The Thistle - An E-Newsletter of Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia

From the Head of Junior School

On Reflection - we still have things to learn.

Teaching is a reflective practice. As teachers, we review what we do and what the children learn frequently over the course of the day, week and year. This happens in many ways in our day. Did I ensure all of the boys are here, was my lesson as well differentiated as it could have been, did I explain the learning intention for my lesson thoroughly enough? This reflection may occur on the spot, at morning tea or on recess duty. In the evenings, the review of day continues, marking takes place, data is analysed and amendments made to the lessons that will follow.

Our teachers are constantly talking about how to get better, researching what will help them help their students to learn and progress. Each one of them is a researcher.

This year, our team of researchers will form Preparation for Action Teams (PAT). Each PAT will choose an area to research that will improve the quality of the teaching and learning in their area. They will investigate best practice from around the country and the globe, trial these new approaches and reviewing their effectiveness. They will engage in professional reading and dialogue and clinically reflect on each aspect of the initiative they experimenting with. At the end of this year, they will present their findings to their colleagues, and as a staff, we will adopt the ones deemed the most effective method to improve our teaching and learning programme.

Our teachers are committed to achieving the very best outcomes for our students and this year of action will pave the way for further improvements to our already outstanding programme.

A Swimming Success - epilogue

Our recent Inter-House Swimming Carnival saw our boys shine in the water but we could not predict then the dizzying heights they would go on to achieve.

On Thursday 1 March at HBF Stadium, boys from Year 4 to 6 represented the College at the JPSSA Inter-School Swimming Carnival. This event has been dominated by Christ Church Grammar School for most of the decade and it would take a monumental team effort to unseat them. On this occasion our boys pulled together, battling in every race to earn valuable points for the team. We won many events along the way and saw essential second, third and fourth place finishes take place. Every point mattered and for the first time in many a year, Scotch College was crowned JPSSA Swimming Champions, edging out Christ Church for that honour.

Well done to our boys and to their coaches on this significant accomplishment.

Mr John Stewart
Head of Junior School