Charity Assembly 2

On Wednesday 14 July, the College held its 2nd Charity Assembly. We introduced our four guest speakers from Catholic Mission, Karinya House, Marymead and St Vincent de Paul, who shared many inspiring stories about why we need to support these Charities in Semester 2. Yet again we were grateful for their presence.

Kristine Villanueva Social Justice Captain

Marie Manning

Mission and Ministry Coordinator

Fundraising Days – Term 3 and 4

Week 5

Wednesday 11 August St Clare’s Day – Fundraising for all House Charities

Week 7

Wednesday 25 August Charity Day 3 – Karinya House – Alinda and Kipara

Week 8

Friday 3 September Athletics Carnival Canteen - Fundraising for all House Charities organised by Social Justice Committee

Week 9

Wednesday 8 September

Week 10

Monday 13 – Friday 19 September

Week 13

Wednesday 20 October

Term 3 - 4

Charity Day 4 – Marymead – Japara and Makara Collection of donations for all Charities (House Points awarded for each donation given)

Catholic Missions – Soxtober - Fundraising organised by Social Justice Committee

St Vincent de Paul activities

Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching

St Clare’s College aspires to be a visible learning school. Our intent is that all learners:

1. Develop and apply effective habits of thinking and doing (our College learning dispositions). 2. Are assessment capable – knowing where they are, where they are going and what their next steps will be. 3. Understand how to learn through the application of learning strategies and thinking about their thinking; and 4. Seek, receive, act on and give feedback.

The beginning of this year saw the roll out of our College learning dispositions - persisting, thinking flexibly, questioning and posing problems, thinking interdependently and applying past knowledge to new situations. The characteristics of an effective learner. The habits of thinking and doing. The inclination toward behaving intelligently when confronted with problems. The application of these learning dispositions underpins the learning achievement and growth that the College recognised and celebrated during the recent Academic Awards assemblies for Years 7 to 9 and Years 10 to 12.

It is these occasions that I often take the opportunity to share a story with the College. The Crow and the Pitcher. A pitcher you say. What is a pitcher? Did you say a large jug? You would be correct! Ok, now the story…

The Crow and the Pitcher

A crow, dying with thirst, flew with joy to a pitcher hoping to find some water in it. When the crow landed and put its beak into the mouth of the pitcher, it found that only very little water was left in the pitcher. After repeated efforts to put its beak into the mouth of the pitcher, the crow learned that they could not reach far enough down to get at the water.

The crow proceeded to try, and try again, to overturn the pitcher so at least they might be able to get a little of the water, but the pitcher was too heavy. The crow eventually gave up in despair.

Then a thought came to the crow. Seeing some pebbles with which the ground near was covered, the crow took a pebble in its beak and dropped it into the pitcher, but there was no change. The crow decided to take another pebble and drop it into the pitcher, but still no change. The crow took another and another pebble, dropping these one at a time into the pitcher. Still no change. This continued for some time before at last, at last, the crow saw the water start rising toward the top of the pitcher, and after casting in a few more pebbles one by one the crow was able to quench its thirst and save its life. An effective learner is a bit like the crow. They persevere. They stick at it! If they cannot succeed in one way, like the crow sticking their beak repeatedly in or trying to knock over the pitcher, they set their mind to work upon another and another solution – questioning and posing problems.

They do not hesitate about stepping off the old beaten track, which has been thoughtlessly pursued in a roundabout way by thousands before them. They think flexibly like a crow.

Learning is dispositional in nature. Dispositions are the tendencies toward certain patterns of intellectual thinking that are under conscious control and will as opposed to being automated. They are learned over time and are repeated patterns as opposed to single events. Dispositions are dynamic and characteristic of the context they are used rather than prescribed actions rigidly carried out, are more than desire, and will. They must be coupled with the requisite knowledge, skill and ability. Dispositions not only motivate, activate, and direct abilities; they foster capacities (resourcefulness) that develop knowledge, skills and capabilities.

Intelligent action in the world is what counts most. Knowledge of content is only part of performance. Of equal importance is becoming alert to occasions for the application and the inclination to put skills and knowledge into play. What we cannot accomplish by strength, we may by ingenuity and industry.

The ability to never give up (persist), think flexibly and learn from new or trying problems little by little does the trick!

The present state of the world, enlightened by arts (creative thinking), technologies and sciences, is proof that difficulties seemingly unsurmountable, and undertakings once imagined to be impossible have been accomplished.

This ought to be kept in mind as a spur to continued effort and persistence (grit): for we are not acquainted with the strength of our own minds until we exercise them, nor to what length our abilities will carry us, until we put them to the test. If you don’t use it, you lose it!

The messaging is not to give up at the first sign of failure. In fact, never give up trying to find solutions and thinking flexibly! Any obstacle (or problem) can be overcome, and often little by little does the trick. Remember; where there is a will, there is a way!

Endeavour awards are awarded to students who for the majority of their subject studies have (key word) consistently demonstrated effective learning dispositions favourable of academic growth and achievement. The Endeavour award also recognises significant improvement and growth in either learning dispositions or academic achievement. This semester we also recognised those students who have accelerated their senior studies in Year 10. Academic awards are informed through the compilation of academic data generated from semester reports that enables the College to calculate a grade point average (GPA). This GPA offers a quantitative benchmark to determine academic excellence across the full portfolio of subjects. The GPA does not isolate just the number of A grades achieved but also factors in achievement for those subjects where an A grade has not been achieved. This is a deliberate point of difference and a conscious standard to raise the profile around the receipt of an academic award shifting attention to the recognition of a higher standard across all subjects studied.

The College congratulates all award recipients and encourages all students to reflect and consider how they are going to be an effective learner this semester?

Dearne Marrapodi

Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching