This week, our Head of Faculty for English and Media, Victoria Miles, shares with us the island adventures that our Year 8 students have been on in English this term.
Every year Year 8 students take part in the 'Island Project Competition'. Even with virtual learning, this year was no exception. Students worked in teams within their English classes to create a brand new, never seen or visited before island. With the ability to only dream of travel during the second MCO, the students fully embraced the challenge. Once their vision was created, students then had to present and promote their island to their class and use their persuasive skills to convince them that their island is the holiday destination of choice. Usually, this takes place live in lessons, but this year students created videos.
Each English class decided a winner and those videos then went through to an ‘Island Showdown’ with an English teacher vote, two impartial guest judge votes and a student vote used to decide the overall winner. The winners were chosen based on their range of persuasive techniques, vocabulary used, clarity and creativeness of their presentation. Alina, Ibrahim, Hana Joy and Justin from Ms Muttiah’s class were the overall winners this year with their island ‘Indalaysia’; their presentation had a wonderful tone and a wide variety of persuasive techniques. The winners themselves received book vouchers and their whole class were given some sweet treats. The student top vote choice went to Ivan, Lily, Sophia and Olly from Ms Brooks’ class for their island called ‘Mirable Island’.
Well done to all our Year 8 students and a special thank you to Ms Phillips for organising the event.
Balance, nature and Happy Easter Break!
It has been an exciting term - to have had all of our students back on campus for face-to-face learning for three whole weeks has been just wonderful. With International Week, STEM Week, the Young Musician of the Year Competition and much, much more, we have been reminded of the joy of interactive learning and the life-affirming nature of social interaction.
To all of our students, I wish you a restful and balanced Easter break - take time to do the things that make you feel well: time with your family and friends, sleep, eating well, exercising and simple pleasures like reading a book or going for a walk. This is especially important for our Year 10-13 students who are returning to campus after Easter to internal and external assessments. Finding that balance between preparing for what is to come and feeding your body, mind and soul is something that all of us grapple with. As the saying goes,
Balance is not something you find, it is something you create.
For many of us, an appreciation of beauty and nature helps us to find balance and tend to our wellbeing.
Author: Dr. Maria Osowiecki, Secondary Principal, Alice Smith School