How do we prepare our students today for the future career demands of tomorrow?

How do we prepare our students today for the future career demands of tomorrow?

Conversations with students at very different ends of the educational spectrum – two in their final year of University and two in Gib Gate Preschool – reinforced to me recently the critical difference a world-class P-12 education can have in equipping our students for exciting, unknown career paths.

Describing their recent experience of recruitment processes – one in International Architecture/Engineering and the other UK Government Solicitor Traineeships – the university students I spoke to were competing against thousands of applicants from around the globe.

Despite applying to work in very different fields, both described a rigorous recruitment process that went far beyond grades and university qualifications. In fact, in one of the processes, gender, nationality, school, university and grades were suppressed until the final round to support diversity of employment.

Both experiences had in common a lengthy, multi-step process where applicants were narrowed down based on direct observations of situational judgement, verbal and critical reasoning skills, creativity, and ability to problem-solve, collaborate with others and lead a team. When finally asked to describe themselves as thinkers and learners, the students felt the process was as much an exercise in resilience and equanimity as anything else.

So how do we prepare our students today for the future career demands of tomorrow?

A conversation with Leo Berkelouw and Harrison Peebles, Gib Gate Preschool students, epitomised to me some of the essential qualities future students will require. Asking if they could talk to me, the students noted that they had a problem they thought I could help them solve.

Having recently researched and constructed their own Aboriginal Art Gallery in response to their experience of the Punu Exhibition at Sturt, the students were disappointed that visitor numbers to their Gallery were low. Installing a feedback box, the students asked if I could send an email asking people to visit and provide them with advice on how they could improve the Gallery experience.

Happy to oblige, I said I would send an email to the Gib Gate Teachers asking them to visit with their classes. Leo and Harrison looked unimpressed. ‘No’, they said. ‘You need to send the email to EVERYONE… all the teachers and all the students in the WORLD’. Clearly, I had greatly underestimated the students’ expectations of what we could achieve together.

Learner agency, expressed here so eloquently by Gib Gate four year olds, is when students feel respected and in control of their learning. When they feel they have the power to influence and are active participants in their learning, they feel a greater sense of agency. Students must possess the skills to learn independently if we are to prepare them for the roles of tomorrow. .

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

Award-winning Year 6 Writers

The Whitlam Institute What Matters? Writing Competition 2019, which is run annually across Australia for students from Years 5-12, attracts over 4,500 entries. Year 6 students rose to the challenge by thinking about and developing their ideas through multiple drafts, completing their written response on a matter or topic they cared about deeply.

Earlier this term, Sophie Alexander, pictured with Ms Sally Robson, was selected as one of only 30 entries shortlisted in the Years 5/6 category. Sophie’s piece entitled Resilience, describes her personal journey. Here are some excerpts:

…Resilience helped me through the darkest time in my life. Imagine finding out that the hours of chemo, radiotherapy and the pure pain your own father went through was for nothing. That priceless person, who without him you would not be here today, was going to die in a couple of months. All my hope was thrown out the window. I knew that I only had a couple of months left with him so I figured everything I did with him and said to him counted. I acted fine because I knew that if I cried; it would only make everyone else even more devastated. One afternoon I had just finished drawing a picture for him when my aunty and grandma came into my room. Before they had even said a word, I knew what had happened…

I most certainly realise that I am not the only kid that has been through this, or is going through what I did I do know that resilience is the only thing that can put the pieces back together after you feel like this big monster, called death, has picked you up and smashed you on the ground...

Most people experience a parent dying while in their 40's to 70's. I was eight years old when my father lost his battle against cancer…

I will never forget him; he has a piece of my heart forever.

The Annual NESA WriteOn Competition 2019 engages all our young writers from Year 1 to Year 6 in an authentic writing experience, linked to the outcomes of the NSW English K–6 Syllabus. In this competition, students compose an imaginative text of up to 500 words in length using a given coloured visual as a stimulus. We were excited to be advised this week that Isabella Atra, Year 6, has been awarded a Silver Medal in the Stage 3 Category. Isabella was a medal winner in this competition as a Year 5 student in 2018 so has completed a ‘double’ in writing! See below: Excerpts from Isabella’s narrative piece entitled Lifetime of Hat:

Boxes everywhere!  As I dropped my school bag, trying to make sense of the chaos, in walked mum juggling more boxes.  “We’re moving!” No sooner than the words left her mouth, an overwhelming sense of shock and surprise swept through my body like a bucket of cold water poured over my head.  I froze.  “Where? Why?” I mumbled fighting back tears.

 “Melbourne. Your father has a new job,” she said softly. “You’ll be ok.  You’ll make new friends. Think of it as a new adventure,” mum said, almost flippantly.  I had so many questions, but I couldn’t speak.  “Can you check the boxes in the storeroom to see if there’s anything you want to keep?” she casually added, like she hadn’t just dropped a bombshell that ruined my life! 

…Peeling back the cardboard flaps, I peered inside…

I reached into the bottom of the box to find an aged diary.  Gently lifting it to where my eyes could see, I stroked my fingers across the leathery cover and saw faded letters engraved on the book. It read Gabriella’s Diary, my Abuela Gaby.

…As I read her words I was transported into the world of a young girl leaving Spain and starting a new life in Australia, uncertain of what lay ahead. Stories of love, travel, different people and adventures filled the pages, and photos of a beautiful young Abuela…Such an amazing life, all captured in stories and photos and hats! 

“Bella! Dinner’s ready!”…

As I clutched her diary and headed to the kitchen, courage and anticipation filled my head as I contemplated my new adventure.  A new place, new people, new experiences, just like Abuela.  Melbourne, here I come!

Ms Kate Chauncy Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmes

Sport

Interschools Snowsports
Following outstanding success at the Regional Interschools Snowsports competition, the following students will be competing in the Interschools Snowsports State Championships being held at Perisher this week. Tempe Arnott, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Madeleine Bendror, Isabella Carpenter, (Year 6), Matilda Telford (Year 5), Sebastian Atra, Iman Byrne, Zali de Manincor (Year 4), Mae Gilkeson (Year 3) and Sophia Atra (Year 1).

Athletics
We congratulate the Gib Gate Athletics Team who competed so well at the SHIPS Athletics carnival last Friday. There were many fine performances across both Field and Track events. The IPSHA Athletics Carnival is being held at Homebush on Monday 26 August. 

Gib Gate Team at SHIPS Athletics Carnival

Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate

Enrichment/Activities

Students in Years 3-6 are currently preparing for the 2019 musical production. They have commenced learning their lines and songs for Peter Pan, which will be presented next term. Year 6 students are excited about their lead roles and other classes are enjoying their character parts. The inclusive nature of these authentic performance opportunities for students is purposeful as well as developing students’ potential.

AMEB Examinations
A large number of students recently sat AMEB examination in piano, flute, violin, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. We congratulate these students for their efforts in preparing for these examinations.

RoboCup 2019 – Friday 6-Saturday 7 September
Thirteen students are preparing for the RoboCup Junior competition to be held in Canberra. James Macpherson (Year 2), Cameron Grace, Benjamin Gregory, James Moylan, John Shadbolt, Oliver Wilson (Year 3), Anthony Neilson (Year 4), Harry Lawson (Year 5) will be entering the Primary On Stage Division.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Preschool

What is that magpie doing?

Gib Gate’s youngest students were intrigued after a magpie flew into the Preschool room. There was discussion about what the bird was doing in Preschool. It was examined closely after being caught then released into the outdoor environment. Harrison used the children's camera to record the bird being caught, released, and as it stood recovering watching us watching it. Many questions arose including, ‘Why isn’t it flying away?’ and ‘Why is it watching us?’

Using the children's questions as a launching point for the interest-based programme offered in Preschool, we decided we wanted to learn more about magpies. The children were invited to become detectives, hunting magpies in the grounds of Gib Gate. Armed with clipboards, the students ventured outside to observe the magpies in their habitat. In order to provoke a deeper level of thinking, the students were asked to note down where the magpies were found and what were they doing. The children found it a challenge to sit and watch the magpies without going towards them.

At first, the children shared observations such as, ‘They are hunting for worms’. With encouragement, students were asked to identify exactly what they could see and not to predict what the birds might be doing. They started to share information such as, ‘It's tapping its beak on the ground’ or ‘It's pushing its beak into the ground’. Using their drawing skills, and with the teachers helping them record their words, the students became active record keepers.

Later, the shape and form of the magpies were recorded using fine black pens, pencils, watercolors and clay. The students noted its beak, legs, claws, body and wings. The shape of each body part was discussed before the children set to work. It was interesting to see at certain times how the children inspired each other in their work and how, at other times, they noted one characteristic with this becoming their main focus. A central part of the Preschool programme is to use questioning, stimulus, and peer learning through observations and discussions. With this in mind, the students are encouraged to reflect critically on the work of their peers - with respect and consideration. When Clara Peebles commented on the feathers Tommy Pierce had made in his artwork noting ‘They are beautiful!’, Tommy beamed.

Gib Gate’s youngest students then headed into the paddock to participate in a ‘step inside’ thinking routine where they imagined they were a magpie and describe what the magpie was thinking. The students rose to the challenge of thinking differently, sharing comments such as, ‘I am flying and swooping near the grass with my friend’ and ‘I had better get back to my nest!’

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator