal
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NOVEMBER |
Th 5 |
GG: 9.30am Kindergarten Orientation
GG: 11am-1pm Senior Musical Rehearsal, Yrs 5&6, Clubbe Hall
F: 11am-3.30pm World of Mathematics, School Hall, Years 7&8
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, Junior Cast
F: 4.45pm Overnight Orientation New Students 2010 |
F 6 |
S: 5.30pm An Evening with Caroline Jones
GG: 9.30-10.30am Transition to Kindergarten Orientation (students only)
F: Australian All Schools Athletics Carnival
F: Overnight Orientation New Students 2010 (till 3.30pm)
F: 4.30pm-1.40am Young Achievement Australia, State Awards Dinner, Canberra
F: 6pm Advisory Committee Meeting |
S 7 |
F: IGSSA Round 3
F: Australian All Schools Athletics Carnival |
S 8 |
School Service |
Week 4 |
Week B |
M 9 |
GG: Swimming Development Programme, K-6
GG: 9am-3pm Senior Musical Production Rehearsal, Clubbe Hall, Yrs 5-6
GG: 11am-3pm Senior Musical Production Rehearsal, Clubbe Hall, Yrs 3-4
F: Year 9 Examinations in School Hall
F: School Certificate Examinations (Year 10)
F: 4-5.45pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast
F: 6.45-8.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, selected Senior Cast |
T 10 |
GG: Senior Musical Production Costume Call, Gib Gate
F: Year 9 Examinations in School Hall
F: School Certificate Examinations (Year 10)
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, Dance Troupe |
W 11 |
GG: Senior Musical Production Dress Rehearsal, Clubbe Hall, Yrs 3-6
GG&F: 8.45am Remembrance Day
F: Year 9 Examinations in School Hall
F: Year 10 University Day
F: 9am-12noon Riding for the Disabled, Year 8
F: 3.45pm Concert Practice |
Th 12 |
GG: 12noon Senior Musical, Clubbe Hall
F: Year 9 Examinations in School Hall
F: Year 10 Sturt Workshops
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, Junior Cast, Drama Studio
F: 6.45-8.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, selected Senior Cast, Drama Studio |
F 13 |
GG: 9.30-10.30am Transition to Kindergarten Orientation (students only)
GG: 6pm Senior Musical, Clubbe Hall
F: Year 9 Examinations in School Hall
F: School Certificate Examinations (Year 10)
F: Year 10 Sturt Workshops
F: 5.30-8.30pm Year 9 Social with Scots Glengarry, Games Field and Gymnasium, Frensham |
S 14 |
F: IGSSA Round 4
F: 1-5pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast |
S 15 |
F: 2.30pm Year 10 Confirmation Service (with Senior Choir) |
Week 5 |
Week A |
M 16 |
GG: Swimming Development Programme K-6
GG: 8.45am FOGG Class Representative Meeting, Music Centre
F: Orientation for Year 10 Begins
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast
F: 6.45-8.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast |
T 17 |
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, Dance Troupe |
W 18 |
GG: 9.30-12noon First Aid Course, Year 6
GG: 5.30pm Preschool Art Exhibition |
Th 19 |
F: 11am-12.30pm & 2-3.30pm History Performance with Tom Newell, Drama Studio, Yrs 7-8
F: 4-5.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, Junior Cast
F: 6.45-8.30pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, selected Senior Cast
F: 6.45-8pm Pen & Ink Meeting |
F 20 |
GG: 9.30-10.30am Transition to Kindergarten Orientation (students only) |
S 21 |
F: IGSSA Round 5
F: 1-5pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast |
S 22 |
School Service
F: 1-5pm End of Year Production Rehearsal, all cast |
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