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

Learning Abilities - A caring community

Often the Thistle presents an opportunity for a discussion about Teaching and Learning that focuses on the Academic Programmes, student successes or a new initiative we are implementing to improve the boy's education.

In contrast, the focus of this edition is on caring. As an International Baccalaureate School, the IB Learner Profile is a key document.

IB learner logo

As a student it may not initially hold much relevance, as a staff member perhaps a quickly glossed over high level document, and as a parent it presents a collection of qualities that we hope our sons display in their day to day interactions.

Yet, read more carefully and it can be used in a variety of ways;

The expanded version of the Learner Profile defines caring in an individual as:

'We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.'

In this vein, across each sub-school the College has a dedicated team of individuals whose purpose it is to support students in our community who require academic support.

Within all sub-schools, the aim of academic support is to: 'facilitate the identification of needs, intervention and the accommodations to implement learning support in order for boys to access the curriculum.'

However, step inside one of our academic support classrooms and what we see first is not differentiation; it is a caring relationship. It is the smile of a staff member at the precise moment that a student understands, it is the breakthrough where a boy demonstrates something he previously could not do, it is the relaxed atmosphere in a room full of people who are looking to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

In our community all abilities are accepted, celebrated and supported. In our community we care deeply that all boys have a right to reach their potential. In our community the most able come in many forms.

Please find out more information on our academic support programmes by visiting this page.

Thank you for trusting us to educate your son.

Mr Peter Allen
Director of Teaching and Learning